Cordarrelle Patterson is a real head scratcher. Let’s start with the positives…
Elite size (6-3) and speed (could run a 4.3). Patterson looks the part of a true difference maker. In his first and likely only year at Tennessee, he set the SEC single-season record for combined kick=off and punt return yards at 27.6 per-attempt. His kick-off return average of 28 yards per-attempt ranks second all-time in the SEC for a single-season. He set a new school record for all-purpose yards in a season with 1,858. His 154.8 all-purpose yards per game led the SEC and ranked in the top-20 in the nation.
Patterson scored ten total touchdowns in 2012. Five as a receiver, three as a runner and one each on punt and kick off returns. He also completed a 28-yard pass.
Not even Tavon Austin can match up to this guy as a pure X-Factor player. Put the ball in his hands and he has a chance to score. He runs reverses, he takes snaps in the backfield, he can run deep routes, he gets separation, he has a great wingspan. There aren’t any Cordarrelle Patterson’s in the NFL right now. He is unique.
Add all of this together and you start to think he’ll be a top-15 pick. Then we come onto the negatives…
He has a lot of great plays in the highlights video at the top of this piece. What the video doesn’t include are the careless plays he had this year… Such as the sure-fire touchdown he had against Georgia, dropped to the ground in a moment of madness. Perfectly thrown pass by Tyler Bray. Five yards of separation on a downfield route. Only green grass and a nice big end zone in front. Ball dropped by Patterson, points squandered.
Then there’s the pick-six against Akron, where he simply didn’t show any enthusiasm breaking into his route and allowed the defensive back to get leverage and break on the football. He gave up and lost out. The quarterback takes the statistical hit, but the responsibility was on the receiver.
Patterson started the year in good form acting as a receiver. In the first three games he totalled 239 yards and two touchdowns against NC State, Georgia State and Florida. Eventually defensive coordinators watched the tape and decided to get physical. Against bigger, more aggressive corners he struggled. In the next five games he failed to top 31 yards, averaging two catches a game and only one touchdown. It took a 219-yard performance against a woeful Troy defense to break this slump and he went on to end the season strongly.
There were games where he just looked disinterested and disjointed, like he was waiting for a chance rather than creating one. So while he looked great when asked to return a kick-off or feature in the backfield, these were manufactured carries. Was it too much to ask to see this big, 6-3 receiver with elite speed actually make things happen?
The final concern comes with his personality. It’s hard to measure these things based purely on interviews, but Patterson isn’t a great talker. Watch Markus Wheaton and DeAndre Hopkins speak and you’ll find players willing to talk routes and praise their team-mates. Patterson doesn’t really show any of that. He’s incredibly raw, nervous and comes across a little immature. That doesn’t mean he’s going to be the next great diva of the wide-receiver fraternity. It might mean he finds it difficult to grasp a pro-offense quickly and avoid mental mistakes in key games. It could mean the attention and financial reward that comes with the NFL will be a major culture shock.
This is the classic ‘sods law’ problem with Patterson. He has everything needed to be a sensational pro-talent who breaks records and enjoys a fine career. He also has everything required to become an epic bust. Teams will have to judge whether they trust explosive physical skills and massive upside to overcome some of the negatives. Can you put him next to a team leader – such as a driven quarterback who works harder than anyone else on the team (eg – Russell Wilson) – and expect to see a maturation? And are you prepared to be patient and live with the occasional glaring error for the sake of longer term success?
I don’t want to overplay the maturity issues too much. After all, this is a guy with only a years experience in college football as a JUCO transfer. He was essentially a freshman this year. He also doesn’t have any major character red flags or run-ins with the law. You could argue he just needs time to develop into a professional adult.
If a head coach is given Patterson to work with as a prospective first or second round pick, he’d have to take baby steps. Let him return kicks so you feel some immediate impact. Create a handful of designed packages to get the ball in his hands. Don’t ask him to run too many complex routes in year one and make sure he’s studying that playbook and working overtime with the quarterback whenever possible.
