Does WR Speed Really Kill?

[badgers0821]

31 minutes ago, Chrissooner49er said:

The three most important things (remember: 9ers fan, so also Jerry Rice fan) for a WR: High work ethic, good route running, good hands. 

A little interesting no one mentioned hands until this post. I’ll take a guy who can locate and high point the ball with a solid catch radius over pretty much anything else...think Davante Adams or Michael Thomas.

[goldfishwars]

Another reminder

 

[Broncofan]

If you are a good WR and you have sub 4.4 speed, it's a killer combo.    The problem is that most sub 4.4 guys aren't good WR's.   

The fact that many of the best WR's around aren't burners just reinforces that the speed is an asset, but it's not a requisite.  The thing it does do, though - it creates huge matchup problems for D's to counter.  It's why HOU is a different team to face when Will Fuller plays.   And why KC is so different when Tyreek is in the lineup.

I mean, Mahomes & Allen's generational arm talent allows them to make plays that D's can't account for.   Same with Lamar's speed.   It's not any different for WR - elite speed creates huge problems for D's - and that edge is what OC's, HC's and GM's look for.   The problem is when teams over-value the asset by itself.

Edited February 28, 2020 by Broncofan

[Jeezla]

10 hours ago, Chrissooner49er said:

The three most important things (remember: 9ers fan, so also Jerry Rice fan) for a WR: High work ethic, good route running, good hands. 

health is important too. A lot of these ultra fast guys are built like twigs, like Fuller and D Jax, so they rarely play 16 games and they struggle with good NFL press coverage their whole careers. If they are big and fast though, along with those 3 things you listed, they are probably going to be good.

Edited February 29, 2020 by Jeezla

[Awsi Dooger]

Wide receiver vs. defensive back is the closest thing in the sport to 12 rounds of boxing. Egos all over the place matching speed and hand fighting and plenty of jawing. Even when the ball is never thrown their way those guys are still snapping at each other and arguing who won the round. That's why there have been so many famous and legitimately hateful confrontations like Johnson vs. Finnegan and Beckham vs. Norman. I could name several more dating to decades ago.

Competitiveness is #1. That's partially why there are so many early busts. The combative aspect isn't always obvious coming out of college when these guys have had it their own way for so long, particularly the prancing speed guys. 

Last year when the Dolphins played the Bengals it was sad to watch John Ross give away so many opportunities. I was thinking throughout he just doesn't have that welterweight tenacity for the position he's playing. Contrast to Deebo Samuel who checks every competitive trait.

None of the numbers are going to pick up on that type of thing. Last year there was a guy here who backfit each position to come up with a formula to project prospects and defeat the standard rating systems. I told him via PM I thought he would struggle to find something at wide receiver. To my surprise he came up with something quickly and seemed quite confident in it. I forget all the particulars but I remember it had Isabella high. I was hoping to see that guy's ratings this year.

Edited February 29, 2020 by Awsi Dooger

[whodatworm23]

I think Michael Irvin is on to something here... pure speed is overvalued in the NFL, particularly when it comes to receivers. 1st is the guy a football player who’s a track athlete or is he a track athlete playing football, there is a huge difference.

 

Take a guy like LSU’s Justin Jefferson... not only till he clocked a 4.4 40 did most media outlets really jump on him as a sure fire 1st rounder but the game tape should have told them everything they needed to know. Personally I value traits such as quickness, hand strength and contested catch ability more than overall straight line speed but that’s me. 

[Ozzy]

Yeah that original list is pretty crap and is a deceptive graphic, according to that the 40 time means nothing in terms of receivers and in some ways that is correct.  

 

But clearly does not include Tyreek Hill who ran what 4.28 at the pro day and Randy Moss who ran apparently 4.25 to 4.38 range at the combine and Joey Galloway 4.18, Don Beebe 4.21, Breshard Perriman 4.22 and Donte Stallworth 4.22 all are decent receivers and one Hall of Fame receivers with good times.

 

PS forgot Champ Bailey ran a 4.28 at the combine, holy crap that is fast.  

 

And last year was still nuts, especially with three Ohio State receivers in the top 8...

 

1

2019

WRPARRIS CAMPBELLOHIO ST.TOP PERFORMER IN: BROAD JUMP | 20 YARD SHUTTLE

4.31

 

1

2019

WRANDY ISABELLAMASSACHUSETTSTOP PERFORMER IN: 3 CONE DRILL | 40 YARD DASH

4.31

 

3

2019

WRMECOLE HARDMANGEORGIATOP PERFORMER IN: 40 YARD DASH | BENCH PRESS

4.33

 

3

2019

WRD.K. METCALFMISSISSIPPITOP PERFORMER IN: VERTICAL JUMP | 40 YARD DASH

4.33

 

5

2019

WRTERRY MCLAURINOHIO ST.TOP PERFORMER IN: 20 YARD SHUTTLE | 3 CONE DRILL

4.35

 

6

2019

WREMANUEL HALLMISSOURITOP PERFORMER IN: 40 YARD DASH | BENCH PRESS

4.39

 

6

2019

WRDARIUS SLAYTONAUBURNTOP PERFORMER IN: 3 CONE DRILL | BROAD JUMP

4.39

 

8

2019

WRJOHNNIE DIXONOHIO ST.TOP PERFORMER IN: VERTICAL JUMP | 40 YARD DASH

4.41

 

9

 

Edited February 29, 2020 by Ozzy