Picking Kelly over Sweed

[GTripp0012]

I think Malcolm Kelly can be a very valuable player for us for a long time and DEFINATELY seems to be a good value pick at 51. Problem is that his speed issues do prevent him from having the potential to develop into a top of the line receiver.

Still, I'm happy we have him.

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by GTripp0012

I think Malcolm Kelly can be a very valuable player for us for a long time and DEFINATELY seems to be a good value pick at 51. Problem is that his speed issues do prevent him from having the potential to develop into a top of the line receiver.

Still, I'm happy we have him.

WR's with "seemingly speed issues" always find a way to succeed. Keyshawn Johnson was not very speedy, but he worked on his route running and his hands. Kelly already has good hands. With proper footwork / route running, he'll be successful. You don't have to pass every DB to be a successful WR.

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by jsarno

WR's with "seemingly speed issues" always find a way to succeed. Keyshawn Johnson was not very speedy, but he worked on his route running and his hands. Kelly already has good hands. With proper footwork / route running, he'll be successful. You don't have to pass every DB to be a successful WR.

Yeah, but the point was no one is going to confuse Keyshawn Johnson for Steve Smith/Terrell Owens/Randy Moss/Chad Johnson/Torry Holt.

That's the kind of player Malcolm Kelly can never be. A very good player is something he can be.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by GTripp0012

Yeah, but the point was no one is going to confuse Keyshawn Johnson for Steve Smith/Terrell Owens/Randy Moss/Chad Johnson/Torry Holt.

That's the kind of player Malcolm Kelly can never be. A very good player is something he can be.

I'm not clear as to why you seem so sure about his potential.

[LandrySlice]

Let's not be too fast to judge this guys potential until 2 or 3 years down the road. I have a feeling he and Thomas will be used in certain situations throughout the season, but will not be every down WR's until next year if they are lucky. I love the pick, especially Kelly, but lets have some patience with him. In the words of the wise Greg Novis "Trust in Vinny!"

[SkinsTerps424]

I know some of the people on this board have mentioned it but Sweed has injury history of his own. I can't fault Kelly as a pick over Sweed. I get sick and tired of people making a big deal over timed speed. Releasing off the line is just as important as straigh ahead speed. If a receiver does not have good hand work and footwork off the line in the NFL they are not going to be able to showcase speed. Looking at Kelly's film he does play well off the line, he ran good routes and gained seperation at the college level. I know that was against some corners who were not NFL caliber, but Kelly was drawing most of the number one corners. Kelly has really strong hands and plays very well in the air. We have been lacking a receiver who is a good jump ball man for quite a long time. I'm not losing any sleep over picking Kelly over Sweed.

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

I'm not clear as to why you seem so sure about his potential.

Well, I don't know why we are supposed to assume he might be able to accomplish physical feats that people with similar measurables to him simply have never, ever been able to accomplish.

He looks for the world to see like a pretty good receiver prospect. Let's be honest here, I don't know what's so groundbreaking about pointing out that he's totally dissimmilar to the elite receivers in the game. I'm not even using any cool numbers or anything to arrive at that conclusion. I'm just pointing out the obvious.

People are optimistic about the draft class, as rightly they should be this time of the year. I'm just lurking to point out realistic concepts that are being overlooked.

Keyshawn Johnson, to me, epitomizes a receiver who did every thing right fundamentally, but never really was an elite player at his position, because that wasn't his game. Maybe there's a player that better epitomizes his upside, who I'm not thinking of, but I'm alright with what I'm saying nevertheless.

Now, something I haven't said about Kelly yet is there is a certain degree of uncertainty around scouting him that worries me a tad. That "has been charted with one dropped pass" doesn't mean a lot because he skipped his Senior season. If he stayed, he might have dropped 7-8 passes and been a fifth round draft pick. Who knows? That's the uncertainty effect working here.

I am optimistic about his progression however, and based on what the teams knew, it looks like a lot of other teams passed on him for piss poor reasons. And for that we should be fortunate.

Although the fact that Kelly was still around at No. 51 (as well as Sweed, Manningham, etc.) really makes the "value" that was Devin Thomas look more like a reach. Just sayin.

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by GTripp0012

Yeah, but the point was no one is going to confuse Keyshawn Johnson for Steve Smith/Terrell Owens/Randy Moss/Chad Johnson/Torry Holt.

Point taken.

That's the kind of player Malcolm Kelly can never be. A very good player is something he can be.

Not that Kelly is the next Jerry Rice...but people pooed on Rice's potential too...the sky is the limit with these kids. He will be as good as he wants to be. No one knows at this point.

[bedlamVR]

Originally Posted by GTripp0012

Yeah, but the point was no one is going to confuse Keyshawn Johnson for Steve Smith/Terrell Owens/Randy Moss/Chad Johnson/Torry Holt.

That's the kind of player Malcolm Kelly can never be. A very good player is something he can be.

No one is going to mistake steve smith for Terrell Owens or Regie Wayne for Rnady Moss because although they are all WR they all play the game differently ... Johnson was one of the top WRs in the game until people focused on his attitude rather than his production ... I don't see how you can write Kelly off because he is similar to another NFL star who didn't quite live up to his extremely lofty expectations ...

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by bedlamVR

No one is going to mistake steve smith for Terrell Owens or Regie Wayne for Rnady Moss because although they are all WR they all play the game differently ... Johnson was one of the top WRs in the game until people focused on his attitude rather than his production ... I don't see how you can write Kelly off because he is similar to another NFL star who didn't quite live up to his extremely lofty expectations ...

Good post.

ps- if Kelly turns out to be the next Keyshawn Johnson, we got a STEAL!

[SouperMeister]

Originally Posted by GTripp0012

I think Malcolm Kelly can be a very valuable player for us for a long time and DEFINATELY seems to be a good value pick at 51. Problem is that his speed issues do prevent him from having the potential to develop into a top of the line receiver.

Still, I'm happy we have him.

40 yard time is incredibly overrated. Jerry Rice and Cris Carter both ran around 4.7 and they did nothing but make plays. We drafted Taylor Jacobs over Anquan Boldin after Boldin ran a 4.7. I've said it before, and it bears repeating, put more stock in game footage than the combine, film doesn't lie. Had we heeded the Rose Bowl film of Desmond Howard struggling to get off the line against a physical Washington Huskies D, we might have avoided that bust.

Kelly looks great on film and good luck to CBs that try jamming him at the line of scrimmage.