Category Wide Receiver

USC WR Marqise Lee

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Marqise Lee has the athleticism to become a terrific NFL receiver. Find out what he needs to do to keep his athleticism from getting the best of him. Photo by Neon Tommy.

Last year, there were two basic camps among talent analysts when it came to freshman receivers.Clemson wunderkind Sammy Watkins and USC stud Marqise Lee. Both camps appreciate the skills of of the other player, but each side seems vehement about “their guy.” This will undoubtedly change as the years pass and we watch these players develop into upperclassmen.

Thus far, I’m a Watkins guy and for two reasons: I’m a magnet for troublemakers and Watkins pot arrest once again validates my compass for dysfunction is in good working order. And secondly, as odd as this sounds following the first statement, I believe Watkins is a more focused, aware, and mature player than Lee once the two step on the field. Of course Michael Irvin was a sage on the field even if you never wanted to play barber shop with him off it. Continue reading →

Pai Mei, Longtones, and Route Running: Lessons of Kung Fu, Jazz, and Football With Utah WR DeVonte Christopher

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[youtube=http://youtu.be/p8y9US7ajWo]

Football and music (and in this case, Kung Fu) continue to have a number of parallels for me. I played saxophone from the age of 8 until I stopped at 23.This is roughly the same career life span of most college football players. Those who continue playing beyond college and perform on the highest stage possess a mastery of fundamentals that require a willingness to enslave oneself to the development process: practice.

Practicing the craft of an instrument is the same as practicing the craft of playing a position. There are concepts of precision, timing, teamwork, and leadership that all musicians and football players have to learn about playing together. There are also things a player from both worlds has to refine on his own. Continue reading →

Texas WR Marquise Goodwin: The Angles of Separation Part II

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Austin Collie would lose a footrace to Marquis Goodwin every time, but at this point I’ll take Collie on a deep route over Goodwin every day. Learn why you would, too. Photo by Angie Six.

For more analysis of skill players like the post below, download the 2012 Rookie Scouting Portfolio. Better yet, if you’re a fantasy owner the 56-page Post-Draft Add-on comes with the 2012 RSP at no additional charge. Best, yet, 10 percent of every sale is donated to Darkness to Light to combat sexual abuse. Here’s an update on my pledge.

Texas Longhorns receiver Marquise Goodwin is a world-class long jumper with track star speed. Earlier this week, I broke down a play of Goodwin’s that shows how he had to do a better job of using his body to prevent a defender from gaining access to his hip pocket as the ball arrived. Here is the second of the two posts I promised. This is also from the December bowl game versus Cal and it underscores the importance of body position to maximize his speed.  It also illustrates my oft-mentioned point that athleticism might be a game changer in college football, but it’s merely a baseline for the NFL. Continue reading →

Texas WR Marquise Goodwin: The Angles of Separation Part I

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If Texas receiver Marquise Goodwin learns how to consistently gain and maintain position like he does on this catch, he has a future as a vertical threat in the NFL. Learn more from Sterling Sharpe in the video below. Photo by Aaronisnotcool.

For more analysis of skill players like the post below, download the 2012 Rookie Scouting Portfolio. Better yet, if you’re a fantasy owner the 56-page Post-Draft Add-on comes with the 2012 RSP at no additional charge. Best, yet, 10 percent of every sale is donated to Darkness to Light to combat sexual abuse. Here’s an update on my pledge.

There was a time that Texas receiver Marquise Goodwin thought about red shirting to prepare for the 2012 Olympics as a long jumper. Once he learned that NBC was covering the games, he decided competing for a Longhorns team that might slip below .500 in the Big 12 was more appealing. Truth be told, I haven’t watch the Summer Olympics at all so I can’t really take the smug stance of an arm-chair media critic.

However, I can critique Goodwin’s game. Most long jumpers have world class speed and Goodwin doesn’t disappoint here. However, as highlighted this spring with Stephen Hill’s game – Speed Kills, Now Learn How to Aim! – Goodwin has to refine what he does with his natural separation skills to become a dangerous NFL receiver. Here is the first of two posts Continue reading →

New York Times Fifth Down Series: No. 2 WR Justin Blackmon

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[youtube=http://youtu.be/voprccSVyz4]

2. Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma St. (6-0, 207) [Highlights above differ from article in NY Times.]

Blackmon plays a physical brand of football despite the fact that he is smaller and slower than he appears when featured in this wide-open Oklahoma State offense. The Cowboy offense gives Blackmon a lot of opportunities to approach defenders in space with the ball in his hands and heading downhill. While he will consistently be playing in tighter spaces at the N.F.L. level and he is not as explosive as other top prospects, Blackmon has the strength, hands and balance to become a reliable “plus” possession receiver (Anquan Boldin, Brandon Marshall) in the league.

Blackmon’s skill after the catch is what separates him from most prospects in this class. He is tough to bring down in the open field because he is a fluid runner with enough burst, strength and balance to run through hits and wraps. Blackmon’s strong hand-eye coordination and tendency to attack the ball from his breaks places him in an aggressive position to get the jump on defenders in open space.

If he develops better [Click here to read the rest]

Thoughts on Josh Gordon to Cleveland

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Hint: Hakeem Nicks earned average to below average marks at his pre-draft workouts. Those that relied on what they saw in games weren’t as disappointed. A lesson to consider when judging Josh Gordon. Photo by Romec1

As I mentioned last week, I’ll have more analysis on Gordon’s game within the next 7-10 days. But I have a little time to share some thoughts on the Browns drafting Gordon with a second-round pick and the general tenor of reactions I have seen regarding the former Baylor wide receiver.

