Greg Cosell broke down the draft’s top wide receivers Friday on Yahoo’s Shutdown Corner Podcast. Here is Cosell’s breakdown.
On Tennessee’s Cordarrelle Patteson
COSELL: I think Patterson will be drafted solely because of his size and because of his dynamic movement. I don’t think he’s anywhere close to being a quality receiver in terms of the subtleties of how to run routes. In fact, he’s much quicker and more dynamic with the ball in his hands as opposed to running routes. Running routes he’s not that dynamic because he doesn’t know how to do it yet. He’ll get drafted high because of the potential. He needs to go to a team with a very good wide receivers coach, and he needs to be taught how to become a receiver.
Q: Would a team use him on bubble screens and quick slants to get him YAC until he learns how to run routes better?
COSELL: Yes. If you draft this kid, you understand what he is and what he isn’t. And then you provide opportunities in the context of your offense to maximize his strengths. If you just lined him up at the X or the Z and said, “Go play,” he’d have a really difficult time. It would be a tough transition. But with the expansion of offensive concepts in the NFL, there’s multiple ways now to use his skills while you’re teaching him the other skills.
Q: I think he has the potential to be able to do everything, it’s just not all put together yet.
COSELL: Correct. He has good hands. He has a wide catching radius. He can make tough catches. What he needs to do is use his speed and movement much more effectively as a route runner, not just with the ball in his hands, and that will take time. We saw what happened last year with Justin Blackmon, this sixth pick in the draft. He didn’t really start to play well until late in the season. We had Michael Floyd – he didn’t start to do much until late in the season, either. Sometimes it takes time.
On West Virginia’s Tavon Austin
COSELL: He may be one of my favorite players in this draft. I would draft this kid in the top 10 or 12 of the draft. I think this is where the league is going. It’s now become a passing-space league. The old, conventional concepts of how to use receivers – he’s an X, he’s Z, he’s a slot – I think that’s a little old school. I think Austin fits where this league is going. You don’t just line him up in one place. A lot of people are saying he’s going to have trouble getting off press coverage. Of course he will. He’s small. But that’s not how you use him. There’s no more explosive, dynamic player in this draft than Austin. Look at the Seahawks and Percy Harvin. They wouldn’t have given up what they did just for a receiver. I think they’ve got a plan, and I think that’s the way you’ve got to deal with Austin.
On Clemson’s DeAndre Hopkins
COSELL: I thought he had excellent hands. I thought he had great body control. He was a very competitive guy with the ball in the air. He has deceptive speed. I wouldn’t call him a burner. Guys like this, they obviously fit and he’ll play in the league and he might be very good, but he’s not what I call a smooth-fluid guy. He’s a little stiff. I don’t think he’s real smooth changing direction. Even though Hopkins might be a little faster, I think there might be some similarities to Anquan Boldin. Hopkins is probably faster. He’s a competitive, physical guy.
On Cal’s Keenan Allen
COSELL: I think he’s a much smoother accelerator than Hopkins. I think Allen’s got deceptive vertical speed. He’s not a burner, but he’s a smoother athlete and he’s quicker than Hopkins and he’s a big kid too. I think this kid is much smoother laterally. I thought he was very compact in his vertical stem. Every route looked the same. I remember talking to cornerbacks years ago about the old Jaguars’ wide receiver, Jimmy Smith, who was a really good wide out. They said he was so tough to cover because of that. I really like Keenan Allen. I was talking to Bill Polian, and he said Allen reminded him of Reggie Wayne coming out of Miami. I like Allen more than I like Hopkins.
On USC’s Robert Woods
COSELL: I like Woods. I thought he was pretty good with the ball in his hands and that surprised me. Overall, I liked his combination of size – he’s not big but he’s not small – his movement – he’s deceptively quick and very good after the catch. He played the X in their base offense. I think that Woods and Blackmon are not that far off. Blackmon was a little bit bigger and stronger. Woods is a little quicker and more explosive. My guess is someone will say he’s just a slot receiver. I think he’s better than that. He’s more methodical and measured than purely explosive, and that’s why he’s not a top-15 pick, but I think he’s a very good receiver.
