Could Alshon Jeffery Fall Out of Round 1? - Page 3

nfldraftnerd · 02-12-2012, 12:14 AM

I think the arrow is definitely pointing up for Alshon Jeffery, especially since Michael Floyd opted to sit himself down for post-season all-star games.

How is Alshon Jeffrey, if not the top receiver, one of the top 2 or 3 receivers in this class? Tons of teams need wide-outs this year, there's solid talent at the top of the list, and I am willing to bet he doesn't get past San Francisco late in the first.

What's scary is, at the C1 Bowl, despite everybody calling him "fat and out of shape" he still out classed a corner back that a lot of naysayers have in their cream of the crop for this class... Imagine how good he could be if he were "in-shape."

He has top 10 talent and if he bridges a few gaps at the combine, he could easily move into the top 10 or 15 on draft day.

If he is still on the board when SF picks at 30, I would be absolutely stunned.

MidwayMonster31 · 02-12-2012, 12:58 AM

After the Senior Bowl, I have a feeling Dennard is going to be in for a lengthy drop. If he can't get a good jam at the line of scrimmage, it's real easy to get separation from him. There might be concerns that he might have to play at the nickel or go to safety, if he runs badly, or looks stiff in coverage he can drop.
Jeffrey did outclass him, but I for one, am down on both of them

FUNBUNCHER · 02-12-2012, 02:11 AM

I don't think Jeffery is capable of running a sub 4.6, his lack of overall pure athleticism with all his other question marks is why I don't see him going anywhere in the top 30 picks.

TACKLE · 02-12-2012, 04:09 AM

Although I certainly see some of the concerns, I've kinda become a closet Alshon Jeffery fan over the past couple months. This is a very deep WR class and there are number of solid all-around WR's but most of those guys lack any special qualities. When it comes to jump ball situations, Alshon's hands and body control will instantly make him an elite jump ball WR in the league. He is truly special in that area and has been throughout his career. His hands are second to none in this class and there really isn't a close second. I mean how many plays times did AJ Green embarrass a DB on a circus catch simply by having superior size, hands and body control.

There is some validity to the concerns about his speed and suddenness. He is more of a build up speed guy and I'm as curious as anybody about his forty time. But I've seen him be able to create some natural separation on vertical routes and although he isn't too explosive in short areas (no worse than Floyd at least) I think to some extent he simply looks slower because he is big, fluid and very smooth. I feel the weight concerns were overblown a bit. His statistical drop off had to do more with the fact that their QB's were incompetent and as a team they threw the ball 72 less times and their yards per attempt still dropped by 1.2. Even throughout when he had all the excuses in the world, he stayed very positive and was as team oriented guy as you could want.

I guess he's not a fit for every offense and his forty (which I expect he'll run at his pro day and not Indy, just a hunch) will certainly influence the way I see him. Still, he's a big, fluid, coordinated athlete with the ability to win the ball in the air vs any DB in this league and because of that he's going to be able to create mismatches. That's something I can look past with him as a prospect even with questions about his speed looming. There's kind of been a movement towards smaller quicker slot types so now there actually seems to be quite a few teams with good passing attacks that now lack a big X WR who can create a physical mismatch and win on the outside. In the right situation, Jeffery can be that guy.

PossibleCabbage · 02-12-2012, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TACKLE

I guess he's not a fit for every offense and his forty (which I expect he'll run at his pro day and not Indy, just a hunch) will certainly influence the way I see him.

If Jeffrey opts not to run the 40 at Indy without a good excuse (like a legitimate injury), that's going to influence the way a lot of NFL teams think about him. He's not the sort of clean, high-end prospect that teams are going to excuse "not participating in tests at the combine because he fears it will hurt his stock."

I mean, you could be right and he won't run at the combine, but that will result in some furious scribbling on note pads unless he's demonstrably not healthy (and they do the physical before the 40).

Dan_Steele · 02-12-2012, 01:24 PM

Jeffrey reminds me a lot of Dwayne Jarrett, who came out of USC a few years ago. Jarrett was a pariah all of draft season, terrible with the media, milked an injury to get out of working out at the combine, and couldn't shake many off-the-field concerns during his meetings at Indy. Jarrett, who was once a premier prospect with All-American credentials tumbled far down draft boards, even being removed from some team's boards entirely. He still got drafted reasonably high (for reasons I still do not know), and was pretty much awful during his time in Carolina.

I'm not saying Jeffrey will share this fate but if he wants to remain in the first round conversation he needs to go to the combine and do every single drill. Even if he doesn't perform well, it still reflects much better on his character that he was willing to go out there, work hard, and do whats asked of him. In recent years we have seen players like Joe Haden and Mario Manningham go to the combine and turn in sub-par performances but still get drafted where they were originally projected. The Combine drills basically serve this purpose - if a player performs better or worse than expected then you go back and re-evaluate him. If he performs on-par with what you expected, then your scouting report is pretty much done. Haden and Manningham rebounded with strong pro-days and had the game tape to back it up. They showed a willingness to work by battling through injuries in Indy to do what was asked of them

It is in my humble opinion that seeing a player work hard and do whats expected of him in much more valuable and much more important to teams than a 40-yard dash time.

descendency · 02-12-2012, 01:27 PM

If he performs miserably, it will be just as bad as not performing at all.

NFL teams know how to find out if you are "working for a contract" or seriously interested in being in the NFL.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nfldraftnerd

How is Alshon Jeffrey, if not the top receiver, one of the top 2 or 3 receivers in this class?

He's a fat WR with no explosion and potentially no love for the game.

TACKLE · 02-12-2012, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by descendency

If he performs miserably, it will be just as bad as not performing at all.

That's just blatantly untrue.

