Its early but Patriots will regret not taking Ladd Mcconkey

[Force Zero Boomer]

Excellent post: every time I saw Polk last year he's always catching passes deep down the football field.

That’s good. I hope he can carry that ability forward into the NFL, where the competition is much stiffer.

 

[Wozzy]

I think some measurables are probably better than others. For instance, I've never been a big fan of hand size for a WR, which is getting a lot of play in this thread. There are probably plenty of great WRs with less than huge hands.

You catch with your palms, hand size is probably irrelevant if you have soft hands.

Don’t get me wrong, there are some TE’s who can stab a one handed catch out of the air, but WR’s mostly get open with their legs.

Tyquan made a lot of catches in college, he is a hands catcher and often it’s a basket catch because he’s a deep threat. Until he starts dropping balls this is a nonissue.

Also Raegor is infamous for his drops, like Agoholor was, not sure saying Tyquon is going to get cut and Raegor is safe because of his hands makes any sense?

 

[rochrist]

Edelman not only participated in the 3-cone, he was elite.

I don’t know if his time was ever bested.

The question was about his 40.

 

[Nunchucks]

No issues with Ladd's weight? Kind of light

 

[Water Boy]

No issues with Ladd's weight? Kind of light

Durability in the NFL is one potential knock on him.

 

[Grogan14]

Sam, it’s very clear why the passed on McConkey, he’s a slot receiver, and they have multiple slot receivers. Not only do they have Doiglassand Bourne at slot, but they can put Antonio Gibson there if they need to. What they needed was WR’s who can contribute outside the hashes and downfield. You need your receiving corps to be able to threaten and produce in all 3 areas of the field, wide, deep, and over the middle, not just over the middle.

He is not hjust a slot receiver. He has the speed and ability to play outside and he did sone at Georgia

 

[Force Zero Boomer]

The question was about his 40.

And was rightly ignored because Edelman was a slot receiver, not a hybrid. Polk is being advertised as a hybrid. Receivers on the outside typically have more straight line speed. Polk ran a 4.52, which was in the 43th percentile among all receivers in the draft. He has below average speed. Moreover, Polk skipped the agility drills, while Edelman stepped up to the plate and demonstrated he had elite agility measurables. And indeed those measurables showed up on the field.

This thread has become boring. Speed, size, athleticism, quickness, strength -- all the tangibles -- aren't the whole story, but neither can they be dismissed because your favorite draft pick is deficient and some other player did just fine with the same or worse measurements. It should be concerning that our top WR pick is slower than average and didn't participate in the agility drills. He may be able to overcome deficiencies through intangibles (football IQ, toughness, drive, work ethic, competitiveness, etc.), as I have mentioned elsewhere. Larry Bird wasn't the most athletic player, but he was a basketball genius and had a full measure of every intangible trait.

We'll see what Polk is made of, Mr. Ugh!

 

[1960Pats]

You catch with your palms, hand size is probably irrelevant if you have soft hands.

Don’t get me wrong, there are some TE’s who can stab a one handed catch out of the air, but WR’s mostly get open with their legs.

Tyquan made a lot of catches in college, he is a hands catcher and often it’s a basket catch because he’s a deep threat. Until he starts dropping balls this is a nonissue.

Also Raegor is infamous for his drops, like Agoholor was, not sure saying Tyquon is going to get cut and Raegor is safe because of his hands makes any sense?

When I first saw Agholor with Philly I was impressed with him.
When he ended up with the Pats I was excited.
When I saw him play every game here I understood why he moved around so much.

WRs need to catch with their hands. That's the first thing I look for. Too many times I see a WR try to catch it with his arms and hold it against his body. That hardly ever works.

 

[DaBruinz]

Still had more yards that Thornton.

Thornton brings nothing except speed in a straight line. Reagor as value as a special team player, Thornton doesn’t.

Reagor brings more value to the team as the 6th receiver than Thornton and it’s not even close.

*ROFLMAO*

Reagor is redundant. He offers nothing but kick return possibilities. Something that is covered with Marcus Jones, Isaiah Bolden, and a host of others.
Thornton, on the other hand, has been working with Matthew Slater as a GUNNER.

You should probably pay attention more to the off-season, Ms. Cleo.

 

[Boston Boxer]

Rookie Ladd McConkey standing out at Chargers camp and getting paid a record-setting contract

Los Angeles Chargers rookie Ladd McConkey stood out during spring workouts and is now getting paid a record-setting contract

sports.yahoo.com

I said it when pick 32 was on the board and could not believe it when they did not take him.
This guy is going to be a star WR. He has it all, speed, smarts, great route runner great separation and can play slot and outside.

Not knocking Polk, but talent wise McConkey is in a different tier.

lets table this discussion and revisit it in 3-4 years

 

[Huckleberry1]

He is not hjust a slot receiver. He has the speed and ability to play outside and he did sone at Georgia

Sam, just because Gronk lined up wide at times it didn’t mean he was a wide receiver. And just because McConkey lines up wide occasionally it doesn’t make him an X or a Y receiver. He’s a slot receiver, and that’s where he’s going to line up the majority of time for the Chargers. That doesn’t make him less important any more than it did Edelman or Welker, but it’s clearly a role they already have filled with Douglas and Bourne. The guys on their way out are guys like Thornton and JuJu, and that’s who they are trying to replace with Polk and Baker. And given the production from Thornton and Schuster they are already 3/4 of the way there without ever having caught a pass.

