My Fear of Drafting Calvin Johnson (Pick Your Source)

[psymun]

I have been saying since november that Calvin Johnson is inconsistent and dissapears from games. Since no one would believe me, I decided to go find proof that I wasn't the only one that saw this. The reason I think this is significant is because this is the exact problem that has plagued players that were supposed to be outstanding talents...

NFL.COM/NFL Draft Scout
http://www.nfl.com/draft/profiles/2007/johnson_calvin
http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/profile.php?pyid=32991

Tends to lose concentration working in a crowd, leading to several missed opportunities (hears defender's footsteps)

ESPN
http://insider.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft/tracker/player?id=11326&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fnfldraft%2fdraft%2ftracker%2fplayer%3fid%3d11326

The only real knock on Johnson is his inconsistent focus, which occasionally leads to dropped passes and him disappearing in games.

Football's Future
http://www.footballsfuture.com/2007/prospects/calvin_johnson.html

has a tendency to drop the easy one every now and then

NFL Draft Countdown
http://www.nfldraftcountdown.com/scoutingreports/wr/calvinjohnson.html

Disappears from some games...Will have lapses in concentration and drop balls he shouldn't...

[Shag]

We're going to need to draft somebody. Pick another player and list weaknesses.

[DanTurksGhost]

Well, I think some people need to consider how much of his "disappearing in games" has to do with his QB disappearing in games as well. The guy is a sub-45% passer last season and threw only 20 TD passes, and Calvin Johnson caught 15.

NFL Draft Countdown
http://www.nfldraftcountdown.com/scoutingreports/wr/calvinjohnson.html

Disappears from some games...Will have lapses in concentration and drop balls he shouldn't...

~Also states~

lacks explosiveness and no recorded elite timed speed....Shows how much they know

Football's Future
http://www.footballsfuture.com/2007/prospects/calvin_johnson.html

has a tendency to drop the easy one every now and then

~ but goes on to say~

"but that is nitpicking. Johnson is a phenomenal prospect, and lacks nothing as it projects to the next level. "

NFL.COM/NFL Draft Scout
http://www.nfl.com/draft/profiles/2007/johnson_calvin
http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/profile.php?pyid=32991

"Tends to lose concentration working in a crowd, leading to several missed opportunities (hears defender's footsteps)"

~but also says~

ESPN.com's Bruce Feldman called Johnson, "The most gifted wideout in the country. He is worth the price of admission by himself. Just ask Miami, whose top-ranked pass defense had no answers for the sophomore this season. I think he's a bigger, faster version of Larry Fitzgerald and will be a sure-fire Pro Bowler."

Chris Fowler of ESPN College GameDay said, "Calvin Johnson's the most impressive wide receiver, from field level, I've ever seen in college football." Fowler's ESPN partner, Kirk Herbstreit, called Johnson, "Physically one of the most dynamic players in the country. Great in the classroom, incredibly humble, just a total package. He is the most humble superstar I have ever met. Every player on this team loves Calvin Johnson."

Even opponents heap praises on Johnson. Virginia cornerback Marcus Hamilton said, "You've just got to do your absolute best to try and contain him because he does so many things well. Even when he's not catching the ball, if a running back's running behind him, he's so strong he can block you."

Demonstrates good toughness battling for the ball, but he has also left quite a few passes on the field, perhaps due to poor passing precision from the quarterback position, but he has caught only 127 of 271 passes thrown to him … For a player over 6-foot-4 and with his jumping skills (45 inches) along with his long reach, it is hard to imagine the smaller cornerbacks having success in batting away 21 of those passes thrown to him the last two-plus years


The guy suffers some "normal" WR ailments...especially when a defense is keying on you...However he was the ONLY superstar on the GT team...In Tampa defenses cannot double up Joey AND CJ...then put 8-9 in the box for Caddy....there just isnt enough defenders

This is a perfect senerio on how CJ can make this offense so dangerous next year

[bradentonian]

Well, I think some people need to consider how much of his "disappearing in games" has to do with his QB disappearing in games as well. The guy is a sub-45% passer last season and threw only 20 TD passes, and Calvin Johnson caught 15.

All the Bucs' QBs put together only passed for 14 TDs last season; I wouldn't exactly consider QB a strength here.

