From twitter: art_stapleton Odell Beckham Jr. went to same high school as Eli Manning, talks to Rueben Randle regularly + said he emulates Victor Cruz. #NYG 5/7/14 12:30 PM Bradway, please tell me why the Beckham - Cruz comparison is invalid? Seems like Beckham has a solid understanding of the type of player he is and who plays a similar style game.
The real argument here should be Cooks vs Watkins. here's my top 5 Evans Cooks Matthews Watkins Latimer/Robinson OBJ, Lee, I like both of them, but neither is a first round pick. someone will buy the hype and take obj early. Lee will go in the second. really both should go in the late second or third round of a deep draft like this one. the guys I listed above are first round grade with Latimer/Robinson coming in as borderline late firsts to seconds.
Well this is Mehta but if true doesn't sound all that good. Manish Mehta @MMehtaNYDN 2m Respected talent evaluator told me WR Brandin Cooks' size/playing style reminiscent of Jacoby Ford. Cooks has better hands/toughness #nyj
I am not sure that I put Watkins below the other guys but I do feel that of those names above, beckham has the most risk of being a bust. I honestly think Davonte Adams who scored 24 touch downs in the 2nd or Landry who has probably best hands in the draft and would have been a higher pick than obj if he had a faster to time in 3rd round are better values than some of these first round guys. Given Idziks draft last year I'm confident he'll make a good pick now that he has had a year with his own scouts esp given the Richardson pick
There's no way you can convince me Cooks or especially Matthews are better prospects than Watkins. I'm not convinced Watkins is the elite of the elite, but I still think he's the best receiver in the draft. Especially Matthews, and I like him... Beckham's numbers aren't as good as Cooks' because he wasn't the clear-cut #1 (or in a clear pass-first offense), but I'll take him over Cooks. Both are elite after the catch, but Beckham is bigger, stronger, has better hands, better against the press, better on special teams and more versatile offensively than Cooks. I wouldn't trade up for Beckham if I had to give up more than a late round pick to move up. But he's the guy I want at 18 if most of the usual suspects are gone.
http://prod.www.lions.clubs.nfl.com...Megatron/b714ad59-07db-4acb-8c56-086e8d3bc33d Comparisons from players really don't mean much - didn't want to jump in but I had to.
No way in hell is Lee a 2nd round pick. He was the best receiver in 2012, Watkins became the best in 2013 because Lee got hurt. If Lee were healthy last season, he would be a top 10 pick no doubt about it (along with Watkins). OBJ might be a 2nd rounder, but his measurable put him in the first round. Robinson is def not better, and I like Robinson a lot.
Ok.. I respect you as a poster but I've bit my tongue about this subject for long enough. You can't expect to come on a draft board & convince an audience that the only thing that matters when evaluating talent is production & where somebody may or may not fall on a depth chart. You pulled this same rabbit out last year w/ Jarvis Jones Vs. Barkevious Mingo..it's still early but how's that working out for you? This isn't baseball. 10 guys don't stand around picking at their jock straps while points are scored & plays are made. This is a team game. There are countless variables that affect a player's success/failure/role.You think an established Nfl veteran is worried about how many receptions a guy had or if he was the #1 at State U? That stuff means absolutely NOTHING the second he gets drafted. It's a new league, new surrounding & a new set of variables. No.It isn't an exact science. You have to look at the entire body of work..yes including stats. But measurables,character,game tape,practice footage, workouts...it all matters. It's all up for discussion & it all plays a part. What gets me is you're so dead set on this production nonsense yet you refuse to even look at the whole picture within THAT very aspect. You solely reference the # of receptions & Tds. Sorry buddy.This isn't runs scored & OBP.This isn't money ball. This is a team game. If you really wanna make this about stats why do you leave out all purpose yards,yards per reception & other facets that shine favorably onto Beckham's game? If Landry is so much better than Beckham as the supposed "#1" why wasn't he returning kicks instead of Beckham? You claim this is all about being "The man". If Landry was truly "The man" that'd mean somewhere down the line he'd be the guy w/ superior ball skills..making him the obvious choice to be the returner..but he wasn't. If being the "#1" is so important why is Beckham