“Not enough to see”

He might not have made good choices off the field, but don’t let anyone tell you there was not enough “tape” to evaluate Gordon. They simply couldn’t find enough to watch him or they don’t know how to watch in-depth with an entire season that was available. Gordon as a sophomore and Gordon in 2012 could be vastly different players due to time away from the game. However, Muhammad Ali Continue reading →

WR Josh Gordon: Hands are for more than catching the football

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Josh Gordon reminds me of Demaryius Thomas, but I believe Gordon has more physical upside and flashes more technical skill than Thomas at the same point of their careers. Photo by Jeffery Beall.

Warning: Although the video clips illustrating the analysis of this post are more than adequate to get the point across, they are amateurish, at best. Future analysis will likely be in still frames as I’ve used in the past.

Josh Gordon’s current skill and style of play reminds me of a mix between a raw Terrell Owens and Demaryius Thomas. However, his potential could be as limitless as Calvin Johnson. Gordon has a fascinating amalgamation of strengths and weaknesses for a wide receiver and this post will examine the strengths and weaknesses of the former Baylor wide receiver, who is the wildcard of the 2012 NFL Supplemental Draft.

This post will focus on Gordon’s speed, acceleration, and his knowledge and execution of separating from defenders as a receiver and ball carrier. The quick and dirty on Gordon’s skills in this area is that the former Baylor receiver has to speed to be a dangerous deep threat in the NFL, a big-play ball carrier in space, and the strength and quickness to put some toast under a cornerback’s jam and leave the defender standing by himself in the kitchen as his coach turns up the heat.

But Gordon’s sophomore performances against Kansas, Texas Tech, and Illinois are a wonderful illustration why size, speed, and strength are precious commodities, but at the NFL level these characteristics don’t have the same value if the player in possession of these athletic gifts doesn’t learn the craft of his position. If his off-field indiscretions are a thing of the past, I believe Gordon’s on-field performances demonstrate that he was learning the skills of his position and there is a good chance he’ll grow into a strong technician in the NFL.

One of the more important things Gordon will have to improve Continue reading →

A Route Lesson for Panthers WR Joe Adams From Wes Welker

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Whether he runs a 4.55, 4.42, or a 4.24, Joe Adams has the raw tools to get separation in the NFL. Wes Welker gives a lesson on technique that I’m sure he’ll be watching on cutups.

Carolina Panthers rookie receiver Joe Adams has dynamite skills after the catch. I also like his ability to catch the football. However, one thing I consistently saw at Senior Bowl practices was difficulty getting early separation against press coverage.

On at least five down field routes, I saw Adams still fighting for separation against the defensive back 10 yards past the line of scrimmage. On each of these routes he was at least a step shy of a well thrown pass. This had nothing to do with speed. Adams has plenty of it. But route running isn’t about straight-line speed. Continue reading →

Lesson One of a Route Clinic From Wes Welker

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Video of Wes Welker running routes in practice is like the MGs giving a clinic on the Stax sound. Photo by Brian J. McDermott

I believe the best way to prepare to watch college players is to study the pros. The reason is that if I’m trying to project a prospect’s potential at the NFL level then I need to have good reference points of what works in the NFL. I also have to understand the differences between the college and NFL games when it comes to execution.

I can tell you that the process is ongoing and I’m still learning. This week, Coach Rob Paschall, PR director for the site Coach Huey, tweeted a link to a video titled, “Wide Receiver Technique Release Drills.” I expected an  instructional video.

However, if my eyes aren’t betraying me – and they might be – it was something a lot better. Continue reading →

RSP No-Huddle Series: Cowboys WR Danny Coale

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I resume the No-Huddle series with Cowboys receiver Danny Coale, a good, but underrated bet to make an impact as a rookie. Photo by Techsports.

Announcements

The RSP blog has experienced a wave of new viewers during NFL Draft season – thank you for checking it out. And thanks to those of you who post links to my work. It’s amazing how much this blog has grown in less than a year, and I have no plans on stopping.

Here are some exciting projects on the horizon:

  • The RSP Football Writers Project: Over two dozen respected football writers, analysts, and former scouts will each build a team under the structure of a salary cap. I’ll post each team here and interview the writers for further analysis. Originally scheduled to debut in May, I pushed back the schedule so we could undertake this project after the draft.
  • Grinding Tape of Ray Rice with Steelers RB Chad Spann: I’ve been super fortunate to continue talking with Spann, who is training this offseason to earn a shot at contributing to the Steelers’ roster this fall. Spann has agreed to watch a game with me. I’ll break down what I learn here.
  • The 2012 Rookie Scouting Portfolio Post-Draft Add-on (Downloadable May 6): Tonight I finished my post-draft rankings, tiered fantasy cheat sheet, and average pick data analysis. I have also formulated an “Over/Under/Par” rating that should help dynasty league owners have a shorthand method of gauging how I value a player relative to rookie drafts that I had access to study. I have more analysis to write and format into an Adobe document and I’ll email all RSP readers when it will be ready to download. Remember, this is part of the package you get this year for buying the 2012 Rookie Scouting Portfolio.

No-Huddle Series: Danny Coale

Note: I don’t claim these single-play analysis to be scouting reports that give an overall take of a player. I tag the phrase “scouting report” in my posts because this is how readers look for information on players that isn’t even as in-depth as I’m providing. While one play can tell a lot about a player, it can also be misleading. The plays I select are generally indicative of what I saw from the player overall.

Coale is one of those players that at first glance gets his yardage Continue reading →