How long will it take for Justin Blackmon to be confirmed as a Top 5 pick?

[AvengerRam]

About 4 and 1/2 seconds.

Despite two years of game film against top notch opponents, Justin Blackmon will be sliced, diced and thoroughly over-analyzed during the next few months, to the point that one stat: the 40 yard dash, will likely determine whether he is a Top 5 pick or a "falling prospect."

If he runs 4.50 or better, nobody will question his elite status.

If not (and, particularly, if he runs 4.60 or worse), he'll be downgraded.

Never mind that he spent the last two years making CBs who run in the 4.40s look like JV players.

Never mind that many WRs will pedestrian 40 times have had great NFL careers.

We won't know if Blackmon is considered a worthy choice by the "masses" until he crosses the finish line of a 40 yard sprint.

[sosa39rams]

About 4 and 1/2 seconds.

Despite two years of game film against top notch opponents, Justin Blackmon will be sliced, diced and thoroughly over-analyzed during the next few months, to the point that one stat: the 40 yard dash, will likely determine whether he is a Top 5 pick or a "falling prospect."

If he runs 4.50 or better, nobody will question his elite status.

If not (and, particularly, if he runs 4.60 or worse), he'll be downgraded.

Never mind that he spent the last two years making CBs who run in the 4.40s look like JV players.

Never mind that many WRs will pedestrian 40 times have had great NFL careers.

We won't know if Blackmon is considered a worthy choice by the "masses" until he crosses the finish line of a 40 yard sprint.

Perfectly put. And its yet the dumbest evaluation of players I've ever seen. If Jeffery ran a 4.3 he'd be considered a better prospect than Blackmon? And for what reason?

Why is Kendall Wright suddenly sought after? People are talking about him being the #1 WR in this draft because he will run a 4.3, thats absolutely laughable.

If Blackmon ran a 5.0 and looked like what he did during games, I'd take him at #2 no questions asked.

[DE_Ramfan]

I for one hope he never gets confirmed as a top 5 pick. Mainly because I have a feeling we'll be picking number 6.

[39WillRunYaOva]

I personally think 40 times are held way to high.I love speed dont get me wrong and we need alot of it,but blackmon doesnt need to run a 4.4 for me to take him with the 2nd overall pick.I think his skill shows hes a top 5 pick and the combine wont change my opinion.40 times are the most overrated drill in the combine,game film is what i care about and Blackmon like AV said has made the top CB's in college look pathetic time after time.40 times show that you "know" how to run track but they dont always correlate to game speed.Plenty of WR's didnt have great 40 times but on the field consistently blow by corners in the NFL.Blackmon needs to be our pick either at 2 or if we trade down idc anything else honestly ill be disappointed.

[Tampa_Ram]

Id love Blackmon to run a 4.6 and fall. Would make trading down with the redskins and still landing Blackmon a good possibility of then.

[richtree]

4.52 is the speed where he begins to lose his stock. He needs good interviews and show he is healthy.

Other than than just run a good time and he is top 6 pick no doubt. Now if one of the other guys run sub 4.5 they could bolster up to top 10 -- Floyd, Wright, Fuller, Jeffery, and Streeter

[RebelYell]

I read a stat and it might be wrong but it said that in the last 20 years there were only 2 WRs taken in the top half of the first round who ran slower than a 4.50. Michael Crabtree and one other I don't know the name. Their opinion was that neither lived up to their draft position.

IMO the Rams need to find WRs who can stretch the defense and they need to get faster on offense. Get safeties playing 15 yards off the line and CBs giving up the 5 yard slant because they are worried about giving up a 25 yard fly pattern. Imagine if Jackson wasn't facing 8 men in the box every down! The Rams have 4 WRs who don't garner respect for their speed at the line. They don't need a 5th.

The Rams need speed, speed and more speed on offense. IMO, Blackmon will fall into the second half of the first round on draft day.

