SI Panthers Mock Draft

[jb2288]

Amazing if it actually plays out like this 

[Shocker]

14 hours ago, tukafan21 said:

Honest question... why?  

What difference does him running a 4.49 vs a 4.55, in underwear and is largely dependent on your ability to get out of the blocks quickly make compared to watching his tape?

You can watch his tape and see his game speed, you can see him take screens or slants and out run defenders to the corner, you can see him just run away from players once he gets going.  He's 6'5", he's not a quick twitch speedster in those first few steps off the line like a Jefferson, Chase, Nabers.  But once he gets going a bit, he has more than enough speed, you can see it in his film.

If people ONLY want a #1 WR in the mold of one of those guys, then no, you're never going to be satisfied by T-Mac's speed or even game, because he's 6'5", not 6' tall.  He can't do those things that they do, but they can't do the things he can because of his size, he will be able to make catches they wouldn't have a chance on.  Yes we need a speedster WR too, but I think T-Mac as the #1 and finding that elite speed in a small slot WR is the better path. 

I think he runs sub 4.5 because I've seen his game speed, but with his size if he's slow getting out of the crouch and first few steps, so maybe not.  It's why I've never understood people looking at the 40 time so seriously for the draft, there is nothing about it that directly translates to the field unless you're main feature is being that go-route specialist.

I want him running in the 4.4s to dispel some of these concerns about lack of separation 

[tukafan21]

1 hour ago, Shocker said:

I want him running in the 4.4s to dispel some of these concerns about lack of separation 

Straight line running speed in a 40 has no bearing on route separation other than straight go routes, and even then, running a 40 isn't running in football games in a pads.

AND... if THAT is your concern with T-Mac, then you might as well take him off your draft board, because he's not a go-route guy that is going to run past and separate from the DB.  

The deep ball is his specialty, but not because he out runs the DB's, it's because he high points the ball and can make those catches over defenders before they even have a chance to break it up.

[tukafan21]

6 hours ago, Tr3ach said:

I wasn't a fan of XL when we drafted him.  The problem as far as if they're both good then trade one is im not sure either can look good paired up as the #1 and #2 wr.  They don't compliment each other at all and have basically the same strengths and weaknesses albeit Tmac is a better prospect.  A lot of my opinion is based on my preferences and wanting to prioritizing route running, short area quickness and body control, and watching us instead draft big guys who don't run shuttles or cones and have a fast 40 for literally years in a row.

Spoken like someone who hasn't watched nearly enough of T-Mac other than a few short highlight clips to know his game.

The only thing he doesn't have is the short area quickness in the way that you're looking for, as you seem to want that Jefferson/Chase type of WR, which sure, he's not that.

But him and XL are nothing alike, let alone having the same strengths and weaknesses.  In particular, T-Mac's #1 strength is LITERALLY XL's #1 weakness, their hands.  T-Mac has vice grips for hands, catches darn near everything, and does it all with hands catches, the opposite of XL.  

Beyond that, you mention prioritizing route running, of which, T-Mac already runs a complete NFL route tree at a high level.  Yes, he needs to work on his get off the line at the snap and get a little crisper on some of his cuts to create separation, but again, all players need to work on something, that's just what his is.  It doesn't change that he is already a great route runner, there are just some small elements of it that he can improve on.

Even then, it's like I've been saying, the trade off of not having that true elite separation like the smaller WR's get, is how good he is at using his body to keep the DB's from being able to break up passes and just making contested catches in general.  You lose a little bit of separation, but his 6'5" body gives him advantages that the smaller WRs just don't have.

Again, your post here insinuates that T-Mac is a slow, plodding big WR who isn't a proficient route runner, which couldn't be further from the truth.  I have no issue with people wanting other players over T-Mac, or just not wanting him at all.  But they need to be logical reasons, not made up ones in your head because you don't actually know the player and his abilities.

Edited 45 minutes ago by tukafan21