Posted by Kip Earlywine
The last couple months, we’ve talked quite a lot about pass rushers. Especially Courtney Upshaw. We’ve spent a lot of time covering quarterbacks, linebackers and running backs too.
So today I figured I’d take a short break from all that and share a great article that someone pointed out to me regarding Arkansas wide receiver Greg Childs:
One player who might provide some inspiration for Williams is Arkansas wide receiver Greg Childs. Before suffering a patella tendon injury in November, the 6’3″, 219-pound wide out was among the best skill position prospects to play in Fayetteville in the past decade. A healthy Childs possessed hints of Chris Henry’s untapped athleticism. Whispers of Andre Johnson’s inside-out, physical style. Echoes of Randy Moss’ deep prowess.
His game made my colleague Cecil Lammey exclaim, Child Pu-lease!
Childs returned to the team after surgery and wasn’t even sporting a brace. However, he wasn’t the same player. I watched him against LSU this year and he looked like he might as well have been running in a pool.
But this spring the rehab finally did its magic and Childs’ Pro Day workout was a revelation:
- 4.41 – 40-yard dash
- 4.18 – 20-yard shuttle
- 6.73 – Three-Cone Drill
- 40.5″- Vertical
Many observers believe Childs looks like the player he was before his career near-death. If you didn’t see Childs before his injury, here’s a glimpse.
I don’t know if Seattle plans on drafting a receiver this year; we already have eight on the roster and the team will only keep six next September. That said, Childs does seem like the kind of low cost / high reward reclamation project this front office has been fond of in the past. Though he had a different career path, Doug Baldwin was also a good college receiver who’s stock was impacted by injuries. Seattle obviously benefited from taking a chance on Baldwin. Seattle took a similar gamble on Walter Thurmond the year before that and has seen promising returns with that pick as well. The Leon Washington trade is yet another example.
Sometimes you show up to watch one player and end up noticing someone else in the process. I remember scouting Ryan Mallett last year and discovered Knile Davis. Greg Childs caught my eye as well to a lesser extent.. I’m kind of surprised that I completely forgot about him until I read this article. Childs may not have had a good 2011 season due to injury, but its true that he was a force in 2010. Below I’ve provided a couple of compilation videos from Childs’ 2010 season.
Sounds interesting. CBS Sports has him #10 among receivers and #93 overall in the draft. Seattle picks #75 overall in the 3rd round and #105 in the 4th. He’d be a great option if he is still there at for the 4th. Receivers got really hot in free agency with all of the top names being snatched up quickly so my guess would be he’ll already be gone by then but who knows.
I think he is a player that PCJS wait till about the 4th and possibly 5th. They take the players at the best value and risk ratio. If they are confident in his health this could be yet another mid to late round benefit for this very effective drafting FO.
Didn’t the rook RB for Arizona, Ryan Williams, have a similar patella injury? Those are pretty tough on skilled position players.
4th rd pick as I don’t think we have a 5th. Didn’t we give up the 5th rounder this year as part of the Marshawn Lynch trade? Tyler Wilson also looked very impressive in that first video, possible 2013 QB?
Despite having an apparently full cupboard of WR, we still need to draft one each year to allow a trade or youth movement at the position as well as special teams. To me, Rice, Tate and Baldwin are the only guaranteed WR this season. BMW is still recovering, but I doubt both him and Obomanu both make the team. Butler is also likely gone as Baldwin capably fills his role in the slot and Lockette is a better deep threat. I think Lockette sticks, because of his ability and speed. Durham I am not so sure on simply because he didn’t really play last year. So, with Rice, Tate, Baldwin, Lockette, BMW or Obomanu and Durham, we still have room for one more WR.
So, I’d say we take a flier on Childs as he seems very polished but still in need of a recovery period from surgery. As the article listed, we do take calculated risks for injured players in the draft and it has almost always worked out well. Are there any previously well considered, but now injured LB that we would likely draft?
