2014 NFL Combine - Players - The WRs

[OldSchool]

Originally Posted by Frosty

Cooks broke the Combine record for the 60 yard shuttle and tied the Combine for the 20 yard shuttle. He also had a 36" vertical which was upper mid-pack. That doesn't sound that impressive until you realize that Cooks is one of the shorter WRs at the Combine. Watkins has 3" on him and 4" longer arms, yet had a 34" vertical. Cooks is fast and shifty. He can also go up and get the ball in traffic.

So if Cooks jumps 36", his reach and catch radius would still be considerably smaller than Watkins, so what was the point in posting that? Lol. If he had a 40" vertical and Watkins only jumped 30", then you could make a case. But a 2" difference in their verticals doesn't make up for about 8" in reach.

[Jakemall]

Originally Posted by OldSchool

So if Cooks jumps 36", his reach and catch radius would still be considerably smaller than Watkins, so what was the point in posting that? Lol. If he had a 40" vertical and Watkins only jumped 30", then you could make a case. But a 2" difference in their verticals doesn't make up for about 8" in reach.

Two very different WRs that will fill very different roles on whatever team they land on.

[Frosty]

Originally Posted by saphojunkie

I'd prefer if our first round receiver did better than 400 yards receiving in his rookie year.

Cooks is an excellent pick for a team that already has weapons in the passing game. That's not us. We need a legit #1 receiver or tight end.

If we were able to trade back from 23 to say... 26 and pick up a 2nd rounder, then I could see us going Amaro in the first and coming back for a WR with the next pick.

Riley doesn't play his freshmen very much. The Beavers were also uber-bad that year, with a freshman QB (who played out of necessity).

For the Chiefs, I personally believe that a fast TE or a pass rushing OLB would have the biggest impact on the Chiefs. My post was more about being a fan of Cooks.

Originally Posted by OldSchool

So if Cooks jumps 36", his reach and catch radius would still be considerably smaller than Watkins, so what was the point in posting that? Lol. If he had a 40" vertical and Watkins only jumped 30", then you could make a case. But a 2" difference in their verticals doesn't make up for about 8" in reach.

My point was about his athleticism for those morons that say he is only a slot receiver in the NFL. As for your point, Cooks is faster with better change of direction than Watkins, which may make up for some of that "catch radius" (note - this is not a bash on Watkins; just a comparison with arguably the best WR in this draft).

[OldSchool]

Originally Posted by Frosty

My point was about his athleticism for those morons that say he is only a slot receiver in the NFL. As for your point, Cooks is faster with better change of direction than Watkins, which may make up for some of that "catch radius" (note - this is not a bash on Watkins; just a comparison with arguably the best WR in this draft).

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sport...elite-wr_x.htm

When asked how Smith compensates for his lack of height, Henning laughs.

"With a 43-inch vertical jump," he says. "You're talking about a guy who can dunk backwards. He explodes to the ball, even when he's trying to jump over people. He gets tall in a hurry."

That's 7" more vertical range than Cooks.

Cooks is a lot closer to Austin than he is to Steve Smith. He's a slot guy and you would be a fool to try to depend on him as an outside #1 type receiver. Let him play in the slot and work in space where he's best at. Sure you can line him up outside, but he's going to have limited success there. You want him facing the 3rd best corner on the other team, not the top 2 cover guys.

[Frosty]

Originally Posted by OldSchool

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sport...elite-wr_x.htm


That's 7" more vertical range than Cooks.

That's cool and all, Bob, but he jumped 34" at the Combine, 2" less than Cooks. Since we don't know their starting points in the vertical, you can't accurately compare the two. However, assuming Watkins' height isn't a result of a freakishly long head, Watkins has 3" on height and 1.5" on arm length, with the same size hands. Subtract out the 2" difference in the jump, you have Watkins with a max 2.5" difference.

As for the catch radius, Watkins' arms are an 1.5" longer, so it's not like there is a huge difference in the catch radius.

This argument is stupid and pointless (big surprise there, Bob). The point wasn't to bash Watkins or to say Cooks is better; it was just to say Cooks isn't that far off from the best.

Cooks wasn't a household name because he played at Oregon State, not USC or in the SEC, so it appears that people here don't know him or have watched him play (except for Pest and his awesome wife). I was trying to put in a perspective of someone who had watched him play a lot. I am also not pushing for the Chiefs to draft him (though I would be cool with it).

However, you're the guy that said you would rather have Josh Huff over Brandin Cooks (lol), so I figure you're just another delusional Ducks fan.

[OldSchool]

Originally Posted by Frosty

Cooks wasn't a household name because he played at Oregon State, not USC or in the SEC, so it appears that people here don't know him or have watched him play (except for Pest and his awesome wife). I was trying to put in a perspective of someone who had watched him play a lot. I am also not pushing for the Chiefs to draft him (though I would be cool with it).

