Early results from LSU pro-day: Jarvis Landry/WR 4.58s Jeremy Hill/RB 4.52s in first run of forty..Hill ranked as #2 RB on a lot of boards..
— Tony Pauline (@TonyPauline) April 9, 2014
I’ll have an updated mock draft on the blog later — but I wanted to get this out there in the meantime.
Jarvis Landry clearly wasn’t 100% at the combine and while nobody expected a blazing athletic performance — a 4.77 wasn’t a fair reflection of his ability.
Now that a hamstring issue has cleared up, he ran two 4.58’s at the LSU pro day today (according to Tony Pauline). It’s more what we expected from Landry and allows him to regain some momentum ahead of next months draft.
He also had a 30.5 inch vertical and a 9.3 on the broad jump.
What he lacks in pure speed he makes up for in competitiveness, large (10 inches) reliable hands and excellent technique. He high points the ball superbly, makes improbable catches and has a little Donald Driver to his game.
A 4.58 might not be enough to put him in the first round — but I doubt he’s getting out of the second.
For me this is a similar situation to Joe Haden. He ran a 4.57 at the 2010 combine which at the time was a major surprise. Yet on tape he was so accomplished — there was never any real doubt he’d be a top NFL corner.
Haden was drafted with the #7 pick by Cleveland and has since gone on to become one of the best corners in the league.
Landry isn’t a burner either — and admittedly his vertical and broad jumps aren’t comparable to Haden’s (35 vertical, 10.5 broad). But the guy can play. There’s absolutely no doubt about it.
And like Haden — I think he’ll go on to have a productive career.
Here’s how I’d sum up Landry. I can’t decide what grade to give him. First, second, third round. I don’t know.
But he’s a player I’d be willing to gamble on making it happen at the next level — because if he fails, it won’t be through a lack of effort.
Mike Mayock interviewed Landry after his pro day today — comparing him to Hines Ward during the conversation. Les Miles was also particularly complimentary when he spoke to Mayock.
The greatest praise I reserve for a football player is that they are a FOOTBALL PLAYER. By that I mean they are a gamer. They want to win. Their love, passion, and dedication for the game is obvious by the way they play every snap. I rarely use this term, because a lot of guys are just great athletes who see football as a means to an end. Jarvis Landry of LSU is a FOOTBALL PLAYER. From the way he fights for the contested ball, how he high points it, and did you see that special teams hit??? He is a gamer and I would love to see him in lime green and blue!
The only question is value. PCJS are masters at maximizing value at each pick (save Carpenteer/Moffit/and an argument for Irvin) So I would say #32 might be a slight reach on the value side. But I don’t see Landry lasting until #64. This could be an area where if there are still WRs on the board at #32 we try to trade down a bit and add some value picks. I’d love to drop down into the #40 range and go for Landry or Moncrief or possibly Coleman. But what other picks would we get? I’d love to have a 2nd and a 3rd, but draft value probably says the highest we could get would be a couple 4ths. Help me out here guys.
The one thing I worry about with Landry is how good will he be at getting open after the initial play breaks down.
Russell Wilson doesn’t always hit the open receiver with great timing, which could negate a player like Landry who relies on technique to get open. After the play breaks down, it becomes about finding open space for WIlson to make a play. A lot of that is about football smarts, but quickness and speed is a part of that too.
This is a legitimate concern.
I agree that it is a legitimate concern, BUT, I feel obliged to remind everyone of some about Roethlisberger; no one, and I mean no one in the NFL holds the ball longer trying to read a defense than Roethlisberger does!
That guy stands in the pocket doing his slow mental gymnastics, trying to figure out what he’s seeing, until the pocket breaks down, far more than any QB playing today.
The Steeler’s receivers spend more time coming back to help him out than they do actually running their calls routes.
Heck the announcers (who are almost invariably Roaethlisberger apologists to the extreme), rather than admit that “Big Ben” is slow witted, have invented phrases like, “He has re-set the pocket”, as in “Ben takes the snap, looking down field….still looking….still looking….still looking…three defenders harmlessly bounce off of him as he removes his shoes, to use his toes to help him count…and now he scrambles to his left…his receivers all coming back to help, and he RE-SETS THE POCKET…then fires a pass to Hines Ward, who has come all the way back to help out.”
