NFL article on why WRs are making a big impact sooner

[top dawg]

I love me some wide receivers, so much so that I was called a wide receiver extremist by a longtime Huddler (and happily accepted the label, though at the time it was meant as a criticism).

Well any casual fan can tell that this is a so-called "passing league" now, not to minimize the value of running the ball, and I'm a firm believer that you use the RB to set up the pass and the pass to set up the run. Notice I said the "RB" and not the "run" as is the normal term. I think that of course you can still use the run to set up the pass if you have dynamic, versatile pass-catching backs and dynamic, adaptive OCs that know how to use them. But dynamic wide receivers or, perhaps more importantly (perhaps) a dynamic, versatile receiving corps, can win games all by themselves with a smart QB at the helm. But to get to the reason for this thread, it seems like WRs are more skilled and ready from day one, and that's why the skilled ones should always get a double take if they happen to fall into your lap, regardless of round IMO. An article on the NFL's website discusses the trend towards more skilled, bigger, stronger and faster, more learned and experienced and/or pro-ready receivers coming out of college these days, and says don't be surprised if the trend continues.

"Perhaps the trends impacting the receiver position are simply allowing those talented individuals to have more opportunities to shine. Either way, there's ample reason to believe the class of 2020 has been set up to make good on the hype -- and that the once-rare successful young receiver is here to stay."

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001108999/article/2020-nfl-draft-learning-curve-for-young-wrs-thing-of-the-past

[LinvilleGorge]

I think it's because the NFL is finally catching up to what college teams have understood for a long time. Forget trying to develop everyone into a well rounded do it all player and embrace what a guy does do well instead of focusing on what he doesn't do well. These guys are honestly coming out of college as green as ever. A lot of these guys only run two or three routes. But spread the D out, put a bunch of talent on the field, and let 'er rip. College teams have been doing this for years and now we're finally getting to the point where most NFL teams' offenses more closely resemble a college offense than the "pro style offense" of old.

[top dawg]

2 minutes ago, LinvilleGorge said:

I think it's because the NFL is finally catching up to what college teams have understood for a long time. Forget trying to develop everyone into a well rounded do it all player and embrace what a guy does do well instead of focusing on what he doesn't do well. These guys are honestly coming out of college as green as ever. A lot of these guys only run two or three routes. But spread the D out, put a bunch of talent on the field, and let 'er rip. College teams have been doing this for years and now we're finally getting to the point where most NFL teams' offenses more closely resemble a college offense than the "pro style offense" of old.

I think there may be some truth to what you're saying. The gap between the NFL and College passing games has certainly lessened markedly, but receivers may be green in the sense that they haven't run the whole route tree, but the routes they are running, they have more experience at it than receivers did of yesteryear because run-routes and pass-routes now have a greater degree of overlap due to RPO concepts, so even run routes turn into pass routes (if you get what I'm saying).

Get the ball in their hands and let them do what they do on any given play (as you suggested)!

[LinvilleGorge]

Hell, Patrick Mahomes is the best player in the league and he even admits that he won the MVP while not really understanding how to read a defense. Spead 'em out and let 'er rip. When you put enough athletes on the field, it's damn near impossible to account for all of them.

https://www.si.com/nfl/2020/03/06/patrick-mahomes-reading-defenses-hbo-the-shop-trailer

[top dawg]

Is it just me, or does anyone else not think it was ironic that Ron Rivera was quoted in the article? Here's a guy that seemed to be loath to let rookies play over vets who weren't getting the job done! Now of course he did get rookie WRs more involved, so I might be being a bit unfair, but I think it's because circumstances demanded it more than anything else.

[Valentino]

Our pick should be lamb or jeudy 

[Icege]

Crazy how things have flip flopped. OL were safe, day one players during the draft but now it's the skill positions.

[Waldo]

Once they got rid of CBs mugging WRs and got rid of the nasty hits on defenseless relievers the road was paved to making it easier for young WRs to thrive.

[Wes21]

On 4/11/2020 at 4:43 PM, LinvilleGorge said:

Hell, Patrick Mahomes is the best player in the league and he even admits that he won the MVP while not really understanding how to read a defense. Spead 'em out and let 'er rip. When you put enough athletes on the field, it's damn near impossible to account for all of them.

https://www.si.com/nfl/2020/03/06/patrick-mahomes-reading-defenses-hbo-the-shop-trailer

Reminds me of Daunte Culpepper.  He never had to learn how to read defenses until Randy Moss left.  Then his entire career came crashing down in a hurry.  It was clear he didn't know what he was looking at.

[top dawg]

1 hour ago, Wes21 said:

Reminds me of Daunte Culpepper.  He never had to learn how to read defenses until Randy Moss left.  Then his entire career came crashing down in a hurry.  It was clear he didn't know what he was looking at.

What the hell are you talking about? There were many factors as to why his career went downhill, including the replacement of Moss with a lemon, but injuries played a huge role! 

 

[Moo Daeng]

On 4/11/2020 at 4:29 PM, LinvilleGorge said:

I think it's because the NFL is finally catching up to what college teams have understood for a long time. Forget trying to develop everyone into a well rounded do it all player and embrace what a guy does do well instead of focusing on what he doesn't do well. These guys are honestly coming out of college as green as ever. A lot of these guys only run two or three routes. But spread the D out, put a bunch of talent on the field, and let 'er rip. College teams have been doing this for years and now we're finally getting to the point where most NFL teams' offenses more closely resemble a college offense than the "pro style offense" of old.

One of the main premises of the article is that WR are more prepared not greener than ever 

[LinvilleGorge]

2 minutes ago, Moo Daeng said:

One of the main premises of the article is that WR are more prepared not greener than ever 

I didn't even read the article. I just stated my opinion on why WRs are making a bigger impact sooner in recent years. Now that I've read the article, I think you might wanna re-read it. 

[Valentino]

Draft jeudy and we got a scary offense 

[MMA]

Receivers are making impact sooner because teams draft corners like Donte Jackson