[dalbuc]

My concern is a lot less him losing focus - I tend to agree that his QB was his biggest limiter - but can he run all the routes.

He's a huge vertical threat but can he run a slant, a comeback at 12 yards and then how does he RAC with the ball. When I've seen him (3 games IIRC) he's all about the deep ball. That's nice but I want a guy who takes a 7 yards route and makes it a 30 yard gain. I've haven't seen him do that and nor have I seen a lot of commentary about his abiity to do that.

[psymun]

Ok... Reggie Ball 2003 - His freshman year... Set Georgia Tech records for passing yards (1,996), pass completions (181) and total offense (2,380) by a freshman . . . Completed 52 percent of his passes with 10 touchdowns and 11 interceptions . . . Tech's second-leading rusher with 139 carries for 384 yards and three touchdowns . . . Named ACC Rookie of the Week five times during the season . . .

Next year... Calvin Johnson shows up...

Since then... His completion percentage goes DOWN... Wouldn't having a receiver like that make your QB better? At least that's what all of you are saying...

Ok... So it's the QBs fault... so what you're also saying is that Calvin Johnson's presence doesn't mean crap w/o a good QB...

[Feel Real Good]

My concern is a lot less him losing focus - I tend to agree that his QB was his biggest limiter - but can he run all the routes.

He's a huge vertical threat but can he run a slant, a comeback at 12 yards and then how does he RAC with the ball. When I've seen him (3 games IIRC) he's all about the deep ball. That's nice but I want a guy who takes a 7 yards route and makes it a 30 yard gain. I've haven't seen him do that and nor have I seen a lot of commentary about his abiity to do that.

And as you say long-striders don't typically make the crisp breaks that continually get people like Chad Johnson open all the time.

[DanTurksGhost]

Ok... Reggie Ball 2003 - His freshman year... Set Georgia Tech records for passing yards (1,996), pass completions (181) and total offense (2,380) by a freshman . . . Completed 52 percent of his passes with 10 touchdowns and 11 interceptions . . .

You say all of that like it's a good thing. Fact is, those are absolutely pedestrian numbers.

[psymun]

Ok... Reggie Ball 2003 - His freshman year... Set Georgia Tech records for passing yards (1,996), pass completions (181) and total offense (2,380) by a freshman . . . Completed 52 percent of his passes with 10 touchdowns and 11 interceptions . . .

You say all of that like it's a good thing. Fact is, those are absolutely pedestrian numbers.

Brady Quinn's numbers as a freshman?

Completed 47 percent of his passes with 9 TDs and 15 INTs

Looks like Reggie Ball out-performed Brady Quinn as a freshman...

~Also states~
~ but goes on to say~
~but also says~

See that right there is exactly what made people love Mike Williams and Charles Rogers. Heck, even Michael Clayton. They overlook the other stuff and call it nitpicking then when it happens they say oh, well we saw it coming...

[DanTurksGhost]

Looks like Reggie Ball out-performed Brady Quinn as a freshman...

Barely, and Ball played in more games. And Quinn's numbers as a freshman are just as pedestrian. The big difference is that Quinn got better and better while Ball remained pretty crummy. He had his best year last year and (no surprise) so did CJ.

[psymun]

Looks like Reggie Ball out-performed Brady Quinn as a freshman...

Barely, and Ball played in more games. And Quinn's numbers as a freshman are just as pedestrian. The big difference is that Quinn got better and better while Ball remained pretty crummy. He had his best year last year and (no surprise) so did CJ.

So what you're saying is Calvin Johnson can't make a QB any better....

[DanTurksGhost]

So what you're saying is Calvin Johnson can't make a QB any better....

 

[psymun]

So what you're saying is Calvin Johnson can't make a QB any better....

 

I'm not doubting his talent. I would love to see the Buccaneers draft him or Joe Thomas. I just wanted to share my thoughts. It's dissapointing that I ask a question and you give me the "roll-eyes" because I'm really just trying to have a conversation.

[DanTurksGhost]

I'm not doubting his talent. I would love to see the Buccaneers draft him or Joe Thomas. I just wanted to share my thoughts. It's dissapointing that I ask a question and you give me the "roll-eyes" because I'm really just trying to have a conversation.

Your statement and inserting words in my mouth are disappointing.