Manage this guy properly and you could end up with a superstar. He’s big, fast, elusive and scores cheap points. Harness that into a more consistent and rounded football player and you’ll look pretty smart drafting him early. Try and give him too much to do too soon and he’ll become a luxury. Cordarrelle Patterson is an exciting prospect. He’ll have a higher ceiling and a lower floor than probably any other offensive player eligible for 2013. The question is – are you prepared to take the risk?
In terms of his skill-set he could be an option for the Seahawks. The offense is based around the run, but utilises quick strikes in the passing game. Patterson’s height, speed and ability to score cheap points would be an ideal fit. Pete Carroll has shown his willingness to draft ex-JUCO players in round one (James Carpenter, Bruce Irvin). Yet as much as his physical qualities tick all the right boxes, the character makes me want to take a step back. Carroll wants driven, passionate players who almost play with a chip on their shoulder. Does Patterson want to be great? Or will he settle for whatever situation presents itself in the NFL? That could be the determining factor here. And I’m not totally convinced Patterson desperately wants to me the leagues next great receiver. I hope I’m wrong, because he could be very, very good.
All of the character concerns aside, he does fit pretty well on the roster. He could make Leon Washington expendable because he and Tate could handle the return duties. This frees up a couple million per season. He provides a capable backup behind both Tate and Rice and might replace either one day. We have an open roster spot for a 4th and 5th WR. As a tall receiver, he helps the diminutive Wilson since he should be able to climb the ladder a little and go get the high pass. His speed complements the more possession oriented WR’s we already have. Maturity is acquired with age and by being around others. He will get it eventually. So far, he has avoided the temptations and stayed out of trouble. This is a good sign.
I love the idea of Patterson or Austin in late R1. I think it’s very much a worthy gamble to take a flyer on a huge upside offensive weapon.
Patterson: Even if he’s a bust as an every down WR, he can still be utilized as a big play #3 WR and elite return man. Is that worth a 1st rounder? Probably not, but this is assuming he literally cannot become an every down WR. Upside is, you have potentially a Calvin Johnson type of threat to grow with a young QB. Verdict: Worthy gamble, especially considering the lack of serious holes on the roster.
Tavon Austin: More than likely stuck as a slot WR. That said, explosive playmaker and has shown to be a natural WR who is tough. Elite return potential. He also is about as creative of a weapon as you can find as he does have the ability to run the football and create big plays. Is this worth a 1st rounder? Probably not, assuming he’s strictly a slot WR. Upside is, you have an elite, unique weapon who is able to provide the occasional big play, as well as become an absolute headache on 3rd down. I am really intrigued by Austin assuming Bevell wants to open up the playbook.
So, as we see, these 2 guys are massive gambles. BUT, the potential payoff (especially when considering you have a young, stud QB in place) is so great, that I don’t see any way we can talk ourselves out of a pick like this, UNLESS a crazy talent falls for unkown reasons (Ogletree, Warmack, Matthews).
I am not excited about Austin. I think he is too small. He will be limited to the slot where we need a 6’6″ target because Wilson is short. He may not be able to take the punishment from the LB’s. Eventually, he will want to be on the outside to utilize his speed and avoid the hits. He isn’t going to replace Baldwin or Washington on the roster the way a bigger WR might. He gives me little injury insurance behind Rice. I think Tavon Austin is exciting but as we get closer to draft day I expect his stock will drop. He may be available in the middle rounds by April.
the ‘not big enough to take the punishment’ line of reasoning has never sat well with me. I’m not sure it holds up to evidence nor what we know about physics or physiology. Elusive players are hard to hit hard. Bigger, slower, ‘stronger’ players have more leverage on their tendons and joints, along with being easier targets. Energy is transferred, never ‘absorbed’.
I agree he might not be the player they want, and that he might drop, but I resist characterizations about size and durability because I am not sure the evidence or science bears it out. I’m willing to be convinced, but…so far, I think other indications are better predictors than size alone (injury history, health, running style, etc).
