As many may know, I am probably the biggest opponent of drafting a wide receiver high on this board. The position is just so dependent on everyone around it that a receiver has to have really special quailities for me to like him enough to draft him in the first round. Last year, I didn't like any of them. One of the things I cannot stand in a wide receiver is a diva attitude - an attitude where the receiver thinks he is above the team and wants to bring attention to himself. Many liked Dez Bryant last year, but there were two things I really didn't like about him. First, Dez was the epitome of a diva attitude. Second, Dez did not strike me as a guy who would work hard and be a student of the game. So far, Dez in the NFL has shown that he has talent, but he has also shown that he isn't a student of the game. Traits that he showed in college have continued in the NFL, such as sleeping through film sessions, being late to practices, and not learning his plays. Dez will never be as good as he is capable of being if he doesn't put the work in. This year, the receiver that has caught my eye in the opposite way is Miami's Leonard Hankerson. Leonard was a fairly highly recruited wide receiver coming out of St. Thomas Aquinas High School for the 2007 signing class. He was on a team that was the #1 rated team in the country. We recruited him at Mississippi State but were never really in the picture for him, IMO. We ended up getting his QB Wesley Carroll, who transferred to Florida International when Sylvester Croom was replaced by Dan Mullen in 2009. Leonard ended up with Miami. In his first two seasons, Leonard didn't quite live up to expectations. He was a talented individual, but he had lots of problems with his focus. He was very prone to dropping the ball because he wouldn't maintain his focus. In the summer to 2009, Leonard sought to correct that. He knew what his ultimate goal was and that was to get into the league. So, he enlisted the help of a guy who has been where he wanted to get to, former Miami Dolphins great Mark Duper. Mark Duper spent the last two summers doing daily workouts and drills with Leonard Hankerson. If you haven't seen some of the clips of these drills, you should really watch them. Leonard was doing a lot of drills that may seem like menial drills to a lot of you, but in fact, they honed his focus. Mark Duper had Leonard doing a lot of drills that made him focus solely on catching the football. As an aside, Mark also worked with Leonard on his route running, making him drop his rear end when he would make his breaks without leaning his shoulders back and working with him on his steps. I watched several clips of Leonard's workouts with Mark, and I am really impressed with the work ethic he showed and what he put himself through to get better. Leonard made himself a better player based on his work ethic. He showed me that he is definitely a student of the game. As a result of his work with Mark Duper in the summers, over his last two seasons, Leonard caught 117 passes for 1,957 yards, 16.7 yards per reception, and 19 touchdowns. He averaged a touchdown every 6.1 receptions over his final two years. This is a receiver I would draft in the first round. Along with his athletic talents, Leonard is a player that will do the work and the film study that needs to be done to get better, and he will not bring attention to himself while he is doing it.
I don't necessarily agree about Bryant, but I do agree about Hankerson. I've been talking him up all season. I think he is the second coming of Reggie Wayne. But while I agree he's a first round talent, I wouldn't take him if I were the Dolphins. The Dolphins badly need a stretch the field type and while I think Hank will get deep at times I don't think he's the kind of deep threat that the Dolphins need.
He's not Andre Johnson. Johnson was one of the most dominant WR prospects you could ask for. Calvin Johnson is the only guy I've liked more going into the draft. He has everything you look for in a WR. Hank isn't as big or as fast. For me he's much closer to Reggie Wayne.
I’m not sure I’d compare him to Reggie Wayne. Wayne is smaller and a bit faster, and I don’t think he was ever targeted as often as Hankerson was in 2010. Physically, Hankerson is a lighter Andre Johnson. In terms of talent… he’s good, but I don’t think he’s THAT good. Hankerson feels like a second round pick to me, but I can see him going to Chicago at #29 overall.
Now that he's 6'1.5 instead of 6'3, he's not going to be an Andre...... although he does seem to have the frame to put on another 10-15 lbs. IMO he's in between the 2-- Not as quick as Wayne and not as physical or imposing as Andre. If Marshall were a 4.35 guy, then I'd love to have Hank here. Oh well.
I don't think Wayne is any faster. Maybe quicker. He probably wasn't targetted as much as Hank considering Hank was really Miami's only good WR in 2010. I still see a lot of similarities between the two.
Not even close. Reggie Waynes strength, and something hes possibily the best in the NFL at, is Hankersons biggest weakness.
What is his strength that is Hank's weakness? I would say route running and hands are the strengths of both players.
Hankerson is very good in routes. and I like Hankerson as well. But Reggie Wayne catching the ball with his hands is Hankersons weekness. one reason he drops balls is he lets the ball get into his body to often. Thats his biggest weakness IMO. he loses focus and doesnt catch the ball with his hands.
His hands used to be a weakness, but he's improved that area greatly to the point where I believe it's a strenth of his now. Watching him at the the Senior Bowl practices and just listening to the sound the ball makes when it hits his hands is just how you want it to sound. It's like a ball hitting a pillow.
I’m going on 40 times when I say Wayne is faster. Andre Johnson is also faster, but we’re talking about a 4.5 guy (Hank) versus two 4.43 guys (Wayne, Johnson), so it’s not a huge difference.
i agree his hands are better, as they were some of the worst ive seen. but they are still a weakness. hes not a natural hand catch imo.
Well, we're going to have to agree to diagree then because I think it's become a strength of his game.
I agree. Superior route-running can trump pure speed. Just ask Hines Ward. If we can get a hybrid Ward/Johnson... I'd blow a load come draft night.
He looked very good in the game today. Got behind his corner somethin bad at the end of the first half, but Dalton didn't have the arm to give him a shot at it. He really helped his stock today; enough that I think he'll go 1-2 instead of 2-3 now. Ran good routes, caught the ball away from his body and fought for the jump ball in traffic. He'll be good for somebody, but I don't see Mia taking him; they have too many pressing needs at other positions.
[video]http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-senior-bowl/09000d5d81dfd270/College-rivals-hook-up-for-Senior-Bowl-TD?module=HP_cp2[/video] My pants... That route was fap-worthy. Made that look like cake.
It's early, but I'm intrigued by the idea of being able to trade down and still have a shot at Hankerson or even Jonathan Baldwin. If we were able to pick up another pick in the 2nd, that's where a guy like Kendall Hunter or some offensive line help looks really appealing. If Mark Ingram if off the board, that's probably my preferred move right now.
I like Hank to ... but I don't draft him unless we trade down and pick up a 2nd round pick. Even then I'd have a hard time drafting him with our other needs.
