Interesting position battle 2017: WR
With the recruiting info from Steve today, it got me thinking about one of the question marks we will have heading into the offseason.
Next years receivers will be an intriguing mix. Grant Perry has experience but is not really a go-to type, Drake Harris has potential but will he ever reach it? Maurice Ways has been hyped in the past and has prototypical WR size, but may have been passed up by the freshmen. McDoom, Crawford and Johnson all have a lot of potential.
If we add any or all of DPJ, Collins, Black, and Oliver, they would likely factor in the mix as well. Assuming we land DPJ, who would you speculate would be our top 3? I think Harbaugh will play a lot of receivers but it will be interesting to see who emerges as the top guys. At this point it's merely a guess from me but I would predict McDoom, Crawford and Perry.
October 4th, 2016 at 9:50 PM ^
October 5th, 2016 at 7:37 AM ^
Seems people only neg when it's negative stuff about next year.
The way this program is going and Harbaugh's recruiting and how some of his guys are pushing through already, I'm not nearly as worried about next year as I was before. Not that I was really before, but I thought we were looking at some drop off. Wouldn't be surprised at all to see this keep rolling.
October 4th, 2016 at 9:50 PM ^
October 4th, 2016 at 9:53 PM ^
October 4th, 2016 at 11:36 PM ^
we realized we actually had two wide receivers. It appears we will be set there for awhile. I like these type of decisions Harbaugh and staff will have to make. I wouldn't mind Perry staying at slot for his entire career. Does a great job.
October 4th, 2016 at 10:32 PM ^
October 4th, 2016 at 11:28 PM ^
while McDoom can line up outside so it doesn't matter if Perry is ahead of him in slot WR spot.
October 5th, 2016 at 2:52 AM ^
I'm guessing you don't understand the conversation dyanmic of a reply.
October 5th, 2016 at 9:07 AM ^
I thought the reason McDoom was rated a 3* was because of inconsistent hands. IIRC his senior film was mostly tunnel screens and special teams. Has he developed into a downfield threat?
October 5th, 2016 at 9:48 AM ^
October 4th, 2016 at 10:33 PM ^
Am I the only person who thinks of this scene every time Grant Perry does anything?
October 4th, 2016 at 11:12 PM ^
October 5th, 2016 at 12:08 AM ^
a unique snowflake.
October 5th, 2016 at 10:14 AM ^
I do not think of that scene but I at least knew what it was going to be before I clicked on it.... so you're not THAT crazy.
October 4th, 2016 at 9:54 PM ^
I think Harris and Ways have been passed over by the freshman just based on the snaps they have gotten. I can't remember seeing Harris getting any meaningful snaps this season so far.
October 4th, 2016 at 11:34 PM ^
Harris got put in in late first quarters in some of the earlier season games, but yeah, he'll then not get much playing time at all in the 2nd halfs, if any. I kind of would like to see what he could('ve) done in blow-out games in the 2nd half. I thought it was going to happen for the Penn St game but Crawford got most of the action late in the game.
October 5th, 2016 at 7:39 AM ^
I still wouldn't be surprised to see those guys do well next year. Ways was getting hyped up, but we know how that can go. Harris may be healthy (or maybe not, who the hell knows), but he must have fallen behind just because of the injuries if nothing else. Wait and see.
October 5th, 2016 at 9:51 AM ^
He doesn't really provide a different role. That's why he's not playing the snaps that the FR are playing.
I don't know who will start next year; it'll probably be much more fluid then this year based on gameplan, personnel, and playcall. I can see Ways starting some (and Ways is probably the best blocker of the group), the current FR starting some, Perry starting in some games, and maybe the true FR in others. Hell, maybe they'll just start TEs. I just doubt it'll be as clear cut as this year.
October 4th, 2016 at 9:55 PM ^
Slot - Perry (McDoom number 2 with just as many snaps)
Inside/Outside - Crawford
October 4th, 2016 at 9:59 PM ^
October 4th, 2016 at 10:00 PM ^
I could be dead wrong, but I think the fact that we're seeing a lot of the younger guys come up to bat before him is a telling sign. Ways might be the same way.
If you made me guess, next year will be some combo of Crawford, McDoom, Perry, and if Collins/DPJ come on board, they'll be sprinkled in as well.
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October 4th, 2016 at 11:32 PM ^
It's kind of rare for a wr to rarely if ever see the field in his younger years and emerge in his later years. WR is one of the positions where young guys usually see time - maybe not a huge contributor but are getting on the field.
