Looking at receivers in draft

[ghostface95]

Arrelious Benn has struggled with injuries this season as well so that's why his numbers don't exactly jump out at you.

But let's not dare ignore his stats from his Freshman and Sophomore seasons as well.

Me being a homer from the DC area I've had the privilege of watching Vernon Davis, Vontae Davis, Marvin Austin (NT from UNC we should get him), Joshua Cribbs, Nathan Bussey (currently playing at Illinois) all play in high school since all of them attended the same high school which was Dunbar (Washington, DC) and when they played for Dunbar their teams won the City Title in Football for 4 years consecutively.

I hope Bryant slides although I seriously doubt it but if he's still available when we pick I can see him having a chip on his shoulder a la Randy Moss in the '98' Draft and we would be fools to pass on him.

As much as I'd love for McClain to be roaming from sideline to sideline at the Mike position for the Fins in '10'; I wouldn't be upset if we snagged Micah Johnson, Eric Norwood (convert him to MLB), or Joe Pawelek (hidden gem from Baylor) instead.

 

[jim1]

Arrelious Benn has struggled with injuries this season as well so that's why his numbers don't exactly jump out at you.

But let's not dare ignore his stats from his Freshman and Sophomore seasons as well.

Me being a homer from the DC area I've had the privilege of watching Vernon Davis, Vontae Davis, Marvin Austin (NT from UNC we should get him), Joshua Cribbs, Nathan Bussey (currently playing at Illinois) all play in high school since all of them attended the same high school which was Dunbar (Washington, DC) and when they played for Dunbar their teams won the City Title in Football for 4 years consecutively.

I hope Bryant slides although I seriously doubt it but if he's still available when we pick I can see him having a chip on his shoulder a la Randy Moss in the '98' Draft and we would be fools to pass on him.

As much as I'd love for McClain to be roaming from sideline to sideline at the Mike position for the Fins in '10'; I wouldn't be upset if we snagged Micah Johnson, Eric Norwood (convert him to MLB), or Joe Pawelek (hidden gem from Baylor) instead.

After watching the Panthers game last night, and especially since rumor has it that Ferguson tore his ACL, you'd have to think that they'll look for a guy in the interior triangle NT/ILB/ILB. It would be great to have a guy like Vilma or Beason plugging those running holes quickly, we're just not all that good at it. That being said, I keep going back to Arrelious Benn.

I saw some clips of Gilyard on another site- granted, you can see only so much from a few plays and your opinion based on those clips and a quarter will get you a cup of coffee. Great hands and he does everything well- the fact of the matter is that I'd need to see more and find out if maybe he is a little more explosive than my initial assessment/snap judgement indicated.

But Ferguson's knee injury aside, there's Benn in my thought proccess as always, kind of like Harvin last year but not as bad. Maybe to a fault I'm looking for a profile to be filled and this is what I see:

Take this body, 4.4-4.45 speed, great stats 1st 2 years, lousy coaching and QB play this year and the ability to run with the ball well and you have in one player what the Dolphins need at WR. As I've said before the Illinois offense blows so badly that it's frustrating watching them play and waiting for Benn to do something. There are questions about his hands and I'm really looking forward to seeing how he catches and what kind of explosion he shows against top competition at the Senior Bowl. So if he comes out-and I hope he does- where does he go? Top 15? Top 25? Slides to the 2nd round? Where does Gilyard go? Late 1st? Mid 2nd? Golden Tate, Denario Alexander, Demaryius Thomas?- who knows, probably second round. Do you take an overweight Terrence Cody in the 1st? What round does NT Dan Williams go in? 2 WRs in the 1st 4 rounds would suit me fine, and yes it may indeed be overkill. Dan Williams just seems to fit the profile and playing style of what we want/need at NT. It will be interesting to see if we take Brandon Spikes if he's available in the 1st- dude has talent, no doubt. But for all I hear that Benn's stock is going down, I cannot get it out of my head that he's right up our alley.

 

[DOC33]

Danaro Alexander from MISSU is the player that everyone is missing out on and would fit the profile that seems to be the new rage in the NFL he is 6-4 215. He is not a speed demon but should run in the 4.5 range. He has had a couple of knee issues which will scare some teams and more than likely the fins off but today he is the best WR in the country. He was not widely talked about last year because Maclin was taking all of the headlines.

By the way Decker is a Hartline/Camarillo clone why would we want him. Lafell has dropped more passes this year than he has caught and is very raw. Probably 2-3 years off from contributing and LSU WR's have been disappointing at the NFL level with the exception of Bowe. Gilyard has a very small frame and will have trouble developing the strength to defeat press at the LOS.

 

[jim1]

Danaro Alexander from MISSU is the player that everyone is missing out on and would fit the profile that seems to be the new rage in the NFL he is 6-4 215. He is not a speed demon but should run in the 4.5 range. He has had a couple of knee issues which will scare some teams and more than likely the fins off but today he is the best WR in the country. He was not widely talked about last year because Maclin was taking all of the headlines.

