Insider news: OT-FS-WR

[Stinger226]

I was reading Brad Briggs and he talked to an insider type and that person thought that is the order there draft will fall. Now of course that depends on who is there, but sounds like what they would think as an importance order. If that is the case, name your three picks.

Britton/OT

Byrd/FS

Barden/WR/ Cal Poly

[bowlingtwig]

I was reading Brad Briggs and he talked to an insider type and that person thought that is the order there draft will fall. Now of course that depends on who is there, but sounds like what they would think as an importance order. If that is the case, name your three picks.

Britton/OT

Byrd/FS

Barden/WR/ Cal Poly

 

I would absolutely love those 3 picks. I am one person that pointed out Barden a while ago and I really like him.

[dawhizz]

If the Bears do go WR in the 3rd, also keep in mind they are said to be high on Brandon Gibson from Washington State, they were at the NC pro day, obstensibly to scout Nicks, but probably also got a good look at Brandon Tate and Brooks Foster, and were also at the Oklahoma pro day where they had a look at Juaquin Iglesias (and the Bears have not shied away from drafting from Oklahoma in recent years).

[bowlingtwig]

If the Bears do go WR in the 3rd, also keep in mind they are said to be high on Brandon Gibson from Washington State, they were at the NC pro day, obstensibly to scout Nicks, but probably also got a good look at Brandon Tate and Brooks Foster, and were also at the Oklahoma pro day where they had a look at Juaquin Iglesias (and the Bears have not shied away from drafting from Oklahoma in recent years).

Good point, lately we have loved to draft kids from Oklahoma.

[BearSox]

I don't know why people always combine Byrd with FS. If we drafted Byrd, in this scheme at least, he would be a CB.

[dawhizz]

I don't know why people always combine Byrd with FS. If we drafted Byrd, in this scheme at least, he would be a CB.

 

Why is that? What about the scheme makes it difficult for him to play FS?

[nfoligno]

I don't think that is what he meant. Byrd was a CB for Oregan, but due to a lack of straight line speed, it is not believed he can be effective in man coverage in the NFL, thus many talk about his moving to FS. But in the cover two, you play more zone than man, and thus elite speed is not deemed as necessary. I know some fans do not like the hear that, but it is the reality of our scheme. A college CB deemed to slow is then said to either be an NFL FS or a CB in a cover two scheme.

 

Why is that? What about the scheme makes it difficult for him to play FS?

[defiantgiant]

I don't think that is what he meant. Byrd was a CB for Oregan, but due to a lack of straight line speed, it is not believed he can be effective in man coverage in the NFL, thus many talk about his moving to FS. But in the cover two, you play more zone than man, and thus elite speed is not deemed as necessary. I know some fans do not like the hear that, but it is the reality of our scheme. A college CB deemed to slow is then said to either be an NFL FS or a CB in a cover two scheme.

 

Yeah, Byrd could play corner in a cover-2, but that doesn't mean he has to. Honestly, the guy's more of a safety than a corner anyway. He played safety in high school, then played rover/free safety when he first came to Oregon, before they moved him to corner. He's built more like Mike Brown than Nate Vasher - he's listed by Oregon at 5'11" 205, and can power clean 330 pounds. Plus, he's got the ball skills (17 picks in 3 seasons) for FS, he hits hard, and he's said in interviews that he feels like safety is his natural position.

 

So yes, he could play a cover-2 corner if you wanted him to. But for the Bears, I think it'd be a waste not to use him as a safety.

[Noots]

If that's the sequence, let's take a look at what options there could be for us

 

R1: OT: Ebben Britton is the fashionable pick and I would be shocked to see a team try to jump ahead of us to select him earlier than 18. However, also keep in mind that it will only take one team to not select an OT for someone like Michael Oher to fall to us. Not a bad thing, IMHO, although Britton has the bigger frame.

 

R2: FS I'd be extremely cautious about taking a CB and trying to convert him with a R2 pick. They need a guy who's already a FS. To me, that screams two names, Louis Delmas and Rashad Johnson. Both are excellent prospects and we stand a fair shot at one or both being there when we make our selection.