Not for sure why tate would be guranteed anything…potential another way of saying hasnt done squat yet (but steal some doughnuts and game checks)
Big, Fast and a good route runner, Carroll and Schneider are salivating over this guy, he is the perfect receiver for them, and would be a later round cheaper option to upgrade the recieving corp.
Baldwin and Rice are the only locks on the roster I see. Pete Carroll talked about needing guys that score touchdowns, well, with Lynch locked up, the best place to add those guys is in the passing game.
Tate, could still be a good bet to make the team, but I could see Carroll and Schneider use him as a trade chip in the draft. He and Baldwin are more slot guys, and Balwin is definietly the top slot player on the team, Boby Engram but better.
BMW, Butler, and Obomanu all seem like they could be gone in my opinion, Williams, lost the fire that made him good his first season with the Hawks, Butler, is smallish and doesn’t fit the mold of physical type recievers Carroll likes, and I think he is gone for sure. Durham is a guy I think they are high on and will make the team, big, long with good speed.
That leave the Lockkette’s and other practice squad type and I see at least one rookie brought into that mix. Childs is the perfect fit, and would more than likely make the team and I think contribute right away. I watched a lot of Arkansas games, mostly because I’m a football junky. Two guys always stood out, Knile Davis being one and Childs being the other. Adding him in the 4th round is a gamble that could pay off big time. He would be pushing Blackmon for top reciever in the draft in my opinion if it wasn’t for that nastry injury. Blackmon is good, but I don’t seem him as elite, Childs can become elite.
I’m in agreement that the Seahawks should draft as few as one WR this year, the only possible exception in my mind might be a mid-late round pick for a KR guy that may also be a backup WR/RB – to eventually replace Leon Washington. Chris Rainey, RB, Jeff Demps, RB or Devon Wylie, WR could all be good possibilities if they go that way.
The WR’s that I think the Seahawks should draft if at all possible include Greg Childs and Marvin Jones at the very top of my WR list. I have put together a limited menu of WR’s that I think the Seahawks could have interest in. Oddly, 3 of them are from the Arkansas Razorbacks. I see this drafted WR as a next year replacement for Obo or
Butler, or perhaps just insurance for Williams.
***WR-Greg Childs, 6-3, 219, 4.39/40, Arkansas (#92-overall)
***WR-Marvin Jones, 6-2, 199, 4.46/40, California (97-overall)
**WR-Juron Criner, 6-3, 224, 4.68/40, Arizona (124-overall)
*WR/KR-Devon Wylie, 5-09, 187, 4.39/40, Fresno St. (141-overall)
**WR-Jarius Wright, 5-10, 182, 4.42/40, Arkansas (148=overall)
*WR-Marvin McNutt, 6-3, 216, 4.54/40, Iowa (180-overall)
*WR/KR-Joe Adams, 5-11, 179, 4.55/40, Arkansas (191-overall)
WR-Lavasier Tuinei, 6-5, 209, 4.52/40, Oregon (398-overall, sleeper?)
WR-Wes Kemp, 6-3, 230, 4.51/40, Missouri (483-overall, sleeper?)
That is all I’ve got for potential WR’s, hopefully a Seahawkis on this list.
@Matthew Baldwin: Ryan Williams missed his rookie year due to an Achilles tendon injury. Don’t know if he had previously had a patellar tendon injury.
I think the recovery for a patellar tendon repair would be similar to ACL, with the advantage that ACLs often are paired with meniscal and articular cartilage injuries which can accelerate arthritis in the joint, while the patellar tendon injury is not classically associated with internal joint derangements.
Looking at Thurmond, before his injury, he was projected to be a late 1/early 2, and was drafted in the 4th. I know very little about Childs and how he would project based on his 2010 performance, but given he will be almost two years from the initial injury at the start of the season, I could see the team not pussyfooting around to see if they could get him in the 4th or 6th round. If you believe in this guy, you draft him in the 2nd or 3rd, even if that means moving back some in the 2nd to get good value.
Would this WR lineup be exciting?
