The WR Thread.

[The Excellector]

It seems to me that many posters feel Sammy Watkins is the best WR in this draft. How does his game shape up? Could anyone break down how he was used, his strengths, weaknesses? How that would translate to a Ravens offense with say...Norv Turner calling plays, or with Kubiak calling plays.

Details!

[bt12483]

Well...Clemson used him a lot on screens, and reverses. Basically if you give him space and/or blockers he can make things happen on his own.

Similar to Cobb in GB IMO. But with a bigger body.

[bmorecareful]

Well...Clemson used him a lot on screens, and reverses. Basically if you give him space and/or blockers he can make things happen on his own.

Similar to Cobb in GB IMO. But with a bigger body.

Watkins is a very, very good player, but I don't see him as a Randall Cobb/Percy Harvin type. Those guys are extremely quick and fluid. Watkins is more of a stiff-hipped, straight-line speed guy, and that makes him a better fit for a vertical-based offense as opposed to a West Coast style offense. In other words, he would be a very good fit for us if we stay with an Air Coryell system.

Watkins is actually a very similar player to Torrey Smith in a lot of ways... both of them have outstanding straight-line speed, a little less fluidity/short area quickness, but both of them are more north-south type of receivers. Lining the two of them up outside would open up a LOT over the middle, because safeties would need to respect both of them over the top.

If Watkins falls to 16 he would be a fantastic acquisition for us and could probably win the #2 job immediately out of camp. If the Ravens don't have a shot at Watkins, Marqise Lee would be a good consolation prize in the 1st. Odell Beckham is a 2nd round type of guy who would be a good fit in a vertical offense.

[bt12483]

Watkins is a very, very good player, but I don't see him as a Randall Cobb/Percy Harvin type. Those guys are extremely quick and fluid. Watkins is more of a stiff-hipped, straight-line speed guy, and that makes him a better fit for a vertical-based offense as opposed to a West Coast style offense. In other words, he would be a very good fit for us if we stay with an Air Coryell system.

Watkins is actually a very similar player to Torrey Smith in a lot of ways... both of them have outstanding straight-line speed, a little less fluidity/short area quickness, but both of them are more north-south type of receivers. Lining the two of them up outside would open up a LOT over the middle, because safeties would need to respect both of them over the top.

If Watkins falls to 16 he would be a fantastic acquisition for us and could probably win the #2 job immediately out of camp. If the Ravens don't have a shot at Watkins, Marqise Lee would be a good consolation prize in the 1st. Odell Beckham is a 2nd round type of guy who would be a good fit in a vertical offense.

I think he does have a little Cobb and Percy in him.

In fact, I think he is a weird hybrid of Torrey and Cobb/Harvin. He did handle return duty like Cobb and Harvin.

Maybe he is just hard to define.

[leachisabeast]

He is good enough to trade up for if he falls past 10 IMO....

[bt12483]

He is good enough to trade up for if he falls past 10 IMO....

I think if he drops near 8 the Ravens should consider trading up. Leapfrog DET.

It wouldn't be prohibitively expensive for a true gamechanger.

[Stealthbirds80]

I've heard Watkins be compared to a more polished Torrey with better hands, but me personally, I want Marquise Lee. He was the player who overshadowed Robert Woods at USC and I loved Woods coming out for the Ravens to take. I am interested on how tall he really is though.

[BigPlayReceiver]

Still grading, and still need to rack and stack, but I've watched 27 prospects so far and besides Watkins, and to my great surprise, the most complete WR that I think I'm seeing is Michigan's Jeremy Gallon.

[bt12483]

Still grading, and still need to rack and stack, but I've watched 27 prospects so far and besides Watkins, and to my great surprise, the most complete WR that I think I'm seeing is Michigan's Jeremy Gallon.

I visited a Lions forum and some people talking him up.

[ursula]

Not a chance the Ravens trade up for Watkins. Ozzie is not gonna part with his #2 and/or #3 picks. But seriously: we all know that.

A big question is if Evens will fall to us. If he is slow enough at the combine, maybe. Along with that is how high Marquise Lee rises. Now that he's over his knee injury, teams will be judging him by his skill set and they will like what they see.

Teams that I think will take a long hard look at WR in the 1st round and are ahead of us:
- #4 The Factory of Sadness- they got 2 1st round picks and QB and WR are high on their wish list. Hopefully they go QB 1st, but we're talking Cleveland here...
- #5 Oakland- they have higher priorities but WR is in the mix there
- #7 Tampa Bay- need offensive help, a 2nd WR to pair with Jackson. Lovie Smith might go for a pass rusher though.
- #9 Buffalo- Either WR or TE will be the pick here and I don't think Amaro or Ebron grade out this high. Likely WR pick.
- #10- Lions- WR or defense. Would love Evans I suspect.
#12 Rams- They will have already picked their OT at 2. Now they need a real WR as Austin ain't that. The idea is to give Bradford an offense.
- #15 Pittsburgh- Probably defense but will take a long look at Lee. They lose Sanders probably; do they think Wheaton can step in? Lee is a better receiver.

Looking at the list above, at present teams aren't locked in on specific players as the draft has options for every team here. For the Ravens picking a WR at #16/17 depends on how Evans fares running his 40, how much Lee improves his stock and how the TE's Ebron and Amaro do in the pre-draft process (I suspect very well). Evans or Lee should be available to us though, if we want them. I give it a 60% chance that one of them will be available, 20% chance that both will be. Watkins? No chance. He becomes the BPA around the #5 pick.

[wickedsolo]

Still grading, and still need to rack and stack, but I've watched 27 prospects so far and besides Watkins, and to my great surprise, the most complete WR that I think I'm seeing is Michigan's Jeremy Gallon.

Gallon reminds me of guys like Marquis Goodwin, Lance Moore, etc. Very quick, solid vertical speed, nice hands, good routes...he is just tiny. I think he's what...5'8"? 5'9"? 180lbs?

I wouldn't mind a guy like that on the roster, but I dont know that he'd be a good fit in the current offensive system.

It is hard to gauge where the Ravens will go in the draft until they figure out their offensive staff. If they bring in a WCO or spread out guy like Lombardi or Kubiak, then a player like Gallon would make a lot of sense. If they stick with the AC (hopefully Norv if they do), then Gallon may not be a great fit.

[BigPlayReceiver]

Kelvin Benjamin is nice athlete, but is :grbac: as a WR.
I don't trust WRs that are lazy away from the play. Especially, when they play with a mobile QB.
It's why I really disliked Duke's Connor Vernon (among others) for 2013.