On Louisiana Tech’s Quinton Patton
COSELL: I thought he looked faster on film than his timed 40 speed from the Combine. A lot of people probably see him as a slot guy. I think he can probably play outside. I thought his movement and stride length fit better outside than in the slot. He always lined up on the right for Louisiana Tech’s offense. He never lined up anywhere else. He ran a limited route tree. I wouldn’t call him a top athlete. I think he’s a little bit straight-line. You’re not drafting Patton to be your No.1 receiver, line him up and say, “You go win. You run every route and you blow the top off the coverage.” That’s not what he is, and you’re not drafting him to be that guy.
On Oregon State’s Markus Wheaton
COSELL: He played X at Oregon St. This kid has got that explosive gear. He’s got excellent play speed. He’s got great acceleration. I think he needs to refine his route running so he plays to his natural speed and quickness more consistently. At this point I’d say he’s primarily a vertical route runner, but he can run. In every game I watched, he was the fasted guy on the field. He’s clearly a smooth, fluid athlete. He was very good on reverses. I see some similarities to Mike Wallace when he was coming out of Mississippi. Wallace was a third round pick, and there are many that would argue he’s a one-trick pony to this day, but that trick is pretty good because he can run. He can lift the coverage.
On Texas A&M’s Ryan Swope
COSELL: He played almost exclusively in the slot at A&M, but that’s a spread offense. I don’t look at him solely as a slot receiver. In fact, I think he could play outside, opposite a big-time No.1. I know he ran a 40 at the combine that blew everyone away, but doesn’t play like that. He certainly isn’t slow. Markus Wheaton – he plays like that. Ryan Swope – he doesn’t play like that. He has some deceptive quickness and speed, certainly with the ball in his hands. I think he’s got good lateral quickness. He had great recognition of coverage and leverage to run those option routes from the slot. If he does play in the slot, he’s got excellent size and physical attributes for that, but I think he’s not a receiver who’s limited to that depending on where he goes.
On Texas’ Marquise Goodwin
COSELL: He’s a straight-line speed player. He’s clearly got position versatility in a creative offensive scheme. He’s not a good route runner at this point. He doesn’t really know how to use his vertical stem to break down cushions and set up corners. He’s not lateral at this point. He’s a vertical speed guy, great top-end acceleration, they used him quite a bit on reverses and man, can he run. He’s not Tavon Austin. He’s not even in the same ballpark as Tavon Austin.
On West Virginia’s Stedman Bailey
COSELL: I think he’s a quick kid. There’s a very smooth glide to his movement. Another guy who’s deceptively quick and fast. Not a burner in the strict sense. He has more short area quickness than explosive long speed, but he does have the ability to get over the top on occasion. He’s very quick in and out of breaks. He’s an agile kid. He’s small, so how is he used? Let’s saying you’re lining up with base personnel, just two wide receivers on the field. Is he good enough to be one of them? Can he line up as your X or as your Z? He’d have to be a Z in my opinion – he’s not an X.
On Baylor’s Terrence Williams
COSELL: He’s not a true burner, but I think he’s a pretty smooth top-end accelerator. He’s a big kid. I think he’s got very good play speed. I think he’s a straight-line guy at this point. I think he needs to learn a lot more about the subtleties of running routes. There were a number of throws where I saw him separate with the ball in the air, and if you talk to anybody, that’s a critical attribute. I think he’s a work in progress, but I think he has a chance to be a very good vertical threat.
