If I Was Going Wr High In The Draft

[Thordaddy]

Seems a lot of people think our wr corps is lacking and if i was of that mind I wouldn't draft Watkins,here's why.
First off this is no knock on Watkins, if I was starting over at wr I'd look long and hard at him,my feeling though is ,not for this team. We have a good mix of size and speed /explosiveness on this team ,if all these guys were performing up to expectations you'd be hard pressed to find fault with this mix,so for me the question becomes which part of the mix is lacking the most. Again now if you are drafting a wr. for need I don't think what Watkins brings is where we are weakest or are most in need of..
If I'm drafting to replace someone it's Quick or Pettis and Watkins doesn't replace the size you give up there .
I keep going back to how well the Bears did with Mc Cown and attribute it to the size of his targets and their ability to separate and deny the DB the ball or the chance to break up the pass. I think maybe here is a spot where I /Fisher takes a chance on a guy with some baggage whose stock has dropped and we go for Dorial Green Beckham .

Thoughts?

 

[Thordaddy]

Edit : I started this thread because my post in another thread was lost in space for twoo minutes so forgive any redundancy por favor

 

[moklerman]

I don't know, Watkins seems like exactly what the Rams need. He's a Boldin clone IMO and if that's the case, he'd be perfect for the Rams. They need a guy who can make the tough catches in the short to intermediate range. As much as Givens took a step back, I think he's still a good burner to stretch the defense, Tavon's that x-factor guy and Bailey's the all-around guy. The big guy is Cook and even Kendricks.

 

[jrry32]

DGB isn't draft eligible this year. :wink:

 

[Rams and Gators]

DGB is still in college, so not him. I'd like to see Jordan Matthews though.

 

[RFIP]

I don't know, Watkins seems like exactly what the Rams need. He's a Boldin clone IMO and if that's the case, he'd be perfect for the Rams. They need a guy who can make the tough catches in the short to intermediate range. As much as Givens took a step back, I think he's still a good burner to stretch the defense, Tavon's that x-factor guy and Bailey's the all-around guy. The big guy is Cook and even Kendricks.

Correct, and watch Denver tomorrow...watch how many smoke screens Manning throws to his monster wr's (Thomas and Decker) at or behind the LOS, then picture that happening with a guy like Watkins who is much faster and quicker than either. Add in his crazy/sick hands and ability to leap tall defenders with a single jump and, well...the rest as they say is history.

 

[Thordaddy]

Boldin? really, you expect Watkins to blossom to 230 lbs? and FWIW I think watkins could run a 40 backward as fast as Boldin could forward.
Granted for his speed Watkins has a physicality and might be comparable to Justin Blackmon but still IMO we need big rangy worse than speed which IMO is Watkins greatest contribution,Givens and Austin playing with Alshon Jeffry and Brandon Marshal would be a nightmare and if I was going to inject Watkins in that mix I'd be pulling Givens.

Lemme ask you if you draft him and he displace someone on our current roster ,who is it?

 

[Thordaddy]

DGB is still in college, so not him. I'd like to see Jordan Matthews though.

Is he not declaring ? I thought he was

 

[Rams and Gators]

Is he not declaring ? I thought he was

He's a true SO so can't declare, I'm sure he will as soon as he can though.

 

[Thordaddy]

He's a true SO so can't declare, I'm sure he will as soon as he can though.

Yeah ya know now that I'm awake I remember that so scratch that, but insert Evans as the sort of guy I'd want .We need size more than speed and explosiveness if we draft someone to replace someone again I ask who? and does the guy replace what you lose? IMO if we are out to replace someone it's Pettis or Quick and the size they have is too big a factor in the league today to surrender.

 

[Thordaddy]

DGB isn't draft eligible this year. :wink:

Yup noted ,but he is the sort of "risky" guy we might take a flier on when he is.
I'd say that was a brain fart, but in order to have one of those you need a brain and FWIW mine was too intent upon the point of what the guy offered to be bothered with such a minor detail:slap::uhm::wink:

 

[Rams and Gators]

Yeah ya know now that I'm awake I remember that so scratch that, but insert Evans as the sort of guy I'd want .We need size more than speed and explosiveness if we draft someone to replace someone again I ask who? and does the guy replace what you lose? IMO if we are out to replace someone it's Pettis or Quick and the size they have is too big a factor in the league today to surrender.

I agree, hence why my favourite is Matthews, especially if we can get him in the second.

 

[Thordaddy]

I agree, hence why my favourite is Matthews, especially if we can get him in the second.

His "ranking " IS a fit with where our second round pick falls,and Evans ranking is a fit with where OUR first round pick falls so without pretending to know much more than that they fit my "measurable ideals" and "expert rankings " I can see either.
But still both IMO are secondary to my highest priority and that is elite o-line talent to protect Sam for YEARS to come.

