Explanation of Colors + Numbers
1 ~
Red = OverRated ~ in my OH so humble opinion!!
2 ~
Purple = Sleeper or Steal or Super Sleeper!!
3 ~
Blue = Bargain ~ Good Value.
4 ~ The first number = Market Value ~ my best guess, based on CBS, Walter, Et Cetera...
5 ~ The second number = FIENDISH Value ~ how
I grade them!!
6 ~ These will all be Cut + Pasted from yon Site, so the formats are different.
An Explanation of My Twisted ViewPoint!!
I have no intention or expectation of converting anyone to my view of things, of course. That doesn't happen, anyway: People make up their own minds in their own way...But an explanation is warranted, I think, out of respect to those of you who do me the honor of reading these Works.
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As I place a disproportionately enormous emphasis on Diagnostic Acuity and Processing Speed when evaluating Quarter Backs, so do I lend an extreme level of importance, when evaluating all Grizzlies, to Core Strength.
A Grizzly's inferior Core Strength can be exposed by any number of things: Displaying an insufficiently compact Coil...Bending at the Waist...Rising too high off the Snap...A tendency ~ even with a low initial stance ~ to get ridden back high...Inability to Mirror...and of course: Getting the stuffing beaten out of you on a regular basis!!
Outstanding Core Strength, on the other hand, takes years of dedication in the weight room, but goes a long way to establishing dominance In The Trenches!!
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As with Quarter Backs, my evaluations of Split Ends ~ the classic term for Offensive Linemen who "split out" and are usually called "Wide Receivers" ~ focuses on attributes that are starkly divergent with the priorities of most others.
In a word: I don't give a rat's ass about "40" time.
What I care about is Release ~ Getting Out of the Blocks ~ and Short Burst ~ which can be boiled down rather nicely to the 10 Yard Split, after the Combine ~ and, above all, to Navigation ~ Route Running, Fluidity, and both Verticity + Torsion ~ my terms for the measure of crispy, snappy sharpness + explosion out'f Breaks.
And that's about it.
I'm all about Moving The Chains, baby.
Blocking is a nice bonus, but not absolutely essential, in my view...though more essential than "40" time!!
And, for the record: It would be an essential to any team I was putting together!!
And it's allways nice if you can catch the #$%&ing Ball.
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Justin Blackmon ~ 6.1/216 ~ 1st ~ 1st
Beast!! Justin Blackmon doesn't have much BreakAway Speed to speak of, so I would normally expect him to be underrated, yet his Top 5 Market Value suggests that the opposite is true.
Don't get me wrong: I really like this kid. His Release is outstanding, as he commands the Core Strength, the Dexterity, and the Fluidity to win most of the Battles at the Line of Scrimmage.
The way he Works The Field is outstanding: His Acceleration up and down the Gears, his Verticity, in changing directions sharply, his Fluidity, and his discipline in Route Running are all exceptional.
And he will rack up the YAC.
In short: This is a guy who will Move The Chains for you, reliably and consistently. And that ~ not chucking it downfield and hoping for the best ~ is how you win FootBall games at the next level.
Top 5 is a bit high for my tastes, but that's not my call. The truth is that this guy should be his QB's best friend for the next decade.
Fair Value!!
Michael Floyd ~ 6.3/224 ~ 1st ~ 1st
Super Beast!! Michael Floyd is the Alpha Male of this Split End Class, for my money.
His Release is phenomenal, as he commands a deadly combination of Core Strength, Fluidity, and remarkable Dexterity, to win most of his Battles.
His Navigation is extraordinary, as well, as he brings a quick Short Burst, precision Route Running, and crisp Verticity to the table. And his Pedigree simply outstanding, as he has mastered Charlie Weiss' System at Notre Dame.
Great Hands, and he'll rack up the YAC like a BEAST.
One man's Possession Receiver is another man's Super Beast!! Even as a Mid 1st Rounder, Michael Floyd, in my opinion, is a
Steal!!