 

R3: WR: You've got to consider the high character possession type guy Massoquoi here (we could use one like him) or perhaps they take a flier on Louis Murphy whose measurables far outdistanced his productivity.

 

To me, the ordering described says that FS is the key to this draft. Those two guys in R2 are going to be the class of the position, and you're going to be hard pressed to find much else anywhere else in the draft. That's unfortunate, because for my money, I think they'd get the best bang for their buck by going OT-WR or WR-OT in rounds one and two and take their chances one of those other kids at FS is still there, package their two R3s and move up, or go a little later at someone like Spillman, McBath or Bruton.

[Stinger226]

If that's the sequence, let's take a look at what options there could be for us

 

R1: OT: Ebben Britton is the fashionable pick and I would be shocked to see a team try to jump ahead of us to select him earlier than 18. However, also keep in mind that it will only take one team to not select an OT for someone like Michael Oher to fall to us. Not a bad thing, IMHO, although Britton has the bigger frame.

 

R2: FS I'd be extremely cautious about taking a CB and trying to convert him with a R2 pick. They need a guy who's already a FS. To me, that screams two names, Louis Delmas and Rashad Johnson. Both are excellent prospects and we stand a fair shot at one or both being there when we make our selection.

 

R3: WR: You've got to consider the high character possession type guy Massoquoi here (we could use one like him) or perhaps they take a flier on Louis Murphy whose measurables far outdistanced his productivity.

 

To me, the ordering described says that FS is the key to this draft. Those two guys in R2 are going to be the class of the position, and you're going to be hard pressed to find much else anywhere else in the draft. That's unfortunate, because for my money, I think they'd get the best bang for their buck by going OT-WR or WR-OT in rounds one and two and take their chances one of those other kids at FS is still there, package their two R3s and move up, or go a little later at someone like Spillman, McBath or Bruton.

After more I read, I agree that Johnson and Delmas are the class of the draft, the only reason I put Byrd there is he is rated high, and his dad is on the coaching staff, so I figured they might address the FS with him. Also Mo was a captain of the team and very definitely would be a better choice. Do you think since we signed Schafter, they might have a different thought on who they draft first?

[Noots]

After more I read, I agree that Johnson and Delmas are the class of the draft, the only reason I put Byrd there is he is rated high, and his dad is on the coaching staff, so I figured they might address the FS with him. Also Mo was a captain of the team and very definitely would be a better choice. Do you think since we signed Schafter, they might have a different thought on who they draft first?

 

They lost or got rid of Tait, Metcalf and St. Clair and have effectively replaced them with Omiyale and Shaffer. Omiyale could play G or T. Shaffer is mostly a RT but can play LT in a pinch. They could really use a G/T tweener to replace Metcalf and in the event they need to part ways due to injury or age/ineffectiveness with Kroots or Garza. That to me makes the idea of Loadholdt or Meredith a good selection in R2. They could still take Britton in 1 or someone else if he falls to them, and then be ready to have Omiyale as the G/T tweener guy.

 

I would prepare for "something" else to possibly go wrong along the lines of what I mentioned above plus the notion that Williams hasn't proven a thing and he's coming off a back surgery which probably is never truly trivial.

 

I was hoping we'd be hearing more about Buenning starting to make waves with them, but it's so quiet, I have to wonder if he's not going to be a challenger. I was hoping he'd make a move for one of the OG spots. Ah well, camp is still a ways off.

[nfoligno]

Right now, I think the order could be WR - FS - OL. Frankly, I am not even sold we will go OL w/ our 3rd pick, but just for argument sake.

 

I think DHB is our WR. I think our staff likes athletes over football players, and to me, that screams DHB. In the 2nd, I think it would be Johnson, as I believe Delmas is gone. As for 3rd round OL, maybe Meridith, Kropog or even Herman Johnson.

 

If that's the sequence, let's take a look at what options there could be for us

 

R1: OT: Ebben Britton is the fashionable pick and I would be shocked to see a team try to jump ahead of us to select him earlier than 18. However, also keep in mind that it will only take one team to not select an OT for someone like Michael Oher to fall to us. Not a bad thing, IMHO, although Britton has the bigger frame.

