K-9 Posted April 24, 2008 Posted April 24, 2008 I agree... Hardy = 36 TD's in 32 college games what do the Bills need... a big bad red Zone target ... AND a 6' 5.5 " WR who can catch a football 12' in the air isn't going to need a whole lot of seperation from CB's at any level. his sheer size will allow him to snag balls and shield off defenders. I can see the Bills drafting Hardy in the 1st (most likely in a trade odnw situation) and then going after Jordy Nelson in round 3 or trading back up into late round #2 for him. IMHO we need two WR's out of this draft. both with some size. Agree, can't argue that kind of production. He's a player. Also agree that we need that big bad RZ target. I agree Hardy could be one of these. I disagree with your statement in the bolded print. At any level OTHER than the NFL maybe. Assuming Hardy DOES have seperation problems (and I have no idea if that claim is true), what kind of receiver is he between the 20s? Without the ability to seperate, read: run various routes, he becomes too one-dimensional and NOT the type of compliment you'd want/need MOST of the time. He'd be an RZ specialist but we'd have the same problems between the 20s we have now. It's a HUGE assumption that just because he would have a superior height advantage that we could just throw it up there anytime we wished and he'd make the play. CBs are the best athletes on any team. Nearly EVERY CB he faces will be as good or better than the BEST CBs he faced in college. Again, I'm not sure about this rap against him is true. His production suggests it isn't. GO BILLS!!!
Tipster19 Posted April 24, 2008 Posted April 24, 2008 I'd be very happy if we got Hardy. He's the type of WR that Buffalo is looking for. What makes prospects more productive than others in their early years is if they are better suited for the schemes. We need a big body WR and Hardy is just that. We would probably have to trade back into the late 1st rd to have a chance to get him though. San Diego at #27 might be a good trade parnter, they don't have a 2nd, 3rd and 4th rd picks this year.
Beerball Posted April 24, 2008 Posted April 24, 2008 Get out of here! The internet is a free country. I vote you out of here!
UpstateSwagger Posted April 24, 2008 Author Posted April 24, 2008 This is so ridiculous...can't seperate now??? Hardy and Devin Thomas had the same number of catches last year -- 79. But Hardy had 16 TDs to Thomas' 8!!!! That is in Devin Thomas' "One Shining Moment," magical year!!! Doesn't that scream Answer to our problems, he had twice as many TDs -- redzone stud. Oh yeah he also had 20 TDs combined in the two years before this one... not six catches!!!! Get out of here! I will not sir. The internet is a free cyber-space, not a free country. So, the rules are different. For one, I can't be voted out; that's a fact. Besides I wouldn't think it would be any fun without someone as passionate about their WR prospect merits as I. Really look at the stats though, its almost to the point where I can say, "Look it's just science, he's better," ala Will Ferrel talking about women's brains being smaller in AnchorMan/
BrooklynBills Posted April 24, 2008 Posted April 24, 2008 Thomas is NO way better handed then even Josh Reed. All that guys does is drop passes. He had 1 good year, and had to come out of JUCO. He refused to stay in because he knew there was no way he would be able to duplicate his numbers to solidify him being picked this high, thats just my opinion. He scares me. We will not be drafting a WR with that 11th pick for that reason. Look at our other high picks. Maybe Lynch and Whitner were taken a little higher than they were rated, but in both situations the Bills got players that proved what they could do on the field, had the potential to become better players. They were solid, no risk picks. The players that most resemble that type of player this year slotted in the first round(and who might be available with our pick) are DE Harvey, LB Rivers, OT Jeff Otah, OG/OT Brendan Albert. I think we will work hard to trade out of this spot and pick up more picks or even try and pick up picks in next year's draft. If we can't though, I would expect one of those players to be drafted.
colin Posted April 24, 2008 Posted April 24, 2008 jesus, if ncaa stats were the end all and be all then corey moore is way better than bruce smith. they count, but you have to watch how the guys play. i like thomas since he is phsycial, gets off the line like a beast, and is fuggin fast as well. he is the perfect compliment to our O. i really think he has a shot of being the next eric moulds. if you want a tree to go up and come down with passes yes hardy is the man (and i'd take him, just not over thomas), if you want a guy to hit that 8 yard slant our out route and bust a cb down then break it to the house (like moulds did) then it's thomas. speed and the ability to get off the line (can't jam him up like a slow footed guy or a munchink like reed) will put the CB on his heels, then he can use his physical play to go up, get the ball, and make something happen afterwards. i like the corners in the draft, a good trade down +picks/player, and a top lineman if one falls (fat chance) but if we get thomas i won't be mad at it.
