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2010 Rookie Draft Picks, Looking Ahead! (1 Viewer)

Yes, but even in this age of Chris Johnson and Jamaal Charles, McCluster is tiny. I just don't see him becoming more than a niche player at RB in the NFL. He's someone you can move around the field and use as a versatile speed threat getting a few opportunites per game, but he's not a franchise back at the next level. Devine looks more like an NFL RB to me.

 
Another name to watch is UCONN RB, Andre Dixon. Solid all around back, he can catch and runs very hard. He split time with Donald Brown 2 years ago and was 2nd team all Big East that year. He had a very poor offseason last year and Donald Brown never gave his job back. Dixon worked his tail off and had a very nice year. He could be a riser leading up to the draft. Can go anywhere from 4-7 round, IMO.

 
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Yes, but even in this age of Chris Johnson and Jamaal Charles, McCluster is tiny. I just don't see him becoming more than a niche player at RB in the NFL. He's someone you can move around the field and use as a versatile speed threat getting a few opportunites per game, but he's not a franchise back at the next level. Devine looks more like an NFL RB to me.
I'm not disagreeing. I said he would be drafted at wr after his monster game got people talking. I just liked the comparison in a conversation with Devine. hope some team sees fit to take advantage of what both can do. eta to add: I argue against the whole notion that some backs can and can't carry the load. Give McCluster 30 carries and guess what he'll do? Carry it 30 times. Same goes for Sproles, Felix, Jerome Harrison, Reggie Bush, and Noel Devine.
 
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Another name to watch is UCONN RB, Andre Dixon. Solid all around back, he can catch and runs very hard. He split time with Donald Brown 2 years ago and was 2nd team all Big East that year. He had a very poor offseason last year and Donald Brown never gave his job back. Dixon worked his tail off and had a very nice year. He could be a riser leading up to the draft. Can go anywhere from 4-7 round, IMO.
I don't see it, personally. If you want a RB sleeper from the Big East, I say it's Delone Carter from Syracuse (2011 draft).
 
eta to add: I argue against the whole notion that some backs can and can't carry the load. Give McCluster 30 carries and guess what he'll do? Carry it 30 times. Same goes for Sproles, Felix, Jerome Harrison, Reggie Bush, and Noel Devine.
Some of the guys you named aren't that small and might eventually become franchise backs.The others just aren't very good at consistently getting the tough yards. I don't think McCluster will be either. He makes Chris Johnson look like Jonathan Stewart. He gets the ball a ton at Ole Miss by necessity, but he won't be the best player on his NFL team and he won't be force fed the ball all day.
 
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Another name to watch is UCONN RB, Andre Dixon. Solid all around back, he can catch and runs very hard. He split time with Donald Brown 2 years ago and was 2nd team all Big East that year. He had a very poor offseason last year and Donald Brown never gave his job back. Dixon worked his tail off and had a very nice year. He could be a riser leading up to the draft. Can go anywhere from 4-7 round, IMO.
I don't see it, personally. If you want a RB sleeper from the Big East, I say it's Delone Carter from Syracuse (2011 draft).
I have said on previous posts how much I like Carter. On paper, people might see his ypc and not see a solid back. But watching the games shows something completely different. Great vision. He just plays behind an atrocious line. He suffered some really major lower body injuries the last couple of years. If he can gain that speed back, look out. He reminds me alot of Ray Rice (as a runner), but he is just missing that burst right now.
 
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Another name to watch is UCONN RB, Andre Dixon. Solid all around back, he can catch and runs very hard. He split time with Donald Brown 2 years ago and was 2nd team all Big East that year. He had a very poor offseason last year and Donald Brown never gave his job back. Dixon worked his tail off and had a very nice year. He could be a riser leading up to the draft. Can go anywhere from 4-7 round, IMO.
I don't see it, personally.
He is a north south runner who can catch. I don't see him as a full time starter at the next level, but his all around game makes him a solid backup.
 
Announcers acting as if Mallett is hurting his prospects enough to come back.

No chance of that, is there? What's his latest projection?