 

R2: FS I'd be extremely cautious about taking a CB and trying to convert him with a R2 pick. They need a guy who's already a FS. To me, that screams two names, Louis Delmas and Rashad Johnson. Both are excellent prospects and we stand a fair shot at one or both being there when we make our selection.

 

R3: WR: You've got to consider the high character possession type guy Massoquoi here (we could use one like him) or perhaps they take a flier on Louis Murphy whose measurables far outdistanced his productivity.

 

To me, the ordering described says that FS is the key to this draft. Those two guys in R2 are going to be the class of the position, and you're going to be hard pressed to find much else anywhere else in the draft. That's unfortunate, because for my money, I think they'd get the best bang for their buck by going OT-WR or WR-OT in rounds one and two and take their chances one of those other kids at FS is still there, package their two R3s and move up, or go a little later at someone like Spillman, McBath or Bruton.

[bradjock]

Right now, I think the order could be WR - FS - OL. Frankly, I am not even sold we will go OL w/ our 3rd pick, but just for argument sake.

 

I think DHB is our WR. I think our staff likes athletes over football players, and to me, that screams DHB. In the 2nd, I think it would be Johnson, as I believe Delmas is gone. As for 3rd round OL, maybe Meridith, Kropog or even Herman Johnson.

 

I've disagreed with the notion Angelo would go WR at #18, but I'm starting to rethink that for 2 reasons:

1. O-line is no longer a necessity: Schafer is solid, durable & can start at RT for the next 3 years.

 

2. WR is a necessity: Hester's explosive yet mediocre, while Davis & Bennett are better slot receivers. While we always wanted St. Clair & had immediate interest in Shafer, have you heard a single WR to the Bears rumor?

 

Last year I was furious we dumped Fred Miller, moved Tait to RT, and did nothing until the draft. Of course the plan all along was to draft a starting LT. It could be the plan this year is to draft a starting #2. Turner ALWAYS talks about stretching the field. Even if DHB can't catch the ball or run a route, with his size & speed he's a home-run threat who will stretch the field.

 

If we don't draft an o-lineman in round 1, we'll basically be drating a back-up, so why bother?

 

As for safety, I like Noot's line of thinking. There should be a run on safeties in round II, and then there will be a significant drop-off. IMO, safety is like OT in that we need to draft one in the 2nd round or not even bother. The exception to that being our plethora of 7th round picks.

[AZ54]

I agree in spots we've taken athletes vs. production/football player (Hester, DManning, Bradley) but with those picks not being terribly productive it would be nice to see a learning curve here and go after a football player in Rd 1, especially at WR. I hope we pass on DHB in Rd 1. Nicks, Robiskie, Britt all fit better what we need now although they aren't all worthy of #18. Trade down seems like the best course of action but who would want to trade up and why? I think we're stuck at #18 and will just have to take the guy we think works best for us.

[bradjock]

I agree in spots we've taken athletes vs. production/football player (Hester, DManning, Bradley) but with those picks not being terribly productive it would be nice to see a learning curve here and go after a football player in Rd 1, especially at WR. I hope we pass on DHB in Rd 1. Nicks, Robiskie, Britt all fit better what we need now although they aren't all worthy of #18. Trade down seems like the best course of action but who would want to trade up and why? I think we're stuck at #18 and will just have to take the guy we think works best for us.

 

Actually #18 is a spot where we can trade down. Carolina traded up around there last year, and the previous year Cleveland made the move to draft Brady Quinn.

[nfoligno]

I still think Nicks is worth the 18th pick. Top end of his value, but i think it is there. Most mocks I have seen have him graded out in the 18-26 range. Robiskie seems more like a 2nd round value. As for Britt, I am just not a big fan. Two things about him. One, he is known for drops. That is something we want to improve on, not add. Two, he seems like a WR who was able to dominate w/ size, but that is much harder in the NFL, and some question whether he has the separation ability, and not just due to 40 speed.

