College WR Q, behind LOS (1 Viewer)

[Bri]

I watch the Sooners and whatever. Nowhere near as into college football as most people.

I read almost every draft reviewer I can find.

So I saw this tweet

https://twitter.com/fball_insights/status/1758311334947492319/photo/1

I believe it's the second year I noticed that there are a ton of catches equal to or behind the line of scrimmage.

Can you talk to me about that?
Too many screens not going to happen in the NFL?
Shows breakaway ability being showcased?
Doesn't run as many traditional routes?

Remember any similar players with these stats? How'd they do?

 

[massraider]

Remember any similar players with these stats? How'd they do?

First guy that pops in my head that caught a lot of screens was Aiyuk. That was a potential negative that always came up with him.

Applies to QBs as well. Bo Nix is the most screen heavy QB in the country, let alone the draft.

 

[InDitkaWeTrust]

More often than not, the talent differential in the wr1 and the db covering him is large. Then you add some big guys roaming into space blocking dbs and you get the potential for large gains. Seems like the mid tier passing game has faded in recent years in favor of long bombs and screens.

Id be curious to know how well screen passes worked in the NFL in 2023. Luke Getsy sure called a ton of ineffectual screens.

 

[Bri]

More often than not, the talent differential in the wr1 and the db covering him is large. Then you add some big guys roaming into space blocking dbs and you get the potential for large gains. Seems like the mid tier passing game has faded in recent years in favor of long bombs and screens.

Id be curious to know how well screen passes worked in the NFL in 2023. Luke Getsy sure called a ton of ineffectual screens.

But you're not watching tape and finding out what ya want to find out at a similar rate.
Ie one WR has 80 targets, routes etc. Guy 2 has 50 screens and only 30 routes to gauge.

But but but maybe it's enough, hence my confusion and this thread. Maybe you've seen enough routes and just loving the breakaway ability.

I know Kendall Wright caught plenty of screens and short yardage passes and that's all he could do in the NFL.

Treylon Burks was a lot like NFL Deebo in college but barely carries the rock.

The last few years, several NFL teams have had short WR picks or udfas that they wish were Tyreek but essentially are screen players. IIRC Malik Willis never played w a WR over six feet in college.

How do you feel about the route running of the few guys with high target shares behind the LOS? Talented? Snake oil?

 

[InDitkaWeTrust]

More often than not, the talent differential in the wr1 and the db covering him is large. Then you add some big guys roaming into space blocking dbs and you get the potential for large gains. Seems like the mid tier passing game has faded in recent years in favor of long bombs and screens.

Id be curious to know how well screen passes worked in the NFL in 2023. Luke Getsy sure called a ton of ineffectual screens.

But you're not watching tape and finding out what ya want to find out at a similar rate.
Ie one WR has 80 targets, routes etc. Guy 2 has 50 screens and only 30 routes to gauge.

But but but maybe it's enough, hence my confusion and this thread. Maybe you've seen enough routes and just loving the breakaway ability.

I know Kendall Wright caught plenty of screens and short yardage passes and that's all he could do in the NFL.

Treylon Burks was a lot like NFL Deebo in college but barely carries the rock.

The last few years, several NFL teams have had short WR picks or udfas that they wish were Tyreek but essentially are screen players. IIRC Malik Willis never played w a WR over six feet in college.

How do you feel about the route running of the few guys with high target shares behind the LOS? Talented? Snake oil?

Measurables are king at WR, IMO. Height, weight, and 40 time are clearly important. After that, skillset items such as route running, catching ability and body control. I don't think WHERE the WR catches the ball in college matters nearly as much as the first two pieces because the measurables and skillset items are what translate to the NFL. I guess if a WR is making 90% of his catches and yardage from the screen then it could be a bit of a ding, but if he has the measurables I think he gets a pass. Full disclosure, I am not a scout, but that is my thought process going into FFL drafts targeting WRs.

 

[Bri]

More often than not, the talent differential in the wr1 and the db covering him is large. Then you add some big guys roaming into space blocking dbs and you get the potential for large gains. Seems like the mid tier passing game has faded in recent years in favor of long bombs and screens.

Id be curious to know how well screen passes worked in the NFL in 2023. Luke Getsy sure called a ton of ineffectual screens.

But you're not watching tape and finding out what ya want to find out at a similar rate.
Ie one WR has 80 targets, routes etc. Guy 2 has 50 screens and only 30 routes to gauge.

But but but maybe it's enough, hence my confusion and this thread. Maybe you've seen enough routes and just loving the breakaway ability.

I know Kendall Wright caught plenty of screens and short yardage passes and that's all he could do in the NFL.

Treylon Burks was a lot like NFL Deebo in college but barely carries the rock.

The last few years, several NFL teams have had short WR picks or udfas that they wish were Tyreek but essentially are screen players. IIRC Malik Willis never played w a WR over six feet in college.

How do you feel about the route running of the few guys with high target shares behind the LOS? Talented? Snake oil?