However, you're the guy that said you would rather have Josh Huff over Brandin Cooks (lol), so I figure you're just another delusional Ducks fan.

Cooks was ineffective when he lined up against Ekpre Olomu. I'm from California, I went to UC Berkeley. I'm well aware of the fact that Cooks feasted on inferior CB talent in the Pac-12. The only true potential starting NFL level corner that Cooks faced was Ekpre Olomu out of Oregon. Here were the targets he had against Ekpre Olomu.

1st target: 8 yard hitch, complete for 1st down. 0 YAC.

2nd target: 6 yard in route, result- Pass broken up by Ekpre Olomu, Cooks stopped his route cause he had nowhere to go.

3rd target: Deep post in the end zone, result- INT by Ekpre Olomu, no separation created by Cooks. He didn't even fight for the ball and Olomu is just as small as he is.

4th target: Another post about 10 yards, result: Incomplete pass broken up by Ekpre Olomu, again, Cooks had zero separation against the only potential NFL starting caliber CB he faced.

Etc etc. Get the picture? Whenever Cooks lined up outside against a good CB, he couldn't do anything. His only real damage that he did against Oregon in that game was via little underneath screen plays or against the significantly less talented Terrence Mitchell. Cooks is not a #1 WR and should not be thought of as such. He will not have consistent success going up against #1 cover corners in this league. His place is in the slot where he can do his damage against lesser opponents like Victor Cruz does.

[Frosty]

Originally Posted by OldSchool

Cooks was ineffective when he lined up against Ekpre Olomu. I'm from California, I went to UC Berkeley. I'm well aware of the fact that Cooks feasted on inferior CB talent in the Pac-12. The only true potential starting NFL level corner that Cooks faced was Ekpre Olomu out of Oregon. Here were the targets he had against Ekpre Olomu.

1st target: 8 yard hitch, complete for 1st down. 0 YAC.

2nd target: 6 yard in route, result- Pass broken up by Ekpre Olomu, Cooks stopped his route cause he had nowhere to go.

3rd target: Deep post in the end zone, result- INT by Ekpre Olomu, no separation created by Cooks. He didn't even fight for the ball and Olomu is just as small as he is.

4th target: Another post about 10 yards, result: Incomplete pass broken up by Ekpre Olomu, again, Cooks had zero separation against the only potential NFL starting caliber CB he faced.

Etc etc. Get the picture? Whenever Cooks lined up outside against a good CB, he couldn't do anything. His only real damage that he did against Oregon in that game was via little underneath screen plays or against the significantly less talented Terrence Mitchell. Cooks is not a #1 WR and should not be thought of as such. He will not have consistent success going up against #1 cover corners in this league. His place is in the slot where he can do his damage against lesser opponents like Victor Cruz does.

You make it sound like Ekpre Olomu covered him one on one in the Civil War. The Ducks rolled their coverage towards Cooks and did everything they could to take him out of the game. They paid so much attention to Cooks, the Beavers were able to run at will, something they hadn't been able to do all season.

The Cal connections explains a lot.

[OldSchool]

Originally Posted by Frosty

You make it sound like Ekpre Olomu covered him one on one in the Civil War. The Ducks rolled their coverage towards Cooks and did everything they could to take him out of the game. They paid so much attention to Cooks, the Beavers were able to run at will, something they hadn't been able to do all season.

The Cal connections explains a lot.

On those plays he lined up with Olomu and it didn't matter who might have been way on top, he still failed to get separation when Olomu was sticking him. Against Terrence Mitchell, Cooks did significantly better. Sorry if Cooks isn't a #1 but he just isn't. I know you're a Beaver but don't be blinded. Cooks will be a tremendous slot player, I just don't think his home in the NFL is on the outside; at least, not if you want him to be as effective and successful as possible.

[saphojunkie]

Originally Posted by Frosty

Riley doesn't play his freshmen very much. The Beavers were also uber-bad that year, with a freshman QB (who played out of necessity).

For the Chiefs, I personally believe that a fast TE or a pass rushing OLB would have the biggest impact on the Chiefs. My post was more about being a fan of Cooks.

I was actually talking about Tayvon Austin last year in St. Louis. Personally I never really liked that pick. I know he's a playmaker, but that team needed a workhorse.

The funny thing is that they'll probably get one now in either Watkins or Evans. And then Tayvon will blow up.

Which could be Cooks for us... But I think I'd just rather go with Beckham or Lee - someone who can take over for Bowe in a couple years. I'm not saying Cooks is a gimmick WR - he's definitely not a midget like McCluster or Devon Wylie (!), but I'm just... I don't know.

****ing Baldwin has just made me totally gunshy on receivers across the board. But we absolutely need one.