I’m not crazy about the potential wide receiver class for 2013. A lot can change in the space of a year, but there’s nobody like AJ Green, Julio Jones or Justin Blackmon who you expect to be a top ten pick. Cal’s Keenan Allen is ranked #16 in our top 40 watch list but that’s mainly based on potential. He’s not helped by inconsistent quarterback play and the fact he’s not performing in a high powered PAC-12 offense. That’ll hurt his stock. Even so, physically he has a lot of potential and is worth monitoring.
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Rob Staton
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Hot topics
- Video: Drew Allar to the Seahawks? The ever improving current-day team & more
- The big offensive topics: Would the Seahawks draft Drew Allar, why coaching changes might be inevitable, Sam Darnold vs Geno Smith & more
- Live stream (2pm PT) with Jeff Simmons
- Instant reaction: Seahawks beat Cardinals again to take control of NFC West
- Curtis Allen’s week fourteen watch notes (vs Arizona)
I like Keenan Allen. A couple other guys that might emerge are Justin Hunter and Da’Rick Rodgers of TEN.
About Keenan Allen, he was a 5-star recruit and gave a verbal to Alabama. Nick Saban planned to make him into a safety, to take advantage of his athleticism. Then, Cal offered his brother a scholly also, so Allen went there in a package deal. He is not a natural receiver, and you see that his routes are primarily those of an h-back or RB. Tedford used to be a decent coach, but this Cal team was so weak. Allen has a very long way to go to become a R1 WR that Pete would be interested in.
Interesting stuff.
I too really like the duo at Tennessee, especially Hunter.
I like his toughness. He seems to have a lot of fight in him. He’s got the athleticism you would want from a number 1 wide receiver. He seems to have pretty good hands. Not sure on how well he can run routes, couldn’t really tell from the videos I’ve seen, but to me he is the number 1 receiver in this draft (at the moment).
Do I think he is a slam dunk pick like larry fitzgerald or Calvin Johnson? No. You just don’t get those in every draft though. I could see him cracking the top 10 though, I think he’ll definitely go top 15.
If he isn’t a natural receiver, I didn’t really see it. I can’t really name a college player I’d rather have going for a tough catch. He reminds me a little of Hakeem Nicks.
I have a hunch Allen will return for his 2013 senior season and enroll in the 2014 draft instead. His brother (QB Zach Maynard) came to Cal just to throw passes to him, and that is a special privilege that won’t continue in the NFL with 99% likelihood. I don’t see Allen giving that up unless he believes he’ll be a top 10 pick, which he probably won’t be.
Good player though. Kind of looks like a quality #2 and nothing more. Then again, people said the same thing about players like Greg Jennings, so who knows.