Can Devin Smith be our Version of OBJ?

[Jetsfan80]

No question Tannehill has had deep ball woes, but the purpose of drafting Parker was because of his catch radius. It doesn't have to be perfect.

See, that would work best with a big-armed QB who lacks accuracy, like Cam Newton or Joe Flacco.  Tannehill has pretty nice accuracy but lacks the big arm.  Jarvis Landry is perfect for Tannehill.  Parker is not.

[Larz]

No question Tannehill has had deep ball woes, but the purpose of drafting Parker was because of his catch radius. It doesn't have to be perfect.

parkers hands are tiny.  

[detectivekimble]

the best case scenario is steve smith jr or whatever his name is.

little dude who plays bigger than his size

Devin Smith is not little.  He's 6'1" or 6'2".

[Jetman55]

6'1 198lbs

[win4ever]

I think he has the potential.  After the draft, I remember doing a video breakdown of Smith (mainly to refute the idea of him being a body catcher) and then showing a video of how both Smith and OBJ are similar.   

Don't get me wrong, OBJ is better, because he's much more dangerous with the ball in his hands.  And his catch radius is higher as well, because he's so accustomed to catching with one hands, that he can leap higher or further.  It's the same concept as someone trying to dunk, the person trying a two handed dunk isn't going to get as high as the one trying to dunk one handed.   OBJ is also better at shifting in and our of his cuts (similar to Cooper) but Smith isn't far behind.  Other than that, their combine numbers are very similar, and both had relatively low stats in college.  

However, they both excel at tracking the ball, and adjusting their route to the trajectory of the pass.  And as Villain said, both are very good at getting their hands up late, forcing the defenders to guess more often than not when to turn around.   

OBJ is a better prospect because he plays higher than his height suggests, but Smith can be a poor man's version of it.  

[win4ever]

+1

Personally, I had Beckham ranked #1 in a very strong WR class.  The Beckham vs. Cooks debate was always fun.

Lol, I remember the Cooks vs. OBJ argument (albeit not here) and how people defended Cooks because he had the production.  OBJ was the single reason I was hoping we'd never draft Mettenberger.  Guy had two amazingly good WRs (especially for college standards), a massive OLine, a run heavy system forcing defenses to play up, and still put up mediocre numbers.   Cooks is a good WR, but OBJ is on a different level physically, and is almost impossible to cover one on one.  

[Larz]

Devin Smith is not little.  He's 6'1" or 6'2".

ok not little but not big either.  the comparison was more aimed at a guy who plays bigger than he is and is mostly a deep threat

[Jetster]

Think about this...how many young WRs get to come to a team & learn from savvy pros like Brandon Marshall & Eric Decker.

All the talking heads said Decker is a #2 WR. Well now we have a #1 in Marshall. This is the perfect scenario for Smith, with Decker & Marshall he steps in to get his feet wet without a #1 CB tracking him.

Same with Enunwa & Evans (if he makes the team). Great opportunity for all of them to just do their thing without the pressure of being the top guy.

[Larz]

I wouldn't get too excited for his rookie season

 

he missed all of mini camp

he missed all of training camp

this usually means he has a hammy injury waiting for him and has no chemistry with the QB

if he breaks 40 rec's and 3 TD's it will be impressive

[BallinPB]

can't say no since I haven't seen him play yet but to compare him to OBJ is holding him to a very high standard.  The jury is still out.

[Jetman55]

I think his game will be closer to Terry Glenn, but we shall see...hard to predict a guy's NFL impact based on practice reports, just saying...

[RoadFan]

No.

Historical reason:  Smith is a 2nd round pick of the Jets, a near certain predictor of failure.

Logical reason:  A rookie with only one route in his repertoire that hasn't practiced in weeks.

 

 

 

 

[Snell41]

You guys forget Eli is notorious for just throwing up deep ball prayers that usually fall incomplete or get picked. OBJ just happens to be good enough to catch them. I remember a star ledger article years ago pointing out the reason Manning was better than Sanchez even though their stats were almost identical was because Eli's picks were all 20-30 yds downfield, where as Marks were getting picked by D lineman. Anyway Fitz can hardly throw a ball 30 yards so just for that I see no way Smith can match OBJ.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[56mehl56]

Lol, I remember the Cooks vs. OBJ argument (albeit not here) and how people defended Cooks because he had the production.  OBJ was the single reason I was hoping we'd never draft Mettenberger.  Guy had two amazingly good WRs (especially for college standards), a massive OLine, a run heavy system forcing defenses to play up, and still put up mediocre numbers.   Cooks is a good WR, but OBJ is on a different level physically, and is almost impossible to cover one on one.  