SuperKillerRobots Posted April 24, 2008 Posted April 24, 2008 I agree with your "definition" of separation. But my point was that if you're 6'6" and covered like a blanket, so what? I think Ben R's point was that a guy who is that big and with good hands, you can throw it to him regardless of the coverage and he'll make a play. But I find it hard to believe that a guy who runs a 4.5 can't get "separation." Separation is based on a quick step or the ability to cut quickly, not soemthing that can really be timed over 40 yards. You get separation from a CB in almost an instant, when you break and the CB can't keep in step. So yeah, a WR, with 4.5 speed, can have trouble with separation.
Stussy109 Posted April 24, 2008 Posted April 24, 2008 Couple of things: 1) There wasn't that much talent around Thomas either. 2) They played against the same competition and Thomas had more yards (and averaged a yard more per reception). Hardy doubled Thomas in Tds but Michigan St had a great goalline rb in Cauldrick (sp?) and another redzone threat in Kellen Davis. 3) You can't just ignore character issues. 4) Hardy is 6'5.5" not 6' 7" and for all this talk about big receivers, how many 6'5" or taller ever amounted to anything in the pros? This is not to knock Hardy, but it's silly to say at this stage that one is definitely better than the other one. PLAXICO BURRESS
C.Biscuit97 Posted April 24, 2008 Posted April 24, 2008 PLAXICO BURRESS Wow, you're right. Complete mind fart on my part. But the point still stands that really tall receivers seem to struggle at the pro level.
Beerball Posted April 24, 2008 Posted April 24, 2008 I will not sir. The internet is a free cyber-space, not a free country. So, the rules are different. For one, I can't be voted out; that's a fact. Besides I wouldn't think it would be any fun without someone as wrong about their WR prospect merits as I. OK, we agree.
Mickey Posted April 24, 2008 Posted April 24, 2008 they say it is a focus thing. he makes very difficult catches and runs sharp routes. being a juco transfer he reminds me of chad johnson (in play, not attitude). puts it on himself to run hard, precise routes and is a very aggressive physical guy. he has already stepped up from juco to ncaa big 10 ball, so i think he will be willing to put in the hard work he will need to excel in the nfl. he'll drop the odd ball (they all do) but he gets off the line like a monster (biggest hurdle for a rook wr imo) and if we have him really work on slants and quick routes he could be that guy just behind the 8 in the box breaking tackles just like moulds was. his natural physical ability -- speed, quickness, size, strength, body control, and desire and work ethic make him exactly our guy IMO. i used to be all over kelley, but he is either too slow or unhealthy to really be worth a number 11 (heck, even a first rounder really). he and a tight end will add the physical presence we need in our O, but without any loss of speed. he is MILES faster than reed and has size as well. I like Thomas but I don't think his size is all that impressive at all. Isn't he 6'1"? There are plenty of corners who are just as big. Sweed and Hardy have the kind of size to win jump balls and the wing span to be a larger target than the average WR.
Lurker Posted April 24, 2008 Posted April 24, 2008 Ben Rothlesberger made a comment the other day how he wanted a big receiver, because he wants a guy to throw the ball to when nobody's open. A guy with the size and speed of Hardy seems to fit that bill. So what if he occasionally gets jammed up at the LOS? Jauron made the same comment at the owners meeting: "We'd love somebody who can be covered but not covered: You can throw him the ball and he can out-muscle you for it. I'd like to do that."
colin Posted April 24, 2008 Posted April 24, 2008 I like Thomas but I don't think his size is all that impressive at all. Isn't he 6'1"? There are plenty of corners who are just as big. Sweed and Hardy have the kind of size to win jump balls and the wing span to be a larger target than the average WR. he's 6'2" and about 220, but he's very buff and physical. that kind of physical play is what we need IMO. remember how softy price would be open all day when moulds was tearing it up? imagine evans with that kind of space, he'd make it like playing against 6 in the box, since the safties would have to scramble back all the time.
RayFinkle Posted April 24, 2008 Posted April 24, 2008 This is so ridiculous...can't seperate now??? Hardy and Devin Thomas had the same number of catches last year -- 79. But Hardy had 16 TDs to Thomas' 8!!!! That is in Devin Thomas' "One Shining Moment," magical year!!! Doesn't that scream Answer to our problems, he had twice as many TDs -- redzone stud. Oh yeah he also had 20 TDs combined in the two years before this one... not six catches!!!! Get out of here! I guess all the professionals have it wrong when they have Hardy as the 4th, 5th or 6th best receiver in the draft. Thanks for clearing that up.
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