 
One thing that scares me about taking Devine is that I think at some point he will be suspended by the league. May end up in prison. He is an amazing athlete and RB.

Now cue the West Virginia fans to tell me he is misunderstood.

 
Announcers acting as if Mallett is hurting his prospects enough to come back.No chance of that, is there? What's his latest projection?
I have seen him as top 10-15 player and maybe as the best QB coming out. I will just say that Jake Locker was in that range until NFL advisory committee said he was a 2nd rounder.
 
Another name to watch is UCONN RB, Andre Dixon. Solid all around back, he can catch and runs very hard. He split time with Donald Brown 2 years ago and was 2nd team all Big East that year. He had a very poor offseason last year and Donald Brown never gave his job back. Dixon worked his tail off and had a very nice year. He could be a riser leading up to the draft. Can go anywhere from 4-7 round, IMO.
I don't see it, personally. If you want a RB sleeper from the Big East, I say it's Delone Carter from Syracuse (2011 draft).
I'd throw Isaiah Pead from Cincinnati into that mix as well (assuming he comes out after his junior year). With Pike/Gilyard leaving and a new coaching regime, look for the the Cats to rely more on this extremely talented kid. He's been clocked at 4.29.
 
doowain said:
I'd throw Isaiah Pead from Cincinnati into that mix as well (assuming he comes out after his junior year). With Pike/Gilyard leaving and a new coaching regime, look for the the Cats to rely more on this extremely talented kid. He's been clocked at 4.29.
Ever notice how everybody's been "clocked" at a nice number just underneath the nearest tenth? No one ever gets timed at 4.40 or 4.50 in college, it's always just little bit better. Then the combine comes around, and 99% of players run below "their" time.No knock on Pead in particular (I don't know anything about him), just an observation based on many draft cycles.

 
One thing that scares me about taking Devine is that I think at some point he will be suspended by the league. May end up in prison. He is an amazing athlete and RB. Now cue the West Virginia fans to tell me he is misunderstood.
I'm really not sure what you are basing this "hunch" on. Devine has been a saint in college - his only transgression was being in a bar brawl that didn't even draw legal attention to any involved. Just because someone has a hard upbringing doesn't automatically flag him as having character issues.
 
After the top 4 RBs, i think the RBs in this class are rather weak. However, I'm starting to think this is gonna be a fantastic WR class.

Dez Bryant

Damian Williams

Dezmon Briscoe

Mardy Gilyard

Golden Tate

Arrelious Benn

Demaryious Thomas

Brandon LaFell

Mike Williams

Danario Alexander

These guys all have the potential to be FF WR1 or WR2. I think if you got a late first round pick you could trade back to the early-mid 2nd round and still get a very solid WR.

 
DeMaryius Thomas has a press conference for 1:15 today. He's going to declare for the draft. Originally said after the Clemson game he was going to stay but has changed his mind. Good decision as he will not improve his draft stock by staying.

 
DeMaryius Thomas has a press conference for 1:15 today. He's going to declare for the draft. Originally said after the Clemson game he was going to stay but has changed his mind. Good decision as he will not improve his draft stock by staying.
Thanks for posting, this will be a very, very interesting draft. I'm starting to feel as if I don't have enough draft picks.
 
Any thoughts on the relative strength of this draft versus 2011? From what I can see 2011 is shaping up to possibly have some real big names at the top (Locker, Mallett, Ingram, Green, J. Jones, Floyd). Looks to be a more top heavy year to me but looking for some thoughts from everyone else.

 
Any thoughts on the relative strength of this draft versus 2011? From what I can see 2011 is shaping up to possibly have some real big names at the top (Locker, Mallett, Ingram, Green, J. Jones, Floyd). Looks to be a more top heavy year to me but looking for some thoughts from everyone else.
Can people please stop putting J.Jones name up like he's still some great prospect. He's completely living off high school hype and has looked mediocre at best in college.As far as strength of class i think 2011 will be stronger at RB at the top but weaker depth wise for FF, although it's too early to really tell the depth of 2011 at this point.This current draft class doesn't have any super-studs, but the depth is shaping up very nicely. Lots of decent gambles at RB and WR, and there should be some nice QB's for those with late 1st/early 2nd round rookie picks.I know some people act like the 2009 WR class was deep, but this years is better IMO.
 