 

As for trading down, I think options come up on draft day, though it is harder to predict today. A team might want to jump ahead of Minny and a few others after us for Britton. Or maybe a team is in love w/ DHB. A team could like a CB who falls to us, or even a DL. Point is, you just never know. Teams fall in love w/ a player, and sometimes are willing to move up to get him. Personally, I still question the logic of moving down. I think we are best off simply standing pat, and taking a player at 18. I would much prefer to do this rather than move down, watch a run at a position begin, and end up on the outside looking in.

 

I agree in spots we've taken athletes vs. production/football player (Hester, DManning, Bradley) but with those picks not being terribly productive it would be nice to see a learning curve here and go after a football player in Rd 1, especially at WR. I hope we pass on DHB in Rd 1. Nicks, Robiskie, Britt all fit better what we need now although they aren't all worthy of #18. Trade down seems like the best course of action but who would want to trade up and why? I think we're stuck at #18 and will just have to take the guy we think works best for us.

[bradjock]

I still think Nicks is worth the 18th pick. Top end of his value, but i think it is there. Most mocks I have seen have him graded out in the 18-26 range.

 

Do you really think we'd ever "reach" for a player like Nicks in round #1? This is my new favorite draft site since it projects where over 700 players should be drafted http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/prospec...amp;start_row=1 They have him listed as #34 with a 40 time of 4.51. It's been well documented that taking a WR in round #1 is risky business. I can see us going after DHB because he has the potential to be a legit #1 (although he doesn't have great hands which is troubling). But there's no way we take Nicks.

 

As for trading down, I think options come up on draft day, though it is harder to predict today. A team might want to jump ahead of Minny and a few others after us for Britton. Or maybe a team is in love w/ DHB. A team could like a CB who falls to us, or even a DL. Point is, you just never know. Teams fall in love w/ a player, and sometimes are willing to move up to get him. Personally, I still question the logic of moving down. I think we are best off simply standing pat, and taking a player at 18. I would much prefer to do this rather than move down, watch a run at a position begin, and end up on the outside looking in.

 

If you can get a #2 and a comparable #1 the next year, why wouldn't you do it? Or if you could get 2 #1's. I'd move down in a heart-beat.

 

Although it ultimately depends on the talent available. Last year the elite OT were going to be gone quickly. The previous year Greg Olsen wasn't going to last. Both of them were damn good talents that we couldn't have grabbed later. That certainly was not true of the 2006 draft when we traded out of the #25 spot.

[AZ54]

If I'm in JA shoes looking at getting production on offense out of my #1 pick I'd have to pass on Nicks after his low Wonderlic score. Of course that type of decision also has to take into acount the interview (if they did one) and background on the guy. Is he a player who studied film a lot in college or did he just rely on his athletic ability to make plays. If he doesn't have those habits now he's not likely to have them in his first year of the NFL and that would push me more towards grabbing a guy like Britton.

[nfoligno]

Do you really think we'd ever "reach" for a player like Nicks in round #1? This is my new favorite draft site since it projects where over 700 players should be drafted http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/prospec...amp;start_row=1 They have him listed as #34 with a 40 time of 4.51. It's been well documented that taking a WR in round #1 is risky business. I can see us going after DHB because he has the potential to be a legit #1 (although he doesn't have great hands which is troubling). But there's no way we take Nicks.

 

I didn't say I thought we "would" take Nicks at 18. What I said is I believe he would be close enough to slot value to be worth the 18th pick. In other words, I would do it. Never said Angelo would. I did however also say that I think his draft stock could go back up after he shows he has lost the weight.

 

Also, regarding Nicks, you point out his 40 time. Honestly, I can not begin to explain how little I care about that. Boldin, who many have compared Nicks to, ran like a 4.7/40 at the combine. He sure looks faster on the field. Same w/ Nicks.

 

I think DHB would be one of the worst possible draft picks we could make. Problem is, I think he is also maybe the highest WR on Angelo's board. On paper, there is little not to love. He w/o question has the size and speed to dominate. Problem is, that simply has not translated to the field so much. DHB is exactly the type of player I worry about. He was a decent enough prospect, but suddenly, he shows up at the combine and does awesome. In shorts, on a track, this kid looks like a top 10 pick. Unfortunately, football is not played on a track, or in shorts.

