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Parking while Looking Dangerous Asleep.
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Fleet's baby
Interesting to see where he goes given the talent at WR. Sure seems like he would have an issue picking up our offense though and running the correct routes.Who has the most upside?
Ole Miss WR Donte Moncrief is the definition of upside.
Moncrief is by far the most physically impressive pass catcher available in this draft. At 6’2’, 221 he broad jumped 11 feet, vertical jumped 39.5 inches, and ran a 4.4-40 at the NFL Combine. Those numbers are unheard of for a player his size. In fact, since 1999 only eight players have ever topped Moncrief’s size/weight/speed/explosiveness combination, and five of those players were Pro Bowlers.
He has a long way to go before he realizes the potential his physical tools promise, however.
One of the bigger issues facing Moncrief is his lack of savvy as a receiver. He had a very limited route tree at Ole Miss, and was not even proficient running those. This should come as no surprise, though. He has been so physically dominant at every level that learning the nuances of the game was never really an issue. His ability to learn and willingness to work hard at this aspect of the game will go a long way in determining his success.
Moncrief’s hands are also a concern. He too often drops catchable balls, and has a tendency to let the ball get to his body. At times, he can show strong hands and concentration in 50/50 situations, but he needs to become better at attacking the ball and throwing around his size.
The flaws are many and easily seen, but they all are coachable to some degree. The physical skills are not, and they give Moncrief legit WR1 upside. Considering how little he will cost, it is well worth the shot.Comment
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The thing that comes to mind is a guy like Roger Craig. The knock on him coming out of college was he couldn't catch, because he only had about a dozen catches. But it turns out the NE staff thought he had the best hands on the team, they were just a running team, and didn't feel the need to throw to their RB. So, a lot of NFL teams passed on him because they were sure he couldn't catch. Turns out he was one of the best pass catching RB ever.
Is Montcrief limited because he cannot run other routes, or as an outside WR, do they not ask him to run a lot of routes? I tend to think the later, just because if you watch him, he has some good routes in there. He is somewhat inconsistent and does a horrible job on some routes. A lot of college coaching is not real detail oriented, so there is a chance he just didn't get the kind of coaching he needed. It's a bit of a risk, but to a certain degree, you have similar concerns about a lot of players.
The big problem I have with him is he is mostly a body catcher. He seems capable of going out and getting the ball, but he seems to prefer to cradle it. And while everyone can get better at catching away from their body, you don't see a lot of cradle catchers who ever stop doing it.
In the end, a guy like Montcrief is not going to come in and start right away. He has to learn a much bigger offense and has a lot of technique development to do. But that is true of a lot of college WR, so I don't worry about it that much. I don't see him as a 1st round pick, but in the 2nd it starts to get really tempting.Comment
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I dunno, if I'm picking a WR 2nd round or higher, I wanna know they can catch with their hands and run routes when asked. Round 3 and below is for crap shoots, even physically gifted ones. Hopefully we have a shot at somebody else...Comment
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He's not just physically gifted though, he's in that ELITE range. Do you go safe and maybe surefire starting caliber guy or do you go for that #1 ceiling All Pro caliber player. I don't mind going for that player in the 2nd round.Originally posted by blueman View PostComment
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Before labeling him "my guy" lets not forget i was all over him when he was considered a 4th rounder. Nobody here or in the draft site world would ever mention that he was probably a 2nd round type player at that time. Most here didnt even know who he was. So yea i feel like i was on his bandwagon before most. If that makes him my guy then so be it.
Rarely do WRs come into the NFL and start right away. I dont think many in this draft will other than maybe Watkins/Evans and Cooks. But are they all polished and shiny little gems without blemish? I dont think so. I also look at a players ceiling and i dont think Moncrief has even come close. Its not like that school produces top WR talent often. The kid obviously needs coaching.
When you guys talk about all his negatives i cant help but think your also talking about D Thomas when he came out. Earily similar. Limited route tree. Body catcher. etc etc.Comment
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C'mon fleet, he's your guy. You have been pimping him for months now.
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I'd be ok with Moncrief. Would prefer Jordan Matthews though if he's around. He's very polished. Catches everything. He has good speed but he's also good at adjusting his speed to create seperation. Lots of production. Models his game after Jordy Nelson. If he has the work ethic of his cousin (Jerry Rice) he might turn out to be the best WR in this draft.sigpicComment
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Rivers doesnt though meny cradelable passes...Go Rivers!Comment
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I'd go with that guy too - if I did my due diligence and convinced myself he could do things consistently he hadn't to this point. Maybe he can be coached up to be that All Pro WR, I dunno, I'll trust the coaches on that one. Just saying, like Kyle points out there are other guys to look at that next-tier level, for whatever reasons are applicable (body catches and poor route running in a WR are bugaboos for me, that's all).Originally posted by Beerman View PostComment
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Can we take a swing and miss at WR? Can we afford to take a swing with a high pick considering the short and long term ramifications in a deep draft? Id say we hit the lottery last year and a WR that can push Brown and develope to fill Floyds shoes in two years or so is what we want with a high pick.Go Rivers!Comment
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