2024 WR Class

[Couch-Potato]

Some interesting WRs in the upcoming class, who do you like?

1st - 2nd RD WR Targets:

Keon Coleman, FSU, 6-4, 215, 4.6
Emeka Egbuka, OH ST, 6-1, 205, 4.3
Adonai Mitchell, TX, 6-4, 195, 4.5
Troy Franklin, ORG, 6-3, 185, 4.41
Xavier Legette, SC, 6-1, 225, 4.29
Brian Thomas, LSU, 6-4, 205, 4.35
Xavier Worthy, TX, 6-1, 175, 4.22
Ja'Lynn Polk, WAS, 6-2, 205, 4.48
Johnny Wilson, FSU, 6-7, 235, 4.42
Branden Rice, USC, 6-3, 210, 4.38
Malachi Corley, WKU, 5-11, 200, 4.46
Jermain Burton, BAMA, 6-0, 195, 4.31

*This entire class is tall WTF?

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

I do need to do some research on Devontez Walker. How well he meshed with Maye when plays break down should be indicative of fit for KC.

He hasn't really been discussed in here or on my radar, but it seems like he should be.

Yeah, he's someone I'll have to do more digging on. I think I want to call him my 6th first round option for us (with 3 of them not really options). But I'm not there.

Yet.

But he brings some tools we could really use. Doubly so if you get someone like Brown in FA.

[O.city]

If they sign someone in FA......I think I'm ok waiting til that second wave of guys.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Yeah, he's someone I'll have to do more digging on. I think I want to call him my 6th first round option for us (with 3 of them not really options). But I'm not there.

Yet.

But he brings some tools we could really use. Doubly so if you get someone like Brown in FA.

Classic X size. Big catch radius, good hands. Looks like he tracks the ball well downfield. He looks smooth, but I'm not sure how sudden he is or how good he is in scramble drill situations.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Classic X size. Big catch radius, good hands. Looks like he tracks the ball well downfield. He looks smooth, but I'm not sure how sudden he is or how good he is in scramble drill situations.

Yeah, I just want to find him running routes. Ideally against quality competition.

I'm not worried about the rest of it. Hands, body control, eyes, build - all looks good. I wanna see how he gears down and back up. I wanna see how he sets up DBs and stuff like how quickly he locates the ball out of a cut. Does he do that little underhanded crap to get open in a way that allows him to stay on sequence. Will he use his size for more than just jump ball scenarios?

The 'WR shit' I talk about being shocked that Hill essentially came equipped with from Day 1. So much of that is weirdly innate. How's he do all that stuff?

[Bowser]

What is Rashee Rice for us going into the '24 season and beyond? Does he have the physicality to be our true "X" in this offense, or is he going to morph into the "Z" guy going into motion and lining up in the slot more often than not? Andy seems to like the Desean Jackson sized guys for his Z receiver, but with the production Rice has put out in his rookie season, what will he bring the next few years, and because of that, how will we draft AROUND him at the receiver position?

[Bowser]

(I am willing to admit that is a dumb question given all the variables and data available, so light me up if you feel I've earned it)

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Bowser

What is Rashee Rice for us going into the '24 season and beyond? Does he have the physicality to be our true "X" in this offense, or is he going to morph into the "Z" guy going into motion and lining up in the slot more often than not? Andy seems to like the Desean Jackson sized guys for his Z receiver, but with the production Rice has put out in his rookie season, what will he bring the next few years, and because of that, how will we draft AROUND him at the receiver position?

Reid has evolved those tags so much over the years that it's hard to identify it really.

I use the 'z' designation as the strong-side WR in 11 personnel. Typically your first read and can work every blade of grass on the field. X receiver is weak side but with a slot in his pocket; typically going to work middle/intermediate with the slot designed to pull some coverage off him (or vice versa). This is not even kindergarten level stupid; this is pre-school simplistic but it's how I use the terminology for the sake of conversation.

In that sense, I think Rice is more of an X mold. But we've used that shitty little speed receiver from Indy in that role in the past (when we had Bowe as the Z). As you noted, he used to use Jackson in that role with Maclin as the Z. But when we had Hill at Z we used Watkins at X.

