Steve Smith liked speed of jamal lee

[scpanther22]

the only way i see him sticking is on the PC or a move to WR..but you never know..maybe we move goodson to WR so many things ..can happen..but his speed and size..is something nice

Steve Smith, the fleet, go-to receiver of the Carolina Panthers, paid Jamall Lee the kind of compliment that can leave an NFL rookie walking on air.

"You've got some wheels, huh?" Smith remarked to Lee, a running back from Bishop's who runs the 40-yard dash in 4:39, one of the reasons the B.C. Lions made him their first pick in Saturday's CFL draft.

"Coming from Steve Smith, it's one of the biggest compliments ever," Lee explained. "He probably didn't know my name, but what he said made me feel really good."

Lee returned to Vancouver Sunday evening following his three-day mini-camp with the Panthers, the team that signed him to a free-agent contract after the 2009 NFL draft. On his second day in camp, Lee learned by text message that the Lions had swapped two picks -- Nos. six and 13 -- with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats to move up one position and claim him No. 3 overall.

"Everything fell into place for me this weekend," Lee said. "Definitely, it's an honour to be drafted by the B.C. Lions. The fact that my teammate, James Yurichuk [a linebacker, taken fourth overall by B.C], is going to be a Lion makes it even better."

Still, Lee will be packing his bags for three more scheduled weeks of workouts with the Panthers later this month. And then there is the main camp, which opens in mid-July. It could be a while before he samples home cooking, or the Lions get to see him, which is why drafting Lee was a bit of a gamble.

"If you want to get ahead in this life, you can't always play it safe," said Lions head coach and GM Wally Buono. "If the NFL doesn't work out, we're here. At the end of the day, you're not going to pass on a guy like that."

Because of his pre-arranged deal with the Tiger-Cats and aware that the Toronto Argonauts, with the No. 2 pick, were going to take a lineman (the Argos selected Laval's Etienne Legare,) Buono knew before the dawn that Lee was going to fall into his lap.

Even so, the Argos, as well as the Lions, had Lee perform at a pre-draft workout to test his pass-catching ability with an eye toward playing him at slotback. So the possibility loomed that Toronto would find his versatility just as appealing as the Lions do.

"Jamall Lee can be a backup tailback, a backup receiver, a starting receiver, a starting tailback," Buono says. "He gives you options. The more options you have in a league that deals with [Canadian-American] ratios, the better you are."

A look at the Panthers' running back depth gives Buono reason to assume Lee might turn up at a Lions practice at some point. Carolina's backfield includes DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart, both former first-round draft picks. Williams is only 26; Stewart just 22.

Plus, the Panthers picked Mike Goodson in the fourth round of the 2009 draft. And they had two more backs at the mini-camp -- sophomore pro Decori Birmingham and rookie Marcus Manson.

"I performed all right," Lee said. "Williams and Stewart helped mentor the younger guys. It was a great experience. The playbook is so huge, and there's so much to learn, I didn't have time to be starstruck."

But when an All-Pro receiver like Steve Smith sends a compliment your way, it's hard not to be.

http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/pick+gets+some+high+praise/1561336/story.html

[CatMan72]

Sounds like a good prospect a KR/PR... but so does Mike Goodson, sounds like Lee will be a victim of the numbers game unless Goodson gets hurt.

[SCpanther]

It will be interesting to see if he chooses our practice squad over playing in the CFL, seeing as he probably won't make the team.

[R0CKnR0LLA]

I don't see any way this guy makes the team, barring injuries.

[CarolinaPride74]

I don't care if we used a 4th round pick on Mike Goodson, if Jamall Lee is a better RB then he better make this roster. I want the best players at each position to make the team no matter where they were drafted or not drafted.

[R0CKnR0LLA]

True, but the FO and coaching staff is going to be reluctant to cut Goodson after only a single TC/preseason. Jamall Lee not only has to beat him out, but play significantly better to earn that spot.

[spartan_pantherfan]

he better hope to show out in KR/PR and take it from there, I really do want us to keep him, you never know though maybe the just gets into his playbook and works hard and does something at training camp.

[jramsey4]

I really like this guys potential. I think if he can adapt to the speed of the NFL he will be special. I wouldn't be surprised to see him on the roster come reg. season but your right he would have to play quite a bit better to beat out Goodson. Maybe we can stash him on the PS but I doubt it he will be off to the play in the marry old land of Canada.

[rey2009]

Steve Smith Just Cant tell anyone how fast they are

[rey2009]

damn that good

[jramsey4]

Im really liking the rookie additions our FO has brought in. I think a lot of quality competition.

[scpanther22]

Im really liking the rookie additions our FO has brought in. I think a lot of quality competition.

you can thank peppers for that

[rayzor]

i hope there is some room for him and that we can find a way to use him. i'm excited about seeing him and goodson at TC this year. if either one of these guys can live up to their potential...we could be fierce. i guess you could say that about anyone but looking at their game tape...good stuff.

one thing about lee is that he runs too high, kind of like jacobs but without the bulk. not really a good thing. his propensity to jump over people could also lead to some problems. it makes for some good highlights but dude could get hurt doing that very often.

one thing that i can't get past in those highlight reels is how much everyone looks like they are playing high school ball, like he is just a really good high school player and the ineptitude of the defenses around him make him look better than he is. still, the moves are pretty good and he has some good speed once he finally gets going. teach him the art of the stiff arm and coach out the other stuff and we could have someone solid.

[DaveThePanther2008]

With the additions of Goodson and Fiammetta to the backfield, Goodson taking Goings spot and Fiammetta being a student under Hoover, there is no room for Lee. The ONLY way I see Lee sticking around is PR/KR/WR spot from Robinson. I think his upside is versitality and speed. He can play WR and RB which make 06 less likely to happen again.

He would have to outright beat out Robinson in the PR/KR positon.