Rice
Tate
Baldwin
Greg Childs 3rd
Joe Adams 6th
Lockette
Durham
I think BMW and Obo are both expendable – we have probably seen their upside/ceiling at this point and whatever BMW adds with his skills can be replaced with a decent handsy TE and 3 6’3″+ WRs in Rice, Childs, and Durham. Obo’s 7 years of experience is his only advantage over Lockette or Durham, give either of them a season of starts and they will be everything that Obo is and more.
I think BMW and Obo mostly offer draft day trade value – BMW maybe gets you a 6th this year and a conditional 2013 5th-7th. I would be happy with a 7th for Obo, or moving up a few spots in the third to take a player like Greg Childs.
whoops, brain fart, Williams did have a patellar tendon injury. Leshoure had the Achilles injury. Damn rookie RBs.
I don’t think Lockette would make it but he’s still practice squad eligible isn’t he? I’m sure another team would pick him up though. Obo could get cut/traded and so could Butler. Out WR core looks like Rice, Baldwin, Tate, BMW, Durham and possibly an open roster spot.
4th Rd pull the trigger.
I would find it more exciting to get Flyd, Wright, or Hill in the first round. They are all game changers with better ability to get open and catch the ball. Childs sounds fine as a fourth round pick, but we really need to bite the bullet and spend some signigicant picks toward this position (and TE). We have tried to do this with free agency with mixed results.
I’m glad to finally see the conversation swinging away from linemen and back to the people we should be picking in the first round. A game changing receiver, RB or defensive secondary that can make interceptions.
To add to my arguement against defensive linemen. The three best defensive teams we faced this year were the Ravens, Giants and 49ers. They were all tough games, somehow we won two of them (while losing to the Browns -Retch Retch).
Okay so those teams are great because of their defense, but did that defense make the game winning difference? OR did our offense rise up and overwhelm them? I would argue that the offense won the day, even though they do have the best defenses we will face. Going into the Superbowl, everyone is praising the Giants defensive line now, and it is very good. But that teamed was carved apart by Tom Brady. If his main tight end wasn’t hurt they could have won that game. Even without one of their main receivers, and left with only Wes Welker performing, they almost won that game. Now Tom Brady is great, and the Giants did get a safety (first time I saw that called all year!!!), but he could have won that game.
Despite all the great defensive players the Giants have – offense still trumps defense given that you have the QB and receivers to throw to. So lets get some first class receivers to go with our first class quarterback.
AlaskaHawk – I would argue that the defensive secondary would be upgraded with a better pass rush. You’ll see more hurries and ints.
Not sure how Rice’s contract is structured or the cap ramifications but I’m not in love with the guy. Lots of the posts above seem pro-Rice….I’m more ambivalent. Seems to get official tag “injury prone” if one more wasted year. I understand injuries are part of the NFL game but if he doesn’t become a consistently good receiver going in a different direction might be called for. Rookie QB next yr in the draft, sign Dwayne Bowe, best defense in NFL…gonna change my tag to DreamHawk!
Yes I understand that the defense will need to be upgraded with another DE and two LBs. I would also argue that we need more cornerbacks, you can never have enough cornerbacks.
The offensive question is who will Flynn throw to? Rice is our best receiver but injury prone. I love his pass catching ability – he needs to run out of bounds before he can get tackled. Baldwin is great. Tate may be great someday or may be average.
The rest of our receivers are questionable and have to prove they can play this year. Some will make it, some won’t. None of the rest are as good as any receiver we could pick in the first round. Arguably Tate isn’t as good as any receiver we pick in the first round. IT is just common sense to stop the love affair with linemen in the first round and start picking receivers.
Childs is very similar to Kris Durham. Maybe that’s a sign we’d draft him. Maybe it’s a sign we already basically have him on the roster.
