Wide Receiver Train Full Speed Ahead- CHOO CHOO!

[Maine-iac]

Wonder if this thread will make 161 pages like last years WR extravaganza.  Some great takes in that thread.  I'd like a WR in the draft but I'm with most people saying CB and DT early.  Some people liked him last year and somehow I'm not seeing much noise for him this year but Tory Horton is still out there.  Still ran a decent 40 after his injury.  Might be a nice pick available after we have a CB and a DT.  

[GunnerBill]

1 hour ago, Maine-iac said:

Wonder if this thread will make 161 pages like last years WR extravaganza.  Some great takes in that thread.  I'd like a WR in the draft but I'm with most people saying CB and DT early.  Some people liked him last year and somehow I'm not seeing much noise for him this year but Tory Horton is still out there.  Still ran a decent 40 after his injury.  Might be a nice pick available after we have a CB and a DT.  

 

If they got Troy on day 3 I'd be fine with that. What I don't want them to do is leave superior options on the table days 1 and 2 because they are reaching to fill holes. If the top receivers in each round are gone before they pick, fine, don't force it. But equally don't force corner or defensive line either. BPA at WR - CB - DE round 1, then the same with the first second rounder. Then at that point before their second second rounder take stock, look at the positions you have managed to address and consider the depth of what is remaining at DT and whichever one of the three premium spots you haven't addressed. My suspicion based on the class is DT will be the deepest remaining spot.... but equally if there is a DT with a round 2 grade there at #62 don't pass on him for a 3rd round grade at another spot. 

[LEBills]

Good results for Egbuka today. Worth pick 30 if he is there.

[Dr. Who]

5 minutes ago, LEBills said:

Good results for Egbuka today. Worth pick 30 if he is there.

There seems to be difference of opinion, here at least, as to whether he is basically a slot, or can legitimately play on the outside. My sense is he could, but I'm not an expert. If he can be a boundary receiver, he definitely should be a strong consideration at #30.

[Turbo44]

I think his outside ability is iffy so a strong pass at #30

[LEBills]

55 minutes ago, Dr. Who said:

There seems to be difference of opinion, here at least, as to whether he is basically a slot, or can legitimately play on the outside. My sense is he could, but I'm not an expert. If he can be a boundary receiver, he definitely should be a strong consideration at #30.

I think he kind of settled into the slot role at OSU because they had more traditional boundary WRs in MHJ and Jeremiah Smith each year he played significant snaps.

 

I started off as he is a slot player earlier in the process but watching all his targets this year I think he can be the boundary receiver opposite of whoever our X winds up being

Edited Thursday at 02:27 AM by LEBills

[Buffalo716]

59 minutes ago, Dr. Who said:

There seems to be difference of opinion, here at least, as to whether he is basically a slot, or can legitimately play on the outside. My sense is he could, but I'm not an expert. If he can be a boundary receiver, he definitely should be a strong consideration at #30.

I think he's more of a strictly slot guy then Luther burden 

 

I mean I think he's really talented.. he's got a lot of great skills but everything about his release and play style says slot 

 

Burden has the traits to at least be an x or a z ..  besides the fact we have a really good slot in shakir , but he is a very talented wide receiver

Edited Thursday at 02:31 AM by Buffalo716

[LEBills]

My personal 2025 WR rankings:

 

#19 Xavier Restrepo WR Miami (Rd 6-7)

- Ran a 4.8 at his pro day

- Still put up 2200 yards and 17 TDs the past two seasons

- Team captain and leader in the locker room

 

What does he do on film?

 

Route running

- 1:05 slot fades were a consistent big play for UM this year

- 2:37 really nice job working the corner towards the path of the other corner before breaking this one out and giving Cam Ward a lot of space to lay the ball out there

- 3:30 has a out and up move that he cooked several teams with throughout the year

 

When you need someone reliable

- 2:28 Working off script and need to dump the ball off wildly?

- 4:30 3rd and 3 and need to move the chains?