Very valid point and I can see your POV.
That said, I think it’s important to understand that if you pigeon hole him into a certain role, then I think you are really rolling the dice. I think it’s important to understand that he’d be a flexible weapon who could fill multiple roles and could be a monster 3rd down weapon.
If you view him in the prism of a defined/traditional role, he’s not a great pick. But, if you view him through the “Bruce Irvin Prism,” I think you can find immense value.
Let’s remember, a big focal point of this Front Office is focusing on “what a guy can do,” versus “what he can’t do.” If you take this approach, and focus on having no glaring holes on the roster, I can see Austin being an intriguing option in late R1.
Austin could be good as a change of pace back or a wide receiver. We just have to accept the risk that he isn’t as durable as we like. He can outrun the secondary, he has good hands and he won’t drop the ball. Getting stripped might be a different issue, he needs to go down instead of bulling his way for more yards like Marshawn.
I just don’t see the value of him in round one.
If he falls to the 3rd, great. But this guy isn’t a year one starter without significant improvement.
This is not an offense that throws often. That means it has to execute when they do throw it. Drops are simply drive killers in many circumstances. If we were a team that threw the ball 55% of the time and ran it 45% of the time, then you can absorb those expected Patterson whiffs. This is a team that is the exact opposite in terms of run/pass ratio. A drop is a punt.
This team has not shown an inability to get TDs via the pass. In particular, we’ve not been missing the 20+ TD pass element in our game in the slightest. So Patterson’s ‘home run’ ability doesn’t seem like it’s adding really anything we don’t already have.
To me, he’s a miscast talent for what we do. Such a boom/bust talent doesn’t look like it has a future in our passing attack. Personally, if I’m taking a WR in round one and can’t move down, I’m taking Wheaton over Patterson and not batting an eye.
That said, I’m pretty sure I’m going to hate whomever Seattle picks in round one. So that’ll mean I’ll hear Patterson’s name.
“But this guy isn’t a year one starter without significant improvement.”
Neither was Bruce. They’re similar though in that Seattle can find high leverage spots to use them early in their career until they’re able to grow into full time roles.
That’s accurate. But the one thing he did have, was that he was considered the best pure pass rusher in the draft.
Patterson doesn’t have the best anything in the draft. He’s a dynamic player — both hit and miss.
In addition to that, the team had a distinct need. Something that Irvin fit exceptionally well at. The offense doesn’t have that same lack of big play productivity. There isn’t the same pressure to draft a non starter for the role that Patterson would be asked to fill even on a situational basis. And there are plenty of elite passing teams that don’t have that kind of player.
Also, I’m not convinced that we even want a feast/famine kind of prospect for our passing game. From what I’ve seen tossed around, people are wanting to find suitable replacements for Rice and/or Tate due to injury risk or just to provide top down depth by having Tate take on a lesser role. I don’t see Patterson as that kind of player. Above all things, Rice and Tate are reliable receivers. And it’s taken Tate a while to get there. There are prospects that are still dynamic in other ways that are far more reliable than Patterson.
I’d say that Patterson and Coleman are fairly similar “down the line” prospects. Yet I feel much better taking Coleman than Patterson. Patterson has some genuine drive killing downsides to his game to go with his general inconsistency overall.
This is a team that could use a few Randall Cobb/Greg Jennings/Jordy Nelson kinds of receivers. Those guys were more cut from the Hopkins/Wheaton/Austin/Williams cloth. I don’t have the same kind of warm fuzzy about Patterson’s ability to develop into a reliable receiver or to take his craft seriously like I did with Irvin or with any of those other 4 mentioned receivers. Patterson reminds me of a Heyward-Bey type player. A fast guy who basically is a fly route artist who is as likely to drop a pass as catch it.
Honestly, I can’t see Patterson as such a greater prospect than those 4. Is he a touchdown maker? Sure. He’s also a punt maker. And I think it’s much more likely that he’s the latter than the former.