Any thoughts on the relative strength of this draft versus 2011? From what I can see 2011 is shaping up to possibly have some real big names at the top (Locker, Mallett, Ingram, Green, J. Jones, Floyd). Looks to be a more top heavy year to me but looking for some thoughts from everyone else.
Can people please stop putting J.Jones name up like he's still some great prospect. He's completely living off high school hype and has looked mediocre at best in college.As far as strength of class i think 2011 will be stronger at RB at the top but weaker depth wise for FF, although it's too early to really tell the depth of 2011 at this point.

This current draft class doesn't have any super-studs, but the depth is shaping up very nicely. Lots of decent gambles at RB and WR, and there should be some nice QB's for those with late 1st/early 2nd round rookie picks.

I know some people act like the 2009 WR class was deep, but this years is better IMO.
I haven't seen as much of Alabama as others I am sure, but don't you think it is hard to make a big impact when you have mediocre QBs who throw the ball 10-15 times a game?
 
Any thoughts on the relative strength of this draft versus 2011? From what I can see 2011 is shaping up to possibly have some real big names at the top (Locker, Mallett, Ingram, Green, J. Jones, Floyd). Looks to be a more top heavy year to me but looking for some thoughts from everyone else.
Can people please stop putting J.Jones name up like he's still some great prospect. He's completely living off high school hype and has looked mediocre at best in college.As far as strength of class i think 2011 will be stronger at RB at the top but weaker depth wise for FF, although it's too early to really tell the depth of 2011 at this point.

This current draft class doesn't have any super-studs, but the depth is shaping up very nicely. Lots of decent gambles at RB and WR, and there should be some nice QB's for those with late 1st/early 2nd round rookie picks.

I know some people act like the 2009 WR class was deep, but this years is better IMO.
I haven't seen as much of Alabama as others I am sure, but don't you think it is hard to make a big impact when you have mediocre QBs who throw the ball 10-15 times a game?
he does nothing when they throw the ball to him either.I have watched him every chance i've had since he's been in college and he just doesn't have great WR skills.

People love him because he was a top recruit, but he's flopped. He runs bad routes and doesn't have very good hands.

 
Can anyone compare and contrast the USC RBs McKnight and Johnson? What kind of grade would you give them for both the NFL draft as well as fantasy rookie drafts?

 
Can anyone compare and contrast the USC RBs McKnight and Johnson? What kind of grade would you give them for both the NFL draft as well as fantasy rookie drafts?
McKnight is the typical scat back. Good quickness and speed. Decent pass catching skills. Light frame. I personally don't think he has the potential to become a starter in the NFL based on what I saw of him in college, but he stepped up his game this season and the recent success of other small backs like Chris Johnson and Jamaal Charles offers some cause for optimism (although I don't think he's as explosive as those two). He could be a reasonably high draft pick in spite of his shortcomings. I'd venture to guess that he'll go anywhere between the 2nd-4th round. He'll probably be a 2nd round pick in most rookie drafts.Johnson is more of a wild card. He's about 5'11" with an alleged playing weight of 220. He's not a speed burner or a pure power back, but he excels in every facet of the game. His best trait is his foot quickness. He has very fluid hips and changes directions very well for his size. I would say he's similar to Pierre Thomas. I think his game will translate pretty well to the NFL level. His draft stock will depend on his health and his performance at the Senior Bowl. He's still recovering from throat reconstruction surgeries. He will have to prove that he can compete at a high level with no side effects or setbacks. He was given a 3rd round NFL draft grade by the advisory committee last year, but he'll probably fall into the 4th-7th range because of the questions about his health. He'll probably be a 2nd-3rd round pick in most rookie drafts.