But he also had Les MIles as HC , sort of the offensive equivalent to Rex Ryan. The only reason Beckham, Landry and Mettenberger had good years was due to OC Cam Cameron. It was rumored Cameron kind of tuned out Miles to some degree in order to take advantage of these studs.

[cant wait]

Sorry I am not buying it.  Sure I thought he had the potential to be great EVENTUALLY. But anyone who says they anticipated a season like that is not being honest.  There was absolutely no reason to think he would have that kind of season, especially after missing all preseason and the first 4 regular season games.  Come on get real. 

I remember telling people his hands were the best I've ever seen. But what do I know

[dolphann4life]

 

 

 

 Your analysis is way off. Tannehill has a cannon. He's overthrowing his wr's on the deep routes. His short intermediate accuracy is great. With a 6'3 WR you can put some AIR under it and let him battle for it against a smaller DB instead of throwing a perfect ball on the money in stride.

[Jetman55]

 Your analysis is way off. Tannehill has a cannon. He's overthrowing his wr's on the deep routes. His short intermediate accuracy is great. With a 6'3 WR you can put some AIR under it and let him battle for it against a smaller DB instead of throwing a perfect ball on the money in stride.

Of course, it's the month of December he sucks at...or being clutch...or leading your team into the play-offs and not melting down against the jets at home...other than that...he's awesome!

 

Seriously, you're bragging about Andy Dalton 2.0.

[nyjunc]

 Your analysis is way off. Tannehill has a cannon. He's overthrowing his wr's on the deep routes. His short intermediate accuracy is great. With a 6'3 WR you can put some AIR under it and let him battle for it against a smaller DB instead of throwing a perfect ball on the money in stride.

he had an excellent deep threat in Wallace.  he has struggled to throw beyond 10 yds.  they revamped the weapons for the 2nd time in 3 years, that's not a good sign.  all the excuses need to end this season.  he finally has to step up.  having a high comp is nice but how about making some big plays and stepping up in big games? he has all the tools to succeed, excuse time is over.

[JetBlue]

I remember telling people his hands were the best I've ever seen. But what do I know

I guess you never saw Chris Carter; just sayin....

[Jetman55]

he had an excellent deep threat in Wallace.  he has struggled to throw beyond 10 yds.  they revamped the weapons for the 2nd time in 3 years, that's not a good sign.  all the excuses need to end this season.  he finally has to step up.  having a high comp is nice but how about making some big plays and stepping up in big games? he has all the tools to succeed, excuse time is over.

sometimes when you have an Alex Smith type QB, you have to admit you have Alex Smith anD stop calling him Aaron Rodgers.  He is what he is.   MID LEVEL qb, tier 3...with Dalton, Smith, kapernick,  and cam...he's not tier 2 with big ben, rivers, ryan, wilson, and eli, and far from tier 1 with Elder Manning, brady, brees, Rodgers, and Luck...

[dolphann4life]

sometimes when you have an Alex Smith type QB, you have to admit you have Alex Smith anD stop calling him Aaron Rodgers.  He is what he is.   MID LEVEL qb, tier 3...with Dalton, Smith, kapernick,  and cam...he's not tier 2 with big ben, rivers, ryan, wilson, and eli, and far from tier 1 with Elder Manning, brady, brees, Rodgers, and Luck...

Alex Smith type? Tannehill last season, which was only his 3rd, was better than any season Alex Smith has ever had. Nobody is claiming Tannehill is the 2nd coming but he's defenitley not in the same category as Alex Smith.

[Jetman55]

Alex Smith type? Tannehill last season, which was only his 3rd, was better than any season Alex Smith has ever had. Nobody is claiming Tannehill is the 2nd coming but he's defenitley not in the same category as Alex Smith.

keep telling yourself that.  When the results of his play aren't Alex Smith like, let's revisit the subject.  Until then, you have a qb good enough to keep you in the play-off hunt but not good enough to get you in...

