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Crabtree


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And it turns out he is only 6'1 instead of 6'3.

Honestly, I think Maclin is a more likely choice for the bengals, considering how much they have talked about getting an impact return man as well.

Couldn't agree with you more in regards to them also getting a top punt return man. He would probably serve that role more his rookie year than anything else. I also think with Crabtree getting hurt, Maclin becomes the first WR off the board.

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I think Crabtree will still be #1 off the board just from what he has done already. The guy can play, and we all know that. If he runs a 4.5 who cares, Larry Fitz ran around the same time as that. Crabtree's body of work so far warrant's at least an consideration at #6 if he is there. He is a good route runner.The guy came from the Spread offense which forces recievers to run a lot of different routes. And he has great hands, no body catches. I think we should take a very close look at him.

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He's the one blue chip prospect I haven't considered seriously, and now I don't think I have to.

And yeah, I hope the Bengals look at it the same way.

The biggest deal breaker is the fact the he's only 6'1'' instead of 6'3''.

A 4.5 forty is very pedestrian in a draft the has at least 4 TE's run in the 4.5 range at today's combine.

As far as his body of work goes, most of his catches come within 8 yards of the line of scrimmage in an extremely pass happy offense. I think Maclin is the more versatile player both as a receiver and especially as a kick returner. If he's drafted by the Bengals, he immediately becomes the starting kick and punt returner while he learns the game, similar to McElvin in Buffalo last year, only at a different position.

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I generally don't like taking QB and WR from those spread-style offenses that work so well in college but not the pros. Witness all the crappy QB and WR who came from Florida under Spurrier, Ware and Klingler way back when from Houston, Alex Smith from Utah, etc.

I think Crabtree's pretty good, but I think that sort of environment inflates your numbers and makes it hard to predict how a guy will play in a pro environment. Between that and his injury, I don't see him at 6.

I wouldn't be pissed if they took him - after all, the Bengals have a lot invested in Carson and he needs somebody to catch - but I'd rather see line if there's a decent one available.

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Top 10 WR's fail almost as much Top 10 D-linemen.

Koren Robinson, David Terrell, Troy Williamson and some cat named Peter Warrick are a few I can think of off the top of my head that were viewed as can't miss propects that missed.

Consder his size (6'1'', 215) and speed (4.55 forty at best) and the fact that he played in an offense that juices up passing numbers in a weak pass defense conference, I'm officially saying no to Crabtree at #6. Combine that with the HELL NO to Andre Smith and the #6 pick is wide open. If we trade out of the top 10 and they're still there, then it becomes a discussion.

I hoping that Beanie Wells, Knowshon Moreno, Aaron Maybin or Everett Brown can have a strong enough combine to move into that #6 pick discussion. As it stands right now, I'd take Raji #6 as a safe pick. I have a feeling that Maclin and Malcolm Jenkins are going to be talked about at that pick after the Combine.

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I think that if Crabtree is there we will trade down with San Fran or Jacksonville

How about the 49ers throw in Manny Lawson and a 4th round pick for us to go down? Marvin loves this guy and San Fran has apparently given up on him. He could be that edge pash rusher we need. It was reported that the Bengals had targeted him as the player they most wanted in the '06 draft, when they settled for J.Jo.

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This track in Indy looks pretty slow this year. Rey was a 4.78 on campus before the season. If he runs in the 4.9 range, he might be there at #38.

He has to go to a team that has some monstrous DT's in front of him, like in Minnesota. The way he struggles to shed blocks is scary, especially on our team and in the AFC North.

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Here's another question on Crabtree.

He says he's played the entire season with the injury and that it's pain free. Why not just run in Indy and then get the surgery instead of his Pro Day in a few weeks if the injury has a 6-10 week recovery time from surgery? That way, he still should be good for the beginning of camp or at least further along in his rehab.

I guess the better question is, why run at all? His stock can do nothing but drop.

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Here's another question on Crabtree.

He says he's played the entire season with the injury and that it's pain free. Why not just run in Indy and then get the surgery instead of his Pro Day in a few weeks if the injury has a 6-10 week recovery time from surgery?

It's not the same injury. The NFL medical types determined the stress fracture was very recent and probably happened while Crabtree trained for the combine. And again, the idea that Crabtree has had three lower leg injuries, one serious enough to require surgery, within a year is more troubling to me than the thought of anything Andre Smith has or hasn't done to date. He's shorter than first thought, possibly slower than many feared, and now has to answer questions about durability.

As for the question of Crabtree attempting to run before the draft....I wouldn't. He's unlikely to answer the questions that already existed about his speed and most likely would only create more questions that couldn't be answered until later.

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So if he's 6'1'', 215, runs around a 4.55 or 4.6 forty, is he that much better than a Jerome Simpson who is a nearly is big, considerably faster, a better athlete and has a year in the system already?

He may be more polished but I didn't see him as a potential game-breaker before the injury. He played in a 70% pass system against the pourous defensive backs of the Big 12. All the top receivers in that conference put up incredible numbers. He should be a consistent possession receiver in the NFL, but he is not in the same mold as a Andre Johnson/Calvin Johnson/Larry Fitzgerald type of receiver as the best WR in this class. I'd rather have Maclin, who is far more explosive and can give you something in the return game while he learns the offense and adjusts to the NFL.

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