Kendall Wright ~ 5.10/189 ~ 1st ~ 1st
Beast!! Ordinarily, I'm not too fond of Zoomers like Kendall Wright, as they tend ~ in my opinion ~ to get far more Love than their ultimate Impact on their team's PlayOff fortunes warrants.
But I make an exception for Kendall Wright: His Long Speed ~ his "40" ~ doesn't interest me, but his Short Burst ~ his "10", if you will ~ is phenomenal.
This kid is truly explosive.
And he also gets extra points in my book for Cross Training: He's a former Quarter Back, and it shows in outstanding Instincts and Savvy on the field.
He's kind of raw as a Navigator, which I don't like at all...But in his favor is not only Cross Training as a Flanker and a Slot End, but universal praise for his Tenacity and flat out Voracity: Any refinement that is needed in his Route Running is not from lack of Passion or Desire, and I project that ~ much like Mike Wallace, who folks generally love comparing him to ~ he will evolve into a complete Receiver in the next few years.
Fair Value!!
Mohamed Sanu ~ 6.2/216 ~ 2nd ~ 2nd
Beast!! Mohamed Sanu is still raw as a Navigator and Route Runner, but Coach Greg Schiano has earned an excellent reputation for training his players for success at the next level, and he has nothing but effusive praise for young Sanu.
And the raw Talent is there: his Core Strength, Fluidity, and Short Burst are all exceptional. He just needs to develop them, which all agree he commands the Work Ethic and Character to do.
Fair Value!!
Alshon Jeffery ~ 6.2/228 ~ 2nd ~ 6th-7th
Reserve!! Alshon Jeffrey is a GOD-awful Navigator, combining sloppy Route Running with hideous Fluidity and awful Verticity ~ no Burst in'is Breaks.
Jeffery is a walking Red Flag.
OverRated!!
Rueben Randle ~ 6.3/208 ~ 2nd ~ 6th-7th
Role Player!! I like Rueben Randle: He's a former Quarter Back, and a smart, savvy FootBall player.
But I don't think he has much upside. He's not especially explosive out'f'is Breaks, and doesn't seem to bring much Burst to any aspect of his Game.
Even in his Release, he has issues, as he doesn't seem overly physical, and there's not much Fluidity or Dexterity, or Tenacity in his Repertoire.
He could and should fill a role, as he's new to the job, he's smart, and he's willing to learn. But I see him as a Reserve or Role Player, optimally.
OverRated!!
Stephen Hill ~ 6.4/207 ~ 1st-2nd ~ 2nd-3rd
Starter!! Laying the term "Starter" on a Prospect like Stephen Hill ~ who could is much more likely to end up as either "Beast" or "Bust" than anything as mundane as "Starter" seems kinda lame...
But I'm assigning Value, here ~ comparing Investment to potential and probable Return on Investment ~ and "Starter" seems like the best way to approximate the Value of an High Ceiling/Low Floor Prospect like Hill.
Then, again, maybe I need invent another term. Hah!!
In a word: Stephen Hill displays sufficient Launch Velocity, Burst out of his Breaks, Fluidity, and Tenacity to develop into an exceptional Receiver.
But his Navigational Game and Route Running are raw, sloppy, and GOD awful: Georgia Tech doesn't exactly run a refined Offensive Scheme.
However, he does exhibit Tenacity, even Ferocity as a Blocker, and that is one of my favorite indirect measures of likely success at the next level: An indicator, in my mind, of willingness to do the work.
He could absolutely flop, but as a guy with good marks for Work Ethic and Beast upside, I call him a pretty good bet...However, that crazy Combine has blown his Stock a little to high for my tastes!!
OverRated!!
Nick Toon ~ 6.2/220 ~ 2nd-3rd ~ 4th-5th
Potential Starter!! Nick Toon is the Polar Opposite of Stephen Hill: limited physical skills but elevated Savvy.
He isn't particularly impressive with his Burst or his Fluidity, but he Works The Field really well.
He is an adept Navigator.
No Super Star, this guy, but he'll hit the ground running at the next level, and should be a contributor for many years. Even so, 2nd-3rd Round is far too rich for what I expect of this guy.
OverRated!!