McKnight:

 
We're seeing a lot of great underclassmen players declaring for the draft in recent days, so this year's rookie drafts should bring about a lot of debate. Is this a year where accumulating draft picks might be more important that ever? Or is it a time where clever owners can exploit the good rookie pool by offering picks for more proven players?

 
Jevan Snead reportedly coming out.Could be the next Charlie Whitehurst.
Awful decision. I don't think I've seen a QB regress as much as he did in a single year in my life. He has a lot to prove.
Goes to show how much Mike Wallace meant to that team, with their only other weapon McCluster declaring this year Snead has to make this move to try and save any value he may still have.
 
We're seeing a lot of great underclassmen players declaring for the draft in recent days, so this year's rookie drafts should bring about a lot of debate. Is this a year where accumulating draft picks might be more important that ever? Or is it a time where clever owners can exploit the good rookie pool by offering picks for more proven players?
I think it's a pretty average class. Much of the "depth" is sheer mediocrity.There will be some good players in this bunch like there are every year, but I don't think it's an exceptional group.
 
We're seeing a lot of great underclassmen players declaring for the draft in recent days, so this year's rookie drafts should bring about a lot of debate. Is this a year where accumulating draft picks might be more important that ever? Or is it a time where clever owners can exploit the good rookie pool by offering picks for more proven players?
I think it's a pretty average class. Much of the "depth" is sheer mediocrity.There will be some good players in this bunch like there are every year, but I don't think it's an exceptional group.
Yep, but don't let it stray you from acquiring picks. There is a lot of average talent in this draft that will be taken too early by dyno owners, but there is still some high upside here that many will pass by for mediocrity.I'm finding a way to get guys like LeFevour, Devlin, Alexander, and Demaryius Thomas on my rosters.
 
We're seeing a lot of great underclassmen players declaring for the draft in recent days, so this year's rookie drafts should bring about a lot of debate. Is this a year where accumulating draft picks might be more important that ever? Or is it a time where clever owners can exploit the good rookie pool by offering picks for more proven players?
I think it's a pretty average class. Much of the "depth" is sheer mediocrity.There will be some good players in this bunch like there are every year, but I don't think it's an exceptional group.
Who do you consider the studs of this class at each offensive position?
 
We're seeing a lot of great underclassmen players declaring for the draft in recent days, so this year's rookie drafts should bring about a lot of debate. Is this a year where accumulating draft picks might be more important that ever? Or is it a time where clever owners can exploit the good rookie pool by offering picks for more proven players?
I think it's a pretty average class. Much of the "depth" is sheer mediocrity.There will be some good players in this bunch like there are every year, but I don't think it's an exceptional group.
Who do you consider the studs of this class at each offensive position?
I think Dez Bryant is the only can't-miss prospect in this class. I will have full rookie rankings sometime in the next week or two.
 
Ga Tech has four juniors that are legit NFL prospects. D. Thomas has already declared. It's widely assumed that Derrick Morgan will declare. I've been told one more is likely to declare but it's not J. Dwyer. It's Morgan Burnett and Dwyer is on the fence. I will believe it when I see it but if any of you are making trades this week involving top rookie picks I would wait until Dwyer has officially declared before assuming he's in.

 
Ga Tech has four juniors that are legit NFL prospects. D. Thomas has already declared. It's widely assumed that Derrick Morgan will declare. I've been told one more is likely to declare but it's not J. Dwyer. It's Morgan Burnett and Dwyer is on the fence. I will believe it when I see it but if any of you are making trades this week involving top rookie picks I would wait until Dwyer has officially declared before assuming he's in.
Morgan, Dwyer, and Burnett are all declaring for the draft today.
 
Watching more footage of Matthews, I'm cooling on him a bit. A slower Mendenhall is what I see talent wise, which isn't bad. The issue I have is that he carries the ball way out from his body and exclusively in his left hand. If this isn't corrected PRONTO, he will have fumbling issues.

 
Just read that Arizona TE Rob Gronkowski is entering the draft even though he missed the season with an injury.

Some felt he was the top TE prospect in the country.