 

[VJCPatriot]

Reminder that the Pats traded down from pick 34 to 37 in exchange for moving pick 137 up to 110. Then with picks 37 and 110 they took both Polk and also Javon Baker. So it’s not whether McConkey is better than Polk, but whether McConkey alone is better than both Polk and Baker.

My main issue with McConkey leading up to the draft was not talent but role. Both Polk and Javon Baker are boundary WRs, they clearly project to the outside.

McConkey feels more like a 'super slot' WR. He might put up great numbers but his role has to be in the slot. Meanwhile the Patriots want to see if Douglas can step up to take that slot role. Polk and Baker on the other hand project to play more as outside role receivers.

Let's just see how they develop. It's fair to compare McConkey vs Polk since the Patriots could have taken McConky at #34 if they chose to do so. But let's say Douglas turns into a pretty good slot and Polk turns into a pretty good outside WR. Haven't the Patriots effectively added to the WR talent pool? This is even before considering what Baker turns into.

 

[TheRainMaker]

This thread should be bookmarked for sure. I'll now have my eye on this guy.

 

[Huckleberry1]

He is not hjust a slot receiver. He has the speed and ability to play outside and he did sone at Georgia

And Gronk played out wide for the Patriots. I guess Gronk was a wide receiver.

 

[rochrist]

And was rightly ignored because Edelman was a slot receiver, not a hybrid. Polk is being advertised as a hybrid. Receivers on the outside typically have more straight line speed. Polk ran a 4.52, which was in the 43th percentile among all receivers in the draft. He has below average speed. Moreover, Polk skipped the agility drills, while Edelman stepped up to the plate and demonstrated he had elite agility measurables. And indeed those measurables showed up on the field.

This thread has become boring. Speed, size, athleticism, quickness, strength -- all the tangibles -- aren't the whole story, but neither can they be dismissed because your favorite draft pick is deficient and some other player did just fine with the same or worse measurements. It should be concerning that our top WR pick is slower than average and didn't participate in the agility drills. He may be able to overcome deficiencies through intangibles (football IQ, toughness, drive, work ethic, competitiveness, etc.), as I have mentioned elsewhere. Larry Bird wasn't the most athletic player, but he was a basketball genius and had a full measure of every intangible trait.

We'll see what Polk is made of, Mr. Ugh

Puka Nacua: 4.62 40 7.32 3-cone 105 catches 1468 yards.

There are endless other examples. It isn’t a video game.

 

[Force Zero Boomer]

Puka Nacua: 4.62 40 7.32 3-cone 105 catches 1468 yards.

There are endless other examples. It isn’t a video game.

I never said it was. Now you are attributing positions to me that I haven't taken (using straw men to attack me, essentially), and ignoring the places where I said (in several posts, *including the one you are replying to*) that intangibles can make the difference: "Speed, size, athleticism, quickness, strength -- all the tangibles -- aren't the whole story... He may be able to overcome deficiencies through intangibles (football IQ, toughness, drive, work ethic, competitiveness, etc.), as I have mentioned elsewhere." I then gave the example of Bird's lack of athleticism to drive the point home.

You are debating in bad form and treating me unfairly, and I'm done engaging with you.

 

[TinhWoodhead]

Is the cut and dry take of McConkey “just” being a slot because he is white? Clearly it isn’t from actually watching him play and seeing the potential with his makeup and range of skill set.

never heard the dude talked about here before this thread

 

[pazrul72]

Idk how good any of these guys will be but Ill always take the 1 one stud over 2 serviceable WR's. If that's how it turns out.

If you take the average return of players drafted in those draft slots 1 out of 3 will be good and two will bust. Ill take two shots we got the good one please and thank you.

 

[rkarp1]

the drafted WR's, as well as the drafted OT's, will shake out via health and coaching, as well as fit and opportunity.
I really do not think anyone can sit here today and predict which will be better than the other. we saw Thuney (3), Shaq (4) and Onwenu (6) drafted later and excel thru hard work, coaching and scheme.
same with the WR's...draft pedigree. college stats. does not mean much.
the drafted Pats players will be as good as their ability to take to their scheme and coaching

 

[Huckleberry1]

Polk’s RAS Score blew away McConkey’s. And if you are looking for a comparable WR physically and athletically then imo it’s Hines Ward 6’0 205 4.55. Polk goes 6’1 203 4,52.

I never said it was. Now you are attributing positions to me that I haven't taken (using straw men to attack me, essentially), and ignoring the places where I said (in several posts, *including the one you are replying to*) that intangibles can make the difference: "Speed, size, athleticism, quickness, strength -- all the tangibles -- aren't the whole story... He may be able to overcome deficiencies through intangibles (football IQ, toughness, drive, work ethic, competitiveness, etc.), as I have mentioned elsewhere." I then gave the example of Bird's lack of athleticism to drive the point home.

You are debating in bad form and treating me unfairly, and I'm done engaging with you.

4,52 40 isn’t a “ deficiency,” hundreds, if not thousands of WR’s have been successful in the NFLwith similar speed. If he ran a 4.7 then it would be a deficiency, Jerry Rice ran a 4.58. Tyquan Thornton ran a 4.21. I’m having a difficult time deciding who the better receiver is/ was.

On the positive side for Tyquan, in looking up his 40 time I als found out that he’s still only 23, which is a decent reason to give him one more shot, as that’s an age many players enter the league at. On the other hand it’s tough to keep a 5th it 6th receiver that’d doesn’t play St’s.