2021 WR Thread

i do think the OL and pass protection generally is the most important element - but hard to imagine that better weapons aren't also part of the solution

 

There is no doubt about that, but I still feel OL was the biggest part about it, especially longer developing routes.

 

oh for sure - just helps to have guys who can actually run those routes lol

 

this year's definitive WR rankings thread is now up:

https://purpleflock.com/threads/3586/

 

@JoeyFlex5 - i've gone back to the tape on toney - and you're absolutely right - i think i got hung up too much on some of the drops and gadget stuff (and especially a few drops in 1v1s at the senior bowl) - going back to the tape and being surprised by some things that i thought weren't there and then reading my notes and realising i saw them the first time and just hadn't really re-read my own thoughts since the senior bowl basically

and it also helped to just remind myself just how great an athlete he is specifically with his flexibility and change of direction

he was already WR8 but this reminder helped me bump him up to the top of his tier (was near the bottom of his tier previously) and he's now WR6

 

i think the league is way higher than media scouts - there was insider buzz at the senior bowl that while the senior bowl wideouts were doing well, all anyone around the league who was in attendance at the practices was talking about were chase, waddle, devonta, bateman and rondale moore

the list was very specific - the only reason i can see for why media scouts haven't been as high on bateman from the beginning as the consensus "top 3" is simply because he opted out and so hasnt been seen live for a while...

i would be heartbroken if he made it to 27 and we didn't take him
i was sure calvin ridley was going way higher than 25 when we took hurst (after trading back twice) and im still shocked he wasnt their guy
i was sure hollywood was the guy but thought he was going higher - was absolutely psyched about getting him at 25...

 

i can definitely buy that - i've had the top 4 WRs every which way around multiple times in all different possible orders and combinations - the only constant is that they all have a "top 15" grade from me - currently have waddle at 1 but have had chase, devonta and bateman at 1 throughout this process - it will be one of the few things i probably tinker with right up until draft day

 

it’s really hard to say who might be available- a bit like last year there’s so many highly rated guys of different flavours that it’s very easy to foresee a run on all those guys early in the 2nd - so in terms of 58 I’m thinking more along the lines of:

Nico Collins
D’Wayne Eskridge
Amari Rodgers
Amon-Ra St Brown
Tylan Wallace

not all guys I’d want at 58 but guys who some think might be worth that sort of pick

I’d personally hope someone like dyami brown might be available - he’s being mocked later but a big part of me thinks he’s going a lot higher than many predict

cornell Powell’s a wildcard option - no idea what the league thinks of him and his production until the last half of his senior season says he’s barely draftable but i really love him on tape and I think it’s possible he goes as high as the mid-to-late-2nd much like van Jefferson last year

it would be amazing if Toney or Elijah Moore or Marshall or Bateman made it to 58 but that seems exceedingly unlikely

Just looking at my grades and what I’ve seen mock-wise it does look to me like receiver might not be a great option at 58 no matter what happens round 1 - nico Collins would definitely be an intriguing option if he got there though

 

the other thing about YAC is it translates better than almost any other WR trait which massively helps the value of Rodgers, Toney and rondale who are unbelievable yac collectors

I do really like Amari and it would make a ton of sense given he’s tee martin’s son

 

Anyone watch any Josh Palmer, TN? Really like him as a prospect. Think he has a ton of potential.

 

yep and Tee Martin was also one of the QB's that was drafted before Brady.

 

i like him too - well-built but pretty explosive dude - consistent vertical threat who uses his body well - big catch radius - shows some nuance in his route-running and shows particularly an impressive ability to preserve momentum through his vertical cuts - plays through contact well both in the route and at the catch-point - was able to win vertically and stack against some of the premier corners in this class - but also able to flatten and cut horizontally efficiently

needs some technical work to help him add diversity to his release packages but he's got some nice tools and some nice traits - i think he's a day 2 guy

and another tee martin connection (was just coached by him at tennessee lol)