On Tennessee’s Justin Hunter
COSELL: There’s one guy who fascinates me, and he fascinates me because his ceiling is really high, but he may never get there. And that’s Justin Hunter from Tennessee. I’m not saying he’s this guy, but I think he’s got a very similar body type and a similar athletic skill set to A.J. Green. Now, he’s not A.J. Green as we’re having this conversation. Hunter has major issues with his hands. That’s a huge, huge problem. I’m not saying it’s not. He does not have natural hands. A.J. Green has great hands. So that’s a major. But Hunter’s size, his fluidity, that combination, his movement, there’s not a lot of guys like that. He’s clearly more of a speed-cut guy than a throttle-down-in-and-out of breaks guy because he’s so long. He will never reach any ceiling until he catches the ball better, and he may never catch the ball better, but that size and fluidity of movement is really impressive.
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Grant – you have been very caught up in schemes and how is playing the “X” for the 49ers. Perhapse you should listen to an expert like Cossell:
“The old, conventional concepts of how to use receivers – he’s an X, he’s Z, he’s a slot – I think that’s a little old school.”
All I’ve said is Boldin and Crabtree is an awkward receiver pair in a base formation because neither guy stretches the field.
We have Vernon Davis who can stretch the field. So it’s not like we don’t have a deep threat in our base personnel. Most teams have 1 deep threat at WR, while our deep threat just happens to be at TE. And having a deep threat at TE is still much more of a mismatch than a deep threat at WR, because the TE is generally covered by LB or Safety. And without Delanie Walker, we could very well use more 3 WR sets than normal which could then use AJ Jenkins (whom is pretty fast) on the field. Crabtree has shown that he can be pretty effective in the slot, so we could see AJ Jenkins on the outside and Crabs in the middle.
Gives them a solid blocking presence if they are running the ball. Passing it, Jenkins and VD are still decoys. But you are correct, it is a very odd pairing. I did not like this pick up and especially did not like it with a $6 million dollar price tag attached.
Dan, VD cannot be your vertical threat. He isn’t fluid enough as an athlete and isn’t good enough as a route runner IMO.
There’s got to be a guy on the outside that can stretch the field.
I wouldn’t get too hung up on the idea of Boldin and Crabtree playing together in base formation. I really think you’ll see Boldin rotating in and out of the line-up, just like the 49ers did with Manningham, Moss and Williams last season. He’ll be in whenever they go 3 WRs, but with 2 WRs he won’t always be in the lineup.
When it is Crab and Boldin in 2 WR sets, I’d expect to see a fair bit of play action. Defenses will likely look to stack the box thinking the 49ers can’t hurt them vertically, but that’s a mistake. Boldin and Crabtree are good 1-on-1 with a CB deep if the safeties aren’t there to provide deep support, and then there is Vernon.
A lot of Boldin when they go to 11 personnel…
Oops, I meant 12, 1 back 2 TE.
I’d say you were right both times Jack! A lot of Boldin in 11 personnel too
He can be a vertical threat based on how they run the offense. He still has to be accounted for. A big reason that Crabtree has his best season last year was because teams were focusing so heavily on Davis. Now that they know Crabtree will hurt them, it will balance itself out and Davis will receive more single coverage opportunities. Davis may not be the most fluid athlete, but he is fast as hell and he has two 900+ yard receiving seasons. He is absolutely a vertical threat.
Agreed. The Boldin-Crabtree would be very handy in red zone situations. Even better if bombined with a tall, soft handed tight end.
I wonder if the 49ers TE coach, Reggie Davis, is going to try to get in somebody’s ear about Markus Wheaton since he was OSU’s RB coach?
I hope so! Wheaton is the WR I really want the 49ers to nab. Everything I’ve seen from him makes me believe he’ll be a good WR in the NFL.
Scooter, I’ve read that Wheaton has really been working on his strength to get himself ready for the NFL. Guess his 20 reps on the bench press at the combine proves that. Love that kind of self-motivation! Sounds like a 49er to me, for sure.
Yeah, that was one of the big knocks on him at the end of the college season – that he wasn’t strong enough. Personally I think that was overblown to begin with, but he’s clearly done what he can to erase those concerns since the college season ended.