 

DHB may well be more than just an athlete, but he is raw and I think it will take great coaching and a great overall situation (QB, OL, solid WR compliment) for DHB to develop, and I feel we lack most everything necessary to develop such a talent.

 

If you can get a #2 and a comparable #1 the next year, why wouldn't you do it? Or if you could get 2 #1's. I'd move down in a heart-beat.

 

Although it ultimately depends on the talent available. Last year the elite OT were going to be gone quickly. The previous year Greg Olsen wasn't going to last. Both of them were damn good talents that we couldn't have grabbed later. That certainly was not true of the 2006 draft when we traded out of the #25 spot.

 

Look, I am not talking about ignoring all teams who call talking trade. Sure, you listen to offers. But you talk about two #1s? We are at 18. If we moved down as much as 10 spots, that would equal about 240 points (trade value chart) which is just a 3rd round pick. Sure, a team "could" offer more, but I think you are putting the value a bit high. And if we trade out of the 1st round all together, then I am simply not a big fan. I just worry that we trade down too far, and miss out on too much.

 

You say this year is more like 2006 than '07 or '08. Even if that is true, I disagree it didn't hurt us in 2006 to trade down. I know there is NO EVIDENCE what-so-ever to support my belief, but I still today do not believe we traded down for DM. I believe we traded down looking to get one of the LBs we were high on, but for better value. In that draft, I think we were looking to draft a LB as there was a pretty high level of expectation we would lose Briggs. He was entering the final season of his contract, and negotiations had not gone well. He wanted to be paid like Urlacher, but we were not willing to meet that demand. The WLB position is a huge key in a cover two, and I think we were looking to prepare for his exit.

 

That year, in the draft, there was a very good looking crop of LBs. I think about 5 LBs had already been drafted early, and at our pick, I think we were looking at some more good prospects in DeMeco Ryans, D'Qwell Jackson, Rocky McIntosh and Thomas Howard. I really believe we traded down thinking one, or more, of these LBs would have been available for us when we picked later. But a run began,. Ryans went to Houston w/ the 1st pick of the 2nd round, and by the 6th pick, all four LBs were gone.

 

We took Daneil Manning, and Angelo has always said he was the player we targeted all along, but what else is he supposed to say? So, I realize I do not have evidence to backup my belief, but that is simply how I see it.

 

I actually believe similar in the other two relatively recent 1st round trade downs.

 

In 1999, I believe we had our sights set on Culpepper, not Cade, when we traded down, and were shocked when Minny took Pepper. We then reached for Cade, saying he was our pick all along, but I never believed that.

 

In 2003, I believe we traded down looking at one of the DTs, but again, there was a run and we ended up on the outside looking in, and ended up taking Michael Haynes. Sullivan, Kevin Williams, Suggs and Kennedy were all player we were supposedly very high on, but all were taken in the picks between our original and our traded down pick.

 

So the point of all this is, while it is easy to say we can trade down and get the player we want, I am simply not sure I buy that. Looking at this year.

 

At WR, if we trade down, we could see a run on WR (which many already predict) which finds, DHB, Nicks, Harvin, Britt and even Robiskie gone before we pick. IMHO, it is very possible all are gone before the end of the 1st round.

 

At OT, assuming the top 4 are gone, there are only two other OTs really warranting a solid grade (Britton & Loadholt) and I believe it is very risky to trade down believing one will still be there when we pick again.

 

Trading down and (a) getting better value and ( adding another pick sounds great, but I simply believe we are better off simply taking the player we want, rather than hoping to get that player for a better value.

[nfoligno]

Here are a few tid bits from his scouting report,

 

Football Sense: Nicks only needs normal reps to learn and retain plays. He shows good awareness and instincts and understands the game and coverages. He adjusts well on the move and has no problems dealing with classroom work. When he gets open, he knows what his job is - to move the chains. GRADE: 7.3

 

Character: Nicks is highly respected, considered a good guy and is highly recommended by his coaches. There are no off-field issues or skeletons hidden in his closet. He has a quiet, yet friendly personality and is a self-starter with confidence in his ability to get the job done. He's the type of player coaches know will need no structure and is actually used as a mentor for the younger players due to his advanced maturity. Talk to coach Bruce Davis and you will hear the enthusiasm in his voice talking about what Nicks meant to the team. GRADE: 7.8