I’d actually argue that Rice and Tate are anything but reliable.
Rice: Strictly due to health. If you have an injury history, you are anything but reliable. The most underrated trait in sports is the ability to stay on the field. Rice is hurt again and may not play this week. When he plays, he’s great, but he’s a hard hit away from serious concussion issues.
Tate: Has had a few weeks of consistency, but still has a history of bone headed plays and no shows. He hasn’t shown the ability to consistently get open in the NFL on a regular basis. He has to do more than a few weeks of great production before I trust him as a #2.
If your goal is reliability, then Hopkins and Wheaton would be the top 2 choices. Realistically speaking, every draft is a gamble, no matter what roudn the pick is.
If Al Davis were still around this would all be a moot point as Patterson would be Oaklands pick in the top 5. But since he’s not, I will just say that I would much rather have Wheaton than Patterson, and would prefer to get any of this years receivers in the 2nd round rather than the 1st.
I’d probably rather have Wheaton as well, but I think I’d be very happy with Patterson in the first if Wheaton is gone.
Patterson is an electric talent! The highlight reel above reminds me of a hybrid Braylon Edwards/ Barry Sanders type player. I say we take him!
***Sidney Rice in a boot and might not play Sunday vs the Bills. Recurring theme here.***
Now, I am convinced you go WR in R1. I really tremble at the idea of not having Rice on the field. I think he dramatically changes the offense. Our depth is piss poor in the WR Corps. This is the biggest hole on the roster IMO. I know some of you are scared of R1 WRs, but we have a young, hungry QB/Team who can heavily influence younger players.
He’s got that gliding style of running, very similar of what Shaun Alexander had, or even Chris Johnson. They don’t look fast but boy they cover ground in a hurry.
Great point. One of the most underrated things in sports, is the idea that the good players make things look really easy. It sounds really simplistic, but you don’t see many “stars” look frantic on the field. Take that in any sport for that matter. Pujols and Trout look effortless. Tom Brady and AJ Green look like they are just in cruise control.
I may be over simplifying this quite a bit, but that’s what excites me about Patterson. He looks easy at everything he does, and quite possibly, that might be something that leaks into his perceived “personality.”
i am really curious on your thoughts on aaron mellette out of elon. guy has all the production that you could want. second all time in FCS if i remember right. good size, decent speed. could be a decent x/z receiver. he could go anywhere from early round 2 to late round 5 based on his small school but i really think that this is a guy that we should really look at. i also would love a double dip at reicever. grab wheaton and mellette. mellette in the second and wheaton in the fourth (you can flip those and they would still be accurate based on where these guys are being projected right now. i would still be up for marquess wilson as well in the fourth or fifth if one of these guys aren’t available. what are your thoughts? i know that you love wheaton, i am curious moreso on your thoughts on mellette.
Unfortunately I don’t have any Elon tape, so I can’t offer too much here.
I have only really watched youtube clips to be honest. Some of whole game highlights, some year round highlights. I have also been keeping a watch at his total production. He is a guy that I think we should really look into. You have more ability than I do to get tape so I am hoping that you might be able to take a look and let us know what you think. Might be a really good pickup. I have also read and watched a few interviews and he seems really mature and has studied really hard to learn the ins and outs of his position.
I’ll see if I can get some tape.
He looks a lot like Patterson on tape. He drops a TON of passes.
I don’t think it’s fair to knock the kid for not being the most personable interview subject. It’s his first year of big time college football, being played in the SEC, where he surely received more media attention than he ever has before. If that doesn’t make someone clam up and nervous, I don’t know what will. Maybe its me, but I take his poor interview skills as more of a sign of humbleness than anything.
In regards to his receiving skills it is to be expected that he would be extremely raw. One year of upper level college football, and I have no idea how good Tennessee’s wide receiver coach was. When he played JUCO ball I’m sure he was able to get by with natural ability. This kid can be molded and coached up hopefully, consider me a fan
Really, Round 1 comes down to a game I like to call: Dreads or no dreads?
