Question For Crabtree Advocates (1 Viewer)

[Bob Magaw]

i haven't done a game-by-game breakdown of his collegiate career (albeit an abbreviated two year stint)...

i haven't seen a lot of level of competition concerns based on his team/conference/opposition... i take this as a sign his physical superiority & natural talent are so impressive on film as to allay most doubts of this nature... i'm not overly concerned about this... after all, rice & TO came from very small schools & lesser conferences...

if i'm not mistaken, crabtree didn't rise to the occasion in this season's finale bowl game... also read somewhere a scout pointing out it wasn't the only instance of him fading in such a situation...

any concerns that he fattened up against lesser competition?

i'm also not too concerned that if he finds the going difficult he will fold, as competitiveness is supposedly one of his best attributes...

fitzgerald is frequently used as a comp, but maybe that isn't exactly right... they probably do have some similarities... i think crabtree isn't as big... he may be better after the catch (fitz has really improved, but wasn't imo great at this facet in his first few years)... fitz is unparalleled in the air... in most of the highlights i've seen by crabtree, he didn't have to leave his feet (which could speak to his lack of downfield speed, or QB lacking arm strength, or both?)... are his aerial & ball skills, hops, body control, ability to high point the ball & hands really in fitzgerald's class... or would you characterize his relative & comparitive ability in this constellation of WR attributes/traits indeterminate at the present time?

i get that due to his competitiveness, concentration, physical nature & toughness, he should be good at catching the ball in traffic... he looks like he will probably have the michael irvin & cris carter knack for being a power forward & boxing out with his body, footwork, anticipation & positioning when the ball is in the air...

any concerns that he will have trouble separating against much faster, quicker, talented & experienced CBs? it sounds like he compensates for lack of blistering speed with good quickness & short area burst/acceleration (rice was track "slow" but football fast, rarely caught from behind on the football field)... i'm also not too worried about a huge problem for many young WRs (some never overcome it)... the knack for escaping the jam & getting a clean release... his size, strength, physical nature & toughness should help a lot there...

does crabtree have an extra gear (i think not, but just checking)... does he get faster the further he gets downfield (not as good as being at full speed in 2-3 strides, but better than not getting faster the further he gets downfield :( )?

 

[kurtrudder]

if i'm not mistaken, crabtree didn't rise to the occasion in this season's finale bowl game... also read somewhere a scout pointing out it wasn't the only instance of him fading in such a situation...

From what I saw, Crabtree re injured his right ankle in the Cotton Bowl which from memory he injured back in October.

 

[BuckeyeArt]

He looked OK against Texas.

 

[FUBAR]

His game against Texas was downright impressive and he never really disappeared until the Cotton Bowl.

IMO, he's a WR who will make his living over the middle if he wants to be elite. He's not going to be an elite downfield threat, although he could be a more sure=handed Braylon Edwards.

 

[King of the Wolfies]

I've thought of him as the next Housh. High number of short to medium passes and an end zone threat.

 

[Cookiemonster]

if i'm not mistaken, crabtree didn't rise to the occasion in this season's finale bowl game... also read somewhere a scout pointing out it wasn't the only instance of him fading in such a situation...

From what I saw, Crabtree re injured his right ankle in the Cotton Bowl which from memory he injured back in October.

Wasn't it the foot/ankle he's getting surgery on in order to be ready for training camps? The one he missed pro days and the combine for? After what he did vs. Texas, I'm not so worried.

 

[offdee]

if i'm not mistaken, crabtree didn't rise to the occasion in this season's finale bowl game... also read somewhere a scout pointing out it wasn't the only instance of him fading in such a situation...

From what I saw, Crabtree re injured his right ankle in the Cotton Bowl which from memory he injured back in October.

Wasn't it the foot/ankle he's getting surgery on in order to be ready for training camps? The one he missed pro days and the combine for? After what he did vs. Texas, I'm not so worried.

Nope, he sprained his ankle pretty badly (high ankle sprain) mid season and just kept playing on it never really allowing it to heal so it was always bothering him. The foot surgery issue wasn't even really an issue for him at all....he said he never even felt any pain from it and if it wasn't for a bone scan during the combine he had no clue there was even a problem.

 

[Multiple Scores]

He was already considered an elite prospect and then went on to make the biggest clutch play of the entire season against Texas. His game logs against the good "teams" he played is pretty impressive, I am not sure how great the CBs are on those teams. He does well against what I consider good teams such as Texas, Oklahoma & Oklahoma State.