 
Just read that Arizona TE Rob Gronkowski is entering the draft even though he missed the season with an injury.Some felt he was the top TE prospect in the country.
Seems like you're always looking to deflect from Gresham as the top TE.....Gronkowski has never and will never be the #1 rated TE......He is at best #3, but possibly lower due to the injury issue as well as the emergence of guys like McCoy and Dickson in his own conference plus HernandezMy preliminary 2010 Rookie TE Rankings would shake out as follows....1. Jermaine Gresham - Oklahoma2. Aaron Hernandez - Florida3. Ed Dickson - Oregon4. Rob Gronkowski - Arizona5. Dennis Pitta - BYU6. Anthony McCoy - USCPretty talented group here that compares very favorably to last year's ('09) class, which could go down as one of the best TE classes ever if many of those guys fulfill their vast potential....but Gresham as a prospect is head and shoulders above any of the TEs in either the '09 or '10 classes, IMO
 
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I think we've established a long time ago that I'm not as high on Gresham as you are. You can keep insisting that he's the next Tony Gonzalez. That doesn't mean there's any merit to the claim.

Draft Scout had Gronkowski as the top TE in the 2011 class:

http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/dspro...1&genpos=TE

Gronkowski and Oklahoma’s Jermaine Gresham, who missed last season because of a knee injury, are considered the two most talented tight ends in the draft. Gronkowski could have applied for a medical redshirt at Arizona, so he leaves behind two years of eligibility. He said Friday he has hired powerhouse sports agent Drew Rosenhaus. - Anthony Gimino, The Tucson Citizen
I don't think there will be a clear consensus among pro personnel people that Gresham is "head and shoulders above" the rest of the TEs in the draft. Most of the rankings I've seen have him clustered pretty tightly together with guys like Hernandez and McCoy. Add Gronkowski into the mix and it's likely that the #1 TE on teams' boards will vary wildly.
 
I think we've established a long time ago that I'm not as high on Gresham as you are. You can keep insisting that he's the next Tony Gonzalez. That doesn't mean there's any merit to the claim.

Draft Scout had Gronkowski as the top TE in the 2011 class:

http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/dspro...1&genpos=TE

Gronkowski and Oklahoma’s Jermaine Gresham, who missed last season because of a knee injury, are considered the two most talented tight ends in the draft. Gronkowski could have applied for a medical redshirt at Arizona, so he leaves behind two years of eligibility. He said Friday he has hired powerhouse sports agent Drew Rosenhaus. - Anthony Gimino, The Tucson Citizen
I don't think there will be a clear consensus among pro personnel people that Gresham is "head and shoulders above" the rest of the TEs in the draft. Most of the rankings I've seen have him clustered pretty tightly together with guys like Hernandez and McCoy. Add Gronkowski into the mix and it's likely that the #1 TE on teams' boards will vary wildly.
Gresham has several things working in his favor that will become more evident to all as the evaluation and information process continues. First and foremost, he is the best "hands catcher" in the draft, amongst not only TEs, but also amongst all WRs and RBs as well. This guy catches the ball away from his body at an elite level already, which for big targets is a huge plus to have going for you as this trait alone allows a player to gain separation in traffic by extending their long arms, in his case, very long, out to catch balls away from potentially closely guarding defenders. Add that his hands are extremely strong and reliable. Next, by being such a huge guy, Gresham is viewed as an in-line TE, and combined with his athleticism and skill-level an in-line TE of his caliber is much more valued by NFL people. As an illustration, teams such as Cincinnati, Cleveland, Baltimore, N.E., amongst others good and bad, will highly value a guy of his skill-level in that many of these teams already have at least a good offensive line and are adept at running the ball (and consider the running game to be a vital part of their attack), so adding a TE who certainly has the body to be at least a pretty good blocker (and I also hear reports of his desire to be willing in this regard) is more valued to NFL teams, as evidenced by Pettigrew last year being the top-rated TE over the other more athletic H-Back/WR type TEs in the '09 draft. And Gresham is a much more fluid and dynamic athlete than Pettigrew at the same (or bigger) size, and I don't want to get off track and diminish his receiving skills by mentioning all of this blocking stuff, but the kid's receiving skills are truly elite and these teams, esp Cincy, Baltimore, N.E., Miami, and Cleveland will not lose sight of this.