Watching the game film you can see he’s just a naturally gifted pass catcher with top speed. He gets on top of the CB so quickly and has excellent acceleration out of his breaks.
But what I’ve loved is seeing how competitive he is at Senior Bowl practices and at the combine. He and Trufant had some great battles at the Senior Bowl. At the combine he was the only WR I saw that went the extra mile of showing he can disguise his routes (i.e., head fakes and cut points, false movements that would get a DB turning the wrong way) and was still able to get to where he needed to be to get the ball. All the others just did the route they were told and some still had trouble getting through the routes smoothly.
Scooter, where do you see him going in the draft? Or rather, where would you like to see him being drafted by the 49ers? Still there at #61?
He could still there at #61 as I’m sure some teams will be put off by him being under 6′, but if I’m the 49ers I try and move to around the 50 mark to take him. There are so many WRs that are slated to go late 1st through 2nd round that its hard to know how it will play out – different teams will love different guys – so to be safe I think you draft him earlier rather than hope he lasts.
I Like Aaron Dobson From Marshall with our 3rd pick. He’s 6’3″, 210 and has 33″ arms. He ran a 4.3 40 as a true freshman. He’s a good route runner that can also take the top off a defense. He goes up and gets the ball and works after the catch. He’s our guy for when manningham and boldin ain’t here no more plus gives us depth if injuries occur.
I like this kid, get the envelope.
I’d be happy with Dobson too. I think Wheaton is better, but Dobson also looks good. If the 49ers decide they want to remove WR as a need for the next few years, grab both.
And just for fun check out his ridiculous catch last year where he cuffed a fade pattern with the OPPOSITE HAND. I know one play doesnt mean anything but wow just watch the tape.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHVArnFDjhg
Maybe we can actualy throw the fade pattern with confidence if we draft the kid
Sounds like all of the revievers suck, lol . I’d take wheaton though…
Anybody already report these? If so, sorry
Urlacher being released from Bears and Reed agreed to terms with Houston. From ESPN.
Based on Cosell’s take: Hunter = Lockette
Ok, I know it’s the trend around here lately to talk about “stretching the field,” but you guys need to realize that 4.3 speed is not required to do so. You can run a perfectly effective passing game that threatens any part of the field without having a burner as your 1 and 2.
Speed isn’t everything, and football isn’t played with a stopwatch. You don’t need to be a burner to run a route over 15 yards, beat someone deep, or command double coverage. How many times did Ted Ginn “stretch the field” for us?
Having a flanker or split end with elite speed certainly helps, but it’s far from the end all, be all. I’m pretty sure Harbaugh and Baalke know what they are doing with Crabtree and Boldin. Some of you guys are putting way too much emphasis on 40 times.
A few things to get off my chest:
1. Boldin and any WR/player for that matter will line up where the match up is based on scheme the coaches review the week prior. Yes they have there base x,z designations but it is all about match up. Boldin is a vet and he will be all over the field, maybe not in backfield like Walker was or VD.
2. The idea VD is our stretch play is ridiculous. This is what folks say whenever the topic of needing a speed WR comes up. VD does not run great routes but has great top end speed to run away from a LB or S. He is not explosive within the first 3-5 yards. VD will get jammed on the line and there goes the threat of a deep WR. Then safeties can squeeze the sidelines, or worse come up and press the run or play robber and sneak up and snap that crossing route/short post Crabs likes to run. We need speed outside to keep those bastards in check. We need to rotate IMO 2-3 guys threatening the deep CK Cannon (CKC I just coined, holla). That will open the world to everything else which will be butter if our OL dominates.
3. That Wheaton kid from OSU!!! I moved to Oregon from DC last year so just started watching PAC12. This guy is money. Man it would be nice but can we really justify taking another WR in the first 3 rounds???
Holla!
