Matt Harmon & Charles McDonald on some tier 2 WRs & beyond.

[top dawg]

I love Matt Harmon's analysis of receivers because he puts in the work. He and a couple of others are probably the best out there as far as analysis is concerned. The problem is he makes us pay for what used to be free, and I'm cheap. So, I try to get a hold of those free tidbits. In the following vid, he and Charles McDonald of Yahoo Sports talk some of the wide receivers that we may pick. It's well worth the listen if receiver is your thing.

 

 

 

[Jackie Lee]

They are not high on XL at all. I could see teams getting cold feet over taking him before round 3 due to the one year wonder/bullying 19 year old kids as a 5th year senior thing

[Jackie Lee]

Speaking of

 

[LinvilleGorge]

Not a big fan of Legette's game but I'm a huge fan of him sounding like he could've been one of Bobby Boucher's teammates.

[top dawg]

32 minutes ago, Jackie Lee said:

They are not high on XL at all. I could see teams getting cold feet over taking him before round 3 due to the one year wonder/bullying 19 year old kids as a 5th year senior thing

They aren't low on him either. Tell the whole truth now. They just don't know what to make of him. Comparing him to Josh Gordon (not the off-field issues) isn't exactly a bad thing.

[Jackie Lee]

1 minute ago, top dawg said:

They aren't low on him either. Tell the whole truth now. They just don't know what to make of him. Comparing him to Josh Gordon (not the off-field issues) isn't exactly a bad thing.

Yeah, they also said Gordon was doing it his whole college career and he was balling out in the NFL at 22, XL as a project/gamble at 23 years old is probably a gamble I'd rather another team who could afford it take, at least high in the 2nd round 

[top dawg]

2 minutes ago, Jackie Lee said:

Yeah, they also said Gordon was doing it his whole college career and he was balling out in the NFL at 22, XL as a project/gamble at 23 years old is probably a gamble I'd rather another team who could afford it take, at least high in the 2nd round 

Not me. He's been compared to Metcalf and Gordon. The upside is there. If he bombs, well, it's just a miss---a cost of doing business. But if he succeeds to anywhere close to that level and we don't draft him at 33 and especially 39, we will look like fools. Hell, we will be fools.

[Jackie Lee]

Every target for XL

 

[Jackie Lee]

I'll take Pearsall over XL and Ladd if we truly have a non WR BPA at 33

[top dawg]

8 hours ago, Jackie Lee said:

I'll take Pearsall over XL and Ladd if we truly have a non WR BPA at 33

Harmon likes Pearsall. 

But, don't miss it even Harmon mentions "underneath." Pearsall is projected to be a slot receiver. That doesn't mean that he won't tear it up though, but I'd rather have that X receiver with top 10 potential.

[BrianS]

1 hour ago, top dawg said:

Harmon likes Pearsall. 

But, don't miss it even Harmon mentions "underneath." Pearsall is projected to be a slot receiver. That doesn't mean that he won't tear it up though, but I'd rather have that X receiver with top 10 potential.

Given the . . . ahem . . . limitations of our current QB, a young "gets open quick" target is probably the best thing for us.

[MHS831]

52 minutes ago, top dawg said:

Harmon likes Pearsall. 

But, don't miss it even Harmon mentions "underneath." Pearsall is projected to be a slot receiver. That doesn't mean that he won't tear it up though, but I'd rather have that X receiver with top 10 potential.

I think a top WR projected for round 1 will fall.  Mitchell comes to mind.  But if you think about it, we have a player this season who has averaged about 900+ yards per season for the past 4 years and he is going to be 28.  Thielen had 1000 yards last year.  Mingo should improve; he will be 23 tomorrow.  He had 43 catches for 418 yards and usually there is growth from year 1 to year 2.  So frankly, we need a guy who can play the slot because we all pretty much KNOW that Thielen is gone.  It is possible that Dionte Johnson leaves too after this season.  So if the Panthers take a slot, I get it.  I think Pearsall can be more than that--it is a stereotype.  However, if he is the slot in 2025 and can get some reps in 2024, that is pretty good if you can hold onto Johnson.  Johnson had only 717 yards last season compared to Pickens' 1140, but Johnson played in 4 fewer games.  He was on a 1000-yard path.  So my point?  With Johnson here and Mingo developing, isn't an "underneath" WR more pressing considering Theilen's age and this is probably his last year?  Isn't underneath going to be more important for Bryce?  I am asking--not sure.

Now, does Johnson have all the traits you look for in an X?  Not really, but neither did Steve Smith.  If we were to draft Legette, could he be groomed to be the X in a season, moving Johnson to the Z?  That would make Mingo rotational and still necessitate a slot WR.  So I see slot as the one need that is more certain. 

So if we go after a guy most feel is a slot--Ladd, Corley, Washington, Pearsall, etc. I would get it.  However, their would be a good one at pick 65 (Corley, Washington, Polk, maybe even Roman Wilson). 

People need to remember that bringing in a player for 4 visits does not mean that you are in love with him; it probably means they are undecided. 

 

[top dawg]

1 hour ago, BrianS said:

Given the . . . ahem . . . limitations of our current QB, a young "gets open quick" target is probably the best thing for us.

In theory, and based upon mainly fans' assumptions, you may be right. But, I've said it many times now, I just can't draft or not draft a WR based upon perceived and real limitations of a QB that could gone in a season. 

One other thing that I would mention is that we need a legitimate outside X receiver to help clear the way for our other skill positions. Lastly, I'd add that there is a belief by some that your WR corps should have done versatility (as in different types of receivers). We arguably have at least two slot guys on the team now (granted, maybe not for long). I think that Mingo needs to be in the slot, and that's how some teams (e.g., the Steelers) were looking to use him.

[top dawg]

1 hour ago, MHS831 said:

I think a top WR projected for round 1 will fall.  Mitchell comes to mind.  But if you think about it, we have a player this season who has averaged about 900+ yards per season for the past 4 years and he is going to be 28.  Thielen had 1000 yards last year.  Mingo should improve; he will be 23 tomorrow.  He had 43 catches for 418 yards and usually there is growth from year 1 to year 2.  So frankly, we need a guy who can play the slot because we all pretty much KNOW that Thielen is gone.  It is possible that Dionte Johnson leaves too after this season.  So if the Panthers take a slot, I get it.  I think Pearsall can be more than that--it is a stereotype.  However, if he is the slot in 2025 and can get some reps in 2024, that is pretty good if you can hold onto Johnson.  Johnson had only 717 yards last season compared to Pickens' 1140, but Johnson played in 4 fewer games.  He was on a 1000-yard path.  So my point?  With Johnson here and Mingo developing, isn't an "underneath" WR more pressing considering Theilen's age and this is probably his last year?  Isn't underneath going to be more important for Bryce?  I am asking--not sure.

Now, does Johnson have all the traits you look for in an X?  Not really, but neither did Steve Smith.  If we were to draft Legette, could he be groomed to be the X in a season, moving Johnson to the Z?  That would make Mingo rotational and still necessitate a slot WR.  So I see slot as the one need that is more certain. 

So if we go after a guy most feel is a slot--Ladd, Corley, Washington, Pearsall, etc. I would get it.  However, their would be a good one at pick 65 (Corley, Washington, Polk, maybe even Roman Wilson). 

People need to remember that bringing in a player for 4 visits does not mean that you are in love with him; it probably means they are undecided. 

 

Oh, I agree for the most part. Perhaps Pearsall could be more, but I don't think that guys like Harmon, as well as other analysts and scouts who've helped create these draft profiles, are basing their opinions on stereotypes.