By the way Decker is a Hartline/Camarillo clone why would we want him. Lafell has dropped more passes this year than he has caught and is very raw. Probably 2-3 years off from contributing and LSU WR's have been disappointing at the NFL level with the exception of Bowe. Gilyard has a very small frame and will have trouble developing the strength to defeat press at the LOS.

I've seen enough of Decker to agree. It crossed my mind a few weeks ago to watch Alexander and I missed his offensive explosion. Lafell has been the most frustrating for me in terms of getting a read on him. Gilyard- I've seen just clips but I don't really see why he wouldn't be able to beat the press. Ted Ginn can beat the press and 6-5 225 lb Patrick Turner can't- go figure.

Worth noting- the site where I got the Benn photo has Gilyard #15 overall, Benn #63. Seems high for Gilyard and low for Benn, but who knows. I'm going to make an effort to watch a Cincinnatti game this year if possible and LSU, too. I've seen LSU but whiffed on Lafell. Actually to be specific about it, I saw some Lafell but I wasn't crazy about what I saw, I need to see more.

http://www.nfldraftgeek.com/rankings.html

p.s. I think that it's fair to say that Mike Williams has some athletic ability:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6chghl-g0N8

Kind of bums me out I never saw this guy play. Any Syracuse fans out there with some feedback?

 

[ghostface95]

and Arrelious Benn attended Dunbar as well as the others I mentioned in my previous post above

 

[ccb]

if we could some how snag lafell in the second and get a ilb in the first i'd be all for it!

 

[skipp2myloo13]

Im a big LSU fan and trust me dont get Lafell. He isnt garb but he isnt anything special. He isnt better than what we have, would be a true waste IMO. Tate is the best receiver for us IMO. Small, physical WR. Catches everything. YAC machine and can run like a FB/RB. He can be used in every formation and be Steve Smith 2.0 (Car)

 

[houtz]

Im a big LSU fan and trust me dont get Lafell. He isnt garb but he isnt anything special. He isnt better than what we have, would be a true waste IMO. Tate is the best receiver for us IMO. Small, physical WR. Catches everything. YAC machine and can run like a FB/RB. He can be used in every formation and be Steve Smith 2.0 (Car)

A lot of "experts" say he's a better Dwayne Bowe. We have NO ONE on our team that's anywhere near Dwayne Bowe.

Bryant/Benn/Lafell and Tate would be a dream come true.

 

[SF Dolphin Fan]

I want to believe in Lafell and I hope that I end up doing so. He's referred to as a Bowe clone, but I haven't seen it. As I want Miami (if the situation warrants it) to draft a WR very early, I'm hoping that I'll be impressed with Lafell in the remainder of the season, the combine, and the Senior Bowl. What I'm particularly looking for is explosion- maybe I've just missed it when I've seen LSU play, but I haven't seen enough of it out of him yet.

I agree. I mean the guy is tremendously productive in the SEC, which is saying a lot. But he doesn't strike me as an elite talent at all.

 

[jim1]

Im a big LSU fan and trust me dont get Lafell. He isnt garb but he isnt anything special. He isnt better than what we have, would be a true waste IMO. Tate is the best receiver for us IMO. Small, physical WR. Catches everything. YAC machine and can run like a FB/RB. He can be used in every formation and be Steve Smith 2.0 (Car)

The best thing that I saw out of Lafell yesterday was his hands on that onside kick recovery. I keep expecting something from him and never get it. Tate- I see explosion, yards after catch, kick return ability. I'm focused on explosion and dominating size and strength. And that's because we have so little of that on our WR core. Tate makes the cut, I'd say yes on Gilyard but that's half assed because I've only seen highlights. Lafell- no. I heard a lot about Williams from Syracuse- I have to admit that seeing a guy at 6-2 pull off some trick slam dunks with his elbow at rim's height has me intrigued. That indicated serious explosion to me. He has the stats- now if I would only see him play... Still thinking Benn and developing a sweet tooth for Demaryious Thomas.

p.s. not a big fan of Dexter MClouster (sp?), I think he'll turn out to be more of a Garrett Wolfe than Darren Sproles. Speaking of Ole Miss, they have a wide body DT that looks like he fits the part- run stuffer who moves pretty well. Still intrigued by Shay Hodge, reminds me a little of Sidney Rice. I don't see either one as terribly explosive, but Rice turned it on this year and I see potential in Hodge- good wheels, good frame, I'm not sure about his hands, though. And I still like Jevan Snead more than most- dude his having a bad year, but I still think that he can make a good pro. Good size, compact delivery, strong arm, looks pretty accurate to me, although his stats and reputation this year say otherwise. I've seen some of his balls dropped, Hodges a culprit. Decision making- he has something to prove there. Two early votes for rookie busts of the year- Carlos Dunlap and Jimmy Claussen. As per Dunlap- Al Davis special. Big and fast. How about a little production there, Mr. Dunlap? I keep thinking that Claussen is going to leave the pass happy Notre Dame offense and get killed in the pros. I'm not exactly sure why-probably still tainted from seeing him earlier in his career- but I think that he'll be a top 10-15 pick and not transition well. Tate- he'll be fine. Final thought that just came to me- Tebow doesn't look nearly as good this year- I wonder if it's a lingering concussion or how much Harvin and Murphy being gone are hurting him. I'm not about to do a 180 on him, but the magic just isn't there this year. I still think that the concussion was a turning point. For those of you who haven't experienced one, concussions can be nasty and can linger on for a while.