 

Work Habits: Nicks applies himself in practices and games. He is a self-starter in the training room and an adequate student. He is a team leader and takes pride in that role, but is not the rah-rah type who needs to shout to get his point across. "We thought all along that Nicks was among the very special players," Davis said. "He's a fluid, talented player, and that, combined with the progress he's showing, is encouraging. He's a guy who can develop even further." GRADE: 6.9

 

I have never read anything which questioned his work ethic, on the field, in practice or in the weight room. I have never read questions of his ability to maintain weight. So while the recent added weight may be a bit of a concern, lacking any history of similar, I think it is an isolated incident simply related to the injury. As for his wonderlic, while that too raises a flag, at the same time, he seems to have great football sense. Over and over again, I have read that Nicks is a very fast study. He needs little time after learning a new play to get it down, and is the sort of player who does spend his time in the film room. So again, while the wonderlic may raise a flag, that score does not seem relate to his past history of learning new plays.

 

I look at Nicks and see the exact time of player that often does tend to fall in a draft because, while dominant on the field, when looking at his numbers in shorts, he is lacking. In the offseason, it is like GMs forget what a player does on the field and can only remember what they do in shorts. In shorts, numerous other WRs are better, but on the field, I think few can compare. For our offense, I simply believe Nicks offers more than any other WR in the draft, minus Crabtree, and that includes Maclin, who may be an elite talent, but not as good of a fit IMHO for what we need.

 

If I'm in JA shoes looking at getting production on offense out of my #1 pick I'd have to pass on Nicks after his low Wonderlic score. Of course that type of decision also has to take into acount the interview (if they did one) and background on the guy. Is he a player who studied film a lot in college or did he just rely on his athletic ability to make plays. If he doesn't have those habits now he's not likely to have them in his first year of the NFL and that would push me more towards grabbing a guy like Britton.

[bear trap]

Right now, I think the order could be WR - FS - OL. Frankly, I am not even sold we will go OL w/ our 3rd pick, but just for argument sake.

 

I think DHB is our WR. I think our staff likes athletes over football players, and to me, that screams DHB. In the 2nd, I think it would be Johnson, as I believe Delmas is gone. As for 3rd round OL, maybe Meridith, Kropog or even Herman Johnson.

 

If we go wr in rd one, why take a chance on DHB??? Why not try to ship the 18th pick to the browns for B. Edwards? Browns are in rebuild mode, edwards had a bad year last year so I would think that the 18th pick would be adequate, and they already traded away winslow for far less and only deamed J. Thomas as untouchable via trade. Heck maybe we could land him for the 49th pick ( i believe they got a second rder for winslow or maybe it was even less than that anyone know?) and still land a guy like britton, smith, or oher. That to me would make more sense than to take a chance on a project wr. And considering that B. edwards is still young, he and hester would have a lot of years tearing up the NFC north for us. Think about it Edwards, hester and bennet with olsen at te would be a strong line-up. Not to mention that edwards is a michigan guy so he already knows what to expect in the cold climates we face come november and december. I hope the staff is considering something like this b/c I think it is very do able.

[nfoligno]

I hate Edwards. He killed my FF team

 

Seriously though, it is a bit of a tough call on Edwards. Nothing special his first two years, but looked like an elite WR his 3rd season, when everything seemed to click for Cle. But last year, he was just plain bad. His numbers reverted back to 2nd year level. His hands were among the worst in the NFL. He actually made Moose and TO look like top tier hands guys. His route running was poor, as was his attitude.

 

One of the big problems w/ Edwards will be financial. He wants a mega deal, and anyone trading for him must be willing to shell out the coin. The problem is, w/ only one great season, two years ago, is he really worth the big bucks? In many ways, he is as great of a risk as a rookie, though you can easily argue w/ more upside.