[Miss Lonelyhearts]

 Your analysis is way off. Tannehill has a cannon. He's overthrowing his wr's on the deep routes. His short intermediate accuracy is great. With a 6'3 WR you can put some AIR under it and let him battle for it against a smaller DB instead of throwing a perfect ball on the money in stride.

Tannehill's short and intermediate accuracy is ******* terrible. Wallace in particular is going to be a lot better with Bridgewater. He'd still be in Miami if Tannehill could hit a curl ever.

[carlito1171]

Absolutely not....

But he could be our version of John Brown/T.Y. Hilton.....

[JetBlue]

As long as he's better then Hill, I'll be happy. 

That is setting the bar incredibly low.

[Better2bgreenthanblue]

I gotta admit I was meh about this pick, but went back and watched old games and came away impressed. Good speed, body control and hands. Knows how to bail out the QB and get the ball. Heck didn't he get hurt catching a poorly thrown pass in camp?

 

question is, when is he expected to return?? I'm excited for this kid in this line up.

[New York Mick]

That is setting the bar incredibly low.

As a Jets fan it's a safe bet. 

[32EBoozer]

I wouldn't get too excited for his rookie season

 

he missed all of mini camp

he missed all of training camp

this usually means he has a hammy injury waiting for him and has no chemistry with the QB

if he breaks 40 rec's and 3 TD's it will be impressive

If he helps open the field for Marshall and Decker to get 100+ catches each and gets himself 40 receptions and 3 TD's

I will nominate him for the "Ring of Honor"

[JetBlue]

As a Jets fan it's a safe bet. 

Good point. 

[JetsFan12]

Devin has a similar build, and has the rare vertical big play ability that is more than just top end speed obj has.  He lacks the versatility and strength that make obj great.

[Jetman55]

Lol, I remember the Cooks vs. OBJ argument (albeit not here) and how people defended Cooks because he had the production.  OBJ was the single reason I was hoping we'd never draft Mettenberger.  Guy had two amazingly good WRs (especially for college standards), a massive OLine, a run heavy system forcing defenses to play up, and still put up mediocre numbers.   Cooks is a good WR, but OBJ is on a different level physically, and is almost impossible to cover one on one.  

he's on a different level physically?  I guess if always battlin hamstring injuries is a different level physically.  Cook physically caught 100 balls and rushed for 300 yards and was their primary KR and PR...cook definitely did enough in college to show physically there aren't any limitations.     But OBJ from a stature standpoint is much bigger...but he seems to be on track to have 1 long nagging injury after another.  You know Giants fans hold their breath after every catch.

[JustInFudge]

Just read an interesting article on Yahoo on this exact topic.  Unfortunately, Devin Smith didnt even make the cuts.  

http://nypost.com/2015/09/10/whos-the-next-odell-beckham-here-are-10-contenders/?ref=yfp

Last year’s crop of NFL rookie wide receivers turned out to be sensational, none more so than Odell Beckham Jr.

Beckham wasn’t even the first wideout picked in 2014, going 13th overall to the Giants and third overall behind Sammy Watkins by the Bills and Mike Evans by the Buccaneers.

But what an amazing debut Beckham had, ringing up 91 catches for 1,305 yards and 12 touchdowns despite missing the entire preseason and the first four games of the regular season with a hamstring injury that never truly healed.

It’s not as if the rest of Beckham’s rookie receiving counterparts were slackers, either. Watkins was a three-time NFL Rookie of the Week selection, Evans set Tampa Bay’s single-season franchise record for TD receptions and Kelvin Benjamin now owns all of the Panthers’ rookie receiving records — just to highlight a few.

This year’s rookie class at receiver is considered by many scouts to be potentially as deep as last year’s boffo group. Is there another Beckham in its midst?

A look at the top 10 candidates for a Beckham-like breakout:

1. Amari Cooper, Raiders

The first receiver taken (he went fourth overall) is accompanied by some outrageous hype, so it’s not as if Cooper will sneak up on anybody.

But wow, did this speedster from Alabama look good in the preseason. Cooper already has the route-running prowess of a veteran, and the quickness of his cuts is staggering.

