53 replies to this topic

[dhstandard]

Over the years I have always been first on board to picking up the best receivers in the draft. I have finally come to the conclusion that I was an idiot. Most receivers take a few years to develop. They tend to be hit or miss and the best guys are in the top 10 picks. For this reason I am hoping to refrain from drafting a receiver at all this year in the first 3 rounds.

The receivers in this draft are sub-par at best. The guys last year were better and most of them bombed this year. I'd much rather get a solid defensive player in the first and second rounds. Do what the Bengals do and grab a guy like Geno Atkins or that other defensive end they got in the third two years ago. Those guys are athletic freaks who turn into great players. At worst they are a big strong body on defense who never develops but helps on those crucial 3rd and 1 4th and 1 runs. With receivers, you get a good one, or they play special teams and sit on the bench while we talk about how good they will be only to never see it happen.



After watching Joe this year I realize we don't need receivers. We need a better offensive line. Our receivers our fine when Joe isn't getting pressured so much. We need a LT who can pass protect as well as help out in run game and also hope that Gino can take over Birk's position with ease. (He did well against the best NT in the league).

Edited by dhstandard, 15 January 2013 - 11:24 PM.

[BloodRaven]

WR has the highest bust rating of any position even QB, especially here.

I would rather we pick up free agents like we did with Boldin and Jacoby Jones.

[Cville-Raven]

I couldn't disagree with you more in regard to last years receiving class being better. The best performing ones were Josh Gordon and T.y. Hilton this year. There were no real elite athletetic talents at the position like there was in the 2011 draft class. I'll take Deandre Hopkins over any of the guys in the 2012 draft. Btw who says you're going to get a freak athlete like Atkins in the early rounds, honestly they got lucky with the guy. I would take a receiver in the second if a guy like Hopkins, woods, or Patterson is there.

[dhstandard]

I couldn't disagree with you more in regard to last years receiving class being better. The best performing ones were Josh Gordon and T.y. Hilton this year. There were no real elite athletetic talents at the position like there was in the 2011 draft class. I'll take Deandre Hopkins over any of the guys in the 2012 draft. Btw who says you're going to get a freak athlete like Atkins in the early rounds, honestly they got lucky with the guy. I would take a receiver in the second if a guy like Hopkins, woods, or Patterson is there.

I'd rather go with an athletic Defensive player than a receiver. Put all those receivers in front of me and I'd take Margus Hunt in the 2nd in a heartbeat. Teams get "lucky" all the time. I was using an extreme example. Some of the best defensive players on teams that you never hear about are later round picks. Besides the Ravens fanbase barely any other fans know Paul Krugers name except when they check the sack stat line.

[Bltravens]

Considering we need defensive help in the front 7 and not at WR this should be a moot point.

[gabefergy]

This is actually a pretty strong WR class. No one is truly guaranteed lock #1 like AJ Green, but still there are several that could go in the first and probably 5-6 that are top 50 players in this draft and will likely make an immediate impact in the NFL.

I'm not really for or against taking a WR, but if the value is there it is certainly a position of need on our team. I'd certainly rather draft a WR than sign a pricy FA.

[SecretAgentMan]

This is actually a pretty strong WR class. No one is truly guaranteed lock #1 like AJ Green, but still there are several that could go in the first and probably 5-6 that are top 50 players in this draft and will likely make an immediate impact in the NFL.

I'm not really for or against taking a WR, but if the value is there it is certainly a position of need on our team. I'd certainly rather draft a WR than sign a pricy FA.

I have two of em... The more weapons the better. (See Atlanta Falcons)

[Cville-Raven]

This is actually a pretty strong WR class. No one is truly guaranteed lock #1 like AJ Green, but still there are several that could go in the first and probably 5-6 that are top 50 players in this draft and will likely make an immediate impact in the NFL.

I'm not really for or against taking a WR, but if the value is there it is certainly a position of need on our team. I'd certainly rather draft a WR than sign a pricy FA.

Exactly, if any of these guys are available at the bottom of the second you have to be an idiot not to take them. Especially the more polished guys.

