itvnetop
02-25-2004, 07:09 PM
This is going to be my most liberal post yet on the path. The Redskins should take Mike Williams with the number 5 pick in the draft. Before people start yelling for my head, hear me out:
There's several reasons why I think we can still pick up BMW while shoring up the defense through FA. We cleared a bunch of cap room by cutting armstead, smith, and barker- we can nab kearse and winfield should champ be traded for portis (both players have played for williams). In addition, the Post cites that we're also looking at either Wistrom or Daniels (from Chicago). That's two additional upgrades for the line, and a suitable (but not equal) replacement for Champ.
One of our least priorities is probably wide receiver. But every once in a generation comes a player who is so special that you toss out your need for the best player on the board. The majority of this board may or may not have seen BMW on a consistent basis in his two years at SC. I've pumped up Kenechi all I can, but Mike was the best player on the team bar none. OK, here's the stats:
2002 (frosh year): 81 catches for 1265 yards/14 scores
2003 (last year): 95 catches for 1314 yards/16 scores
Broke all types of two year records here at a university that's spawned great receivers (Lynn Swann's included).
The real deal: He's the best receiver on the board, and I think he's the best receiver to come out of college football in the past five years (not meaning that he's better than Chad Johnson or L. Coles right now- I mean, he's better than anyone was OUT of college at the time they left). You may not have seen much of him in the Rose Bowl (aside from his toss to the QB for a TD)- that's b/c our O-coordinator designed him as a decoy to set up our senior wideout colbert for a Draft Stock game (unknowing that Mike would leave too). But watching every single game he played in proved to everyone out on the west coast one thing: the guy is a man among boys.
Fitzgerald is a great receiver- but he was the only weapon on his team. SC featured another receiver who could run and catch (Kolbert), a Heisman-nominated QB, as well as a trio of running backs who could open things up for everyone (oh yeah, watch out for a guy by the name of Reggie Bush, a back who can line up against the CBs whenever he's assigned to it). While some may say that is the reason for Mike's success, it could easily be argued that with so many weapons, it's amazing that he still got the numbers he did. Especially in the red zone- homeboy was getting triple teamed!
This guy's only weakness is his 40 time (4.6). But he creates separation as he gets into his route with his deceptive strides. Oh yeah, he's the strongest receiver in the country too- at 6'5, 235 he knocks people off the block quicker than Hines Ward. He's no Keyshawn possession receiver, as some would like to think. He flat out dominated every game he played (except for one game against KSU his frosh year). Carson Palmer won the Heisman two years ago- and last year no-name Matt Leinart was thrust on the Heisman scene... but both QB's had one thing in common- Big Mike Williams.
Wideouts usually don't do well their rookie year in the L, but I believe wholeheartedly that after a few games his first year he'll adjust. He has the capability of putting up Randy Moss rookie numbers. He hasn't dropped a ball since that KSU game (maybe one or two). When they say that great CBs can take away half the field, there are only a few wideouts in history that have the same effect on defenses.
Why would he work for the skins? We don't need another guy who runs a 4.4- L. Coles already has 4.3 speed. Mike is a player that can help immediately. BMW ain't just a possession receiver- he's what evolution has brought us to this point, in terms of the new receiver. He has the strength of a tight end (the position he was actually recruited out of his school), the hands of Jerry Rice (not comparing his career yet to this guy, just his hands), instills the same fear as Randy Moss, the work ethic of L. Coles. OK, OK, I may be stretching it here... but I KNOW how good this guy is, and it's a shame his game isn't as known to the rest of the country as it would have been had he stayed at SC one more year. It will definitely take some time to learn soft spots in NFL secondaries, and the nuances of the NFL, but he'll learn it faster than people will give college sophomores credit for... b/c he ain't your typical sophomore.
Bottom line- Portis, Williams, Coles, Brunell/Ramsey make for potent weapons on O THIS year.
Arrington, Smoot, Winfield, Kearse, disciplined Trotter, (cross our fingers for Wistrom or Daniels too) help with Champ's loss and lack of grabbing a DE in the first round/no second pick. While we're at it, let's trade Gardner for that second round pick we lost with the Portis deal.
