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?

[Couch-Potato]

ESPN's Draft Analyst Jordan Reid sites Keon Coleman as his #23 player, Legette at #47, and Franklin at #49 in his TOP 50 List.

[JPH83]

Originally Posted by Chris Meck

We almost certainly WON'T, because we probably won't NEED to.

There's almost NO chance we don't bring in a vet as there's no way MVS is a Chief next year. You've got Rice, you've still got Kelce, there will be at LEAST one vet signing of significance and I'd be really surprised if we don't draft a WR in the first two rounds.

You've got a guy that's a legit threat to put up 1,000 plus, you've still got Kelce, you'll have another vet in the room, and you'll have a rookie that will be at BEST WR3 (so to speak) to start with.

So yeah, unless someone gets hurt, we won't be having a rookie go for 1,000 more than likely. It COULD happen, but probably not.

Oh for sure. Although I think it depends somewhat on the vet. The reality is, if it's Brown, Samuel, even Mooney (who I don't like much) they're almost certainly more productive than MVS this year.

As I say, lots of ways for us to get better.

[Couch-Potato]

Originally Posted by Couch-Potato

Ok, wait. Looking for additional opinions on this.

Does the league view Oregon's offense the same way they do TEN?

Are we too high on Franklin based on some gimmick offense?

Here's a response to my own question that CP might find interesting:

Spoiler!

After the run-heavy and relatively conservative offense that became the new norm for the Oregon Ducks over the past few years under former head coach Mario Cristobal, many Oregon fans have been curious about what type of scheme the new coaching staff is going to implement, and how it will differ from the previous iterations.

On Saturday afternoon when the media got the first chance to talk to offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham since spring ball started, we got a little bit of a glimpse at what is in the plans.

The QB sneak is coming back to Oregon's offense, per OC Kenny Dillingham
“We want to be a pro-style offense that plays fast,” Dillingham said. “So that means is we want to put our athletes in the best position to win one on one situations, where we want to be able to do that with variations of tempo. So whether we’re playing super fast, whether we’re running a check with me system, we’re trying to be able to create a variation of tempo. We’re also creating matches via one on one based off our personnel groupings.”

For the Ducks, tempo is not a new concept, especially after Chip Kelly revolutionized the game a decade ago and implemented a spread-offense that took college football by storm and found so much success that it drew copycats from around the nation.

“This system is built for playmakers and we are going to put our playmakers in space,” Dillingham said. “If those playmakers or our best players are running backs and our best players are upfront, we’re going to run the football. If our best players are on the perimeter who can win one on ones, we’re going to give them opportunities. In years past we’ve thrown the ball for over 4,000 yards in this system. We’ve run the ball for over 4000 yards in this system. So this system is adaptable to the people we have on our team, we’re going to adapt to those players.”

That is something that should be music to [Chiefs] fans’ ears.

In 2021, it was felt that Oregon had an incredibly talented group of wide receivers, but through a combination of play-calling and ability at the quarterback position, the passing game suffered throughout the season and not a single player came close to sniffing 1,000 yards receiving. Now, it appears that if Oregon feels like they have a player on the outside who can help them exploit the defense, they will do whatever they can to get them the ball.

[staylor26]

I'm really warming up to Keon Coleman as a possibility in round 1.

You can sign a guy like Mooney to be the deep threat, and just let Coleman and Rice bully corners.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by staylor26

I'm really warming up to Keon Coleman as a possibility in round 1.

There's some real upside there but.....I'm just not a fan of that type of WR.

I dunno, maybe it would work.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by staylor26

I'm really warming up to Keon Coleman as a possibility in round 1.

You can sign a guy like Mooney to be the deep threat, and just let Coleman and Rice bully corners.

Yeah - I'm just not going to get there.

WR's that don't get good separation just aren't a good fit in this offense. It's not a bully ball offense. It's about timing and quick separation.

The same reasons you thought Moore SHOULD work in this offense are why Coleman wouldn't, IMO. And I just don't see much 'there' there in terms of traits. He has good size and that's almost literally the last thing on my list for WR traits.

I just don't know what I see that actually translates well to a timing offense. Bigger bodied guys that can screen dudes off, even if we find a way to make them work here, don't require 1st round picks. Those can be found in the middle rounds.

I just can't see a way I ever find him all that attractive in the 1st. Should he really slide and fall into the late 2nd - sure. But I'm not gonna get there in the first. I just can't see a scenario where 8 other WRs go off the board (which is about what it would take to put him at the top of my WR list) and not leave someone else at a different position I'd far rather have.

[Mecca]

Troy Franklin is the guy, if he's not there then I think you pivot to the OL or DL.

[Shoes]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Yeah - I'm just not going to get there.

WR's that don't get good separation just aren't a good fit in this offense. It's not a bully ball offense. It's about timing and quick separation.

The same reasons you thought Moore SHOULD work in this offense are why Coleman wouldn't, IMO. And I just don't see much 'there' there in terms of traits. He has good size and that's almost literally the last thing on my list for WR traits.

