NFL Draft 2009

[Ravens0587]

With the 26th pick in the NFL Draft, The Baltimore Ravens select WR Hakeem Nicks out of North Carolina.

http://www.nationalchamps.net/2008/sub/pics/small/northcarolina_hakeem_nicks.jpg

I really like this guy. I got a chance to see him play in person. He torched my Mountaineers in the Meinike Car Care Bowl.

8 Catches 217 Yards 27.1 Average 73 Long 3 Touchdowns

http://blackbirdnation.com/TeamNeeds-WR.html


WR #88 Hakeem Nicks
CAREER STATS
RECEPTIONS YARDS TOUCHDOWNS
181 2,840 21

PROS: Nicks is a first-team All-ACC wide receiver who has at least 3 receptions in all 13 games and is the 1st Tar Heel since 2001 to declare for the NFL Draft after his junior season. He set 14 school records at Carolina in only three years. He set records in career receptions (181), career receiving yards (2,580) and career touchdowns (21). He tied for 3rd in school history with 68 catches and new records with 1,222 yards and 12 touchdowns his junior season. He led the ACC and ranked 12th in the nation with 94 receiving yards per game. He ranked 2nd in the league with 5.2 receptions per game and 6th with 106.9 all-purpose yards per game. He scored 13 touchdowns, including 12 via reception, to rank 9th in the ACC in scoring (3rd in TD scoring). He caught at least 1 pass in 26 straight games and had a catch in 35 of 36 career games. He has a school record with 10 games with 100 yards. Named one of the Tar Heels' offensive players of the week in wins over Rutgers, Miami, Notre Dame, Boston College and Duke. A career-best performance with 8 catches 217 yards and 3 TDs in the Meineke Car Care Bowl against West Virginia. One grab was a behind-the-back grab that became ESPN's #1 play of the bowl season. Earlier in the year he had 4 touchdowns (3 receiving, 1 rushing) in the win over No. 23 Boston College with ACC Offensive Back of the Week honors. Nicks has good size and strength to beat press man coverage. An excellent route runner who explodes out of his cuts. Extremely soft hand and outstanding ball skills and catches the ball away from his body. Never takes his eyes off the ball while in the air. Very competitive, boxes out corners, can make the tough grab. Has a nose for the endzone and good leaper, and makes clutch plays. Will go over the middle and is a solid downfield blocker.

CONS: Doesn't have elite speed. Still a little raw. Needs to refine route runninng. Needs to work on blocking for the running game. He can get jammed at the line by big CBs. Not elusive in the open field and does not maximize YAC. Does not generate separation with speed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6eJRFzPSXc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1GF_dwMBxo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAO6GfkEDqo&NR=1


Thought.....anyone agree, disagree?

[StingerNLG]

Ok, so in this report, which is it???

"An excellent route runner who explodes out of his cuts."

"Needs to refine route runninng."



But I don't like the fact he doesn't have elite speed. I think speed is what we need right now. It seems like CB's in this league will eat a receiver like Nicks up.

[Jeremiah W]

I like him as much if not more than DHB. He is more of a possesion guy than burner, but he is known as "the playmaker" with all due respect to Irvin in mind.

[12jg34]

It's ideal to get a deep threat at WR, but the Ravens need help at WR regardless of whether it's a deep threat or not. i wouldn't be angry if the Ravens selected Nicks over DHB. I just want the best WR available, not the best deep threat WR.

This is, of course, assuming that the best player available is a WR.

[claxkeeper]

Yeah I like him a lot, he reminds me of Boldin.

[Raveninwoodlawn]

I really like Nicks.

If I were to rate the WR's, I'd rate him 3rd...after Crabtree and Maclin and just a smidge above DHB.

I don't like Harvin at all.

[jonboy79]

Ok, so in this report, which is it???

"An excellent route runner who explodes out of his cuts."

"Needs to refine route runninng."



But I don't like the fact he doesn't have elite speed. I think speed is what we need right now. It seems like CB's in this league will eat a receiver like Nicks up.

He ran a faster 40 then Larry Fitzgerald.

[Paintballguy]

Nicks - 4.49
Fitzgerald - 4.53

I'm really high on Nicks. Supposably, Fitzgerald did not have "elite speed" either, but he turned out to be an OK receiver... lol

[Aces2Bluff]

Jerry Rice ran at 4.7
Irvin ran a 4.5ish I think
I believe Chris Carter was slow too

I think 40 yard dash time is overblown. Not trying to compare the two obviously, but still just saying.


But on topic... I think Nicks would be solid. Ive already voiced my opinion on DHB. Question is, what do you think the odds are that we trade down to get Crabtree or Maclin? With Seahawks getting Housh do you still think they need him? I know Ozzie doesnt trade picks often so its probably a stretch just curious.

[Ravens0587]

Jerry rice, terrell owens, anquan boldin, marques colston all ran slower 40 times.

[section553]

Ok, so in this report, which is it???

"An excellent route runner who explodes out of his cuts."

