Yoop wrote: ↑28 Mar 2022 15:16
originally till all this stuff about Burks possibly dropping Pickens was my guy at slot 29, the maturity issues and losing most of last season I think are the reason he isn't ranked higher, Buzz feed says he could be the best in this class, he came back from the injury and caught a 50 yrder in the title game, he'll blossom.
I agree he has elite talent. Having 727 yards and 8 TDs as a true freshman in the SEC is legit.
The issue for me is whether or not he has the drive to work on the finer points of the game; look at his scouting reports and it indicates "lackadazical" cuts or imprecise route running.
These are teachable/coachable. But they're also the kind of things that I'd have liked to see progress throughout his college career to indicate that he'll take the work seriously and improve to his potential in the pros.
I've been really thinking lately, I guess throughout the past two years of outstanding Davante Adams press conferences, just how important a receiver's attitude is when you're working with a QB who values precision, a system that requires you to block more, a scheme that
wants to distribute the ball around (though with Adams being so much better than our #2 and beyond, we didn't bother), etc.
So I've been looking for those tireless workers, "dirty work" guys and "team-first" players in thew write-ups. Not at the EXPENSE of NFL athleticism and upside, but in addition to it. That's what we need.
And I think that Drake London, Jameson Williams, Christian Watson, and Alec Pierce are the best combination of size, speed, talent, and attitude in this draft. And I think with 5 picks in the top 92, we have a legit shot to target guys like that (only London is truly out of range). Pickens is certainly a high-upside player that can be developed into a special addition to an NFL offense and I will not be unhappy in the least if we grab him in round 2.
But I'm looking at an exceptionally deep WR class that will have contributors still being drafted into round 3, and I say, hey, why not target the best fits from every dimension, because they're available. We can truly have our cake and eat it too. I say get the team first, high-character, dirty work and special teams-willing guys who are also at least 6'3" and also run at least in the low 4.4s and also care about the craft. They're here. I'm ready for them. And I know I sound like a broken record with the same few guys, but if you can show me more guys who have it all, I'll GLADLY add them to my list.