Quote:

NFL teams know how to find out if you are "working for a contract" or seriously interested in being in the NFL.

How do you know what NFL teams know. Every single player in the league and every single player getting ready for the draft is 'working for a contract'. All those prospects who spends thousands and thousands dollars to tweak their 40 technique so they can run the best possible time and get the best possible contract. How and why is Alshon any different?

Quote:

He's a fat WR with no explosion and potentially no love for the game.

Again with making completely baseless comments. Stop doing that.

49erNation85 · 02-12-2012, 06:11 PM

I would love this guy at Sf.Big target and could possible just use the right coaching to get his Pot jump started and be a number one Wide out.

descendency · 02-12-2012, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TACKLE

Again with making completely baseless comments. Stop doing that.

You simply don't get fat if you are in the gym. He's fat. You can see it clearly. It's not baseless.

Vikes99ej · 02-12-2012, 06:33 PM

Not if the Vikings get another pick!

VernonLawson89 · 02-12-2012, 06:58 PM

If you're the 49ers @ #30, and Mo Sanu and Alshon Jeffery are both still on the board, who do you take?

DeepThreat · 02-12-2012, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by descendency

You simply don't get fat if you are in the gym. He's fat. You can see it clearly. It's not baseless.

Apparently most offensive linemen don't work out either.

And the simple fact that a player is overweight does not mean he does not love the game. That is a stupid connection.

PossibleCabbage · 02-12-2012, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VernonLawson89

If you're the 49ers @ #30, and Mo Sanu and Alshon Jeffery are both still on the board, who do you take?

I say that one comes down to the interview at the combine. The interview is going to be huge for Alshon Jeffrey, and if he blows it (or simply fails to impress), I think I would take Sanu.

descendency · 02-13-2012, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeepThreat

Apparently most offensive linemen don't work out either.

And the simple fact that a player is overweight does not mean he does not love the game. That is a stupid connection.

Clearly, I'm not talking about being fat in general. I'm talking about a fat WR. WRs are not fat. A fat WR is like a fat 100m star.

Brian Price (DT, Tampa Bay) was supposed to be a first rounder, until people saw he was fat. The Bucs are definitely regretting his lack of conditioning.

Mike Williams (pick one) was supposed to be good... and then he got fat.

Andre Smith (OL, Bengals) went 6th overall but now has a clause in his contract that allows the Bengals to pay him peanuts if he gets over a certain weight. He has since dedicated himself and got in shape and actually played well.

JaMarcus Russell was fat. Guess what he had? (Hint: No love for the game)

Can you not care, be fat, and succeed in the NFL? Sure.

Albert Haynesworth clearly is a talented player whom can succeed on the NFL level. He also clearly doesn't care if he's in shape or if he does anything other than collect checks.

Poor conditioning is a huge red flag.

http://twitter.com/#!/RookieDraft/st...57077535694848

Quote:

WR Alshon Jeffery, #SouthCarolina is training at St Vincents here in Indy. Sources say he's weighing 249lbs + running a 4.88 Forty #NFLDraft

Cigaro · 02-13-2012, 03:22 PM

I find those numbers a bit hard to believe, but if they are true, Jeffery can expect to fall much farther than from just the first round.

Well according to the guy who reported it, he verified at least the 40 with Jeffery, although it's about three weeks old. That's still absolutely horrendous.

EDIT: According to Jeffery and his agent, he's training in Tampa, not Indy, so it looks like after all that's probably not legitimate.

thefridge15 · 02-13-2012, 03:44 PM

A 4.88 forty is bad no matter when you run it, 3 weeks ago means nothing to me.

AntoinCD · 02-13-2012, 03:47 PM

If those numbers are even close to the truth I actually don't see how he's a draftable prospect. Calvin Johnson was 239 of rock solid muscle at the combine. Alshon Jeffrey isn't built like that and I would be willing to guess he would be about 20lb overweight which is ridiculous for a guy going to the combine with first round aspirations.

His timed speed was never gonna be great but if he doesn't run at worst a 4.6 then his stock goes into free fall

DraftSavant · 02-13-2012, 03:51 PM

Rumor now is that this information is being leaked by Alshon's side so he blows away impressions at the combine.

BELIEVE ALL THE THINGS!

Cigaro · 02-13-2012, 04:05 PM

Again, considering Alshon is actually training in Tampa and not Indy as this guy reported, I'm pretty sure those numbers are not legitimate.

TheSlinger · 02-13-2012, 04:07 PM

249 is believable. 4.88 is not, at least to me. 4.65 is the projection I'm putting on him and I HATE Jeffery.

A Perfect Score · 02-13-2012, 04:09 PM

Call me crazy, but I think he's going sub 4.6. I'm thinking 4.57 at about 240 lbs.

MidwayMonster31 · 02-13-2012, 04:11 PM

The beginning of smokescreen season.

AntoinCD · 02-13-2012, 04:15 PM

Even if Alshon absolutely smashes the combine I fail to see how letting this info out could help him. If he's gonna be near 250lbs in the most important offseason of his career, regardless if he can cut both his weight and speed, then what makes you think he won't be higher and slower next year with a guaranteed salary?

Cigaro · 02-13-2012, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AntoinCD

Even if Alshon absolutely smashes the combine I fail to see how letting this info out could help him. If he's gonna be near 250lbs in the most important offseason of his career, regardless if he can cut both his weight and speed, then what makes you think he won't be higher and slower next year with a guaranteed salary?

If he's letting it out, he wouldn't be doing so because it was actually true and had somehow magically improved, rather simply to create low expectations based on false numbers that can easily be beaten by the true numbers. The desired effect I assume is to for the scouts to realize those early numbers as illegitimate while still feeling improved about Alshon's potential because of the new numbers.