Mike Mayock: Blackmon vs Floyd

[Pete]

I am really warming up to Gilmore. As Mayock put it- tall, durable, fast CBs with cover ability are coveted by NFL teams. And for those with character concerns about Floyd, Gilmore is a vocal leader and good kid from what I read

 

Not to mention, Gilmore and Williams would be a nasty CB combo for years to come. Couple that with our new fearsome dline and Byrd and company should produce mucho turnovers

[mrags]

I'm a Notre Dame fan, so I've seen a good amount of Michael Floyd. I've never seen him take over a game like I saw Blackmon take over the Fiesta Bowl against Stanford. Of course it's just one game and you can't judge a career on one game, but if I had the choIce it'd be Blackmon and it wouldn't be close.

 

um....... This^^^^^

 

I'll admit I've never watched a single play of Floyds so I really can't say je compares or not. I just wanted to chime in and say I've never seen a WR just take over a game and personally win a game for his team like Blackmon did. The kid is going to be really special in this league. Barring injuries of course I'd expect a TO, Boldin, Moulds type of career or better, ok, maybe not better than TO.

[Peter]

I am not in a position to say whether we should take him with the 10th pick as opposed to others based on any extensive personal knowledge. The few times I saw him play, he looked pretty good.

 

I do think that -- presuming he is a top 10 talent -- it will indeed come down to how Buddy and the Bills view his character. I also cannot evaluate that issue based on the few things I have read. Nevertheless, I have noticed that, since Buddy took over, the Bills seem to put a premium on character. If they are not satisfied that he has overcome whatever "character issue" he may have had, I do not see them picking him with the 10th pick in the draft. On the other hand, if they are satisfied that he has resolved whatever issue it is, it will come down to how they evaluate his talent.

 

 

P.S. I have a high regard for Mike Mayock. I know that there are people on this board who like to bash him and will cite to this guy or that guy. Yet, the "professionals" often get it wrong. Just go back and look at the players who were taken in the first round over the course of history. It is eye opening to look at that in retrospect.

[billykaykay]

Whether or not we draft a WR in the 1st round depends on how Nix & Gailey view Marcus Easley. If they feel that Easley is the answer, they will pass on WR in the 1st round. If they feel that Easley is risky, they MAY go WR in the 1st. Just my 2 cents.

[HornellBillsFan]

i think this is why teams !@#$ up drafts IMO - this logic right here. Floyd was dominant for 4 years, while Hill has 49 career catches. Yet because you've deemed Floyd as someone who "can't get separation", you'd rather take a player who hasn't really show much at all and is a huge gamble.

 

Not to go at you man, but I obviously couldn't disagree more. Floyd ran in the low 4.4s. His 3700 receiving yards and 37 TDs show his separation is okay.

 

 

Exactly. A guy watches a youtube video and determines Floyd "can't get separation". Too funny. I watched every single play he made at ND and getting separation was one of the things he was always praised about. Amazing how this guy thinks it is the dead opposite. Ha.

[truth on hold]

I dont think floyd is top 10 talent in this draft. There really isnt a standout player to me this year after pick 7. AFter that they are all in the 16-25 range. Go watch some route running of floyd on you tube and he doesnt get any seperation from the db. That is one big problem i think in my eyes. Yea he can win the jump ball but do you want your reciever fighting for the ball everytime thrown to him. I would rather wait until the 2nd round to get the likes of jeffery, randel or if a bill fan can hope...I really like stephan hill in the second.

Your criticism of Floyd applies to a lot of big WRs including Plax, coulstom and v Jackson. They make catches by winning physical matchups. The guys who have the potential to get measurable separation are smaller speed guys like lee Evans in his prime and DeSean Jackson

[bkep32]

Your criticism of Floyd applies to a lot of big WRs including Plax, coulstom and v Jackson. They make catches by winning physical matchups. The guys who have the potential to get measurable separation are smaller speed guys like lee Evans in his prime and DeSean Jackson

 

I like your point...if floyd turns out to be like a plax or vjax then i am all for that pick. I just dont see him being that big of a game breaker right away..and at 10 thtas what you need to get. I just cant seem to find a guy that i like at 10....All the top tier talent are picks 1-7. After that everyone is being a capable starter in the nfl i just dont see talent there to deem a top 10 pick. Even though we are stuck at 10 unless we trade down... then im all for picking up floyd, or reiff, or ingram, perry..etc...