 

Weaknesses:

- There is no doubt he is slow

- Small wingspan and a tiny catch radius

- Can only operate out of the slot

 

Conclusion:

Beasley with cement shoes. Has a way of finding spots in zone, or slipping a tackle to pick up a few extra yards. Would love to see him on a team with a young QB like the Bears or Titans who can use him as a security blanket like Beasley was for young Josh. Unfortunately I think his NFL tenure will be short lived.

[Warriorspikes51]

1 minute ago, LEBills said:

My personal 2025 WR rankings:

 

#19 Xavier Restrepo WR Miami (Rd 6-7)

- Ran a 4.8 at his pro day

- Still put up 2200 yards and 17 TDs the past two seasons

- Team captain and leader in the locker room

 

What does he do on film?

 

Route running

- 1:05 slot fades were a consistent big play for UM this year

- 2:37 really nice job working the corner towards the path of the other corner before breaking this one out and giving Cam Ward a lot of space to lay the ball out there

- 3:30 has a out and up move that he cooked several teams with throughout the year

 

When you need someone reliable

- 2:28 Working off script and need to dump the ball off wildly?

- 4:30 3rd and 3 and need to move the chains?

 

Weaknesses:

- There is no doubt he is slow

- Small wingspan and a tiny catch radius

- Can only operate out of the slot

 

Conclusion:

Beasley with cement shoes. Has a way of finding spots in zone, or slipping a tackle to pick up a few extra yards. Would love to see him on a team with a young QB like the Bears or Titans who can use him as a security blanket like Beasley was for young Josh. Unfortunately I think his NFL tenure will be short lived.

please no. Let some other team get a lot out of him.  We need SPEED

[LEBills]

Just now, Warriorspikes51 said:

please no. Let some other team get a lot out of him.  We need SPEED

I agree, he isn’t a fit for the bills, just my 19th ranked WR of this class

[TheBeaneBandit]

1 hour ago, LEBills said:

Good results for Egbuka today. Worth pick 30 if he is there.

Absolutely 👍

[aristocrat]

 

[GunnerBill]

14 hours ago, Buffalo716 said:

I think he's more of a strictly slot guy then Luther burden 

 

I mean I think he's really talented.. he's got a lot of great skills but everything about his release and play style says slot 

 

Burden has the traits to at least be an x or a z ..  besides the fact we have a really good slot in shakir , but he is a very talented wide receiver

 

Yea I am completely the opposite on this point. I know Egbuka has played more slot to this point and Burden has played more split wide, but I see the release package and route running as an ideal fit as a move receiver from the Z position. I think Burden is a guy you need to play in the slot because his route running is going to be a concern outside. Let him just go find space in the middle of the field. I know you are a lot higher than me on Burden though. I'm just not sold on his tape. I feel like Egbuka's floor is the safest of the top 4 receivers in this class. He can run routes and run them very well and that translates. 

[D. L. Hot-Flamethrower]

38 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

Yea I am completely the opposite on this point. I know Egbuka has played more slot to this point and Burden has played more split wide, but I see the release package and route running as an ideal fit as a move receiver from the Z position. I think Burden is a guy you need to play in the slot because his route running is going to be a concern outside. Let him just go find space in the middle of the field. I know you are a lot higher than me on Burden though. I'm just not sold on his tape. I feel like Egbuka's floor is the safest of the top 4 receivers in this class. He can run routes and run them very well and that translates. 

100%. I've seen alot of him and your analysis is spot on! I'd love to see him on the Bills this year.

[Low Positive]

15 hours ago, Warriorspikes51 said:

please no. Let some other team get a lot out of him.  We need SPEED

But speed needs to be able to catch. If all you need is speed, John Ross is a FA and still only 29.

[Buffalo716]

2 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

 

Yea I am completely the opposite on this point. I know Egbuka has played more slot to this point and Burden has played more split wide, but I see the release package and route running as an ideal fit as a move receiver from the Z position. I think Burden is a guy you need to play in the slot because his route running is going to be a concern outside. Let him just go find space in the middle of the field. I know you are a lot higher than me on Burden though. I'm just not sold on his tape. I feel like Egbuka's floor is the safest of the top 4 receivers in this class. He can run routes and run them very well and that translates. 