I’d favor Brian Quick:
6’4, 220
4.45 to 4.55 40-time
“As a senior in 2011, he caught 71 passes for 1,096 yards and 11 scores. Quick excelled at last month’s Senior Bowl, which is widely regarded as college football’s premier all-star game. ” -CBSSports / NFLDraftScout
Projected round: 2-3
I agree with AlaskaHawk on the aspect of WR’s. A WR that can start immediatly and make plays without needing a full season to adjust. A player that can make an immediate impact from game one. I am intrigued by Lockette just by the couple catches at the end of last season.
Good god. Greg Childs is an amazing WR. The ability he shows to catch the ball and then immediately observe the field around him, make a cut, and burn is pretty impressive. Not mention a very strong set of hands along with the obvious physical blessings. That 40.5 vertical after the injury is encouraging. Schneider has pulled the trigger on these guys in the past (Thurmond, McCoy).
I think Lockett has a great chance, as well as Durham. He has the Jets, and got a taste of real success late last year, and he wants more. Tate will be great this year, as will Baldwin and Rice. I don’t think BMW makes the cut.
I personally don’t see a need to take a WR, unless we get one like Childs in the 5th…………….
I don’t see a WR this years draft with so many other real needs..
Bryan
Thank you for the correction. I do expect at some point the Hawks will trade back in the first 2nd or third. Our FO is money in the fourth and fifth rounds.
Completely disagree with the thought of taking wrs in 1-2 rounds. There a plenty of WR each year in free agency and in my opinion are a dime a dozen. Now Childs has the ability to be a great WR (which I think this draft is lacking) so I would pull the trigger on him or a similar type but not earlier than the 3rd round. The thing about offense and defensive lineman is that they are harder to find, they are more valuable to a team, and make a bigger impact on the game. You can say Tom Brady is elite, which he is, but if he does not have an O line to block for him he will not be able to find the open receivers. Our FO wants to build a team with an elite defense, great running game, and a serviceable QB that can throw well on third downs/play action.
It’s always “next year Tate will break out.” ughhh….the guy hasn’t had much in the way of QB play but after this upcoming year he will be a bust. Rookie contract over and adios!
Most people are forgetting about Kris Durham… that kid has some big time potential. Receiver isn’t a huge deal. I’d see our front 7 add more pass rusher and get faster at linebacker.
Yeah those dime a dozen wide receivers are worth what you pay for them.
I’m glad Baldwin worked out – but he is the exception – and he is playing because we don’t have a decent receiver group except for Rice. So yes everyone does have a shot at making our WR lineup.
Some nice comments in here.
The only thing I would add is that I would be bummed if Seattle ended up releasing either of BMW or Obomanu, because both looked pretty good in 2010 and I think their drop in 2011 is directly attributable to Tarvaris Jackson’s flaws. I think both could have comeback years in 2012 if Flynn is throwing to them. As much as I like Durham and Lockette as prospects, I’m not sure I’d keep them over a proven commodity like BMW or Obo. I’m also curious if the team will keep Golden Tate. He improved a lot last year, but he still lacks field smarts and for a possession oriented offense, that might make him a mismatch here. If I had to release two WRs right now, I would probably pick Tate and Butler. Tate needs to take another big step forward next preseason to change my mind.
That said, if you are releasing good receivers due to having an insanely deep WR corps, that’s not a bad problem to have. As they say, “you can never have too many WRs.”
Another thing too, what if you can find a buyer for Tate? It probably wouldn’t be that hard to find someone who’d take him for a 5th rounder.