Look for Cooper to have a monstrous debut, especially because the Raiders have a second-year quarterback in Derek Carr capable of getting him the ball regularly.

2. Nelson Agholor, Eagles

Some draft observers were shocked when Chip Kelly took him 20th overall, but Agholor already looks like he could be a star in Kelly’s mile-a-minute offense.

The 6-foot, 198-pound Agholor appears to have won a starting spot, and the only question mark is whether his lankiness will keep him from staying healthy.

3. Devin Funchess, Panthers

Benjamin’s season-ending knee injury means the 6-foot-4, 232-pound Funchess will get no shortage of opportunities to put together a prolific rookie year — especially when it comes to touchdowns. Funchess had injury concerns of his own in the preseason, but he’s going to be a big, inviting red-zone target for Cam Newton.

4. Phillip Dorsett, Colts

Indianapolis has T.Y. Hilton and Andre Johnson, so it’s unlikely Dorsett will be a frequent target as a rookie. But his 4.33-second speed in the 40-yard dash makes him a potentially dazzling deep threat.

Dorsett’s presence just reinforces that Andrew Luck has an embarrassment of riches at the receiver position.

5. Ty Montgomery, Packers

Jordy Nelson’s season-ending knee injury was a big blow for the Packers, but it also provides a big opportunity for Montgomery.

The Stanford product’s biggest problem could be getting Aaron Rodgers to trust him right off the bat. Rodgers has never been fond of throwing to rookies, although injuries at receiver might force him to this year.

6. Breshad Perriman, Ravens

Perriman has Olympic speed, coming into the NFL with a 4.25 40 on his résumé, and has the chance to make an immediate impact as a deep threat with veteran Torrey Smith now with the 49ers.

The only drawback for Perriman so far has been an inability to stay healthy. He was bothered by a sprained PCL in the preseason.

7. J.J. Nelson, Cardinals

A fifth-rounder from Alabama-Birmingham, Nelson impressed right away by running a 4.28 40 at the scouting combine and then catching a 54-yard bomb from Carson Palmer in a Week 2 preseason game.

Palmer’s early trust in the rookie is a great sign for Nelson.

8. DeVante Parker, Dolphins

Miami has plenty of depth at receiver, which, combined with Parker’s injury-marred preseason — he was slow to come back from foot surgery in June — likely will keep his numbers down as a rookie.

But Parker still is an inviting prospect, and his elite speed (a 4.34-second 40-yard dash) makes him a breakout candidate.

9. Dorial Green-Beckham, Titans

A discipline case in college, Green-Beckham already has gotten off to a slow start in the NFL on the field.

Tennessee took a second-round chance on the Missouri product, but Green-Beckham hasn’t lived up to that billing so far. He entered the regular season buried on a Titans depth chart that wasn’t exactly deep to begin with. If Green-Beckham ever gets motivated, though, he has the talent to break out.

10. Jaelen Strong, Texans

A big, physical target, Strong didn’t do much in the preseason aside from being criticized in memorable fashion by Houston coach Bill O’Brien in an early “Hard Knocks” episode.

Strong has a lot of talent, though, and has the potential to turn heads if he can get his own head together.

 

 

[Integrity28]

Absolutely not....

But he could be our version of John Brown/T.Y. Hilton.....

Devin is built bigger than those guys though, right? So we get the speed and deep ball tracking... but a more physical receiver doing it?

[BallinPB]

Let the man take the field first.

[JetBlue]

Just read an interesting article on Yahoo on this exact topic.  Unfortunately, Devin Smith didnt even make the cuts.  

http://nypost.com/2015/09/10/whos-the-next-odell-beckham-here-are-10-contenders/?ref=yfp

Last year’s crop of NFL rookie wide receivers turned out to be sensational, none more so than Odell Beckham Jr.

Beckham wasn’t even the first wideout picked in 2014, going 13th overall to the Giants and third overall behind Sammy Watkins by the Bills and Mike Evans by the Buccaneers.

But what an amazing debut Beckham had, ringing up 91 catches for 1,305 yards and 12 touchdowns despite missing the entire preseason and the first four games of the regular season with a hamstring injury that never truly healed.