I just don't know what I see that actually translates well to a timing offense. Bigger bodied guys that can screen dudes off, even if we find a way to make them work here, don't require 1st round picks. Those can be found in the middle rounds.

I just can't see a way I ever find him all that attractive in the 1st. Should he really slide and fall into the late 2nd - sure. But I'm not gonna get there in the first. I just can't see a scenario where 8 other WRs go off the board (which is about what it would take to put him at the top of my WR list) and not leave someone else at a different position I'd far rather have.

Not that I disagree with your main sentiment but playing devil's advocate- I thought Rashee Rice's tape last year showed a guy who also had a decent amount of bully ball in his game. A lot of back shoulder fades and go win plays. I think sometimes at the NCAA level when you have an extremely talented player, the coaching staff can revert to the "my guy is better than your guy" play design.

What I like about Coleman beyond his obvious size is that Florida State used him a fair amount in the screen game and even to return punts. Very fluid athlete at his size- I personally don't think he is just a bully ball receiver. Quite a few plays on his tape where he routinely makes a defender miss and picks up the YAC yards. We'll see how his testing goes but I think your underestimating his athletic ability.

[O.city]

Franklin is the one I've just zeroed in on, for a couple reasons.

He has alot that this offense needs in terms of speed, ability etc. I think he also may end up going before we pick, so it may not matter.

But he's also an ideal pairing for Rice. Put those two together and it's a nice Batman and Robin.

[Couch-Potato]

I'm starting to believe we've got Coleman and Franklin flipped, or at least the league does. Seems like the pros expect Coleman will go #4 and Franklin #5 or #6 WR off the board. I can't quite figure it out, but scouts and draft heads just aren't quite as high on Franklin as we are yet and despite the lack of production routinely take Coleman over Franklin, and even occasionally have him taken in the top 15. Must be his frame, athletic traits, and youth?

[staylor26]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Yeah - I'm just not going to get there.

WR's that don't get good separation just aren't a good fit in this offense. It's not a bully ball offense. It's about timing and quick separation.

The same reasons you thought Moore SHOULD work in this offense are why Coleman wouldn't, IMO. And I just don't see much 'there' there in terms of traits. He has good size and that's almost literally the last thing on my list for WR traits.

I just don't know what I see that actually translates well to a timing offense. Bigger bodied guys that can screen dudes off, even if we find a way to make them work here, don't require 1st round picks. Those can be found in the middle rounds.

I just can't see a way I ever find him all that attractive in the 1st. Should he really slide and fall into the late 2nd - sure. But I'm not gonna get there in the first. I just can't see a scenario where 8 other WRs go off the board (which is about what it would take to put him at the top of my WR list) and not leave someone else at a different position I'd far rather have.

Shoes pretty much hit the nail on the head as to why I've warmed up to him:

Originally Posted by Shoes

Not that I disagree with your main sentiment but playing devil's advocate- I thought Rashee Rice's tape last year showed a guy who also had a decent amount of bully ball in his game. A lot of back shoulder fades and go win plays. I think sometimes at the NCAA level when you have an extremely talented player, the coaching staff can revert to the "my guy is better than your guy" play design.

What I like about Coleman beyond his obvious size is that Florida State used him a fair amount in the screen game and even to return punts. Very fluid athlete at his size- I personally don't think he is just a bully ball receiver. Quite a few plays on his tape where he routinely makes a defender miss and picks up the YAC yards. We'll see how his testing goes but I think your underestimating his athletic ability.

If he were just a Mike Williams type, like I initially thought, I'd be out on him.

But I just think there's more to his game that makes him a fit.

[staylor26]

Originally Posted by Couch-Potato

I'm starting to believe we've got Coleman and Franklin flipped, or at least the league does. Seems like the pros expect Coleman will go #4 and Franklin #5 or #6 WR off the board. I can't quite figure it out, but scouts and draft heads just aren't quite as high on Franklin as we are yet and despite the lack of production routinely take Coleman over Franklin, and even occasionally have him taken in the top 15. Must be his frame, athletic traits, and youth?

It's still Franklin > Coleman for me, but I definitely think Coleman is in the conversation.

[O.city]

Coleman just seems a bit redundant to what Rice does for me, but I'm not really against that if that's what we're going for.

I'd like to have a guy that can really do it all though.

[staylor26]

I also think Ja'Tavion Samders needs to be in the conversation. I think he will be after the combine. Him and Kelce would be ****ing insane, and help keep Kelce fresh.

This of course would have to come with a significant WR signing in free agency.

[JPH83]

Franklin is the guy for me. If he's gone I'm sulking and probably not that fussed who we pick.

Coleman I said early I just didn't like at all, for all the reasons DJ mentioned. But I'm warming a little for the reasons Shoes mentioned. I keep hearing evaluators say "it's not that he can't separate, it's just that he doesn't". I'm pretty suspicious of this, but they seem to be referencing his athleticism. Maybe. If he tests well I could go with it perhaps. If the league likes him more than Franklin, fine by me.