Official 2020 WR Thread

[Ragnarok]

2 minutes ago, BayRaider said:

I’d do Mid 3rd but no issue with Late 2nd at all. That’s worth the risk. 
 

However, these guys were stating pre-combine that Shenault was like a Top 25 pick/talent. No, he wasn’t. I disagree with that highly. And now they will claim he didn’t go in the 1st because of his combine when that’s not the truth *sigh*. Shenault was always going Mid-Late 2nd. That’s what his tape indicates. However, his injury could push him into the 3rd Round. 

The injuries scare me.  At some point you can only have so many soft tissue injuries before you lose athleticism.

[Nick_gb]

35 minutes ago, BayRaider said:

I’d do Mid 3rd but no issue with Late 2nd at all. That’s worth the risk. 
 

However, these guys were stating pre-combine that Shenault was like a Top 25 pick/talent. No, he wasn’t. I disagree with that highly. And now they will claim he didn’t go in the 1st because of his combine when that’s not the truth *sigh*. Shenault was always going Mid-Late 2nd. That’s what his tape indicates. However, his injury could push him into the 3rd Round. 

Precisely, his tape shows him as a gadget player and not the #1 WR people believe he is currently, which he simply just isn't nor was he. He has A LOT of work to do to get there and that kind of pick means the situation is going to be everything for him. QB/Coaches it all matters, paired with those medicals? that's not a 1st round pick for me. That's not to say that he couldn't become that guy it's just that as it stands he's not what people are making him out to be currently and for me? I'm not spending a 1st round pick on a WR like that in THIS draft class. If others are okay with their team doing that then good on them. I'm simply not and that doesn't mean that the "draftnik community knows more about Shenault" then I do. lol. 

Edited March 3, 2020 by Nick_gb

[BleedTheClock]

Anyone else think Ruggs profiles similarly to Steve Smith? He wins jump balls despite his diminutive size and is strong after the catch. The more I watch him, the more I believe he's going to be a superstar. I still wouldn't put him ahead of Jeudy or Lamb though.

Jeudy: Thicker Torry Holt
Lamb: Dez Bryant
Ruggs: Steve Smith

[big_palooka]

Just now, BleedTheClock said:

Anyone else think Ruggs profiles similarly to Steve Smith? He wins jump balls despite his diminutive size and is strong after the catch. The more I watch him, the more I believe he's going to be a superstar. I still wouldn't put him ahead of Jeudy or Lamb though.

Jeudy: Thicker Torry Holt
Lamb: Dez Bryant
Ruggs: Steve Smith

I saw a Santana Moss comparison and thought that was very fitting.

[BleedTheClock]

Just now, big_palooka said:

I saw a Santana Moss comparison and thought that was very fitting.

It's not bad, but I think Ruggs is a much better contested catch maker. 

Man I haven't heard the name "Santana Moss" in a long time.

[big_palooka]

Injuries aside, I am all in on Shenault. His detractors trying to down play his impact are off base. 

He's a legit X who can move into the slot. He's physical of the LOS

He will require some refinement to his game as a route runner. CU asked him to be everything for them, now he'll get the chance to focus on being an X WR and work on his routes. He's fast, physical with great hands. He dealt with a terrible QB at CU who would under throw him deep often but he made plays in spite of it. 

My favorite traits are his physicality. He wins the fight at the LOS and gets into his routes. Plucks the ball out of the air with ease. ++ Athlete with major YAC ability.

I think he projects as a star at the next level in the right spot. 

[BleedTheClock]

8 minutes ago, big_palooka said:

Injuries aside, I am all in on Shenault. His detractors trying to down play his impact are off base. 

He's a legit X who can move into the slot. He's physical of the LOS

He will require some refinement to his game as a route runner. CU asked him to be everything for them, now he'll get the chance to focus on being an X WR and work on his routes. He's fast, physical with great hands. He dealt with a terrible QB at CU who would under throw him deep often but he made plays in spite of it. 

My favorite traits are his physicality. He wins the fight at the LOS and gets into his routes. Plucks the ball out of the air with ease. ++ Athlete with major YAC ability.

I think he projects as a star at the next level in the right spot. 

Shenault is overrated as an athlete and it has nothing to do with his combine. He's just not a very explosive player. He is dynamite with the ball in his hands, but it is more because of his ability to RAC and run through defenders rather than his speed. I think he's an intriguing gadget player that cna line up all over. But I don't think he'll separate from #1 CB's. I don't think he's a traditional "X" WR.

[big_palooka]

10 hours ago, BayRaider said:

He’s a slower, slightly more well rounded, Cordarrelle Patterson.

Such a lazy comparison based on his role at CU. 

Patterson is a consistent body catcher. No hands, consistent drops. He couldn't win of the LOS in college and that translated to the pros. He's easily jammed and redirected in his routes. He's all long speed and could never get in and out of breaks with short area quickness. 

Shenault has terrific hands. Sticky, catches away from the body. Shown he's physical at the LOS getting off press coverage. Has burst and short area quickness.

You want a pro comparison, it's Debo Samuel who like was Shenault exploded on the scene, had a so so final year, got slept on and is a budding star for the 49ers. 

 

[Fullback]

Just now, big_palooka said:

Injuries aside, I am all in on Shenault. His detractors trying to down play his impact are off base. 

He's a legit X who can move into the slot. He's physical of the LOS

He will require some refinement to his game as a route runner. CU asked him to be everything for them, now he'll get the chance to focus on being an X WR and work on his routes. He's fast, physical with great hands. He dealt with a terrible QB at CU who would under throw him deep often but he made plays in spite of it. 