I think Egbuka has a high floor as a NFL receiver but he has almost 80-20 splits in the slot to outside.. sure burden also probably had the same splits this year but 2022 he was 85%+ on the outside as a true freshman In the sec

 

I think Egbuka he's more jaxon smith njigba , tho better , than terry mclaurin... I don't ever see him being an outside guy like Terry but he could be insane in the slot

 

Burden has size that you would normally want to kick inside to the slot.. and he can make plays there ... But I think the difference is his downfield ball tracking which is elite , his ability to go get a football and use change of pace and tempo to create space translate well 

 

Realistically the best  receivers today are used all over the formation... But I definitely believe that burden has a lot of untapped route running potential with all of his other gifts and people are going to be upset that they pushed him down the board that much because he had inconsistent quarterback play

 

 

[Dr. Who]

What do you folks think of Jayden Higgins? He was the fella I was favoring for a while, but I get thrown off by all the critics. A lot of them sound persuasive, even when they don't agree . . . 

[GunnerBill]

1 hour ago, Buffalo716 said:

 

 

Realistically the best  receivers today are used all over the formation... But I definitely believe that burden has a lot of untapped route running potential with all of his other gifts and people are going to be upset that they pushed him down the board that much because he had inconsistent quarterback play

 

We will see. I think his route running is was too sloppy and he deserves pushing down the board from where the consensus on him started. From where it is now.... no I think it's about right. He will got latter half of round 1 or, at worst, the first half a dozen picks of day 2. I'm fine with that (although I don't see him as a fit for the Bills particularly). When he was being talked about as a top 10/top 12 guy? Nah. Too many questions for me. 

2 hours ago, Buffalo716 said:

I think Egbuka has a high floor as a NFL receiver but he has almost 80-20 splits in the slot to outside.. sure burden also probably had the same splits this year but 2022 he was 85%+ on the outside as a true freshman In the sec

 

I think Egbuka he's more jaxon smith njigba , tho better , than terry mclaurin... I don't ever see him being an outside guy like Terry but he could be insane in the slot

 

He is a better route runner than JSN, I think he has a better release package too. I think he can play outside in the NFL. Depends where he is drafted, of course, but I'd expect him to be much more a 50/50 split guy.

[Buffalo716]

1 hour ago, GunnerBill said:

 

We will see. I think his route running is was too sloppy and he deserves pushing down the board from where the consensus on him started. From where it is now.... no I think it's about right. He will got latter half of round 1 or, at worst, the first half a dozen picks of day 2. I'm fine with that (although I don't see him as a fit for the Bills particularly). When he was being talked about as a top 10/top 12 guy? Nah. Too many questions for me. 

 

He is a better route runner than JSN, I think he has a better release package too. I think he can play outside in the NFL. Depends where he is drafted, of course, but I'd expect him to be much more a 50/50 split guy.

I think Egbuka is better than jsn

 

I think you're also severely discrediting burdens ball tracking abilities which translates to the next level At the z or x

 

he has start and stop ability to disrupt off coverage and then stack on top of it while tracking... I really think he has the ability to play the slot the z and can develop into the x because his ability to track footballs 20-30-40 yards downfield 

 

Brady cook changed this throwing motion, which severely affected his deep ball trajectory and really did hurt Missouri's passing offense

 

 

[GunnerBill]

3 minutes ago, Buffalo716 said:

I think Egbuka is better than jsn

 

I think you're also severely discrediting burdens ball tracking abilities which translates to the next level At the z or x

 

he has start and stop ability to disrupt off coverage and then stack on top of it while tracking... I really think he has the ability to play the slot the z and can develop into the x because his ability to track footballs 20-30-40 yards downfield 

 

Brady cook changed this throwing motion, which severely affected his deep ball trajectory and really did hurt Missouri's passing offense

 

 

 

I am not, I did say above I think his ball tracking is excellent. I just don't think he runs routes very well. And route running translates - especially if you wanna play outside. I see the ceiling but there is a lot of development needed IMO to tidy up what he is now. The floor scares me.