What's wrong with Mecole Hardman - Part 2

[dlphg9]

Spoiler alert!

Nothing is wrong with him! Unless you consider Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce as being a problem.

Mecole was 3rd on the team in targets (62), rec yards (560), and rec TDs (4). Those stats are right in line with any other teams 3rd most productive receiver and none of those other teams had 2 guys that were 1st team AP in front of that guy.

Green Bay Packers #1 ranked scoring offense
3rd most productive receiving option
Robert Tonyan - 59 targets, 52 rec, 586 yds

Top 2 options
Targets - 212
Rec - 148
Yards - 2064

Buffalo Bills #2 ranked scoring offense
3rd most productive receiving option
Gabriel Davis - 62 targets, 35 rec, 599 yds

Top 2 options
Targets - 273
Rec - 209
Yards - 2502

Tampa Bay Buccaneers #3 ranked scoring offense
3rd most productive receiving option
Rob Gronkowski - 77 targets, 45 rec, 623 yds

Top 2 options
Targets - 193
Rec - 135
Yards - 1846

Tennessee Titans #4 ranked scoring offense
3rd most productive receiving option
Jonnu Smith - 65 targets, 41 rec, 448 yds

Top 2 options
Targets - 198
Rec - 135
Yards - 2059

New Orleans Saints #5 ranked scoring offense
3rd most productive receiving option
Jared Cook - 60 targets, 37 rec, 504 yds

Top 2 options
Targets - 189
Rec - 144
Yards - 1482

Baltimore Ravens #7 ranked scoring offense
3rd most productive receiving option
Willie Snead - 48 targets, 33 rec, 432 yds

Top 2 options
Targets - 188
Rec - 116
Yards - 1470

Seattle Seahawks #8 ranked scoring offense
3rd most productive receiving option
David Moore - 47 targets, 35 rec, 417 yds

Top 2 options
Targets - 261
Rec - 183
Yards - 2357

Indianapolis Colts #9 ranked scoring offense
3rd most productive receiving option
Michael Pittman Jr. - 61 targets, 40 rec, 503 yds

Top 2 options
Targets - 164
Rec - 99
Yards - 1391

Las Vegas Raiders #10 ranked scoring offense
3rd most productive receiving option
Hunter Renfrow - 77 targets, 56 rec, 656 yds

Top 2 options
Targets - 227
Rec - 155
Yards - 2092

Average for top 10 scoring offense's 3rd most productive receiving option :

Targets - 62
Receptions - 41
Yards - 530

Average for top 10 scoring offense's top 2 most productive receiving options combined :

Targets - 212
Receptions - 147
Yards - 1918


This is how Hardman stacks up against the other teams 3rd receiving option

Targets - 62 (62 avg)
Receptions - 41 (41 avg)
Yards - 560 (530 avg)

Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce combined

Targets - 280 (most in group)
Receptions - 192 (2nd most in group)
Yards - 2692 (most in group)

So what we can see from these stats above is that nothing is up with Mecole Hardman. His targets and reception matched the average of the 9 other top offenses 3rd receiving option and he was above average in yards, but the big huge difference is Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill just happen to be on the same team as him. Those two have 68 more combined targets, 45 more combined receptions, and 774 more combined yards than the others teams top 2 receiving threats.

TLDR;

Nothing is wrong, he's right in line with the other teams 3rd most productive pass catchers. Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce are monsters and the best pass catching duo in a long ass time.

PS:

Seriously Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce are so good! There was only 11 QBs with more TD passes than those 2 had receiving TDs.

PSS:

****ing Cam Newton started 15 games and had 45 less passing yards than Hill and Kelce had rec yards in the same amount of games!

PSSS:

****ing MVP Lamar had 65 more passing yards than Hill and Kelce had rec yards and they tied for the same amount of passing TDs to receiving TDs.

[bigjosh]

Saying hardman and dk are interchangeable is a joke.

Dk has way more physical talent, size, ball tracking ability and ability to catch contested passes.

Hardman may be quicker in and out of breaks, but thats probably one of the only things he does better than metcalf.

If we had dk, we would have two legit number 1 receivers and the best TE in the game.

[Coochie liquor]

Let’s see how Hardman does after a real offseason and learning before we call him a bust.

[Gary Cooper]

Wasn't he the one that lined up in the neutral zone on the field goal?

Game was 10-3 at that time. They take the points off the board and make it 14-3 with a TD instead. Big moment in the game.

[Bl00dyBizkitz]

He's got good stats and he's on the perfect team to maximize his talent.

But his mental mistakes just kinda negate a lot of that progress.

[OKchiefs]

Originally Posted by Bl00dyBizkitz

He's got good stats and he's on the perfect team to maximize his talent.