I think a lot can be justified with adding a receiver in the late 2nd or early/late 3rd when the 49ers don’t know how well MM will comeback – or Williams – or if they will be able to keep Crabtree in the future. Nothing wrong with being proactive at all.
My rebut would be…
- Dude I am for grabbing another WRs for sure. I put the trust in JH and TB. They know what we have and need…
- We just resigned MM and Boldin. We have other areas to add talent.
- MM is a possession WR
- KW I certainly hope he can move outside or run verts from the slot. I am pulling for this kid.
- AJJ, *sigh* yes him I know he should be a deep and eventual replacement for Crabs (I don’t trust Crabs, I think he will hold us hostage at contract time)
- The dude Lockette everyone was talking about this week.
- Maybe a drafted player to add competition
- Maybe DHB to see what he can do in camp
At this point Boldin, Manningham and Williams are off contract at the end of next season, and Crabtree the year after. I think grabbing at least one WR early is not only easily justified, but a very wise move.
@Scooter and spaceborn – whom and/or what type of wr
In the thread above I outlined my reasons why Wheaton. Dobson is also an option.
The type of WR they go for should be a guy that defenses worry about going deep, but has to be able to work the short and intermediate areas as well. Needs to be able to track the ball deep and have the hands to catch bullets on shorter throws. Can’t have another Ginn or Lelie type WR that only has speed. I’m not too concerned with height, so long as the player can hold up on the outside (so not Austin).
Too much to ask for? I don’t think so.
Scooter and I have been talking about Wheaton, so let’s go with him. Since he has spent most of his time as an X, that’s where I think the 49ers would try him to see how well he can get off the jam he’s going to face as an X. But I would also think they would give him some time at Z and put him in motion against teams with CB’s that can jam and play man well. I don’t really see him as a slot receiver – at least not in the near future.
Ginn just signed a one-year deal with the Panthers, according to Adam Schefter.
Ginn Jr. era ends…Enter the Honey Badger
I want the Honey Badger. If anyone can cover Percy Harvin its him.
You’re joking, right?
Mathieu’s cover skills are awful.
The website Pro Football Focus has specific slot cornerback stats, cover snaps per target, yards per cover snap and cover snaps per reception. Based on the above snaps, compared to 2012 NFL slot corners, Mathieu would rank tied for first in cover snaps per reception with 15.2, second in yards per cover snaps with .76 and third in cover snaps per target with 7.5. His 50.1 NFL quarterback rating and 49-percent catch rate would rate him second among slot cornerbacks. No I don’t thinks he is….
How many times did Ginn drop the pen before he managed to sign the contract?
What I have liked about Trent Baalke to this point, is that he’ll have some surprises up his sleeve. With Harbaugh’s experience as a coach, I believe that there are at least 9 receivers from the Pac-12 that will get serious consideration but without all of the press clippings. Also, there are some small college WR’s that should draw some fire. But…sneaky Pete also coached in the Pac-12….beware….
Nothing on Dobson from Cosell?
Nada. Sorry.
So much for breaking down the best then. Dobson is currently graded as a 2nd-3rd round pick, which is ahead of Swope, Hunter, and I believe also Bailey.
WalterFootball has him as a 4-6 rounder and has all of the others you mentioned listed above him. http://walterfootball.com/draft2013WR.php
It’s just one source but it would explain Dobson being off Cosells top list.
One of them I use is nfldraftscout.com. It has Bailey as a 3-4 rounder and Swope as a 3rd rounder. I’m curious as to why Hunter’s stock is rising like it is. I don’t see any intangibles other than the fact that he has what is classified as the prototypical body of a NFL WR. Unless a team drafts him at most as their #2 WR he will be a bust.
Niners just re-signed McBath to a one-year deal.
Any word on McBed and McBeyond?
Wakka wakka :)
It’s the “sign special teams players” time of year. I’m trying to stay interested, I swear!
