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Jets sign another wideout: Craig Bragg


TomShane

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The New York Jets claimed wide receiver Craig Bragg off waivers, adding him to their 53-man roster. Bragg was a seventh-round draft choice who was released Saturday.

As a result of the Jets picking him up, the Packers have to count his entire $88,500 signing bonus against their cap this season. They were already counting $22,125, or one-fourth of his bonus, against the cap but once he was claimed off waivers the entire figure accelerated to this season.

Bragg was a nice receiver for UCLA. I think he's 6'1", not a burner, but a very savvy, quick receiver. I like the signing but I don't know what the Jets are going to do with 6 receivers.

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WR Craig Bragg, UCLA

6' 2" / 200 / 4.45

OVERVIEW

One of the best receivers in UCLA history, Bragg enjoyed a record-setting career. A big-play performer (12 touchdowns of at least 40 yards during his career), he is the only player in school history to make at least 50 receptions in two different seasons. He is also the only player in UCLA history to lead the team in receptions in four consecutive seasons.

Bragg earned three letters in football at Bellarmine College Prep. He was a PrepStar All-American and rated the No. 6 receiver in the west by that service. He was also a SuperPrep All-Far West, Tacoma News Tribune Western 100, second-team All-Pac-West and All-San Jose by the Mercury News. Bragg made 39 receptions for over 600 yards and five touchdowns, rushed for 300 yards and three scores on 50 carries and also scored on a punt return (45 yards) and a kickoff return (98 yards) as a senior. As a junior, he caught 29 passes for 633 yards and seven touchdowns, rushed for 450 yards and three scores and on defense, he made 30 tackles and two interceptions. Bragg also lettered three seasons in baseball.

Bragg red-shirted in 2000 at UCLA. He then started three of 11 games in 2001, leading the team with 29 catches for 408 yards (14.1 avg.) and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 100 yards and two scores on eight carries, returned 14 punts for 118 yards (8.4 avg.) and gained 186 yards on 10 kickoff returns. He set school sophomore receiving records with 55 grabs for 889 yards (16.2 avg.) and eight touchdowns in 2002. Bragg also totaled 256 yards and a score on 16 punt returns (16.0 avg.) and rushed seven times for 49 yards.

The team MVP and squad captain started 11 games as a junior. Bragg hauled in 73 passes for 1,065 yards (14.6 avg.) and five touchdowns. Only Freddie Mitchell (77 in 2000) and J.J. Stokes (82 in 1993) had more receptions in a season for the Bruins. He also became only the sixth player in UCLA annals to gain over 1,000 yards receiving in a season.

Despite missing the San Diego State, Arizona and California games after dislocating his left shoulder in the Washington contest, Bragg still managed to lead the team in receiving for a record fourth consecutive year as a senior. He caught 36 passes for 483 yards (13.4 avg.) and four touchdowns and returned 19 punts for 285 yards (15.0 avg.), including a score. In 46 games, Craig started 33 times. He finished his Bruins career with 193 receptions for 2,845 yards (14.7 avg.) and 19 touchdowns, topping the old school career-record of 179 catches by Kevin Jordan (1992-95). Only Danny Farmer (3,020, 1996-99) gained more yards receiving in school history.

Bragg added 151 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries (9.4 avg.) and 207 yards on 22 kickoff returns (18.8 avg.). He also returned 87 punts for 961 yards (11.0 avg.) and a pair of scores. His 87 returns were three shy of the school's all-time record of 90, set by Paul Guidry (1993-96) and his 961 yards topped Guidry's old UCLA career-record of 911.

ANALYSIS

Positives: Has good size, speed, strength and athletic ability for the position

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NFL Draft Showcase

WR CRAIG BRAGG, UCLA

QUICK STRENGTHS: Quickness, Routes, Hands

QUICK WEAKNESSES: Pure speed

NFL COMPARISONS: Natural pass catcher with good quicks, not great pure speed and is similar to Minnesota's Nate Burleson.

Bio: Craig Bragg came in as a true freshman and led UCLA in receptions. He would lead the Bruins in receptions every year of his UCLA career. He was named UCLA's MVP on offense his junior season and was named honorable mention All Pac-10.

Analysis: Bragg is an experienced wideout who has been very productive for the Bruins throughout his career. He has good size and shows very good instincts and understanding of the position. He is a good, smooth route runner and displays good quickness and sharp cuts. His release is good, as he has good quickness and agility. Underneath, his quickness allows him to get open, but downfield, he lacks the pure speed to gain a lot of separation from defensive backs. He does show some deceptive deep speed and makes some tough grabs downfield. Bragg has good, soft hands and is reliable as a possession wideout. After the catch, he doesn't have a great burst but is nifty and is tough to bring down. He shows good strength for a player his size and does not shy away from contact.