I would be very bummed if BMW was released too, but only because I like the story. Last season was dreadful. Obo played well last season but I remember the drops in 2010…oh the drops. Tate took a huge step last season compared to his rookie season. @Ben2-the idea that everyone keeps saying “next season” he will be great-he only played 2 seasons and I personally have no idea if he will ‘ever’ be great. I like BMW, alot, but he lacked hunger last season and it appeared like he was giving up due to the poor QB play from Tavaris I don’t like that and his history as we all know is not the best when it comes to effort. Then add the fact Seattle lacks great QB play and may for while he is not the first option, if even the second. He needs to really step it up this year. Tate may never be great, but yards after the catch last year was excellent, and he caught everything that was catchable thrown his way last year (subjective a bit, but more than one tracker/site had Tate down for zero drops). Baldwin is the only WR that I personally have some faith in and should be guaranteed a spot. The last catch in the Dallas game he fought for the ball, despite the call saying it was picked, and exhibted fire at the end of the game. He wanted, really wanted the ball, and showed passion. Tate lacks that and BMW does as well. Sidney is injured too often to tell. 🙂
Durham didn’t get much in the way of catches before his injury, but I would rather the Hawks pick up a WR in the 4th, especially if it is Childs and dump someone like Durham. At the end of the day the Hawks are truly lacking a #1 option, threat. Rice has had one great season, period. I want to feel confident in the group, and the Hawks need a verision of Cruz/Green/Wallace.
As other posts mention, front 7 are more of a need and I agree. The secondary should even improve more next season with some major upgrades in pressure and pass rush ability. Once that is addressed TD-playmaker is needed. To think Seattle’s WR core scares other teams is denial.
Durham with the 4rd investment needs to get a solid shot at the #2 spot this year. Love that kid. We shouldn’t be thinking WR until rd 4 at the earliest… Butler is first wideout I would cut
Plus why would you cut a guy drafted in the fourth for another guy drafted in the fourth? I mean I like Greg Childs and wouldn’t mind the Hawks Drafting him, but I feel pretty good that Durham will work out, he has the size, speed, smarts, and straight up wasn’t rated higher because he played behind/along side of/ or in replacement of AJ Green
How do we know that Lockette/Durham aren’t this teams Cruz, Wallace, et al….I mena Cruz was undrafted as was Lockette…Durham went in the Fourth and Wallace in the third?
Tate was drafted as a project – those guys are gonna take a little longer to develop. He’s shown growth from 2010 to 2011, so I think he’ll get another shot to step it up further in 2012. If he doesn’t improve, he’s probably gone after 2012 though.
Yes, Rice is injury-prone, but if you’re gonna say he’s not a #1 because he only “had one great season, period” I really don’t see how you can turn around and say that the Hawks need a Cruz or Green.
With all of the holes on the roster, I don’t think the Hawks need a WR – but if the value’s there I wouldn’t be opposed to it. PCJS have done well enough late in the draft/UDFA for me to trust in the late round picks.
It’s hard to predict exactly where the picks are going to be since PCJS seems to draft with value in mind – if the value isn’t there, they will trade out of the pick and tyr again. Personally, I think they’ll end up with 7-8 picks in the draft and go 4-5 on D (1-2 DL, 2 LB, 1 S) and 3 on O (RB, TE, QB), but we’ll have to wait and see where the value lies.
Mike good call on Tate being a project, his whole time at college he was learning WR while playing baseball….I’ve said this before but with his skills, most notable being a former RB, you need to give him shots in space, not high reaching sideline catches to move the chains. That’s a guy like BMW’s role. Tate needs to be caught on the run, so he can produce YAC….I hope that Flynn with his expereince in GB can do that, because TJax has the arm strength but lacks the timing ot hit most anyone in stride. Even when Baldwin works against Corners that always seems to be his doing, and not because he was caught in stride…like a Cruz or a wallace..
Didn’t Lockette run a sub 4.35 40? I thought I remember 4.26, at 6’2″. I don’t think the team takes the risk of another team picking him up after other teams got to see him some at the end of last year, and they paid him significant signing money for a UDFA.
If I had to pick two players to cut, they would be BMW, and Deon Butler. Though I think pre-season should influence the decision. BMW might have a big year with a quarterback that doesn’t need five yards of separation to decide to throw. If we could get a 4th or 5th for Tate and take Childs in that area, I’d be all for it, but I’d still rather have Irvin in the 4th if we only had one pick there. I kept noticing Childs when watching video of Wilson. Great hands, leaping ability and speed. Of course, that also describes Kris Durham. Cutting Durham would be stupid without some dramatic show of incompetence this preseason.