Maybe the locker room is wise and strong enough to mentor Cordarrelle Patterson.
This guy could play some running back. Definitely one of those guys where if he’s got a bit of a hole … he’s gone. Major chess piece potential.
or we could go with Kenjon Barner and let him play both RB and WR. He has the speed and production to be a playmaker, also.
I think it’s safe to say that Pete wants a tall receiver for his #1, look at the prospects he brought here the past couple years: Vincent Jackson, Brandon Marshall; signed BMW, Braylon Edwards, and Sidney Rice.
Speed not an issue, (as you can see from all types he’s brought in) he wants a guy that can grab jump passes, almost a rebounder of sorts, in the red zone. Now if it’s a WR or TE, it remains to be seen.
Just a shame that he couldn’t sell VJ nor Marshall, would be fun to see what they could do in his offense. I also believed he overpaid for Sidney but thats another conversation.
The dream pick…. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLKS1dMAQMQ
Yeah that guy would seriously be fun to watch in our offense and Wilson throwing to him.
I even forgot about Durham on that list. Tate and Baldwin have been the exception. If Coleman were to declare, where would you pin him to go and (if/who) would get drafted ahead of him?
one thing that alot of people on this site do, is forget about his low production. he simply hasnt played. if he comes out this year he will not be a top 15 pick most likely. but he is still a first rounder. essentially if he wants to go to a good team, he comes out this year. if he wants to make a team good-great, he stays at rutgers and comes out next year as a top 5 pick. we only have a chance at him if he comes out this year. if he does come out next year then we will have to pull an rg3 type trade to go for him. personally i don’t think that it would be worth it even though he is an outstanding talent. hope he comes out this year though if you want to see him constantly in the playoffs or even on this team.
I would say it would be a “Julio Jones type trade” and not RG3. No one is gonna give up as much as Washington did for RG3 for a WR.
Only problem of moving up is that there aren’t really “Julio Jones” type of receivers in this draft to package a bunch of picks for.
I’d let BPA happen or maybe we find out whose in the market for a TE and move in front of them. I’m sold on Coleman, but chances are he’s not declaring and will have to wait next year.
The thing that stands out most to me about Patterson is the combination of speed and cutting ability. He accelerates so quickly and smoothly that the defender is about 10 yards away from him in a split second.
Tate and Rice aren’t great at getting separation, but excel at catching the ball. Patterson is kind of the opposite, that cutting ability should translates to a lot of separation, but he doesn’t seem to have the body control or coordination to catch the tough pass. He seems like more of a let the ball hit him in the chest guy than a hands guys.
I see him as an X factor, nothing more. I seriously doubt that he can turn into an every down wide receiver. He just looks like an athlete running around with a football in his hands. From what I’ve seen, guys either have it or they don’t. I personally wouldn’t spend more than a 3rd pick on the guy. With that said, I wouldn’t be too disappointed if we did take him in the first. He’ll be fun to watch, and I’m used to our 1st round picks not having “1st round” type impact.
The views are mixed about Patterson…when you talk about his positives, it’s tough not to be on board…but then the negatives, the drops scare me the most. It is so frustrating having RW throw a nice ball and the WR drops it, 4th down-punt, drive killers!
Would you rather have an average player with a great work ethic or a great player with an average work ethic. You can teach a player alot of things in the Pro’s but they have to have the desire to be great, willing to put in the hard work. At this point it seems inconclusive with Patterson. He is just so raw…
With the news about Rice being injured, it just shows how weak our depth is at the WR position. As exciting as Patterson may be, I would rather draft Marcus Wheaton in R-2. If the draft were tomorrow, he would be available to us on R-2. But by the time the draft rolls around, he could be a climber that we have to take in R-1.
For the what if scenario of the day, suppose WR Coleman was still available at say #12, what do you think it would cost the Seahawks to move up and grab him? It it was to a QB needy team perhaps Matt Flynn and our #1 might be enough? Thoughts?