[indianstick]

Over the years I have always been first on board to picking up the best receivers in the draft. I have finally come to the conclusion that I was an idiot. Most receivers take a few years to develop. They tend to be hit or miss and the best guys are in the top 10 picks. For this reason I am hoping to refrain from drafting a receiver at all this year in the first 3 rounds.

The receivers in this draft are sub-par at best. The guys last year were better and most of them bombed this year. I'd much rather get a solid defensive player in the first and second rounds. Do what the Bengals do and grab a guy like Geno Atkins or that other defensive end they got in the third two years ago. Those guys are athletic freaks who turn into great players. At worst they are a big strong body on defense who never develops but helps on those crucial 3rd and 1 4th and 1 runs. With receivers, you get a good one, or they play special teams and sit on the bench while we talk about how good they will be only to never see it happen.



After watching Joe this year I realize we don't need receivers. We need a better offensive line. Our receivers our fine when Joe isn't getting pressured so much. We need a LT who can pass protect as well as help out in run game and also hope that Gino can take over Birk's position with ease. (He did well against the best NT in the league).

They got carlos dunlap in the second and geno atkins in the third of the 2010 draft. Carlos dunlap was a top 15 talent but fell because of off the field issues and I was really high on geno atkins and didn't understand why he fell. I'm not sure what your point was regarding them

This WR class is actually deeper than last years and has a lot of big, long, athletic guys. Theres about 8-10 guys I like a lot and feel could be solid contributors on our team.

[jdynamite]

I disagree that the WRs in 2013 Draft are sub-par, there are some talented WRs in this draft that Draft Evaluators just aren't as high on because they don't have the "total package" that AJ Green, Juilo Jones had, none of this years WRs grade out as a Top 10 pick currently who knows what could happen after the combine but there are some solid guys.

Robert Woods, Keenan Allen, Marques Wilson, Terrance Williams, I still like Da'Rick Rogers, I've never seen in games the big deal with Justin Hunter but I did see Cordarrelle Patterson look really good in a few games.

Robert Woods reminds me of Reggie Wayne coming out of college neither of them has the "break away speed" but is very sure handed, good route runner, hard worker, I think Woods evaluations are so average because people think of how athletic and dominant M.Lee was opposite of him.

Of course their are always unknown WRs that play great in the NFL but went unnoticed.

This past season the WR class played well Blackmon had a strong second half of the season even with Poor QB play.
TY Hilton was great as a returner and WR for Colts. Josh Gordan for the Browns looks like a stud for years to come.
Chris Givens emerged as a top target for the Rams. A.Jeffery could have had a bigger impact for the Bears but he suffered several injuries that kept him off the field.
Cardinals QBs were so pathetic that Larry Fitzergarld didn't even get 800 yards WR this season, so can't fault Michael Floyd for a so-so Rooke Year when QB play was so abysmal that it even made a top 5 WR like Fitzgerald look average.

Also it's always unfair to evaluate the WR position so quickly the WR class from (2010 class) 3 years ago certainly didn't look great at first, Remember Mike Williams -TB looked like a stud that year every one else looked average, now fast forward to this year :
D.Thomas, D.Bryant, V.Cruz, A.Brown all are stars in the making. the class also boasts other WRs like E.Decker, A.Roberts, D.Amendola, M.Williams, G.Tate, D. Alexander.

Sometimes it takes WRs time to develop in the NFL.

[Ed_Reed20]

I don't like the logic of outright avoiding the WR position simply because they don't pan out as much as other positions.

There are more pressing needs along the o-line and defense, but team shouldn't (and won't) consider drafting a talented WR if he falls far enough or take a flier on one late if they like him enough.

[Ravenslifer]

Depends on who's available, but I think the biggest reason I've been clamoring for receivers early the last several years is that it's simple logic you're more likely to pick a good player early, when the talent pool is high, than later - obviously it doesn't always work out that way, but especially with the way we draft with BPA, if the FO moved around for a receiver early it would tell me they had high believe he'd pan out. Now, going into 2013, barring cutting Q we have 3 very capable receivers in him, Torrey, and Jacoby - which means we don't need to get one early. However, if a project like Streeter was last year happens to fall late and he's by far BPA, why not - we might end up with a Marques Colston or Brandon Marshall.

