Aren't you the one saying we should move on from Welker?
This was probably the biggest catch of his career and he muffed it. Yes that is part of how I evaluate a prospect just like it affected my view of Stephen Hill last year when I saw him drop a deep pass when wide open for a TD.
But it wasn't based just on that one drop. Here's what his HC had to say about him:
“First, it has to happen with more consistency in practice.
Justin has got to understand that playing receiver is not always clean and easy [and] that there’s a little grit that you have to do to get open. You’re going to have to get hit. Good receivers are going to make those kind of plays no matter what the circumstance. He’s not there yet. We all want to talk about how he’s this first-round pick and the No.1 pick in the draft and he can be that, but he has never performed to that standard in my opinion. And he knows that. So he needs to focus on his development and what does he do well, what are some things that we have got to keep building on, and how do we get there. He’s got great character, it’s important to him, and he’s got a lot of special qualities as a wide out. But being able to go produce out there week after week is what matters.”
WR Justin Hunter: Unvarnished Moss | The Rookie Scouting Portfolio
It's hard enough for a drafted WR to succeed in our offense as it is. A possibly unmotivated entitled WR has no chance. Hunter has everything tangible you want from a WR but for the Patriots, the intangibles are just as important.
Also, Hunter had four 100 yard games this year. They were against Georgia State, Akron, Troy and Missouri. He's got the size and athleticism to pile on against smaller teams but when facing good NFL-like defenses:5 catches against Florida, 3 v Georgia, 2 v Miss. State, 4 v Alabama. Hardly a dominating performance.
So the answer is no, I'm not judging him on one catch. Let's call it confirming some already present doubts.