rockthedox
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In 2014, we tried something different: "Let's grab some BIG-sized wide receivers and defensive backs!"
Here's a look at the draft and UDFA classes for Receivers and Corners for two years before 2014 and two years after. There are a couple of outliers but, overall, the guys we drafted in 2012-2013 and 2015-2016 fit the prototype. Not so much in 2014..
2012 Draft/UDFA WR and CB:
Nick Toon (WR)- 6'4"
Corey White (CB)- 6'1"
Malcolm Beyah (WR) - 5'11"
Chris Givens (WR) - 6'2"
Kevin Hardy (WR) - 6'
2013 Draft/UDFA WR and CB:
Stills (WR) - 6'1"
Ryan Lacy (CB) - 5'9"
Rod Sweeting (CB) - 6'
2014 Draft/UDFA WR and CB:
Brandin Cooks (WR) - 5'10"
Stanley Jean-Baptiste (CB) - 6'3"
Brandon Coleman (WR) - 6'6"
Seantavius Jones (WR) - 6'3"
2015 Draft/UDFA WR and CB:
PJ Williams (CB) - 6'
Damien Swann (CB) - 5'11"
RJ Harris (WR) - 6'
Malcome Kennedy (WR) - 6'
2016 Draft/UDFA WR and CB:
Michael Thomas (WR) - 6'3"
Jared Dangerfield (WR) - 6'1"
Jordan Williams-Lambert (WR) - 6'2"
TommyLee Lewis (WR) - 5'7"
De'Vante Harris (CB) - 5'11"
Ken Crawley (CB) 6'1"
With the exception of Cooks in 2014, we went after some pretty big dudes...that didn't really play big.
But look at the other Receivers that we grabbed during that time that play MUCH bigger than Coleman: Stills, Cooks, Lewis. These are speed guys, but they also aren't afraid to get the ball and play tough. Lewis doesn't play like he's 5'7". Thomas is actually bigger than I thought and I think Deandre Hopkins may be a good comparison (though last night was rough).
Even more telling is our Cornerbacks that play bigger than SJB (6'3"): Williams, Swann, and Harris are all 6' or under. Crawley is 6'1".
It feels like for a year, we just went with our eyes and drafted big guys in the hopes that they would play big. In 2015-2016 we started drafting high character guys that were hungry.
Coleman is the only one left from the 2014 experiment and I think his time is up. He played adequately (at best) last night and that isn't what we need from a 6'6" receiver. We need a Jimmy Graham type of guy in the red-zone and Coleman isn't it. Let some of the hungry and smaller guys play big ball instead.
Here's a look at the draft and UDFA classes for Receivers and Corners for two years before 2014 and two years after. There are a couple of outliers but, overall, the guys we drafted in 2012-2013 and 2015-2016 fit the prototype. Not so much in 2014..
2012 Draft/UDFA WR and CB:
Nick Toon (WR)- 6'4"
Corey White (CB)- 6'1"
Malcolm Beyah (WR) - 5'11"
Chris Givens (WR) - 6'2"
Kevin Hardy (WR) - 6'
2013 Draft/UDFA WR and CB:
Stills (WR) - 6'1"
Ryan Lacy (CB) - 5'9"
Rod Sweeting (CB) - 6'
2014 Draft/UDFA WR and CB:
Brandin Cooks (WR) - 5'10"
Stanley Jean-Baptiste (CB) - 6'3"
Brandon Coleman (WR) - 6'6"
Seantavius Jones (WR) - 6'3"
2015 Draft/UDFA WR and CB:
PJ Williams (CB) - 6'
Damien Swann (CB) - 5'11"
RJ Harris (WR) - 6'
Malcome Kennedy (WR) - 6'
2016 Draft/UDFA WR and CB:
Michael Thomas (WR) - 6'3"
Jared Dangerfield (WR) - 6'1"
Jordan Williams-Lambert (WR) - 6'2"
TommyLee Lewis (WR) - 5'7"
De'Vante Harris (CB) - 5'11"
Ken Crawley (CB) 6'1"
With the exception of Cooks in 2014, we went after some pretty big dudes...that didn't really play big.
But look at the other Receivers that we grabbed during that time that play MUCH bigger than Coleman: Stills, Cooks, Lewis. These are speed guys, but they also aren't afraid to get the ball and play tough. Lewis doesn't play like he's 5'7". Thomas is actually bigger than I thought and I think Deandre Hopkins may be a good comparison (though last night was rough).
Even more telling is our Cornerbacks that play bigger than SJB (6'3"): Williams, Swann, and Harris are all 6' or under. Crawley is 6'1".
It feels like for a year, we just went with our eyes and drafted big guys in the hopes that they would play big. In 2015-2016 we started drafting high character guys that were hungry.
Coleman is the only one left from the 2014 experiment and I think his time is up. He played adequately (at best) last night and that isn't what we need from a 6'6" receiver. We need a Jimmy Graham type of guy in the red-zone and Coleman isn't it. Let some of the hungry and smaller guys play big ball instead.