2007

2008

 

[Bob Magaw]

He was already considered an elite prospect and then went on to make the biggest clutch play of the entire season against Texas. His game logs against the good "teams" he played is pretty impressive, I am not sure how great the CBs are on those teams. He does well against what I consider good teams such as Texas, Oklahoma & Oklahoma State.

2007

2008

thanx for the '07 logs... i had just looked at '08...crabtree has been incredibly consistent... he would have to, as i think top career receiving marks for soph in ncaa history...

he did better in '07 than '08 against oklahoma (not that he did terrible... 6-62-0), but a bad ankle sprain could explain that (small bone breaks can heal faster than torn ligaments/tendons)...

BTW, i also think that with knowshon moreno they are both third year sophs (otherwise they couldn't be eligible for the draft... exactly like frequent comp player fitzgerald in this respect)... were they both medical redshirts (as opposed to academic issues)?

was crabtree generally healthy as a prep, or are there any health concerns extending to before college...

 

[PlasmaDogPlasma]

He didn't really do much against OK in 08 until the game was a blowout.

 

[massraider]

He was already considered an elite prospect and then went on to make the biggest clutch play of the entire season against Texas. His game logs against the good "teams" he played is pretty impressive, I am not sure how great the CBs are on those teams. He does well against what I consider good teams such as Texas, Oklahoma & Oklahoma State.

2007

2008

thanx for the '07 logs... i had just looked at '08...crabtree has been incredibly consistent... he would have to, as i think top career receiving marks for soph in ncaa history...

he did better in '07 than '08 against oklahoma (not that he did terrible... 6-62-0), but a bad ankle sprain could explain that (small bone breaks can heal faster than torn ligaments/tendons)...

BTW, i also think that with knowshon moreno they are both third year sophs (otherwise they couldn't be eligible for the draft... exactly like frequent comp player fitzgerald in this respect)... were they both medical redshirts (as opposed to academic issues)?

was crabtree generally healthy as a prep, or are there any health concerns extending to before college...

Unaware of any (NFLDS makes no mention of any other injury), but something else to consider that really has nothing to do with health:He was a prep QB for high school powerhouse Dallas Carter. Played no WR in high school, red-shirted a year, then was the best WR in college for two years. Pretty impressive.

 

[offdee]

He was a prep QB for high school powerhouse Dallas Carter. Played no WR in high school, red-shirted a year, then was the best WR in college for two years. Pretty impressive.

Yep, very impressive and a scary thought for NFL DB's. Thread here with good Crabtree discussion..http://forums.footballguys.com/forum/index...=407255&hl=

 

[FreeBaGeL]

He didn't really face much tough defensive competition in '08 (Texas and OU were the only defenses on the schedule that were better than laughable), but throughout his career he's done pretty consistently well regardless of the competition. I'll give him a pass in the Cotton Bowl because he was playing on a bum ankle.

 

[Bob Magaw]

He was already considered an elite prospect and then went on to make the biggest clutch play of the entire season against Texas. His game logs against the good "teams" he played is pretty impressive, I am not sure how great the CBs are on those teams. He does well against what I consider good teams such as Texas, Oklahoma & Oklahoma State.

2007

2008

thanx for the '07 logs... i had just looked at '08...crabtree has been incredibly consistent... he would have to, as i think top career receiving marks for soph in ncaa history...

he did better in '07 than '08 against oklahoma (not that he did terrible... 6-62-0), but a bad ankle sprain could explain that (small bone breaks can heal faster than torn ligaments/tendons)...

BTW, i also think that with knowshon moreno they are both third year sophs (otherwise they couldn't be eligible for the draft... exactly like frequent comp player fitzgerald in this respect)... were they both medical redshirts (as opposed to academic issues)?

was crabtree generally healthy as a prep, or are there any health concerns extending to before college...

Unaware of any (NFLDS makes no mention of any other injury), but something else to consider that really has nothing to do with health:He was a prep QB for high school powerhouse Dallas Carter. Played no WR in high school, red-shirted a year, then was the best WR in college for two years. Pretty impressive.

salient intel...i've thought boldin was a better comp for crabtree than fitz (size, physicality, toughness, RAC ability)...

so it sounds like that is another thing the two have in common...

not sure if boldin NEVER played WR as a prep (mostly WR at florida st., but some QB, like in his last bowl game)... at one time he held the state record (FL) for career combined rushing/passing yards as a running QB...

if crabtree is like boldin, obviously that is good company (some of the best)...

 

[Garts]

If Cleveland takes Crabtree...what does that do to his fantasy value?