Point is, Ward has never had any problems getting himself open to help out the dim wit Big Ben, I see little reason to assume that Landry, who can get himself open running his route, would have a hard time figuring out how to get open helping Wilson while scrambling around. Baldwin isn’t the fastest guy in the NFL, or the biggest, but he always seems to get himself open while Wilson buys time with his feet.
I love this guy’s fearlessness over the middle and ability to make the tough catch.
I can’t wait to see how he does at the next level. He’ll be a personal case study of mine as he’s a great example of a player whose tape as a great football player doesn’t match his test numbers that suggest nonathletic.
His 7.43 3-Cone is scary though. Seattle looks at the 3-cone as close as any test number and that 7.43 might be the worst of any wide receiver in this class.
When the ball is in play for him, Jarvis certainly looks the part, and does a lot right with contested balls and high point the football (in fact, he’s superb in that regard). However, maybe I’m missing what other people are seeing in the regular game tape, because it looks like he almost moves in slow motion on many of the running plays. I remember at least 2 or 3 runs where he essentially jogged in front of the player opposite of him until the whistle blew. I’m not quite seeing the “gamer” mentality, or that competitive spark that JS/PC want in a top-drafted player. I’ll try to watch more tape on him, but that’s the impression I got from the LSU/A&M reel, IMHO.
Thought you might like to see this, Rob
“Daniel Jeremiah @MoveTheSticks 20m
I wouldn’t be shocked if Nevada OT/OG Joel Bitonio landed in the bottom of the 1st rd.”
That is exactly the type of thing we do NOT want to see… lol
It’s good to know others are starting to see what we saw in February.
Almost no question Landry will be a productive player. Just a question of how much you value a low floor vs a high ceiling. I have a really hard time seeing him end up a Hawk with the way they value raw athleticism and upside, but maybe they’ll surprise.
If he makes it to 32, Ruskell would be falling over himself to draft him. \ducks
Here is a Picture of James Carpenter, he just posted this, said he is feeling light in the 320’s! man, he looks a lot smaller, he must have been in the 340’s during the season, glad to see him getting in shape! its now or never for him
http://instagram.com/p/mlLE2wwq78/
whats your thoughts?
I think he looks in the best shape of his life.
I believe that big Carp was actually about 350# at the start of the season. The guy works hard (you can’t be the strongest player on the Seahawks without living in the weight room), but his recovery from the knee surgery prevented him from doing the amount of aerobic stuff he needed to do to lose weight. I’m an Alabama alum, and I’m telling you that Carp can play. He had near perfect grades as the Left OT, going against elite SEC competition, and winning the national championship. With his strength and bulk, and with just a little more speed which he will have if playing at 320 or so, Carp can dominate in the league, especially at guard, where he can move anyone, just as he did that monster 360# Pot Roast Broncos nose guard in the Super Bowl.
I actually thought we lost in the interior all day during the SB. Pot Roast had the biggest ass I think I’ve ever seen. Literally looked like the field was shaking when he would jog to the sideline. The man was a behemoth.
thats what i thought to, but it was mostly one on one with unger, and he couldnt hold up. I know for sure unger was playing with a chest injury for the latter half of the season, he was probably 80%. it will be nice to have Okung healthy, Carp way more athletic, Unger healthy, then whatever they decide on the right side..
Haha…. it’s true, the guy is a behemoth among behemoths. Actually, the Broncos D sold-out to stop the run, figuring that if they shut down Beast Mode, then they could force 3 and outs and easily outscore the Seahawks. They did that pretty well, and when McQuistan was in there, he could not budge Pot Roast an inch. But Carp did move him on a number of key running plays, where Beast had good gains. Watch Beast’s TD run, where Carp stands Pot Roast straight up, turns him 90 degress against his will, and clears him out of the path.
My favorite was the first Havin fly sweep when he stood there staring down Russell while Percy ran 10 yards down field before he turned around. Maybe Percy got a gravity slingshot running around him. 🙂
Haha now THAT’s funny
Yeah — his nickname should be rump roast, not pot roast …
If Carp is at 320 lbs, he can man left guard at a winning level of play, freeing Bowie and Bailey to compete for right OT….. so the need for OL in the draft might not be as strong as we think. If Coach Cable only needs to acquire some depth, he can find that gem in the later rounds, and the Seahawks can save their higher picks for WR, Leo, etc.