"Needs to refine route runninng."



But I don't like the fact he doesn't have elite speed. I think speed is what we need right now. It seems like CB's in this league will eat a receiver like Nicks up.

Elite speed is overrated. Yamon Figures has elite speed. Don't get caught up in the combine #'s, last time I checked you don't get points for running the 40.

[srobert96]

Nicks - 4.49
Fitzgerald - 4.53

I'm really high on Nicks. Supposably, Fitzgerald did not have "elite speed" either, but he turned out to be an OK receiver... lol

I thought I saw that he ran a 4.6? I don't pretend to be able to evaluate draft talent. I have read that receivers getting separation really has little do with speed or their 40 times. There is also a difference in Football speed and track speed.

[NC Raven]

If you have good moves and understand how to beat a defender off the line, or get him turned the wrong way, you have at that point vastly overcompensated for a lack of straight line speed.

I could be wrong, but it seems that very rarely is a deep pass the result of lining up your WR on a CB, mano-a-mano, and see who runs fastest. For one, the CB can, you know, line up 10 yards off the WR and get a big head start. So there goes the speed advantage....

Mostly it comes down to making a good move -- often a double move -- combined with (a) a good pump fake by the QB to get the CB to bite (and lose a valuable step or two, as well as a couple tenths of a second of time), and (b) a well designed play that draws the free safety to a different receiver, so he can't roll over and make a play.

The straight line speed is virtually irrelevant to a big play, at least when you're comparing a 4.4 guy to a 4.6 guy. If a guy runs a 4.8, then I'm worried him not having the speed.

[Jeremiah W]

It is a gamble. The most polished and productive college guys are not safer picks. Plenty of guys don't make it because they are not fast enough. Clearly there is more to it than speed, but you are crazy in the mind if you think it does not help, or a 4.3 is the same as a 4.6 if the route is run perfectly. The 4.6 guy is not getting a 10 yard cush, he is getting bump and run or just blanket coverage.

Fitzgerald is not usually wide open, he just goes up and takes it away from tight coverage.

[jonboy79]

The only time people in the NFL are wide open is a complete breakdown, usually someone in one on one falling down.

[Marcel#52]

With the 26 Selection... The Baltimore Ravens select

http://quicktime.cnnsi.com/football/college/events/1997/collegebowl/onevstwo/images/96.jpg

Lawrence Philips... :happyanim :happyanim :happyanim :D :laugh:


;) That should be you smile for today..

[4G63]

I'd take Nicks over DHB and the guy is very muscular, which helps in the trenches......and he has good hands.

[NC Raven]

Fitzgerald is not usually wide open, he just goes up and takes it away from tight coverage.

Exactly. Which is why catching the doggone ball is a hell of a lot more important than sprinting speed in the NFL. Coverage is tight everywhere, the DBs are fast everywhere, the windows for being open close very quickly, and you have to catch in traffic more often than not.

Which is why I don't give two figs about having a speed specialist like DHB on my favorite NFL team. Speed is the easiest part of a receiver's game to neutralize. I want concentration, hands, toughness, and blocking ability. If after all that, the guy's fast too, great.

What's Mason's 40 time these days? Anyone know?

[Jeremiah W]

Exactly. Which is why catching the doggone ball is a hell of a lot more important than sprinting speed in the NFL. Coverage is tight everywhere, the DBs are fast everywhere, the windows for being open close very quickly, and you have to catch in traffic more often than not.

Which is why I don't give two figs about having a speed specialist like DHB on my favorite NFL team. Speed is the easiest part of a receiver's game to neutralize. I want concentration, hands, toughness, and blocking ability. If after all that, the guy's fast too, great.

What's Mason's 40 time these days? Anyone know?

I want to know who said DHB can not catch? I have seen him go up and fight for the ball and come down with it most of the time, but I also have seen him get 4 and 5 yards of seperation on ACC DBs and run into the endzone with no one around.

You are right that speed alone will not get it done, but no matter how good you run routes, if you are slow, you are never going to get open.

Mason may not run a 4.3, but I bet he is faster than 4.55.

Speed is not the only physical advantage he has either. He is also over 6-2 and over 210, has almost a 40 inch vertical, and the strength to block and get off press coverage and fight for the ball in the air. Spending more time with an NFL Qb and other pro WRs, I am pretty sure he will develop the timing, route running and hands, a lot better than he has so far as the only top pick on the Terps O, in a conference full of first day picks on D.

Unlike Yamon Figurs and Troy Williamson, DHB has the size and the speed advantage over the Cbs that would cover him even in the NFL. That means his route running will not have to be as good as a slower guy to get open, and if he does learn to run great routes and grab everyting near him, he will be unstoppable and more comparable to Randy Moss than Bernard Berrian or Troy Williamson or Dontae Stallworth.

If he does turn out to be the next Troy Williamson, I will still be glad we took the chance, and will be ready to do it again in 3 years. If he turns out to be the next Chad Johnson, we should get a solid 6 or 7 years before he goes crazy and changes his name.