Malcolm Kelly's knees are a concern (1 Viewer)

NFL Network's Mike Mayock reports that both of Oklahoma WR Malcolm Kelly's knees "are of such concern" that he may be removed from some teams' draft boards in April.

Kelly got hurt in both the Sooners' bowl games the past two years. He hasn't participated in any pre-draft events. Kelly plans to run privately on April 9. Mayock hints that there is a good chance Kelly, the No. 1 receiver in the draft according to some internet services, will go in round two. Mar. 24 - 6:59 pm et

That would really be too bad.

Good news for Sweed, Thomas, Jackson, Manningham, and Harvey, though.

Been discussing this for over a week in EBF's top 24 thread.

Looks more and more like a team or two will reach for a WR in round one when they really shouldn't.

yea Johnny U whats wrong w/you, we can only talk about this once a month....lol

ok back to kelly, maybe this will drop his draft status down a bit, but think he will still go in fantasy 1st rd.

Jason Wood said:

Looks more and more like a team or two will reach for a WR in round one when they really shouldn't.

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I agree. It looks like they're all a little overrated. Some have nice ceilings, but none have floors comfortable enough for... say a top 20-25 pick, imo. Very late in the first round I think whoever is rated highest makes sense for a solid team in need of WR help. I could understand taking Desean earlier for his special teams ability. That's about it.Oddly I think the same can be said of a dynasty rook draft. It doesn't make sense to grab a WR until very late in the first round... picks 10-12 maybe. Of course the draft will probably downgrade a back or two and create some momentum for a WR.

roughrider said:

yea Johnny U whats wrong w/you, we can only talk about this once a month....lolok back to kelly, maybe this will drop his draft status down a bit, but think he will still go in fantasy 1st rd.

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Sorry you misunderstood. There's good links, input and information on this in EBFs thread which is on page one. I was just directing those interested to the discussion, not calling honda. I agree with what EBF is saying in that thread and it's too early to speculate about NFL or fantasy first round. Let's see how he does on the 9th and where he goes in the draft. It's been a very mysterious off season for Kelly.

Chaos Commish said:

Jason Wood said:

Looks more and more like a team or two will reach for a WR in round one when they really shouldn't.

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I agree. It looks like they're all a little overrated. Some have nice ceilings, but none have floors comfortable enough for... say a top 20-25 pick, imo. Very late in the first round I think whoever is rated highest makes sense for a solid team in need of WR help. I could understand taking Desean earlier for his special teams ability. That's about it.

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You keep saying that. And you may be right. But how much better of a prospect than these guys was Braylon Edwards, the 3rd overall pick in 2005?I really don't know, I'm just asking.Edit: I guess he was pretty good...

Led the team in receiving as a senior, totaling 97/1,330/15, winning All-America honors as well as the Biletnikoff Award. Junior totals included 85/1138/14.

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These WRs aren't any worse than Bowe/Meachem/Gonzo/Davis.

I wouldn't mind my team taking one of these guys in the 10-30 range.

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Andy Dufresne said:

Chaos Commish said:

Jason Wood said:

Looks more and more like a team or two will reach for a WR in round one when they really shouldn't.

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I agree. It looks like they're all a little overrated. Some have nice ceilings, but none have floors comfortable enough for... say a top 20-25 pick, imo. Very late in the first round I think whoever is rated highest makes sense for a solid team in need of WR help. I could understand taking Desean earlier for his special teams ability. That's about it.

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You keep saying that. And you may be right. But how much better of a prospect than these guys was Braylon Edwards, the 3rd overall pick in 2005?I really don't know, I'm just asking.

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Lightyears. I think a great compare is Roy Williams to Sweed. Many like to say Sweed is a lot like Roy. That's a pipe dream, imo. I will admit I think Hardy and Kelly have some seriously high ceilings, but those floors are pretty low, where with Roy and Braylon you pretty much knew you had a productive starter with a very high grade. I like the old grading system at NFL Draftscout. Anything 92 and above is a very good near franchise grade, and I would say Roy and Braylon were both in the 93-94 range. 90 is pretty much a guaranteed starter maybe a #2 though. I would give a healthy sub 4.5 Kelly a 90, Hardy and Sweed 88s or so, and Thomas is a mystery to me, but an 88 also. Braylon and Roy were like Charles Rogers good in college.