October 5th, 2016 at 8:47 AM ^
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October 4th, 2016 at 10:04 PM ^
October 5th, 2016 at 1:32 AM ^
October 4th, 2016 at 10:09 PM ^
October 4th, 2016 at 10:11 PM ^
October 4th, 2016 at 10:21 PM ^
October 5th, 2016 at 7:32 AM ^
Malzone in the slot.
October 4th, 2016 at 10:11 PM ^
There's this whole size speed thing, not sure if McDoom has the size to be blowing up DBs downfield like Chesson did & does.
That said, while I think Ways does, he does not possess the speed.
Peppers, if still in school, will start is my prediction 8-)
October 4th, 2016 at 11:30 PM ^
As long as McDoom can threaten vertically plus screen game, he'll be fine at the Z WR spot. X WR spot is where you want your WR who can handle the physicality and can beat the CB jam consistently.
October 5th, 2016 at 7:44 AM ^
I don't recall us ever having as good a blocker at his position.
October 5th, 2016 at 8:47 AM ^
I don't think it is necessarily the most explosive guys who will get the starts or most playing time. Like Chesson, the dudes who are beasts at downfield blocking will get in the game the most. That seems to be the distinguishing trait of all the offensive weapons: they are the best blockers at their position.
October 4th, 2016 at 10:16 PM ^
Sounds like one of those good problems.
October 5th, 2016 at 7:38 AM ^
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October 4th, 2016 at 10:28 PM ^
October 4th, 2016 at 10:34 PM ^
From what I understand...you and I have just as much of a chance. 0%.
October 4th, 2016 at 10:34 PM ^
Runs great routes and will continue to improve.
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October 4th, 2016 at 10:41 PM ^
He's one of those guys that will always have higher rated guys around him, but he'll always keep beating them out for the starting spot. By his senior year, he'll finally start to get appreciated.
October 4th, 2016 at 10:56 PM ^
October 4th, 2016 at 11:34 PM ^
Might not ever be the #1 wr but will be consistently solid and very reliable.
October 5th, 2016 at 12:09 AM ^
October 5th, 2016 at 3:47 PM ^
It took Kovacs forever to win people over. The Glasgow's even longer. Wasn't it Marvin Robinson that was going to take Kovacs' spot? ...think about how silly that sounds now.
De'Veon Smith wasn't really appreciated by a lot of folks until the UF game last year, people still wanted the 5* Isaac. Green was always the favorite over Smith until he showed we he could, err couldn't, do. That said, Smith was a 4* kid so not necessarily the same thing.
Higdon was going down that road until he showed out a couple of games ago. I would do the depth charts over the spring and summer and more than a few people would say I was wrong and he'd be passed up by Davis and Walker on Day 1.
The Kovacs thing is the big one for me though, I'd just laugh. So what if he's not huge and doesn't run a 4.4...he's always in position and the kid makes plays. He's routinely one of the smartest guys on the field...he's not getting passed up, no, not even by that top 150 recruit.
October 4th, 2016 at 10:34 PM ^
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October 4th, 2016 at 10:43 PM ^
I'd like to see Evans and/or Higdon give it a shot along with McDoom.
I believe I've heard David Long and Crawford may be options in the return game as well.
Then you have these freshman we're discussing in this thread.
October 4th, 2016 at 10:40 PM ^
WR1:
- DPJ/Collins (whichever turns out to be better at the end of fall camp)
- Harris
- DPJ/Collins loser (chances are they both won't be ready to contribute in a big role from day 1)
WR2:
- Crawford
- Ways/McDoom
- Black
SLOT:
- Perry
- McDoom
- Johnson / Martin
I don't think any of the freshman redshirt. Maybe Martin because of the depth, but I think all 4 see time and 1-2 have big roles.
October 4th, 2016 at 11:15 PM ^
October 5th, 2016 at 7:18 AM ^
If we burned all the WRs redshirts (that I am aware of) this year with 2 sure-fire starters, I would imagine that we play at least 3/4 of those 4 next year. I wonder if any of those 4 WR recruits would be early enrollees.
October 5th, 2016 at 7:33 AM ^
October 5th, 2016 at 10:16 AM ^
Right now DPJ and Collins are arguably the #2 and #4 receivers in the country according to Rivals. Both 5 stars and if they are in fact that talented and perform to that ranking then there is no way they wont start. Crawford looks to have a great future but I think he'd fall to a #2, of course he'd still play alot.
Looking in years past Frosh WR's have had great success, IE. Treadwell, Ridley, Kirk, who were all ranked similar to DPJ and Collins. This is a great problem to have.
WR1 - DPJ
WR2 - Collins/Crawford
Slot - Perry/McDoom
Fill in the rest accordingly