 

If we go wr in rd one, why take a chance on DHB??? Why not try to ship the 18th pick to the browns for B. Edwards? Browns are in rebuild mode, edwards had a bad year last year so I would think that the 18th pick would be adequate, and they already traded away winslow for far less and only deamed J. Thomas as untouchable via trade. Heck maybe we could land him for the 49th pick ( i believe they got a second rder for winslow or maybe it was even less than that anyone know?) and still land a guy like britton, smith, or oher. That to me would make more sense than to take a chance on a project wr. And considering that B. edwards is still young, he and hester would have a lot of years tearing up the NFC north for us. Think about it Edwards, hester and bennet with olsen at te would be a strong line-up. Not to mention that edwards is a michigan guy so he already knows what to expect in the cold climates we face come november and december. I hope the staff is considering something like this b/c I think it is very do able.

[azbearsfan]

I hate Edwards. He killed my FF team

 

Seriously though, it is a bit of a tough call on Edwards. Nothing special his first two years, but looked like an elite WR his 3rd season, when everything seemed to click for Cle. But last year, he was just plain bad. His numbers reverted back to 2nd year level. His hands were among the worst in the NFL. He actually made Moose and TO look like top tier hands guys. His route running was poor, as was his attitude.

 

One of the big problems w/ Edwards will be financial. He wants a mega deal, and anyone trading for him must be willing to shell out the coin. The problem is, w/ only one great season, two years ago, is he really worth the big bucks? In many ways, he is as great of a risk as a rookie, though you can easily argue w/ more upside.

 

 

Agree. We need WR who can catch a bad ball or a ball in bad weather. We already have a speed guy with suspect hands (lol I watched the NFL replay of the philly game and I forgot Hester dropped that post that would have been a TD ).

[AZ54]

Here are a few tid bits from his scouting report,

 

Football Sense: Nicks only needs normal reps to learn and retain plays. He shows good awareness and instincts and understands the game and coverages. He adjusts well on the move and has no problems dealing with classroom work. When he gets open, he knows what his job is - to move the chains. GRADE: 7.3

 

Character: Nicks is highly respected, considered a good guy and is highly recommended by his coaches. There are no off-field issues or skeletons hidden in his closet. He has a quiet, yet friendly personality and is a self-starter with confidence in his ability to get the job done. He's the type of player coaches know will need no structure and is actually used as a mentor for the younger players due to his advanced maturity. Talk to coach Bruce Davis and you will hear the enthusiasm in his voice talking about what Nicks meant to the team. GRADE: 7.8

 

Work Habits: Nicks applies himself in practices and games. He is a self-starter in the training room and an adequate student. He is a team leader and takes pride in that role, but is not the rah-rah type who needs to shout to get his point across. "We thought all along that Nicks was among the very special players," Davis said. "He's a fluid, talented player, and that, combined with the progress he's showing, is encouraging. He's a guy who can develop even further." GRADE: 6.9

 

I have never read anything which questioned his work ethic, on the field, in practice or in the weight room. I have never read questions of his ability to maintain weight. So while the recent added weight may be a bit of a concern, lacking any history of similar, I think it is an isolated incident simply related to the injury. As for his wonderlic, while that too raises a flag, at the same time, he seems to have great football sense. Over and over again, I have read that Nicks is a very fast study. He needs little time after learning a new play to get it down, and is the sort of player who does spend his time in the film room. So again, while the wonderlic may raise a flag, that score does not seem relate to his past history of learning new plays.

 

I look at Nicks and see the exact time of player that often does tend to fall in a draft because, while dominant on the field, when looking at his numbers in shorts, he is lacking. In the offseason, it is like GMs forget what a player does on the field and can only remember what they do in shorts. In shorts, numerous other WRs are better, but on the field, I think few can compare. For our offense, I simply believe Nicks offers more than any other WR in the draft, minus Crabtree, and that includes Maclin, who may be an elite talent, but not as good of a fit IMHO for what we need.

 

Some good info on Nicks I hadn't read. That does mitigate the low Wonderlic score. This is where scouts earn their pay, they have to get the scoop on a player from the locker room, weight room, and film room.

[nfoligno]

Agreed. Also, I'll be the first to admit that I am flat out high on Nicks, and thus may not emphasize potential flags. If I was luke warm on Nicks, I too would have been all over his wonderlic. As you said, this is where scouts earn their pay. While coaches tend not to rip a player, at the same time, if they flat out lie, it would likely come back to bite as scouts would not believe that coach about his next prospect.