the consensus superior prospect to Landry? It certainly wasn't his combine so don't even DARE throw "workout warrior" into the discussion. Beckham's workout was above average for the class..but certainly not elite. The "#1" WR prospect you are talking about. This "STar"...you've never given us a baseline of what exactly you mean.You keep wanting to make it about receptions & Tds...but how many? You referred to Terry Glenn as this all world prospect who had a measily 5 more receptions in his best year against inferior competition & a better surrounding cast. I'll take this "star #1 WR" a step further. When's the last time a "Star #1 WR" won a super bowl? And don't give me Indy 2007 or STL in 2000. If you're gonna claim Moss/Wayne were complimentary receievers, the same standard applies to Harrison/Wayne & Bruce/Holt. As someone who has screamed for nearly a decade for the Jets to address their skill position woes...I'm all for upgrading the position & finding a star. But I don't care about labels & I don't care if he had 1000 receptions in college. I also have absolutely NO problem w/ getting your dreaded "Complimentary" receiver. That is what has proven to work in the NFL. A group of WR's that are capable of different skills that when fit together open up space for plays to be made.You can shut down one guy. You can't shut down a truly complimentary group. Playmakers come in all different shapes, sizes & roles. That's what I want..a playmaker. Not a stat sheet darling.
NFL: AroundTheLeague @NFL_ATL 2m Brandin Cooks: I feel like the Jets are "pushing for me" http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000347411/article/brandin-cooks-believes-jets-are-pushing-for-him?campaign=Twitter_atl…
Looking forward to picking Marqivin Prooks based on everyone the Jets are pushing to draft... I agree with Kurt's post regarding receivers. There's more to it than production, especially just receptions and touchdowns. Beckham doesn't have to be a 'true #1 WR,' whatever that means. He just needs to be a very good receiver who can make big plays. To me, he can do just about everything Cooks can do and more, even if the raw stats don't back that up.
Thanks for posting this!!! I really, really want the Jets to get Cooks more than I've wanted them to take any player in the draft over the last 5-10 years. I think this kid is gonna be a star.
You guys are just as bad as Bradway though. While he is completely ignoring measureables, you are completely ignoring production. You have to account for both in the equation. Do you realize how contradictory this statement is? If OBJ's measureables put him in the first round, then for certain Lee's measureables put him into the second because they are the definition of good/solid NOT great. IMO this is why they both should fall from the first, OBJ has the measureables but none of the production. Lee has had production but he does not have the measureables.
What the Jets desperately need on offense is home run hitting power. The Jets have several players capable of being productive but not much in the way of big play making ability. Kerley has some, and Chris Johnson could be that guy IF he's healthy... there's still plenty of room for the Jets to get someone in the draft who could fill that space for the next several years. It seems like Beckham and Cooks both have that ability.
I have my doubts about whether Jacoby Ford will even make the opening day roster. Still, in all likelihood Clyde Gates will be gone and that alone is progress.
in I'm not ignoring production. You can't ignore production entirely. But there are much better indicators for NFL success than college stats. I just have always liked the way Beckham has played. He never felt like a small receiver because he is long and plays aggressively when the ball is in the air and in his hands. And he's not undersized. Cooks is. 10 pounds and an inch and a half isn't a huge deal, but it has to be considered. Especially when Cooks isn't as physical. Cooks had much more of an opportunity to make plays in the passing game because Oregon State threw the ball more in a conference that was more wide open defensively. If Beckham had Cooks' targets, I think he'd be a lock top-15 pick. I get the Cooks-Austin comparison, too. I preferred Austin because he was much better with the ball in his hands than Cooks is. However, I'd rather have a guy I trust more as an outside receiver and that's Beckham. And he offers many of the same things Cooks does in terms of getting yards after the catch, and he's a better returner.
I have no problem with you comparing the two of them as long as you get that comparing a UDFA to a guy you wanted drafted in the 1st round is insane.