Measurables are king at WR, IMO. Height, weight, and 40 time are clearly important. After that, skillset items such as route running, catching ability and body 0control. I don't think WHERE the WR catches the ball in college matters nearly as much as the first two pieces because the measurables and skillset items are what translate to the NFL. I guess if a WR is making 90% of his catches and yardage from the screen then it could be a bit of a ding, but if he has the measurables I think he gets a pass. Full disclosure, I am not a scout, but that is my thought process going into FFL drafts targeting WRs.

Ok so look at Malachi Corley?
For me, I went from initially impressed to unimpressed with his YAC and his stats are a little uncomfortable for me.
I don't even know who Johnny Wilson is but his stats look about like I'd expect and I have no feeling whatsoever.
So you're talking skillset and I'm with ya and...but what did Corley do with his blessed bod? 40 time maybe big hands etc what did he do with it and why didn't his college coach call more ordinary WR routes?

Maybe I'm just thinking out loud and realizing I probably don't want my team drafting Corley or Worthy?

I've never seen these stats laid out as is, if so then I apologize. It just smells funny looking at em

 

[Ilov80s]

Tough to know if it's just the offense they are playing in or if it's a limitation of their skill set. Some players get asked to do new things in the NFL and fall on their face Others transition to the new role seamlessly. Real tough identifying them.

 

[Ilov80s]

More often than not, the talent differential in the wr1 and the db covering him is large. Then you add some big guys roaming into space blocking dbs and you get the potential for large gains. Seems like the mid tier passing game has faded in recent years in favor of long bombs and screens.

Id be curious to know how well screen passes worked in the NFL in 2023. Luke Getsy sure called a ton of ineffectual screens.

But you're not watching tape and finding out what ya want to find out at a similar rate.
Ie one WR has 80 targets, routes etc. Guy 2 has 50 screens and only 30 routes to gauge.

But but but maybe it's enough, hence my confusion and this thread. Maybe you've seen enough routes and just loving the breakaway ability.

I know Kendall Wright caught plenty of screens and short yardage passes and that's all he could do in the NFL.

Treylon Burks was a lot like NFL Deebo in college but barely carries the rock.

The last few years, several NFL teams have had short WR picks or udfas that they wish were Tyreek but essentially are screen players. IIRC Malik Willis never played w a WR over six feet in college.

How do you feel about the route running of the few guys with high target shares behind the LOS? Talented? Snake oil?

Measurables are king at WR, IMO. Height, weight, and 40 time are clearly important. After that, skillset items such as route running, catching ability and body 0control. I don't think WHERE the WR catches the ball in college matters nearly as much as the first two pieces because the measurables and skillset items are what translate to the NFL. I guess if a WR is making 90% of his catches and yardage from the screen then it could be a bit of a ding, but if he has the measurables I think he gets a pass. Full disclosure, I am not a scout, but that is my thought process going into FFL drafts targeting WRs.

Ok so look at Malachi Corley?
For me, I went from initially impressed to unimpressed with his YAC and his stats are a little uncomfortable for me.
I don't even know who Johnny Wilson is but his stats look about like I'd expect and I have no feeling whatsoever.
So you're talking skillset and I'm with ya and...but what did Corley do with his blessed bod? 40 time maybe big hands etc what did he do with it and why didn't his college coach call more ordinary WR routes?

Maybe I'm just thinking out loud and realizing I probably don't want my team drafting Corley or Worthy?

I've never seen these stats laid out as is, if so then I apologize. It just smells funny looking at em

Johnny Wilson doesn't impress me at all. Has an NFL body but something just always seems off about him. Lots of easy drops, doesn't always seem to have his head in the game, clunky route runner.

 

[rockaction]

Ok so look at Malachi Corley?

Before you started this thread I watched his highlights because he was getting buzz. My first reaction was that these touches were all WR screens. Manufactured touches. There was very little in the way of route running or traditional routes or anything.

He is dynamic with the football in his hands. Somebody said a faster Laviska Shenault. That might not be too far off. I was never high on Shenault and he didn't transition well to the pros. "Just get him the ball," they'd yell. I knew that ruse was up before it even started. A big-time DND for me that year. But Corley might not be him at all. We shall see.

 

[InDitkaWeTrust]

Ok so look at Malachi Corley?

Before you started this thread I watched his highlights because he was getting buzz. My first reaction was that these touches were all WR screens. Manufactured touches. There was very little in the way of route running or traditional routes or anything.

He is dynamic with the football in his hands. Somebody said a faster Laviska Shenault. That might not be too far off. I was never high on Shenault and he didn't transition well to the pros. "Just get him the ball," they'd yell. I knew that ruse was up before it even started. A big-time DND for me that year. But Corley might not be him at all. We shall see.

Excellent comp, IMO. There are definitely guys out there with all the tools that just don't pass the eye test. Quinten Johnson was that guy for me last year. QJ's drop rate in college was concerning, but how he dropped the ball really worried me. He tended to have drops in lightly or uncontested situations, which to me shows a huge lack of concentration and that's something that is really hard to fix in the NFL.

 

[Bri]

Brock Bowers 31% passes behind the LOS