But his mental mistakes just kinda negate a lot of that progress.

This.

Look beyond the stats. Sure, his numbers are alright for a #3 or #4 option on the team.

Just look at his most recent game. It's pretty damn obvious the team had no faith in him catching punts. He's more likely to fumble the punt, fair catch it at the 5 yard line, or try and return when he should fair catch and get blown up than actually do something positive.

On offense he still is little more than a gadget player. He had a good game or two during the year, but in the Super Bowl he was absolutely lost. He hasn't been on the same page all year with Mahomes. That's on Hardman, not Mahomes.

Any of Metcalf, Diontae Johnson, or McLaurin would all be getting talked about as a good option for the #2 spot this year if they hadn't already locked it down. Hardman will possibly never be anything better than a #3 receiver and gadget player.

It's not the end of the world, but let's not try to make Hardman out to be more than he is. There were multiple better receivers available, not just Metcalf.

[KChiefs1]

Originally Posted by JudasRising20

Wasn't he the one that lined up in the neutral zone on the field goal?

Game was 10-3 at that time. They take the points off the board and make it 14-3 with a TD instead. Big moment in the game.

Hardman is a moron...fast but a moron.

[htismaqe]

McLaurin is literally the definition of #1 WR by default.

McLaurin wouldn't have come close to that kind of production in KC, sitting in the pecking order behind everybody else.

[Deberg_1990]

He is what he is. A decent #2-3 WR.

He will never be a star. Not every guy can be a star at the NFL level.

I’m ok with him for now.

[Bl00dyBizkitz]

Originally Posted by KChiefs1

Hardman is a moron...fast but a moron.

Yeah I subscribe to this. He's just kinda stupid, and it shows on the field.

[OKchiefs]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

McLaurin is literally the definition of #1 WR by default.

McLaurin wouldn't have come close to that kind of production in KC, sitting in the pecking order behind everybody else.

I don't disagree. I know none of these other guys would be necessarily putting up the same stats here. But they all also have seemingly shown growth and as far as I know aren't making the same boneheaded mistakes almost 40 games into their NFL careers.

The way I phrased it is that each of them would probably have fans and coaches comfortable that they had the #2 receiver position locked down heading into 2021. As it is we're more likely to see Robinson, Watkins, Pringle, a rookie, or a FA line up at the #2 spot than Hardman in 2021.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by OKchiefs

I don't disagree. I know none of these other guys would be necessarily putting up the same stats here. But they all also have seemingly shown growth and as far as I know aren't making the same boneheaded mistakes almost 40 games into their NFL careers.

The way I phrased it is that each of them would probably have fans and coaches comfortable that they had the #2 receiver position locked down heading into 2021. As it is we're more likely to see Robinson, Watkins, Pringle, a rookie, or a FA line up at the #2 spot than Hardman in 2021.

The thing is, put Hardman in McLaurin's situation and McLaurin in KC and we might be having this conversation in reverse.

You can't just look at things in a vacuum. Hardman's development may be hindered by the team dynamic itself. We just don't know.

[OKchiefs]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

The thing is, put Hardman in McLaurin's situation and McLaurin in KC and we might be having this conversation in reverse.

You can't just look at things in a vacuum. Hardman's development may be hindered by the team dynamic itself. We just don't know.

A lot of conjecture there. Sure, there are a lot of unknown variables. What I can comfortably say is that KC has seemed to draft several receivers in recent years that simply aren't smart football players. Hardman is not an intelligent football player. Demarcus Robinson constantly makes mental errors on the field. I don't know if it's the receivers coach or just bad luck, but aside from Tyreek Hill we haven't seen a whole lot of growth and development from our receivers.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by OKchiefs

A lot of conjecture there. Sure, there are a lot of unknown variables. What I can comfortably say is that KC has seemed to draft several receivers in recent years that simply aren't smart football players. Hardman is not an intelligent football player. Demarcus Robinson constantly makes mental errors on the field. I don't know if it's the receivers coach or just bad luck, but aside from Tyreek Hill we haven't seen a whole lot of growth and development from our receivers.

Which suggests there might be something about the system that is an issue and not just Mecole Hardman. See what I'm getting at?

[OKchiefs]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

Which suggests there might be something about the system that is an issue and not just Mecole Hardman. See what I'm getting at?

I do see what you're saying, but the system isn't changing. There has to be more cerebral players available. It's not surprising that an incredibly young receiver without much history or experience at WR is still not showing much growth. I'd prefer in the future we place an emphasis on receivers with proven route running ability, at least when you're drafting in the first few rounds.

[BWillie]

Remember when we drafted him and I said it was a big mistake based on who else was available and that he was just a fast guy who played football. Yeah I member. You guys jumped down my throat because I didn't pump out the pure positivity that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.