It’s too early to tell that. We don’t know who is declaring and who isn’t. We also don’t know the draft order.
Just look at this list put forth by Bucky Brooks a day after the draft concluded:
1. Matt Barkley, USC, QB
2. Marcus Lattimore*, South Carolina, RB
3. Robert Woods*, USC, WR
4. Jarvis Jones*, Georgia, OLB
5. Landry Jones, Oklahoma, QB
6. Manti Te’o, Notre Dame, ILB
7. Ricky Wagner, Wisconsin, OT
8. Alex Okafor, Texas, DE
9. David Amerson*, North Carolina State, CB
10. Sam Montgomery*, LSU, DE/OLB
11. Star Lotulelei, Utah, DT
12. Johnthan Banks, Mississippi State, CB
13. Kawann Short, Purdue, DT
14. Oday Aboushi, Virginia, OT
15. Tyrann Mathieu*, LSU, CB
16. John Simon, Ohio State, DE
17. Tyler Wilson, Arkansas, QB
18. Montee Ball, Wisconsin, RB
19. Dion Jordan, Oregon, DE
20. Terrance Williams, Baylor, WR
21. Jackson Jeffcoat*, Texas, DE
22. Kevin Reddick, North Carolina, ILB
23. T.J. McDonald, USC, S
24. Geno Smith, West Virginia, QB
25. Ray Ray Armstrong, Miami, S
26. Keenan Allen*, Cal, WR
27. Christine Michael, Texas A&M, RB
28. Joseph Fauria, UCLA, TE
29. Johnny Adams, Michigan State, CB
30. EJ Manuel, Florida State, QB
Cited: http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d828bf038/article/2013-nfl-draft-uscs-barkley-woods-among-top-30-prospects
The draft landscape (particularly this year’s landscape) is going to be heavily influenced by the Senior Bowl and the combine. With such a lack of consensus of who the top players are — those two post season events will drive the hype meter virtually uncontrolled by game tape that confirms a prospects’ skills. Thus it’s really impossible to tell where we will be in 2 and a half months when the combine is concluded.
Should be a wild ride. Speaking of wild rides …..
The days of looking at who needs what and projecting that teams will pass on a prospect are over. Just ask the St. Louis Rams who stood pat at 6 only to watch Jacksonville jump in front of them to get the guy they wanted. You can’t count on teams staying with their original picks. The draft is going to be much more fluid going forward because of this. And you’re going to find teams willing to move down when the guy they want is picked from under their noses.
The upside is, the drafts are going to get broken up. The top 8 prospects won’t be the first 8 to go. Good, even great prospects will slide to the teens and become available via trade by teams in the 20s. The ability to move around is going to be available at fairly modest cost.
Jermaine Kearse…I hated him when he played for the UW…nice player but the DROPS OMG!!! Somehow the Hawks signed him to the practice squad and now he is on our roster. Someone please tell me about the pass Flynn threw to him in the end zone. I dont remember seeing any replay but did he have the ball bounce off his hands?
Why dont the Hawks activate that big kid from Oregon Lavisisor? (I cant remember his last name?)
Frankly he looks to me like an offensive version of Bruce Irvin… a situational player with elite talents who may never become every down player, and you’re okay with that. With the importance of subpackages now in the NFL, a player like Patterson will have value. It seems like most everyone here liked the Irvin pick, and I’ve seen suggestions of drafting a slot corner, so why not an “x-factor” type receiver? These are the types of picks you can afford to make when years of excellent drafting have created depth at nearly every position.
Right now, he’s not a situational player at all. I mean you can’t put him on the field on third downs. Really he’s a first down player. His ability to cause punts is going to prevent him making an impact.
Irvin is a situational player. But he is put in critical impact making situations. Patterson isn’t that kind of guy.
And also let’s be real here. This is not the only guy in the draft capable of getting separation. This isn’t a case of him being the only guy capable of this.