EBF said:

These WRs aren't any worse than Bowe/Meachem/Gonzo/Davis. I wouldn't mind my team taking one of these guys in the 10-30 range.

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Probably not a great deal of difference, but the key is how close does say Buffalo at 11 think that its top (Thomas, hardy,etc) is to so-called next teir of Caldwell, Bennett. In my mind, the gap between Wr1 and Wr 8 to 10 is as small as I can remember.

EBF said:

These WRs aren't any worse than Bowe/Meachem/Gonzo/Davis. I wouldn't mind my team taking one of these guys in the 10-30 range.

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Bowe (1.23)Meachem (1.27)Davis (1.30)Gonzalez (1.32)I don't think we disagree here. Kelly would be a mid 1st rounder absent the knee issues (and may still be if a team is convinced it's a non issue); and the other three were tail end of the 1st round. I also think you have to consider the relative strength of other positions in a given draft. This year, I don't see how there are four WRs (much less the 6 we saw last year) that would grade out as 1st rounders.

Jason Wood said:

EBF said:

These WRs aren't any worse than Bowe/Meachem/Gonzo/Davis. I wouldn't mind my team taking one of these guys in the 10-30 range.

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Bowe (1.23)Meachem (1.27)Davis (1.30)Gonzalez (1.32)I don't think we disagree here. Kelly would be a mid 1st rounder absent the knee issues (and may still be if a team is convinced it's a non issue); and the other three were tail end of the 1st round. I also think you have to consider the relative strength of other positions in a given draft. This year, I don't see how there are four WRs (much less the 6 we saw last year) that would grade out as 1st rounders.

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IMO, the WR talent is a little underrated this year. I think these guys are worth a first round pick:KellyHardyThomasJacksonMost people would also include Sweed in that group. Some teams may have Manningham or Caldwell rated as a late first rounder. I think we could see 4-6 receivers picked in the first frame. There's no shortage of teams with a need at the position (Buffalo, Tennessee, Washington, Philadelphia, Dallas, etc).

I think (hope) Buffalo goes DB in the 1st and WR in the 2nd. There will be 2-3 good WR's available when the Bills pick in the 2nd round.

EBF said:

I think we could see 4-6 receivers picked in the first frame. There's no shortage of teams with a need at the position (Buffalo, Tennessee, Washington, Philadelphia, Dallas, etc).

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I don't disagree with this. In fact, I think the need is creating what I sense as an overrating of who appear to be the top WRs. No less than four of these guys are being discussed (with excitement by Bills fans) for the 11th pick. Four of these guys are ten picks better than Bowe in a draft stronger at other positions than 07? Hmm. Not buying it. I think we're looking at this differently, because we're pretty close to agreeing on the talent level best as I can tell. Oddly, I seem to like Manningham and Sweed more than you without much argument about the others, but I see the class in general less valuable. I agree with what coolnerd said about the gap between the top and the guys at the bottom of the top 10. I've never seen it so tight. And it continues with this class beyond the top 10. I see names in the 20-30 range on some lists who have nice NFL potential. The top is what I see overrated. None of them are ten picks better than Bowe. None of them are better picks than Bowe at all (though Hardy and Kelly have similar upside). There is no Calvin to be part of the 5 or 6 1st rounders. They are reaches in the top 20 compared to better prospects at other positions. I understand teams forego best available player to meet needs, and I expect it to happen in the draft at WR when potentially equal and better prospects will go in the 2nd and 3rd rounds. So I see the top a little (I do always say a little) overrated and the depth very underrated. Take a defensive player, RB or OL before any of these WRs in the first round, and get a WR later -- you have a better overall take that way. The depth makes this a good crop of WRs, not the guys at the top, imo.

Chaos Commish said:

So I see the top a little (I do always say a little) overrated and the depth very underrated. Take a defensive player, RB or OL before any of these WRs in the first round, and get a WR later -- you have a better overall take that way. The depth makes this a good crop of WRs, not the guys at the top, imo.

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That is the biggest thing in my eyes. Teams can afford to pass on a 1st round WR this year more so than last year.