Wow, sorry for the long post... I just don't want to be that team that passes a once in a generation player because of a need pick. If other teams see what I see, he may be gone by our pick anyway.
There's several reasons why I think we can still pick up BMW while shoring up the defense through FA. We cleared a bunch of cap room by cutting armstead, smith, and barker- we can nab kearse and winfield should champ be traded for portis (both players have played for williams). In addition, the Post cites that we're also looking at either Wistrom or Daniels (from Chicago). That's two additional upgrades for the line, and a suitable (but not equal) replacement for Champ.
One of our least priorities is probably wide receiver. But every once in a generation comes a player who is so special that you toss out your need for the best player on the board. The majority of this board may or may not have seen BMW on a consistent basis in his two years at SC. I've pumped up Kenechi all I can, but Mike was the best player on the team bar none. OK, here's the stats:
2002 (frosh year): 81 catches for 1265 yards/14 scores
2003 (last year): 95 catches for 1314 yards/16 scores
Broke all types of two year records here at a university that's spawned great receivers (Lynn Swann's included).
The real deal: He's the best receiver on the board, and I think he's the best receiver to come out of college football in the past five years (not meaning that he's better than Chad Johnson or L. Coles right now- I mean, he's better than anyone was OUT of college at the time they left). You may not have seen much of him in the Rose Bowl (aside from his toss to the QB for a TD)- that's b/c our O-coordinator designed him as a decoy to set up our senior wideout colbert for a Draft Stock game (unknowing that Mike would leave too). But watching every single game he played in proved to everyone out on the west coast one thing: the guy is a man among boys.
Fitzgerald is a great receiver- but he was the only weapon on his team. SC featured another receiver who could run and catch (Kolbert), a Heisman-nominated QB, as well as a trio of running backs who could open things up for everyone (oh yeah, watch out for a guy by the name of Reggie Bush, a back who can line up against the CBs whenever he's assigned to it). While some may say that is the reason for Mike's success, it could easily be argued that with so many weapons, it's amazing that he still got the numbers he did. Especially in the red zone- homeboy was getting triple teamed!
This guy's only weakness is his 40 time (4.6). But he creates separation as he gets into his route with his deceptive strides. Oh yeah, he's the strongest receiver in the country too- at 6'5, 235 he knocks people off the block quicker than Hines Ward. He's no Keyshawn possession receiver, as some would like to think. He flat out dominated every game he played (except for one game against KSU his frosh year). Carson Palmer won the Heisman two years ago- and last year no-name Matt Leinart was thrust on the Heisman scene... but both QB's had one thing in common- Big Mike Williams.
Wideouts usually don't do well their rookie year in the L, but I believe wholeheartedly that after a few games his first year he'll adjust. He has the capability of putting up Randy Moss rookie numbers. He hasn't dropped a ball since that KSU game (maybe one or two). When they say that great CBs can take away half the field, there are only a few wideouts in history that have the same effect on defenses.
Why would he work for the skins? We don't need another guy who runs a 4.4- L. Coles already has 4.3 speed. Mike is a player that can help immediately. BMW ain't just a possession receiver- he's what evolution has brought us to this point, in terms of the new receiver. He has the strength of a tight end (the position he was actually recruited out of his school), the hands of Jerry Rice (not comparing his career yet to this guy, just his hands), instills the same fear as Randy Moss, the work ethic of L. Coles. OK, OK, I may be stretching it here... but I KNOW how good this guy is, and it's a shame his game isn't as known to the rest of the country as it would have been had he stayed at SC one more year. It will definitely take some time to learn soft spots in NFL secondaries, and the nuances of the NFL, but he'll learn it faster than people will give college sophomores credit for... b/c he ain't your typical sophomore.
Bottom line- Portis, Williams, Coles, Brunell/Ramsey make for potent weapons on O THIS year.
Arrington, Smoot, Winfield, Kearse, disciplined Trotter, (cross our fingers for Wistrom or Daniels too) help with Champ's loss and lack of grabbing a DE in the first round/no second pick. While we're at it, let's trade Gardner for that second round pick we lost with the Portis deal.
Wow, sorry for the long post... I just don't want to be that team that passes a once in a generation player because of a need pick. If other teams see what I see, he may be gone by our pick anyway.