[ndirish1978]

I dont think floyd is top 10 talent in this draft. There really isnt a standout player to me this year after pick 7. AFter that they are all in the 16-25 range. Go watch some route running of floyd on you tube and he doesnt get any seperation from the db. That is one big problem i think in my eyes. Yea he can win the jump ball but do you want your reciever fighting for the ball everytime thrown to him. I would rather wait until the 2nd round to get the likes of jeffery, randel or if a bill fan can hope...I really like stephan hill in the second.

 

You have very low football IQ then. I watched every snap of every game he played and he got separation from the best cbs they played, though he was often facing doubles. You watched the combine on NFL network and fell in love with a workout warrior with 0 college production.

[RuntheDamnBall]

Whether or not we draft a WR in the 1st round depends on how Nix & Gailey view Marcus Easley. If they feel that Easley is the answer, they will pass on WR in the 1st round. If they feel that Easley is risky, they MAY go WR in the 1st. Just my 2 cents.

I just don't know how one can rely on Easley after the way his past two seasons have ended. You actually have to view him more skeptically than Merriman, who has at least had some NFL success. I would love to see the kid excel in the NFL but if Nix and co. are betting on this, I'm going to be extremely disappointed.

[EldaBillsFan]

Been said it.... I wonder how many college kids on avergae get DUI's ...how many adults get them? In his senior year he had his best year with no issues on or off the field....you live you learn... steal if he is till there

[BillsCelticsAngelsBama]

I dont think floyd is top 10 talent in this draft. There really isnt a standout player to me this year after pick 7. AFter that they are all in the 16-25 range. Go watch some route running of floyd on you tube and he doesnt get any seperation from the db. That is one big problem i think in my eyes. Yea he can win the jump ball but do you want your reciever fighting for the ball everytime thrown to him. I would rather wait until the 2nd round to get the likes of jeffery, randel or if a bill fan can hope...I really like stephan hill in the second.

+ 100 %. Those Hill bashers have to remember that they didn't throw the ball !!!! Floyd would have had Hill's stats if he played @ Georgia Tech. That being said, I would draft Floyd before Hill but neither one @ #10. In fact I would be much happier to get Juron Criner. I rewatched the combine on Tuesday and he was very impressive in and out of his cuts etc. Good hands and good size. Take him in the third he may be better than either one of these cats !!

 

I'm a Notre Dame fan, so I've seen a good amount of Michael Floyd. I've never seen him take over a game like I saw Blackmon take over the Fiesta Bowl against Stanford. Of course it's just one game and you can't judge a career on one game, but if I had the choIce it'd be Blackmon and it wouldn't be close.

+1 Obviously Floyd is just a guy compared to Blackmon IMO.Fitzgerald to Crabtree type comparison. Football player to prima donna....

[truth on hold]

I like your point...if floyd turns out to be like a plax or vjax then i am all for that pick. I just dont see him being that big of a game breaker right away..and at 10 thtas what you need to get. I just cant seem to find a guy that i like at 10....All the top tier talent are picks 1-7. After that everyone is being a capable starter in the nfl i just dont see talent there to deem a top 10 pick. Even though we are stuck at 10 unless we trade down... then im all for picking up floyd, or reiff, or ingram, perry..etc...

I agree none of the projected players sound worthy of a 10. But if you look historically 10 may not be as juicy as it sounds. IMO last year for example the really big names were off the board at 5 when cards drafted Peterson. 2nd best WR jones went 6th. 10 was gabbert who was a so-so NFL prospect.

Unless we trade up (which I highly doubt) only way I see one of the real marquees falling to us this year is browns and Miami both reaching for QBs. Add in another unexpected reach and our 10 becomes more like a 7th and maybe a Claiborne is on the board. Otherwise I see us going with Floyd, yeah it's anywhere from 7-10 spots too high, but everyone else will see it similarly and no one will trade up to get our 10th.

Edited March 30, 2012 by Joe_the_6_pack

[BobbyC81]

Since the Raiders don't pick until the 5th I doubt Stephen Hill goes in the first 50 picks.

 

The Raiders received a 3rd round compensatory pick but Al Davis is no longer around so Hill may no longer be their type of pick.

[NoSaint]

Been said it.... I wonder how many college kids on avergae get DUI's ...how many adults get them? In his senior year he had his best year with no issues on or off the field....you live you learn... steal if he is till there

None of my friends got them in college. And I was in New Orleans. The fact that he has 3 incidents, knowing what was on the table, is worrisome. The fact that despite those he's in the discussion top ten, speaks volumes to his talent.