 

Here are other areas commented on,

 

Route Running: Nicks is never going to be able to generate the explosion needed to simply separate, but he is a precise route runner who comes out of his breaks cleanly, doing a nice job of generating YAC when used on slants. For a player of his size, he gets in and out of his cuts so well, thanks to his ability to drop and sink his weight. He is shifty in the open and uses solid head and shoulder fakes to con his man on his patterns. He shows the vision and balance to come back for the ball and stay square. He is best when working on slant and option routes. His savvy moves usually gets cornerbacks to come out of their backpedal and commit too early. He gets a very good push off the defender with his hand usage. He has decent speed, but with his long stride it looks deceptive. He shows good fluid movement and the ability to accelerate out of his breaks. One of his best assets is his double-cut ability. He has no problems sinking and planting coming out of his breaks, especially on the bubble-screen, one of his best plays. GRADE: 7.8

 

Separation Ability: Nicks' footwork is well above average when trying to separate. He uses his power well to get a clean release and while he is not going to gobble up the cushion on every deep pattern, he has enough of a short-area burst to settle in the soft spots. Even though he does not have the ideal deep speed, he can get vertical, but is best served working on comeback routes. He shows above average sideline awareness, good alertness and field presence. He gets in and out of his breaks fluidly and shows decent ability to accelerate after the catch. GRADE: 7.4

 

Ball Concentration: Nicks does a nice job of maintaining focus on the ball in flight. Because he will not be able to suddenly run under every ball, maintaining position and tracking the ball is what he does best to compensate. He knows how to open up his hips and sink his pads to get to off-target throws or passes from behind him. The thing you see on film is his ability to make plays in all areas, whether fighting for the ball in the short area or to elevate and snatch the ball at its highest point. GRADE: 7.8

 

Ball Adjustment: Nicks is a contortionist, as he is always twisting and turning his frame to get into position to make the catch. His long arms let him adjust to the balls thrown down low and he has the extension to get to the high throws outside his frame. You can see on film that he will simply go over people to get to the ball. He is one of the better adjustors to off-line throws and also excels at coming up with the big play working in a crowd. He will sometimes body trap, but his hands are soft enough to compensate. GRADE: 7.7

 

Leaping Ability: Nicks shows solid leaping ability, as he has made it a regular habit to fly over defenders and get vertical to secure the ball in a crowd. He times his leaps well and has confidence in his ability to reach for the throw at the high point. He knows how to get vertical when he has to and will not hesitate to fight for a high throw. GRADE: 7.4

 

Hands: What separate Nicks from the other two North Carolina receivers eligible for the draft (Brooks Foster, Brandon Tate) is his natural hands. He is a natural pass catcher and keeps on getting better. His soft hands let him snatch and pluck. He also makes very good body adjustments to deliver the over-the-shoulder grabs. His concentration skills are above average and it is rare to see him drop the ball due to a lack of focus. He does a fine job of catching away from his body and is fearless going for the ball in a crowd. He does a very good job of using his frame to shield the ball from the defender. GRADE: 8.5

 

Run After the Catch: Nance has that raw, natural power to turn a quick slant into huge real estate. Once he gets his clean release, he is a load to bring down after the catch. He goes full speed at the defender, knowing that he can easily break arm tackles with his strength. He has that peripheral vision and feel for coverages to weave in and out of traffic. At times, he can generate enough of a big burst, especially running the flash screen. He has more than enough acceleration to pick up extra yardage and shows the body control needed to turn up field. His acceleration after the catch will regularly make the slower tacklers miss him. GRADE: 8.2

 

Compares To: RODDY WHITE, Atlanta -- Actually, Hicks looks more like a smaller version of Keyshawn Johnson. He has very good power and runs precise routes, displaying some of the best hands in this draft. He won't beat a cornerback on deep patterns using pure speed, but he's a savvy route runner who is also light on his feet for a player his size.

 

 

 

Some good info on Nicks I hadn't read. That does mitigate the low Wonderlic score. This is where scouts earn their pay, they have to get the scoop on a player from the locker room, weight room, and film room.