We had a Patterson type on our roster. Lockette didn’t have great ball skills or route running either. Blazing speed and size. But no skill. That’s Patterson. His skill level (ball skills, route discipline, hand fighting) is that of a 6th round pick to UDFA. His physical ability is first round. This is a guy though that hasn’t had to try hard. Hasn’t had to learn the intricacies of his craft. And he doesn’t really strike me as the kind of guy motivated to be better.
I don’t take this guy in round one. Let some other team spend 4-5 years trying to make him into something. Sometimes the best picks are the ones you don’t make. There really isn’t a good track record of success in making horribly unskilled and lazy players into great receivers.
He hasn’t shown improvement year over year. He lacks focus. He doesn’t demonstrate a crisp mind. I have no expectation that he will be significantly better as a receiver than he will the day he’s drafted. It is definitely NOT a given that players will just improve with time. Some guys even work at it and still don’t improve.
I don’t see Patterson working particularly hard at getting better. I don’t see him working at improving his focus. I don’t see him as a good developmental prospect. And I don’t see him as having situational value when it matters.
If he explodes onto the scene, it’ll be one of those freak ‘light comes on’ things. Now I can concede, particularly given how the other Tennessee receivers have suffered, that perhaps the coaching at that institution is just horribly subpar. Or maybe they just like guys that are physically gifted but not exactly the best students of the game. It seems that all of their WR prospects have been similarly dinged with just elevated disinterest in becoming better.
This is a Raiders style pick. I don’t touch him in round 1.
this
Unless Patterson runs a 4.2 I have a hard time justifying taking someone who might just be the exact same thing that Devin Hester is in round one or two. That would be more of a contributor, and we would still have issues at WR depth. If Patterson tears up the workouts the routes ect I can see a possible trade. And honestly you have to question how much construction has the kid had at Tenn and previous stops.
This team needs wide receivers who can actually, you know, catch the ball, which oddly remains the most under rated and under valued aspect of scouting wide receivers. I loved Joey Galloway. Great player. But give me Steve Largent over Joey Galloway every Sunday, please. The world is full of super fast track athletes who can do amazing thing with the ball in their hands. But there are very few guys who can manipulate defenses with their body movements, read defenses while at full speed and run routes on the same page as their QB, and react to and catch the ball with a defender in their face/eyes. And those guys are often times found later on because everyone is looking for that 6’3″ 4.4 guy.
It’s the same in baseball, which is more my background- everyone is looking for the 98 MPH heater, but the guy who has a command of his craft is the more successful pitcher. The
You always hope you find the guy with both. But the fact is, the list of greatest WR’s of all time is very different than the list of best NFL athletes of all time. Just like the list of greatest pitchers of all time is very different than the hardest throwers of all time. Odds are you’re better off going with the craft/skill guy than the raw talent guy. I don’t know how that exactly translates into this draft…except to say I’m more inclined to take two shots with more polished guys in later rounds than one big shot with a raw guy in round 1.
oops. meant to start that separately and not as a reply to your post, Barry 🙂
With the Rice situation, I really think we will see 2 WRs picked in the draft, and I can imagine 1 will be a high upside gamble, while the other is a guy that can contribute right away, but who might only be a #2/3 at best.
IMO this needs to happen. I love Tate and Baldwin, but they do not profile well as a #2/3 who can fill in for a #1 if they miss time.
I’m all aboard for Patterson in R1. We can afford to gamble on major upside this year. They have shown the ability to find starters throughout the draft. Might as well try to hit a homerun that could potentially help your young QB.
I’m really loving this guy if the team had the balls to play him some at RB as well as WR, like a Spiller or Bush type of guy.
Imagine Lynch runs on 1st down and it’s now 2nd and 7 or 2nd and 6 … Patterson comes in at RB.
As a defense what do you do? Play vs. run, and we could easily switch into a pass play with Patterson on a route vs. a linebacker, which would be a comical mismatch. Play vs. the pass and watch Seattle run it.
This guy is a freak. You do not pass on freaks in the late 1st round.
I Agree!!!