[deep2evans]

Fixed it. You're welcome.

 

not sure if you're trying to be a dick, or if it just comes natural.

 

here's a link to Hill's 49 career catches. took me 2 seconds to find.

 

http://espn.go.com/college-football/player/_/id/483021/stephen-hill

 

and here's a link to floyd's 4.42 combine time. took me 4 seconds to find.

 

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-combine/09000d5d82736c7b/Michael-Floyd-40-yard-dash

Edited March 30, 2012 by deep2evans

[Kelly the Dog]

None of my friends got them in college. And I was in New Orleans. The fact that he has 3 incidents, knowing what was on the table, is worrisome. The fact that despite those he's in the discussion top ten, speaks volumes to his talent.

Get some fun friends, for crissakes.

[bizell]

why isn't alshon jeffery in any of these discussions? and i'm on the record as being anti-floyd.

[Kelly the Dog]

Just for argument sake, here are a few numbers. It doesn't prove anything and there are all kinds of factors, but it's grist for the mill.

 

Notre Dame threw 473 passes last year. Michael Floyd caught 100 of them, a fabulous amount, which is about 1 in 5 pass attempts, for an 11.5 YPC

Oklahoma State threw 595 passes. Justin Blackmon caught a ridiculous amount of 121 balls, which is also about 1 in 5 pass attempts, for a 12.6 YPC

Georgia Tech threw a total of 163 passes. Stephen Hill caught 28 of them, which is about 1 in 6 pass attempts, for an astounding 29.3 YPC

[sharebear]

After Floyd receivers drop down quite a bit. It's not that deep of a draft for WRs like everyone's saying. Blackmon Floyd and wright will be gone in the first. That leaves hill Jeffery and sanu. That's only 3 left! I have a feeling once Floyd goes wrights gonna go soon after then WRs are just gonna start going a lot faster. I say we pick one before we EnD up getting stuck with a prospect receiver

Edited March 30, 2012 by sharebear

[Reed83HOF]

Just for argument sake, here are a few numbers. It doesn't prove anything and there are all kinds of factors, but it's grist for the mill.

 

Notre Dame threw 473 passes last year. Michael Floyd caught 100 of them, a fabulous amount, which is about 1 in 5 pass attempts, for an 11.5 YPC

Oklahoma State threw 595 passes. Justin Blackmon caught a ridiculous amount of 121 balls, which is also about 1 in 5 pass attempts, for a 12.6 YPC

Georgia Tech threw a total of 163 passes. Stephen Hill caught 28 of them, which is about 1 in 6 pass attempts, for an astounding 29.3 YPC

 

I don't watch a ton of college ball anymore, but only 163 passes all year? WOW!

 

My only issue with Hill is his small body of work to look at and that scares me, at #10 I think you really need a player with Buddy's requirement of a couple good years worth of production. Even if it worked out where HIll caught 20% of the passes like the other 2, yes percentage wise it is the same; but the shear difference catches and pass attempts does give me some pause. It isn't as simple as saying ok, well if we assume that the GT QB threw 3x's as many passes, Hill's catches should increase by that amount. (I know that is obvious - am just saying).

 

 

Personally I am all for Floyd when it comes to the WRs. He has every physical attribute and skill we are looking for. Good hands, big frame, can run through a DB, great run blocker, can run all the routes, lined up in all WR positions, can run all the routes. If he is there, it is really hard to pass him up. I still expect Jax or the Phins to snag him. I have a feeling that the WRs in this draft are going to be the first run that happens and there will be a fair amount of reaching for this position.

 

Edit: I forgot to add this, the one thing Floyd did was to take the steps to make sure that his drinking was not an issue again. That shows a degree of maturity that other draft prospects haven't. The kid got busted for underage drinking twice and got a DUI. It is college, he is a student athlete - this stuff does happen. He isn't like Janoris Jenkins and got kicked out of school, has a small army of children from different mothers, etc. I am not condoning his DUI, but it happens in college all the time. I know he should know better and blah blah blah. Not saying it was peer pressure, but it can be tough to go to a party or bar night with your friends and they are all drinking...Again he showed signs of maturity & responsibility and took action to make sure it wasn't an issue...and it wasn't.

Edited March 30, 2012 by reed83 4th Rounder