My favorite traits are his physicality. He wins the fight at the LOS and gets into his routes. Plucks the ball out of the air with ease. ++ Athlete with major YAC ability.

I think he projects as a star at the next level in the right spot. 

It's all about where he ends up. There aren't even 10 teams I would trust to use him in a way that makes him a legit secondary weapon. I don't think he can be a primary weapon, at least not right away. Half the offensive coordinators in the league would waste his talent and try to use him as a classic WR or purely as a gadget player. I'd be afraid he is already starting to enter damaged goods territory. But I can imagine him becoming a legit weapon under the right circumstances and well worth a (late) 1st selection if you can live with the risk. But think of this: Deebo Samuel in a traditional passing offense wouldn't have done much. He was great in a run-heavy offense as a change of pace weapon on end arounds and was worked into their play action based passing concepts as the season went on. If Shenault would end up in such circumstances, it would be great for him.

 

16 minutes ago, BleedTheClock said:

Anyone else think Ruggs profiles similarly to Steve Smith? He wins jump balls despite his diminutive size and is strong after the catch. The more I watch him, the more I believe he's going to be a superstar. I still wouldn't put him ahead of Jeudy or Lamb though.

Jeudy: Thicker Torry Holt
Lamb: Dez Bryant
Ruggs: Steve Smith

The Holt comparison I can agree, although it's very high praise. Lamb I feel is smoother and more of a technician than Dez. The Hopkins comp is just too fitting to find another one. Ruggs has a much more to prove for my liking to even be in the same sentence as the ultimate baller that SSS was.

I went back to watch People-Jones tape after his combine explosion. Was already higher on him before the combine. Despite less than ideal college production, his TD production was very good. He scored once in 6 catches or even slightly better. His style and physicality remind me very much of Dez Bryant. Half of his TDs were prototype Dez backshoulder fades where he outmuscles the CB. You can see the elite burst and his amazing vertical on tape. Good RAC ability as well. I think Dez is what he can be and he is closer to that than most pundits think.

[big_palooka]

1 hour ago, Fullback said:

It's all about where he ends up. There aren't even 10 teams I would trust to use him in a way that makes him a legit secondary weapon. I don't think he can be a primary weapon, at least not right away. Half the offensive coordinators in the league would waste his talent and try to use him as a classic WR or purely as a gadget player. I'd be afraid he is already starting to enter damaged goods territory. But I can imagine him becoming a legit weapon under the right circumstances and well worth a (late) 1st selection if you can live with the risk. But think of this: Deebo Samuel in a traditional passing offense wouldn't have done much. He was great in a run-heavy offense as a change of pace weapon on end arounds and was worked into their play action based passing concepts as the season went on. If Shenault would end up in such circumstances, it would be great for him.

Agree here. Like late 1, as in KC and replaces Sammy Watkins he would flourish. But I do think if he stays healthy, year 2 he can line up at the X and be a go to in any offense. 

[BleedTheClock]

1 hour ago, Fullback said:

Ruggs has a much more to prove for my liking to even be in the same sentence as the ultimate baller that SSS was.

What do you mean "much more to prove" though? I think that's obvious since he hasn't played an NFL game, but the dude has excellent hands, was productive playing against the best of the best in CFB, and is a supreme athlete. There are not any real flaws to his game other than the fact that he's small. But he wins jump balls and can go up and get it, ala Steve Smith.

[Aztec Hammer]

Justin Jefferson comparison?

Really like this guy, and that’s before the combine numbers. He’s smooth, great hands, can separate but is also able to make contested catches and adjust with the ball in the air. Really nice after the catch. Redzone threat. Slot mismatch which is something that thrives in today’s game.

[Chiefer]

any X receivers that can double as punt returners?

[Packerraymond]

2 hours ago, big_palooka said:

Such a lazy comparison based on his role at CU. 

Patterson is a consistent body catcher. No hands, consistent drops. He couldn't win of the LOS in college and that translated to the pros. He's easily jammed and redirected in his routes. He's all long speed and could never get in and out of breaks with short area quickness. 

Shenault has terrific hands. Sticky, catches away from the body. Shown he's physical at the LOS getting off press coverage. Has burst and short area quickness.

You want a pro comparison, it's Debo Samuel who like was Shenault exploded on the scene, had a so so final year, got slept on and is a budding star for the 49ers. 

 

Thank you, Patterson comp is such a lazy one. 

Calling Shenault a gadget player is also a super lazy evaluation to me because you see some highlights of him playing wildcat and taking her sweeps.

He's got nice footwork to win LOS release, hands to fight through press, he has great flexion in his knees and ankles which is strictly a genetics thing you can't teach, but that's helps him speed cut with his plant leg outside his frame. He doesn't run a full route tree yet but the fundamentals will translate. He's explosive, he rarely goes down on first contact, I see a real weapon. He's got a Percy Harvin skillset with a much bigger frame. I will say, there's no reason for the guy to be 227, he's too rocked up. 218-220 in the sweet spot he needs to get to.

[BRANDON26841X]

14 hours ago, BayRaider said:

Shenault is the usual internet draft darling that won’t do much in the NFL I see... can save this for 2 years from now before everyone claims “hindsight”. This type of stuff happens with 1-2 players every year. There is literally nothing special about Shenault. He’s a slower, slightly more well rounded, Cordarrelle Patterson. His speed is grossly overrated, average speed on tape at best, his elusiveness is overrated, he won’t get that in the NFL, and his playmaking ability is grossly exaggerated. 

I will say the 4.59 didn't surprise me in the least, injured or not. I never saw gamebreaking speed really.