Finally, I don't believe, although I am not a doctor, that his type of knee injury will be a major concern with regards to his long-term durability as the injury wasn't to any ligament IIRC. Whereas Gronkowski has had back surgery, and your back is as important of a body part as there is with regards to an athlete, or for that matter, with regards to any human period....Playing a sport with a bad knee vs a bad back is quite different

Gronkowski is very good, I'm not taking anything away from him. And Hernandez is a very smooth athlete with high-end RAC ability, which will also make him an intriguing and highly valued prospect, but the in-line TE/great athlete combination will serve Gresham very well over this evaluation process and I have very little doubt that he will be the clear #1 TE on practically every team's draft board when the dust settles.

ETA: This is an excellent route and over the shoulder catch, for a WR let alone a TE.....focus on the initial "skip move" to begin the route as it shows superb footwork and agility for a big guy and is the key to how he got open here

 
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I think we've established a long time ago that I'm not as high on Gresham as you are. You can keep insisting that he's the next Tony Gonzalez. That doesn't mean there's any merit to the claim.

Draft Scout had Gronkowski as the top TE in the 2011 class:

http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/dspro...1&genpos=TE

Gronkowski and Oklahoma’s Jermaine Gresham, who missed last season because of a knee injury, are considered the two most talented tight ends in the draft. Gronkowski could have applied for a medical redshirt at Arizona, so he leaves behind two years of eligibility. He said Friday he has hired powerhouse sports agent Drew Rosenhaus. - Anthony Gimino, The Tucson Citizen
I don't think there will be a clear consensus among pro personnel people that Gresham is "head and shoulders above" the rest of the TEs in the draft. Most of the rankings I've seen have him clustered pretty tightly together with guys like Hernandez and McCoy. Add Gronkowski into the mix and it's likely that the #1 TE on teams' boards will vary wildly.
Gresham has several things working in his favor that will become more evident to all as the evaluation and information process continues. First and foremost, he is the best "hands catcher" in the draft, amongst not only TEs, but also amongst all WRs and RBs as well. This guy catches the ball away from his body at an elite level already, which for big targets is a huge plus to have going for you as this trait alone allows a player to gain separation in traffic by extending their long arms, in his case, very long, out to catch balls away from potentially closely guarding defenders. Add that his hands are extremely strong and reliable. Next, by being such a huge guy, Gresham is viewed as an in-line TE, and combined with his athleticism and skill-level an in-line TE of his caliber is much more valued by NFL people. As an illustration, teams such as Cincinnati, Cleveland, Baltimore, N.E., amongst others good and bad, will highly value a guy of his skill-level in that many of these teams already have at least a good offensive line and are adept at running the ball (and consider the running game to be a vital part of their attack), so adding a TE who certainly has the body to be at least a pretty good blocker (and I also hear reports of his desire to be willing in this regard) is more valued to NFL teams, as evidenced by Pettigrew last year being the top-rated TE over the other more athletic H-Back/WR type TEs in the '09 draft. And Gresham is a much more fluid and dynamic athlete than Pettigrew at the same (or bigger) size, and I don't want to get off track and diminish his receiving skills by mentioning all of this blocking stuff, but the kid's receiving skills are truly elite and these teams, esp Cincy, Baltimore, N.E., Miami, and Cleveland will not lose sight of this.

Finally, I don't believe, although I am not a doctor, that his type of knee injury will be a major concern with regards to his long-term durability as the injury wasn't to any ligament IIRC. Whereas Gronkowski has had back surgery, and your back is as important of a body part as there is with regards to an athlete, or for that matter, with regards to any human period....Playing a sport with a bad knee vs a bad back is quite different

Gronkowski is very good, I'm not taking anything away from him. And Hernandez is a very smooth athlete with high-end RAC ability, which will also make him an intriguing and highly valued prospect, but the in-line TE/great athlete combination will serve Gresham very well over this evaluation process and I have very little doubt that he will be the clear #1 TE on practically every team's draft board when the dust settles.

