Harry
ASFN Consultant and Senior Writer
Wow! I keep seeing the oddest things being posted. Frankly any of the 3 top receivers help the offense. I’m not, for the purpose of this post, arguing he’s a better pick than Simmons or a RT. I’m saying Lamb is the best choice among the receivers. Let’s start with speed. I believe in what I see. This is not a speed offense. It’s more a catch & run. I’m certain people will argue that Murray didn’t have enough time to throw deep. I’m saying even when he had time he often threw 10-12 yard passes. He can throw deep and had 2 speed receivers but they were seldom targets and even then not on deep throws. This is a YAC offense. I thought Murray was only moderately accurate in terms of ball placement. Lamb’s ability to catch most anything he reaches makes him the perfect WR for a young QB. Ruggs dominates in one area, speed. He probably could spread the field, but envisioning him running numerous deep routes is not a likely scenario. Jeudy is the best route runner, which means he gets more separation. That only applies if he can run most of the route. When you compare both Ruggs & Jeudy the fact that is that Sabin built the passing game around Smith & Jeudy, not Ruggs. Compared to Ruggs, Jeudy had nearly twice as many receptions, twice as many yards and more TDs. Ruggs is a fine receiver who will help a team, but he’s not the best in this group. Jeudy is also a fine receiver but he won’t be as productive as Lamb in this offense. Put him on the Pats, he’d be awesome.
Lamb unquestionably played against easier defenses, but he didn’t just succeed, he dominated. His YAC numbers were the best in college ball. He spent the 2019 offseason building strength when he realized that would enhance his skillset. It showed in his play and also demonstrated a level of self-awareness rarely found in a young player.
Finally, in this case familiarity breeds success. There is no substitute for QB-WR rapport. This includes reading which way the receiver will break on a route with options; judging the receiver’s speed accurately when leading them to an open space or simply knowing where they likes the ball depending on the coverage. All these elements lead to a higher degree of passing success. Adding another dangerous receiver to the passing pattern greatly stresses the defense. How many teams have 3 good cover corners. If Kirk steps up how do defenses cover the 4 receiver patterns? If you want to improve the defense, keep them off the field with longer Murray drives. Lamb may not be the best answer of who to take at 8, but he’d be a sound choice and really add to Murray’s confidence. Here’s a link to a decent comparison of the receivers.
https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft...ed-by-trait-route-running-yac-speed-and-more/
Lamb unquestionably played against easier defenses, but he didn’t just succeed, he dominated. His YAC numbers were the best in college ball. He spent the 2019 offseason building strength when he realized that would enhance his skillset. It showed in his play and also demonstrated a level of self-awareness rarely found in a young player.
Finally, in this case familiarity breeds success. There is no substitute for QB-WR rapport. This includes reading which way the receiver will break on a route with options; judging the receiver’s speed accurately when leading them to an open space or simply knowing where they likes the ball depending on the coverage. All these elements lead to a higher degree of passing success. Adding another dangerous receiver to the passing pattern greatly stresses the defense. How many teams have 3 good cover corners. If Kirk steps up how do defenses cover the 4 receiver patterns? If you want to improve the defense, keep them off the field with longer Murray drives. Lamb may not be the best answer of who to take at 8, but he’d be a sound choice and really add to Murray’s confidence. Here’s a link to a decent comparison of the receivers.
https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft...ed-by-trait-route-running-yac-speed-and-more/