Calvin Johnson has BUST written all over him.

Let's see...6 foot 4, 240 pounds, runs a 4.35 40, 45 inch vertical jump, catches everything, runs great routes, will be physically dominant against any DB who covers him, has a great work ethic, great character, and
plays for one of the great offensive minds and teachers in the game. He was regarded as not only the best prospect in the draft, but the safest.
I'd like to hear even one thing negative about Calvins game.
Look, here's the thing. Im not hating on Johnson as much as Im hating on him playing for the Lions. Im hating on him being chosen 2nd overall, and Im hating on him signing a $64million contract. Im hating on him being the FOURTH WR chosen in the 1st round in 5 years by a miserable franchise with a very limited track record for developing quality players....for whatever reason. Im facing it.....Im being a hater. But I really like Johnson. I dont really want to hate on his 'game' a ton, but here's what is sure to be a very unpopular take.......
First, I think he's a little BIG for a WR. Not that big is nessecarily bad. But Im almost entirely sure that he'll NEVER be
quicker than the coverage he sees in the NFL. Every single corner he's lined up against will probably be quicker than him. Obviously there
will be exceptions. But quickness in my book is
the most important attribute of an NFL receiver.....besides
hands, of course. In college, great players can consistently outjump or outreach players. But that's not happening consistently in the NFL. That's how NFL receivers get hurt...by reaching and jumping....and getting HIT. The quickness, the hops and the ball skills of NFL corners are just too good. There's been one player named Moss who's made a consistent NFL living outjumping and outreaching, and Im not even going there with that comparison. Its tough to be world-class, NFL quick on the outside at 240lbs. Take a look at the top 10 WRs in the NFL, and youre gonna be hard pressed to find more than one guy who weighs more than 200lbs. Ive got TO as the one big guy in my top 10....and he's played at about 225 most of his career, and is now listed at less than 220. Coincidence? Who knows, but its a fact. And it's not fair to expect Calvin Johnson to step into the league and be a top 10 guy, but when you sign a $64mil contract, and youre bowed down to like youre the 2nd coming, that's the expectation.
Second....."Runs great routes"? Does he? Has he ever run a route in the NFL? So then, how do we know what kind of NFL routes he'll run? I hear that all the time about players coming out that dominated in college....."he runs great routes". It was COLLEGE. He dominated just about every little shrimp of a corner he faced. Ive seen so much film on Calvin Johnson, and Im very impressed with his ball skills, his hands and his leaping ability, but the quality of his route running doesnt even enter my mind. Again, he's 240....his route running will NOT
ever measure up to that of the elite NFL receivers like Harrison, Holt, Johnson or Smith. And that's nothing to be ashamed of, but when I hear "runs great routes", these players are who I think about....NOT Calvin Johnson. He'll run certain routes very well that he can excel in because of his size, length and speed, and he'll no doubt make alot of plays, but overall he does not "run great routes". He's in the NFL now...everything is relative.
Third, Martz. The guru. The genius. The teacher. The great offensive mind. Ive gotta ask....."Why on Earth is he in
Detroit of all places"?? Couldnt
anyone else have used such a genius?? We all know about the 'greatest show' blah, blah, blah...... Well, those Rams teams had a HOFer at left tackle in Orlando Pace, a HOFer in the backfield to run
and catch in Marshall Faulk, and atleast one HOF WR between Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce. There were other valuable players on offense on those 2 Superbowl teams obviously, but my point is that many coaches would be looking like geniuses with that lineup of studs. Marc Bulger had his best NFL season
last year with Scott Linehan as his HC. Ill just say this..... Mike Martz better be calling Marshall Faulk and thanking him every day for the rest of his life....for making him look like a 'genius'. Right now, he's in Detroit, and he's just another offensive coordinator that likes to throw the ball alot.
Finally, if he were the 'best' and 'safest' prospect in the draft, why didnt other teams want to move up and get him? or did they? do we know? we won't really know because we dont have cold, hard facts on that matter. Or was it that the Lions are just that shrewd and the asking price was just too great for such a 'rare' and 'safe' player. Apparently noone else was willing to move up that high or at such a cost to have to pay a rookie WR $64million!!....no matter how 'safe' he may have been. There are reasons teams like the Lions have this seemingly never ending run of drafting high in the 1st round, and this is just one small example. And in another year or 2, when they either let Roy Williams walk because they cant affored TWO $10mil WRs or actually
do pay him too much money, we'll have another small example. Oh, and what good organization actually listens to what the critics out there have to say?? It doesnt happen. Good organizations know what's right for their teams....and if that means trading down and getting a strong player with a more reasonable contract, that's what they do. Good teams have GMs that know what theyre doing.
Negative. Pessamistic. Idiotic. Unrealistic. Honest. I l
ove Calvin Johnson!