Marvin Harrison Jr, anyone?

[madbadger]

The counter is so many 1st round WRs never become more than average.  Just saying if number of 1st round prospects looks thin, I would not worry.

I watch far more college football than NFL football and would love to know where these guys are because I haven't seen many that jump out when you watch them. 

[Philosophers]

I watch far more college football than NFL football and would love to know where these guys are because I haven't seen many that jump out when you watch them. 

Well, if you were watching 6 years ago, would you have expected Tyreek Hill, a little known WR from West Alabama University to be who he is today?  Probably not.  Probably none of us would have.

It's not like he just got fast.  It's not like he grew bigger.  He didnt play in a leading conference.

Players morph better or worse.  Some olay in systems that dont take advantage of their skills or with poor QBs, conservative style play callers, systems that dont prepare them for the NFL, etc.

Some dedicate themselves to eat better, train better, do thing such as catching thousands of balls from JUGGs, watching more film, etc.

[madbadger]

Well, if you were watching 6 years ago, would you have expected Tyreek Hill, a little known WR from West Alabama University to be who he is today?  Probably not.  Probably none of us would have.

It's not like he just got fast.  It's not like he grew bigger.  He didnt play in a leading conference.

Players morph better or worse.  Some olay in systems that dont take advantage of their skills or with poor QBs, conservative style play callers, systems that dont prepare them for the NFL, etc.

Some dedicate themselves to eat better, train better, do thing such as catching thousands of balls from JUGGs, watching more film, etc.

Just because a guy like Hill got drafted in the fifth round once upon a time doesn't mean there is a future multiple pro bowl receiver who will be available in rounds 2-5 this year. He is the exception not the rule. The odds of that happening again this year are low.

Can we find a quality starter in that range? Perhaps, but the odds of that this year is lower than in other years. That is my only point. Like last year was for quarterbacks this is a bad year to be in desperate need for receivers. It happens.

[Jclayton92]

I believe the 2nd round tends to be the sweet spot for Wrs.

[madbadger]

I believe the 2nd round tends to be the sweet spot for Wrs.

Agreed but often the reason for that IMHO is because those guys are typically first round talent with character concerns that cause them to drop or have significant injury histories. I am not saying that is the case 100% of the time, but if you're gonna skinny dip in that pool you had better do your home work. 

[DaveBrown74]

Agreed but often the reason for that IMHO is because those guys are typically first round talent with character concerns that cause them to drop or have significant injury histories. I am not saying that is the case 100% of the time, but if you're gonna skinny dip in that pool you had better do your home work. 

I think there is a lot of truth to that. George Pickens would be a prime example of that this year. The consensus on him was that he was a top 20 talent but character concerns plus an injury pushed him well into the 2nd round.

[Jclayton92]

Yeah Metcalf fell to the 2nd because people thought he only ran fast in a straight line lol.

[madbadger]

Yeah Metcalf fell to the 2nd because people thought he only ran fast in a straight line lol.

Closer to home WanDale had first round production and speed but his size pushed him into the second. JuJu Smith Schuster is another example of a guy who dropped because teams had questions about his attitude.

[afan56]

Well, if you were watching 6 years ago, would you have expected Tyreek Hill, a little known WR from West Alabama University to be who he is today?  Probably not.  Probably none of us would have.

It's not like he just got fast.  It's not like he grew bigger.  He didnt play in a leading conference.

Players morph better or worse.  Some olay in systems that dont take advantage of their skills or with poor QBs, conservative style play callers, systems that dont prepare them for the NFL, etc.

Some dedicate themselves to eat better, train better, do thing such as catching thousands of balls from JUGGs, watching more film, etc.

Very philosophical view...

[Philosophers]

Just because a guy like Hill got drafted in the fifth round once upon a time doesn't mean there is a future multiple pro bowl receiver who will be available in rounds 2-5 this year. He is the exception not the rule. The odds of that happening again this year are low.

Can we find a quality starter in that range? Perhaps, but the odds of that this year is lower than in other years. That is my only point. Like last year was for quarterbacks this is a bad year to be in desperate need for receivers. It happens.

I think you have to accept the premise that the future of a player better or worse is simply unknown due to reasons I stated above.  If so, then bad players will rise and good players will fall.  Teams miss on player evaluations all the time or on their motivation/lack of motivation to train, listen and get better.  As fans, we simply miss on player prospects and don't see all their development.

Here's an intriguing one I saw in one game.

Andrei Iosivas - Princeton - he might be the best FCS WR this year.