It’s not as if the rest of Beckham’s rookie receiving counterparts were slackers, either. Watkins was a three-time NFL Rookie of the Week selection, Evans set Tampa Bay’s single-season franchise record for TD receptions and Kelvin Benjamin now owns all of the Panthers’ rookie receiving records — just to highlight a few.

This year’s rookie class at receiver is considered by many scouts to be potentially as deep as last year’s boffo group. Is there another Beckham in its midst?

A look at the top 10 candidates for a Beckham-like breakout:

1. Amari Cooper, Raiders

The first receiver taken (he went fourth overall) is accompanied by some outrageous hype, so it’s not as if Cooper will sneak up on anybody.

But wow, did this speedster from Alabama look good in the preseason. Cooper already has the route-running prowess of a veteran, and the quickness of his cuts is staggering.

Look for Cooper to have a monstrous debut, especially because the Raiders have a second-year quarterback in Derek Carr capable of getting him the ball regularly.

2. Nelson Agholor, Eagles

Some draft observers were shocked when Chip Kelly took him 20th overall, but Agholor already looks like he could be a star in Kelly’s mile-a-minute offense.

The 6-foot, 198-pound Agholor appears to have won a starting spot, and the only question mark is whether his lankiness will keep him from staying healthy.

3. Devin Funchess, Panthers

Benjamin’s season-ending knee injury means the 6-foot-4, 232-pound Funchess will get no shortage of opportunities to put together a prolific rookie year — especially when it comes to touchdowns. Funchess had injury concerns of his own in the preseason, but he’s going to be a big, inviting red-zone target for Cam Newton.

4. Phillip Dorsett, Colts

Indianapolis has T.Y. Hilton and Andre Johnson, so it’s unlikely Dorsett will be a frequent target as a rookie. But his 4.33-second speed in the 40-yard dash makes him a potentially dazzling deep threat.

Dorsett’s presence just reinforces that Andrew Luck has an embarrassment of riches at the receiver position.

5. Ty Montgomery, Packers

Jordy Nelson’s season-ending knee injury was a big blow for the Packers, but it also provides a big opportunity for Montgomery.

The Stanford product’s biggest problem could be getting Aaron Rodgers to trust him right off the bat. Rodgers has never been fond of throwing to rookies, although injuries at receiver might force him to this year.

6. Breshad Perriman, Ravens

Perriman has Olympic speed, coming into the NFL with a 4.25 40 on his résumé, and has the chance to make an immediate impact as a deep threat with veteran Torrey Smith now with the 49ers.

The only drawback for Perriman so far has been an inability to stay healthy. He was bothered by a sprained PCL in the preseason.

7. J.J. Nelson, Cardinals

A fifth-rounder from Alabama-Birmingham, Nelson impressed right away by running a 4.28 40 at the scouting combine and then catching a 54-yard bomb from Carson Palmer in a Week 2 preseason game.

Palmer’s early trust in the rookie is a great sign for Nelson.

8. DeVante Parker, Dolphins

Miami has plenty of depth at receiver, which, combined with Parker’s injury-marred preseason — he was slow to come back from foot surgery in June — likely will keep his numbers down as a rookie.

But Parker still is an inviting prospect, and his elite speed (a 4.34-second 40-yard dash) makes him a breakout candidate.

9. Dorial Green-Beckham, Titans

A discipline case in college, Green-Beckham already has gotten off to a slow start in the NFL on the field.

Tennessee took a second-round chance on the Missouri product, but Green-Beckham hasn’t lived up to that billing so far. He entered the regular season buried on a Titans depth chart that wasn’t exactly deep to begin with. If Green-Beckham ever gets motivated, though, he has the talent to break out.

10. Jaelen Strong, Texans

A big, physical target, Strong didn’t do much in the preseason aside from being criticized in memorable fashion by Houston coach Bill O’Brien in an early “Hard Knocks” episode.

Strong has a lot of talent, though, and has the potential to turn heads if he can get his own head together.

 

 

I think it may have more to do with the opportunities that will be available.   None of the receivers listed has a Marshall and Decker ahead of them on the depth chart.  Smith getting hurt early in camp certainly didn't help.   When the smoke clears I think Smith will be in the conversation.