ETA: This is an excellent route and over the shoulder catch, for a WR let alone a TE.....focus on the initial "skip move" to begin the route as it shows superb footwork and agility for a big guy and is the key to how he got open here

:thumbup: I'm very high on Gresham, I have NO problem reaching for him in the 1st round. Having a good TE in our league can be a do or die.

 
kremenull said:
EBF said:
I think we've established a long time ago that I'm not as high on Gresham as you are. You can keep insisting that he's the next Tony Gonzalez. That doesn't mean there's any merit to the claim.

Draft Scout had Gronkowski as the top TE in the 2011 class:

http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/dspro...1&genpos=TE

Gronkowski and Oklahoma’s Jermaine Gresham, who missed last season because of a knee injury, are considered the two most talented tight ends in the draft. Gronkowski could have applied for a medical redshirt at Arizona, so he leaves behind two years of eligibility. He said Friday he has hired powerhouse sports agent Drew Rosenhaus. - Anthony Gimino, The Tucson Citizen
I don't think there will be a clear consensus among pro personnel people that Gresham is "head and shoulders above" the rest of the TEs in the draft. Most of the rankings I've seen have him clustered pretty tightly together with guys like Hernandez and McCoy. Add Gronkowski into the mix and it's likely that the #1 TE on teams' boards will vary wildly.
Gresham has several things working in his favor that will become more evident to all as the evaluation and information process continues. First and foremost, he is the best "hands catcher" in the draft, amongst not only TEs, but also amongst all WRs and RBs as well. This guy catches the ball away from his body at an elite level already, which for big targets is a huge plus to have going for you as this trait alone allows a player to gain separation in traffic by extending their long arms, in his case, very long, out to catch balls away from potentially closely guarding defenders. Add that his hands are extremely strong and reliable. Next, by being such a huge guy, Gresham is viewed as an in-line TE, and combined with his athleticism and skill-level an in-line TE of his caliber is much more valued by NFL people. As an illustration, teams such as Cincinnati, Cleveland, Baltimore, N.E., amongst others good and bad, will highly value a guy of his skill-level in that many of these teams already have at least a good offensive line and are adept at running the ball (and consider the running game to be a vital part of their attack), so adding a TE who certainly has the body to be at least a pretty good blocker (and I also hear reports of his desire to be willing in this regard) is more valued to NFL teams, as evidenced by Pettigrew last year being the top-rated TE over the other more athletic H-Back/WR type TEs in the '09 draft. And Gresham is a much more fluid and dynamic athlete than Pettigrew at the same (or bigger) size, and I don't want to get off track and diminish his receiving skills by mentioning all of this blocking stuff, but the kid's receiving skills are truly elite and these teams, esp Cincy, Baltimore, N.E., Miami, and Cleveland will not lose sight of this.

Finally, I don't believe, although I am not a doctor, that his type of knee injury will be a major concern with regards to his long-term durability as the injury wasn't to any ligament IIRC. Whereas Gronkowski has had back surgery, and your back is as important of a body part as there is with regards to an athlete, or for that matter, with regards to any human period....Playing a sport with a bad knee vs a bad back is quite different

Gronkowski is very good, I'm not taking anything away from him. And Hernandez is a very smooth athlete with high-end RAC ability, which will also make him an intriguing and highly valued prospect, but the in-line TE/great athlete combination will serve Gresham very well over this evaluation process and I have very little doubt that he will be the clear #1 TE on practically every team's draft board when the dust settles.

ETA: This is an excellent route and over the shoulder catch, for a WR let alone a TE.....focus on the initial "skip move" to begin the route as it shows superb footwork and agility for a big guy and is the key to how he got open here

Like you, I've touched on this many times before. Gresham is easily the surest thing in this draft from a skill player stand point. It's not even close IMO. The guy has stud written all over him.
 

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