Opinion on Norwood? Ben Harbaugh on Fieldgulls thinks hes like Laundry but better.
Different type of player IMO. Someone we’ll go into before the draft.
I like Landry, but not until the 3 rd. they are not going to draft a wr under 6-4 who runs anything over a 4.5 forty. If they draft a wr in the first two rounds…I expect them to trade up for cooks, lee, or beckam …anywhere fro 17-25 in the first. If they take one in the 2nd I expect them to trade out of the first, maybe pick up the 3rd they lost in the harvin trade. In the 2nd I could see them grabbing Robinson, latimore, or Norwood out of Alabama.
Robinson of Penn State grades well for his receiver skills and effort, yet he has been marked down for the lack of elite quickness and separation….but he has lost 12 lbs (from 220 to 208) since the Combine, and at his Pro Day this week, he ran a 4.47, did a 42″ vertical (!!!) and a 6.53 3-cone. Scouts are going to have to study his workout closely, because if he now has the speed to gain separation, with his other skills and 6-2 size, he could jump up the boards. This receiver class is unreal….it is so good, that the best value might actually be to go WR in both R1 and R2, crazy as that seems, and be set at the position for years to come. If the Seahawks land their 6-4 SE in R1 (Bryant, let’s say), and if a Landry is there at #64, I would be happy to see them go for it again. Robinson’s 4.47/40 and 42-vert probably moves him to the top of R2. And what if Abbrederis (the guy who can read RW’s mind) is still there R4????
That might be the formula they use to resign/extend Wilson, Thomas, and Sherman. That is have one big dollar guy…harvin and a supporting cast of 1st to 3rd year wr’ s. In a way it will be the same approach they’ve taken with their db’s.
Much of the downgrading on Robinson that I’ve seen is due to style of play. Looks like a beast but plays finesse receiver. Reticent to go across the middle and catch in traffic. Very talented guy but did not maximize his gifts.
You spoke a mouthful about the receiver class. After Watkins and Evans, it’s pick your flavor. There will be tremendous values of all types of receivers throughout the draft. All other than Watkins and OBJ have doubters (Evans got schooled in the bowl game by a good press). Gonna be fun!
I like Landry, but not at 32 – and he likely won’t be there at 64. Much like a lot of these players, we may like them, but they may not be available when we’re (Seahawks) are picking.
I honestly don”t care what Landry’s measurables and numbers are, I’ve watched him play, thats all i need. he can flat out play WR. and i still think he is faster than a 4.58
Donald Driver is a good comp, I also think he’s a little Bobby Engram in his game. You could give this guy the keys to the punt return and gunner duties day 1 and feel like he’s going to make plays.
OT but wouldn’t it be crazy if seattle selects Shazier in the first round and turns him into the best cover lb to ever play the game? 4.35 40. Hes faster than our cornerbacks.
Rotoworld were not impressed. Here’s their fairly scathing accessment —
LSU WR Jarvis Landry ran a pair of 4.58 forties at the Tigers’ Pro Day on Wednesday.
Landry also dropped “three to four passes” in what is being described as a “rough” day. This all comes on the heels of a disastrous Combine that saw Landry run a painfully-slow 4.77 forty before dropping out of the drill altogether with a calf problem. He was also significantly shorter than LSU listed him in college. Landry is staring at a slide possibly into the 4-7 round range.
So running a better forty and dropping passes at a pro day (doesn’t drop passes on tape) puts you in rounds 4-7?
Good work, Rotoworld.
LOL – that made me laugh Rob!
Fieldgulls SPARQ rating has Landry low, too. As opposed to Latimer, Janis, Moncrief, Bryant etc. Isn’t OBJ better?
Word on the street is that Odell Beckham was lights out at his workout.
Either LSU boys would be STEALS in my opinion at #32. We couldn’t get Patrick Peterson, we missed out on the “Honey Badger”. Lets pull in Landry. This offense would benefit in so many ways its not even funny!
GEUAX SEAHAWKS!!
If the Seahawks drafted Landry, he would have the lowest SPARQ of any WR on the team…by far. I don’t think he is likely to get drafted by Seattle.