Overall: Bragg has had a tendency to fly under the radar his entire career. Even when he led the team in receptions, it was teammate Tab Perry who got more of the attention. However, Bragg has done everything anyone has ever asked of him and he has the savvy and natural receiving skills to be a productive second receiver in the pros. He doesn't have the overall athleticism to be a go to guy but he should be a very good pro. Expect Bragg to be an early 2nd day pick who could sneak onto day 1 if he runs well.

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Biography:

2005 - Green Bay:

2005: Selected by the Green Bay Packers in the sixth round of the 2005 NFL Draft, 194th overall.

College career

Finished his Bruins career with 193 receptions for 2,845 yards (14.7 avg.) and 19 touchdowns, topping the old school career-record of 179 catches by Kevin Jordan (1992-95). ... Red-shirted in 2000 at UCLA. He then started three of 11 games in 2001, leading the team with 29 catches for 408 yards (14.1 avg.) and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 100 yards and two scores on eight carries, returned 14 punts for 118 yards (8.4 avg.) and gained 186 yards on 10 kickoff returns. He set school sophomore receiving records with 55 grabs for 889 yards (16.2 avg.) and eight touchdowns in 2002. Bragg also totaled 256 yards and a score on 16 punt returns (16.0 avg.) and rushed seven times for 49 yards.

The team MVP and squad captain started 11 games as a junior. Caught 73 passes for 1,065 yards (14.6 avg.) and five touchdowns.

Only Freddie Mitchell (77 in 2000) and J.J. Stokes (82 in 1993) had more receptions in a season for the Bruins. He also became only the sixth player in UCLA annals to gain over 1,000 yards receiving in a season.

Despite missing the San Diego State, Arizona and California games after dislocating his left shoulder in the Washington contest, Bragg still managed to lead the team in receiving for a record fourth consecutive year as a senior. He caught 36 passes for 483 yards (13.4 avg.) and four touchdowns and returned 19 punts for 285 yards (15.0 avg.), including a score. In 46 games, Craig started 33 times

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Bragg went to the Combine and ran a 4.45 in the 40-yard dash ....only did a vertical (36 inches) after that, due to a minor injury...He was 6005(ht.) and 196 pounds....So he's not as tall as he's listed on NFL.com (6'2").

Very productive at UCLA....unlike former teammate Tab Perry, who was a "workout warrior"....

Here's one for my friend Maxman: Somehow, Bragg, who was born in San Jose, is related to former Yankee Roberto Kelly, who was/is from Panama :shock:

He's another dime a dozen WR (decent prospect, not special and smallish), like Ridgeway....

But at this point, Troy Williamson isn't gonna be on waivers, so you settle?

Edit for typo and then edited again to add a period--in oder to bump edit line down :lol:

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Rigs, you got any scoop on that big WR Larry Brackins. The bucs cut him loose today.

im not rigs or a WR scout per se but Larry Brackens IMO is too dumb and not fast enough for people to put up with his lack of awareness for very long. I think he only ran 4.6ish at Indy and was a general dissapointment. Very big of course but his hands were at times awful.

the ridgeway and gragg signings weren't about attributes (although both are fast enough) i think they wanted young route runners who as riggo said could stick their face in the fan on specials.

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EB, I was told by a draft insider (JN folks would be shocked at who it is from another Jets board) who was at the combine and told me that Brackins looked too skinny and not fast enough...

He basically said he was a "Net hero", with little chance to stick as rookie....Remember, he told me this when the world was tagging Brackins as the next TO....So he was right, Brackins was drafted low and didn't make it.

Brackins is a different type player (he's taller) than Bragg and Ridgeway....In a way, Bragg and Ridgeway are a "dime a dozen" type prospects, with good college stats, but little upside.......As my friend Bitonti noted, that's not a bad quality to have, when you're looking for special teams help and hoping to find the next 4th or 5th WR, who won't drop the ball when he's needed.

Brackins isn't as athletic as he was noted to be and he has almost no college experince...plus, how dumb must Brackins be? He couldn't even get into schools like Miami and FSU due to academics :shock:

Brackins Combine #'s:

Brackins, Larry WO Pearl River

6043 205 (size)

4.65 4.72 (40 times)

35 (vertical)

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