 

[jim1]

A lot of "experts" say he's a better Dwayne Bowe. We have NO ONE on our team that's anywhere near Dwayne Bowe.

Bryant/Benn/Lafell and Tate would be a dream come true.

Well, I've looked for that and I still haven't seen it- I'd take Dwayne Bowe over Lafell in a heartbeat. My unorthodox, and perhaps one could argue crappy, method of trying to find the right receivers for the Dolphins, is to look for the "it' factor. Bowe has it, Lafell- my early vote is no. Bowe is a physical specimen with pretty good speed and he's good out of breaks- my catchword this year is explosion because Miami's WRs are so lacking in that regard. I look at Bowe and I see a combo of Bryant and Benn. I look at Lafell and I see a competent big receiver. And I keep wondering if there's something that I'm missing, because I'm just not seeing it.

 

[jim1]

I agree. I mean the guy is tremendously productive in the SEC, which is saying a lot. But he doesn't strike me as an elite talent at all.

9 TDs this year is nice, but I don't know if I would call 635 yards tremendously productive. And my guess is that you're right, he's not an elite talent. Mid to late second round guy imo.

 

[Pachyderm_Wave]

Evaluating talent is not...and never will be an exact science....it's similar to catching criminals...

Law enforcement uses "profilers" to classify certain traits, tendancies, and flaws to paint a picture and put a face on what type of person they're most likely looking for specific to certain crimes....and it's amazing how accurate it is...

Same thing with football players....and since we're talking receivers....there's a certain profile for WR's that don't have good hands or struggles to catch the ball consistently....and that's receivers that get too big and bulky in the upper body (Terrell Owens, Chris Chambers, etc.)....and Benn fits this profile...

Lafell isn't "elite"....but he's better than his stats suggest....his production is held back somewhat by the quarterback position at LSU.....and the fact that the SEC has the best defenses and defensive coordinators that know how to take him away and force a young QB to find other options...

Put him in the Big-10 with a QB like Jimmy Clausen and he'd be putting up Golden Tate type numbers....

Put Tate in the SEC with Jordan Jefferson at quarterback and you're not hearing near as much about him....

 

[jim1]

Evaluating talent is not...and never will be an exact science....it's similar to catching criminals...

Law enforcement uses "profilers" to classify certain traits, tendancies, and flaws to paint a picture and put a face on what type of person they're most likely looking for specific to certain crimes....and it's amazing how accurate it is...

Same thing with football players....and since we're talking receivers....there's a certain profile for WR's that don't have good hands or struggles to catch the ball consistently....and that's receivers that get too big and bulky in the upper body (Terrell Owens, Chris Chambers, etc.)....and Benn fits this profile...

Lafell isn't "elite"....but he's better than his stats suggest....his production is held back somewhat by the quarterback position at LSU.....and the fact that the SEC has the best defenses and defensive coordinators that know how to take him away and force a young QB to find other options...

Put him in the Big-10 with a QB like Jimmy Clausen and he'd be putting up Golden Tate type numbers....

Put Tate in the SEC with Jordan Jefferson at quarterback and you're not hearing near as much about him....

I'm not so sure about that thesis. Owens is a long 6-3, 220. I've seen Chambers up close at Dolphins TC- it never would cross my mind that bulk is an issue with him. Dude has some long arms on him. Boldin is bulky, works just fine for me. Benn- we'll see. He's a physical force and fast as well. He's quick and can break tackles and go for yac.

Interesting comment on profiling- that's of what I'm trying to do with the Wrs in a limited sense- Benn fits my profile, and you kind of lost me on the
bulk argument.

 

[Pachyderm_Wave]

I'm not so sure about that thesis. Owens is a long 6-3, 220. I've seen Chambers up close at Dolphins TC- it never would cross my mind that bulk is an issue with him. Dude has some long arms on him. Boldin is bulky, works just fine for me. Benn- we'll see. He's a physical force and fast as well. He's quick and can break tackles and go for yac.

Interesting comment on profiling- that's of what I'm trying to do with the Wrs in a limited sense- Benn fits my profile, and you kind of lost me on the
bulk argument.

Chambers got too bulky in the upper body when he was in college was my point....

TO weighing 220 isn't the point either...it's that most of his bulk is in his upper body....

It affects consistency with the quick twitch muscles in the fingers and hands, etc....

Look at Calvin Johnson...Larry Fitzgerald, etc......they're not as bulky up top....even though they're both big receivers over 220 pounds....the bulk is distributed evenly in the lower body.....same with Boldin....

Just curious....how are you trying to profile your receivers that you think fits specifically what Miami's needs are at the position?