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Up to speed Draft weekend could be dominated by wide receiversPosted: Wednesday March 27, 2002 12:19 PM
This year's wide receiver crop has some tremendous speed and size. I don't think six wideouts will go in the first round like last year, but I think 15 will be selected on the first day and upwards of 30 will have pro contracts to sign once the draft is over. If speed is a premium, Tennessee's Donte Stallworth will pop out at you. He recorded a 4.2 40 for the scouts and at 6-foot-1 192 pounds he's got size to go along with his feet. His hands are above average and he's capable of taking on a safety in the running game. As hard as it is to believe, Hawaii's Ashley Lelie may be faster. One wide receiver coach I spoke with said he's capable of sub 4.2 40's on a consistent basis. That's Olympic track speed and he's got it. At 6-foot-3, he can catch and stretch the field. As fast as Stallworth and Lelie are, they are both still going to have to learn to get off press coverage. NFL corners are not going to let these speed demons run free. Virginia Tech's Andre Davis stayed in school for his senior year and developed some technique to beat the press. With 4.3 speed, Davis is an excellent kick returner and, if he can stay healthy, would be a steal in the second round. Florida's Jabbar Gaffney is the top receiver spot on most draft boards but his small hands concern some scouts. Coaches love his route running and his 4.48 40 is fast enough. I always like guys who can create separation on their breaks and Gaffney may be the best in this draft at doing just that. He reminds me of Travis Taylor, another Gator who went to Baltimore in the first round two years ago. With a 4.49 40, Gaffney's teammate Reche Caldwell is probably a second-round selection, though some Florida people say he's run 4.3 for them. If that's the case, in the next few weeks Caldwell will jump into the first round. LSU's Josh Reed caught 94 passes last fall and ran 4.4 this spring. According to two personnel directors with whom I spoke, Reed was the best interview at the combine. This former running back is the guy you want to hit with a short crossing route -- his skills can do the rest. He'll be a slot receiver on third down right away in the NFL, plus I expect him to be a threat on the reverse. He has a chance to be a combination of Peter Warrick and Marvin Harrison. Two excellent receivers who were solid first-round selections have slipped after their individual workouts. Some teams were scared off Michigan's Marquis Walker after he ran 4.6 but he plays faster than his speed would indicate. His 6-3 size is intriguing and if a team already has its speed receivers, he'd be a fit. I've saved the best for last. Pittsburgh's Antonio Bryant would have been the No. 1 receiver on most boards but he disappointed scouts with a significant dropoff in production last fall and slow times this spring (though people at Pitt swear Bryant has run 4.3 on numerous occasions). Some call him an underachiever, but others feel the sky's the limit. As one receiver coach said to me, "I wouldn't match this guy up with Randy Moss for obvious reasons, but I would love to see him with a character guys like Tim Brown and Jerry Rice." The run on receivers won't start until the middle of the first round at the earliest. Quite frankly, there will still be some very good value players at this position in the second and third rounds where teams can pick up speed players like Florida State's Javon Walker and Utah's Cliff Russell. Both of those players can run under 4.4 for a lot less money. As one longtime NFL receivers coach said to me, "If you wanted to start a world-class track team, this is the year to do it." Pat Kirwan, who spent 12 years as a pro football coach, scout and personnel administrator, is an NFL analyst for CNN/Sports Illustrated and CNNSI.com.
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