LSX & Shawnrhod are correct — give me a receiver who can get off the line and be quick in their routes, that’s what creates separation from CB’s. The obsession with 40 times is hilarious. Wasn’t Jerry Rice about a 4.6? The combine would have a lot more credibility if they went through some of these drills in full pads.
Solid point.
would have liked to hear his take on da rick
If Keenan Allen drops to the Niners in the 1st round, they need to end the Cal boycott and draft him.
No way he gets past the Rams…they are short at wide receiver. We’d have to move up to get him.
I watch a lot of Cal games and I have to wholeheartedly agree. Considering that Keenan did all of his damage with mini-Jeff Garcia tossing the ball it’s amazing he managed as much as he did.
The Panthers, Rams, Steelers, Bengals, Vikings, or Texans will probably nab him unless the Niners trade up.
The Bengals already have Marvin Jones. Would be interesting to see them grab Allen as well.
They might, Clem, if they’ve hired Matt Millen as a Sr. Talent Evaluator.
Not our biggest need. We need to replace Goldson with the top saftey first.
Josh Johnson signed…………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….with Cincinnati.
looks like we are gonna draft a QB
Looks like, but where? One of my big questions going in to the draft. Actually, it’s ALL questions for me right now!
Yeah Brotha Tuna I’m scratching my head on this one too.
Denard Robinson at the end of the fifth.
Matt Scott in the 4th. Maybe Dayne Crist in the 7th.
I suppose an FA isn’t out of the question, but looking at Walter’s list of who’s left… dunno. I like Caleb Hanie in some respects.
I think Tolz has to stand up and take #2. Matt Scott is the best option in my opinion. Supposed to be comfortable running stuff we’d be doing. He’d give Tolz a run for the money.
Hell, you never know, maybe JaMarcus Russell really is trying to get back in to football. If he’s got the goods upstairs and Harbs can work miracles with QBs… who knows.
Matt Scott-4th round if he is there.
OR 7th round-QBPeter Lalich
Not as a QB Grant.
He’d be the perfect third-string quarterback.
Jason Campbell might not be a bad guy to have around. May be the best of the FAs left out there.
Oh, I guess Kolb is still out there, too. :/
Hmm…
If Scott is there in the 4th might be ok.
Uncle Rico is more accurate than Robinson. He might be the perfect emergency QB….
Yeah but Uncle Rico could toss a pig skin a quarter mile back in ’82. If Coach had put him in they would have won state. No doubt in my mind.
Third string quarterback is an emergency QB. At least Robinson would suit up and contribute on special teams and at wide receiver and maybe even running back.
The Raiders had a kicker as their emergency QB for years.
I don’t hate Jason Campbell as a stop gap but signing him would make a statement about what they think of Tolzein. If they bring in youth to develop then they think highly of Tolzein. The latter is my guess.
And he has a sweet van.
“The Raiders had a kicker as their emergency QB for years.”
We had a punter as a starter. :P
LOL!
I see your angle now regarding Robinson.
“…would make a statement about what they think of Tolzein.”
Good point.
I like Scott but with these guys, who knows what we get in the draft. Could be some guy from Junior College for all we know.
I like Scott, too. I think he’ll end up getting drafted on Day 2.
As we discussed last year, or maybe it was the year before, Adam Froman (not related to Abe Froman the Sausage King of Chicago) might be floating around out there off the radar.
The best value at QB in this year’s draft is Sean Renfree from Duke. He could be had in the later rounds, but has 2nd-3rd round talent. His stock has dropped due to injury.
Was just listening to Sirius and one guy I really enjoy listening to is Gil Brandt. There’s more knowledge in his head than anyone I’ve ever listened to.
The guy he was really high on ( and he always gets them right) is DeAndre Hopkins out of Clemson. He said “he is Larry Fitzgerald is what he is”. Kinda odd Cossell said he’s like Boldin!
Grant can Dennard play punt returner and if so hope niners draft him. Niners already him James so duplicate is not necessary.
I think boldin was brought in so he can do a little of what walker use to do.