Honestly, I think in a perfect world, we get a different guy to play the Z who can be that guy who challenges everywhere. And I think that's probably what we'll try to do. We'll try to develop that Hill/Watkins setup. But if it doesn't work out, you could get away with Rice as your Z with a speed threat at X; more akin to Avery/Bowe or even Jackson/Maclin.

Short answer? We'll work with what we've got.

[O.city]

Brandon Aiyuk will be your z next year, with Rice in that big X role.

[RunKC]

They're just so many outliers that could happen. I look at a guy like Puka Nacua and see that while he has size, he ran the 40 in 4.57 seconds and had a 7.32 3 cone. Granted he is a solid route runner but in no way should guys like that be doing what he's doing this year.

For me I think we need to get back to speed but get some size and route running mixed in.

Man I wish we would have taken a flyer on Trey Palmer instead of a run stuffing DT

[Chris Meck]

Originally Posted by O.city

Brandon Aiyuk will be your z next year, with Rice in that big X role.

Dude.

there's no ****in' way.

They're not going to take away weapons from Purdy, especially when they're not paying him.

They'll parcel out the defense before they do that.

[Couch-Potato]

Originally Posted by kccrow

I might put Thomas in that could-be-first group.

Been wondering if he might be the guy recently.

He's got height, speed, and production.

Plus an avg catch of 18 yards.

[JPH83]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

I just loved listening to them talk about Renfrow as a clear win for them. "Oh well that DB said that Renfrow was his hardest cover in college, way moreso than Brown, Metcalf, McLaurin and all those other monsters that came out in the draft. And you can see it on tape!"

Meanwhile Brown, Metcalf, McLaurin, Johnson, Deebo, Hollywood....shit, Darius Slatyong - have all had better careers than Renfrow. Hardman hasn't been notably LESS productive.

Renfrow is such a great white hype. He's a GREAT 5th round pick, don't get me wrong. But to sit here and say "See - we told you, all he does is get open!" and contrast him against guys who've had OBVIOUSLY better careers than than him is just the height of stupidity.

Oh I totally agree on all this. You can't take these sort of middling athletes early at all. They're, potentially, great supplementary pieces, taken later.

Dez Walker I've been seeing the hype and I'm not sure I get it. He looks to me like a marginally more athletic Justyn Ross. Big, but I'm not sure much else is outstanding. Both him and Brian Thomas are the guys I see ranked highly, but of the 2 I prefer Thomas. Again, still not totally sold, but he looks pretty damn toolsy.

[kccrow]

Originally Posted by JPH83

Oh I totally agree on all this. You can't take these sort of middling athletes early at all. They're, potentially, great supplementary pieces, taken later.

Dez Walker I've been seeing the hype and I'm not sure I get it. He looks to me like a marginally more athletic Justyn Ross. Big, but I'm not sure much else is outstanding. Both him and Brian Thomas are the guys I see ranked highly, but of the 2 I prefer Thomas. Again, still not totally sold, but he looks pretty damn toolsy.

I like Dez Walker but damn if I'm not gun-shy after my last love affair with an NC WR (Dyami Brown), and they aren't too dissimilar.

Thomas is interesting to me but I worry about his ability to run routes, especially in Reid's offense. He was alot of go routes for LSU it seemed like.

[JPH83]

Originally Posted by kccrow

I like Dez Walker but damn if I'm not gun-shy after my last love affair with an NC WR (Dyami Brown), and they aren't too dissimilar.

Thomas is interesting to me but I worry about his ability to run routes, especially in Reid's offense. He was alot of go routes for LSU it seemed like.

Same thought on Thomas, but like the reverse of your thinking on NC WRs, damn, LSU ones...really there's a lot of guys I can talk myself into R1. Probably I'm hoping it's Franklin or Egbuka. If not there's maybe another 3-4 I'd be OK with, especially if those are gone. Coleman? No thanks. Legette, meh, maybe. Walker right now, I'm probably a no.

[Couch-Potato]

Thomas would be a good replacement / better version of MVS

PFF has him #4