Interesting Tidbit, Eric Decker WR Minn

[zebrainz]

10/30/09 - Eric Decker will have surgery next Tuesday in Charlotte, N.C., to fix a sprained arch in his left foot, ending his career as a Gopher, according to a Star Tribune report that was confirmed by Gophers spokesman Andy Seeley. The report said full recovery was expected for Decker in six to nine months, which would eliminate the chance of Decker playing in a potential bowl game. The 2010 NFL draft is in about six months.

Given the way we drafted Stewart, this guy might be a possibility. Never saw him play, but, his stats look good at 6'3", 215#, 4.5 40. College production was excellent before the injury. If that surgery in Charlotte was performed by our team doctor, we might have another inisde track here. Most draft sites have him as the #6-7th WR in this draft, projected about round 3. I could see us getting a steal here if he drops and we have inside knowledge of the injury. Does anyone know if it was our team doctor?

[Crixtala]

MINNEAPOLIS -- Minnesota wide receiver Eric Decker will have surgery to fix torn ligaments in his left foot, ending his college career and complicating his status for the NFL draft.

Decker confirmed his decision before Saturday's game against Michigan State. He will have the operation Wednesday in Charlotte, N.C., with specialist Dr. Robert Anderson.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4612095

[kdrh5]

No, no, no. Cant draft him, he'll never practice.

[unicar15]

He looks like a guy who could be a solid #3 option. I want to like him because he is billed as a hard-worker and guys like him succeed in the NFL. But I just can't bring myself to be comfortable putting him at the #2 across from Steve...which is what we need. We need to find a way to get Bryant or more realistically, Golden Tate. Those are the two receivers in this draft (maybe the only two) that are going to have an IMMEDIATE impact from the time they step on the field.

Gilyard and Benn could have impact in the return game and if Benn gets his attitude under control could be a great 2nd or 3rd round guy in the future. I just don't see it happening for 2010, which is what we need.

[kdrh5]

Bryant and Tate are first rounders.

[zebrainz]

After watching the Senior Bowl practices, Jacoby Ford or Dexter McCluster could have an immediate impact and might be available when we pick in the second round.

Of those two, somebody could very easily take a flier on McCluster before our pick. McCluster has the kind of speed that kills, even at the NFL level. I'm just not certain the best way to use him is strictly as a WR. He's like Reggie Bush's less glamorous but just as talented mini-me. For all his (lack of) size, what he has is all football player. I personally think that even the second round might be a little high for him because of his size, but we have a serious need for big play threats that aren't 89, 34 or 28.

I was hesitant about Ford at first because of his "track star" rep, but he looks more like a football player than people are giving him credit for (good for us). He's not just a burner, does good work over the middle, understands how to get and use separation to make catches. I was surprised. He definitely raised his stock in Mobile from the middle to the upper rounds.

I'm still intrigued by this guy Decker though. He easily has the measurables to be a classic Moose type #2. Under the radar because of the injury, he could really be a late round value. I think we need to throw a couple of picks at this position.

[kdrh5]

www.youtube.com/watch?v=cx9WWaKQk5s

He doesnt have much speed to seperate at all. Seems to do all his work on intermediate-short stuff and has great hands.

[zebrainz]

He was playing with a high ankle sprain/lisfranc injury before he shut it down this year, had a knee last year. That could be the cause for the lack of separation. One of the reasons he isn't rated higher yet is the possibility he will pick baseball over football. Meh, on further review there are other prospects I like better, I just hope that our scouting department is pulling their hair out trying to find some value prospects like this since we don't have the draft pick to get a blue chip.

[unicar15]

We draft multiples at DL, LB, DB all the time so this year I figure its the WR turn. We need depth BADDDD at that position. We need to either pick 2 WRs in this draft of 1 WR in the draft and a FA/Trade WR.

I don't think that Tate is a lock for the first round as some have suggested. I think there is a chance that other guys sneak ahead of him depending on what teams want. There are always guys like Jordy Nelson and Donnie Avery that kind of go overlooked and sneak ahead of bigger name WRs. Donnie Avery went ahead of Desean Jackson and Malcolm Kelly for instance...so anything can happen.

Dez Bryant is definitely the #1 off the board and we'd have to trade to get him.

But after him I think its a toss up between Benn, Tate and LaFell. I wouldn't mind having Brandon LaFell either. He is a different kind of receiver but he has great ability and the recent LSU receivers that have come into the NFL have been pretty good (Doucet, Bowe, Henderson, Davis). They produce some of the best athletes in the draft.

If we drafted a guy like Tate or LaFell and lost Muhammad as well I'd like to try and go after Kevin Walter or Malcolm Floyd in FA b/c there just isn't any way we can stick Matt Moore out there with Steve Smith and Dwayne Jarrett or whoever else Fox thinks can take Moose's job. You could also kiss whatever 3 WR sets we have goodbye..