[Cville-Raven]

I don't like the logic of outright avoiding the WR position simply because they don't pan out as much as other positions.

There are more pressing needs along the o-line and defense, but team shouldn't (and won't) consider drafting a talented WR if he falls far enough or take a flier on one late if they like him enough.

Exactly, considering that they might be BPA it would be silly. There are some reasonably polished guys in this draft.

[ravefan52]

Id treat them like any other position. If hes a player who our FO and organization thinks will be good and fit us well I have no problem with him being a receiver.

[Yatagarasu]

There's no such thing as a sure thing in the NFL. All the prospects are considered rookies for a reason because they're not NFL-ready products from college. We draft talents and good hard working talents. If you have talent to play in the NFL, then you will be starting in the NFL. Too many teams emphasize measureables like how speed and how strong the athlete is. Those measureables are great, but intangibles help more because work ethics and passion for the game can make an average player into a solid player. People criticize Tebow that he doesn't have the skills to be an QB, but still his passion and work ethics at least won him some games. Tebow may not be a QB, but he will be in the NFL due to his hard work and leaderships. Teams use to be more patient in developing players, I hope Tebow finds a team that can help develop him into a HB-type player like Aaron Hernandez. Look at Kruger, he was a former QB turned DE, which he put in the hard work to turn into a solid player. Those are the players the Ravens look for. I have faith that Ozzie will draft Raven-type players to help the team regardless of need. If that player is a WR, so be it.

[Yatagarasu]

Usually in my opinion, 1st Round Offensive Linemen are basically the best value because they can be plugged in and play. However, that is not the case. Talent is plenty and it's up to the teams to find them.

[BloodRaven]

I don't like the logic of outright avoiding the WR position simply because they don't pan out as much as other positions.

There are more pressing needs along the o-line and defense, but team shouldn't (and won't) consider drafting a talented WR if he falls far enough or take a flier on one late if they like him enough.

It's not just the bust rate of the position, we just don't know how to develop receivers to their potential.

Edited by BloodRaven, 16 January 2013 - 10:41 PM.

[Dubs]

It's not just the bust rate of the position, we just don't know how to develop receivers to their potential.

You almost need an asterisk with a statement like this stating before John Harbaugh and Joe Flacco. Yes we had some rough ones with Brian Billick and Kyle Boller but recently Joe and the staff have done well with Torrey, Boldin, Mason, Pitta. The only higher round pick recently that has not worked perfectly is Dickson as he is inconsistent but still he is far from bust and a TE not a WR. I think at this point it is easier to argue and makes me sense that we have everything in place, a proven pass game and Joe deserves to have great weapons around. Previous teams I am not sure I would say that

[Yatagarasu]

Any talent helps the team.

Heck we can have two talented QBs for all I care and it still helps the team because competition makes everyone play better.

However, in a QB hungry league, it's better to maximize your spending and talent on every position rather than spend all the money on a QB. Last time I checked, teams win games, but having a stud QB does help.

[BloodRaven]

You almost need an asterisk with a statement like this stating before John Harbaugh and Joe Flacco. Yes we had some rough ones with Brian Billick and Kyle Boller but recently Joe and the staff have done well with Torrey, Boldin, Mason, Pitta. The only higher round pick recently that has not worked perfectly is Dickson as he is inconsistent but still he is far from bust and a TE not a WR. I think at this point it is easier to argue and makes me sense that we have everything in place, a proven pass game and Joe deserves to have great weapons around. Previous teams I am not sure I would say that

We didn't draft Boldin or Mason, but during the Harbaugh/Flacco era we did draft:

Marcus Smith
Justin Harper
Davon Drew
Ed Dickson
Dennis Pitta
David Reed
Torrey Smith
Tandon Doss
Tommy Streeter

Bolded are the only two serviceable players who defenses would know exist.