 

[moklerman]

Boldin? really, you expect Watkins to blossom to 230 lbs? and FWIW I think watkins could run a 40 backward as fast as Boldin could forward.
Granted for his speed Watkins has a physicality and might be comparable to Justin Blackmon but still IMO we need big rangy worse than speed which IMO is Watkins greatest contribution,Givens and Austin playing with Alshon Jeffry and Brandon Marshal would be a nightmare and if I was going to inject Watkins in that mix I'd be pulling Givens.

Lemme ask you if you draft him and he displace someone on our current roster ,who is it?

Watkins is listed at 6'1", 205 lbs., Boldin coming out of college was listed at 6'1", 216 lbs. Boldin's thicker but not drastically so. You bring up Blackmon and I think that's also a comp in terms of how they look on the field. Don't get me wrong, I'm not an expert on evaluating receivers or on Watkins in particular. I just go with impressions when doing my version of "scouting". I just wanna see what the guy looks like and who he reminds me of.

In Watkins' case, my first impressions were of Boldin/Blackmon but with longer arms and bigger hands. If the Rams could get a Boldin type with long arms and big hands? Sign me up. Draft him at two if you can't get a good trade. I still hold out hope the Rams can get the defensive stud so many are excited about at 2 and make a trade for Blackmon, who Fisher seemed to really want. The obvious, easy opinion is that Blackmon is a lost cause but I don't see it that way. He's been a knucklehead to be sure but having those problems and playing for a bad team that's in turmoil just wasn't a good situation. I think he's a perfect candidate as a Fisher reclamation, risk/reward guy. Plus, no learning curve. Dude's a stud on the field.

 

[CGI_Ram]

Whatever we do: stop messing around.

No more developmental guys like Quick, or mid round guys like Givens. If we need help, admit it and invest: Sammy W

If the Rams don't see a need to invest that high, then fuck it. Don't draft a WR.

I'm sick of our half toe in the water approach to WR. Yeah, yeah we drafted Austin. Well, is that all we need?

 

[Thordaddy]

Whatever we do: stop messing around.

No more developmental guys like Quick, or mid round guys like Givens. If we need help, admit it and invest: Sammy W

If the Rams don't see a need to invest that high, then Freak it. Don't draft a WR.

I'm sick of our half toe in the water approach to WR. Yeah, yeah we drafted Austin. Well, is that all we need?

I don't see it as a "half toe in the water approach to WR" as much as I do a case of the belief by our coaching staff that measurables are more indicative of success at this level than production in college.
From a coaching perspective IMO you can't coach size and speed, OTOH route running,timing, even catching can be so JMO WE see production , THEY see what they can do with a guy .
I think Trent Richardson is a glaring example of that exact paradigm,he's a bust, but last year many thought he was a sure fire star.

 

[jrry32]

I don't see it as a "half toe in the water approach to WR" as much as I do a case of the belief by our coaching staff that measurables are more indicative of success at this level than production in college.
From a coaching perspective IMO you can't coach size and speed, OTOH route running,timing, even catching can be so JMO WE see production , THEY see what they can do with a guy .
I think Trent Richardson is a glaring example of that exact paradigm,he's a bust, but last year many thought he was a sure fire star.

Yea, I just don't get it with Richardson. Believed strongly in the guy. But he has Brandon Jacobs syndrome. He's a power HB that thinks he's Barry Sanders. Guy tiptoes and dances around the LOS rather than dropping his pad level, squaring up on defenders and plowing through the hole.

And his poor vision doesn't help matters. Maybe he'll eventually figure it out but until he does, he'll continue to be a complete bust.

 

[jrry32]

Yeah ya know now that I'm awake I remember that so scratch that, but insert Evans as the sort of guy I'd want .We need size more than speed and explosiveness if we draft someone to replace someone again I ask who? and does the guy replace what you lose? IMO if we are out to replace someone it's Pettis or Quick and the size they have is too big a factor in the league today to surrender.

I agree. Mike Evans at Pick #13 is seeming more and more right to me.

 

[Thordaddy]

Yea, I just don't get it with Richardson. Believed strongly in the guy. But he has Brandon Jacobs syndrome. He's a power HB that thinks he's Barry Sanders. Guy tiptoes and dances around the LOS rather than dropping his pad level, squaring up on defenders and plowing through the hole.

And his poor vision doesn't help matters. Maybe he'll eventually figure it out but until he does, he'll continue to be a complete bust.

I think the difference in the size of what he expects to be a hole having played for Bama and NOW playing in the NFL factors in as well.
But EVEN when he turns it up field and does "his thing" he looks like he's running in sand to me

 

[jrry32]

I think the difference in the size of what he expects to be a hole having played for Bama and NOW playing in the NFL factors in as well.
But EVEN when he turns it up field and does "his thing" he looks like he's running in sand to me

Exactly. He has heavy feet and yet the guy thinks he's going to make people miss. Play to your strength, lower your shoulders and use your compact build, balance and power.