[mcpeepants232003]

Perfectly put. And its yet the dumbest evaluation of players I've ever seen. If Jeffery ran a 4.3 he'd be considered a better prospect than Blackmon? And for what reason?

Why is Kendall Wright suddenly sought after? People are talking about him being the #1 WR in this draft because he will run a 4.3, thats absolutely laughable.

If Blackmon ran a 5.0 and looked like what he did during games, I'd take him at #2 no questions asked.

Kendall Wright is a stud. he's been projected to be a first rounder for months. I would have no problem with us drafting him if we traded down for extra picks. honestly I'd prefer for us to get Kalil/Claiborne at #4 and a wr at 22 if we trade with the Browns. I would not be surprised at all if Wright had a better career than Blackmon.

[AvengerRam]

I read a stat and it might be wrong but it said that in the last 20 years there were only 2 WRs taken in the top half of the first round who ran slower than a 4.50. Michael Crabtree and one other I don't know the name. Their opinion was that neither lived up to their draft position.

I don't know if that's accurate, but I do know that Larry Fitzgerald barely ran a 4.50 (I think his best time may have been 4.48), and many have succeeded despite worse times (Jerry Rice is the classic example, but Anquan Boldin and Hines Ward are others). Even Isaac Bruce was barely a 4.50 guy, believe it or not.

[RebelYell]

Kendall Wright is a stud. he's been projected to be a first rounder for months. I would have no problem with us drafting him if we traded down for extra picks. honestly I'd prefer for us to get Kalil/Claiborne at #4 and a wr at 22 if we trade with the Browns. I would not be surprised at all if Wright had a better career than Blackmon.

I see Kendall Wright as a Greg Jennings type of receiver in the NFL.
I see the absolute best case scenario for Blackmon being an A. Boldin or Dez Bryant. Boldin was a great possession receiver when he was second to Fitzgerald. When he became the #1 target in Baltimore he wasn't up to the task. Dez Bryant is fine as long as Miles Austin is healthy and playing. When Austin isn't there, Bryant shows his limits.

[RebelYell]

I don't know if that's accurate, but I do know that Larry Fitzgerald barely ran a 4.50 (I think his best time may have been 4.48), and many have succeeded despite worse times (Jerry Rice is the classic example, but Anquan Boldin and Hines Ward are others). Even Isaac Bruce was barely a 4.50 guy, believe it or not.

Hines Ward was a 3rd rounder. Boldin a 2nd rounder. Bruce a 2nd rounder. I love how people think that somehow proves Blackmon is justified being the #2 pick in the draft. What it proves is the NFL values their talents as 2nd round talent but fans think it's #2 pick in the draft type talent because it fills a need.

[RebelYell]

Let's recap the WRs the Steelers have taken the last dozen years.

Burress 6'6" tall 230 lbs and ran a 4.55
Santonio Holmes ran a 4.40
Mike Wallace ran a 4.30.

If you draft athletic freaks, you can turn them into something. Burress was fast enough for being the size of a TE almost. Holmes and Wallace were burners. That's how you draft well. The Rams draft Salas, Pettis and Avery and wonder why they can't hit on their draft picks. Avery should have been a slot receiver like an Az Hakim.

[Nick]

If you draft athletic freaks, you can turn them into something.

I don't disagree with the Rams' need for speed, but if it were as simple as you make it sound, then Devin Thomas, Dexter Jackson and Troy Williamson would be All-Pros in this league, and Donnie Avery would still be a starting WR for St. Louis. Yet you criticize the Rams for Avery, who ran in the low 4.4s at the Combine and in the mid 4.3s at his pro day.

The Rams need to get better at drafting, period. Speed is an important factor, but it's not everything. Are we really to believe that, had A.J. Green been two-hundredths of a second slower, he would have been a mid-to-late first rounder or, more importantly, a less successful pro?

[thoey]

I just see too many similarities between Justin Blackmon and Larry Fitzgerald to even think about passing up on this guy:

[AvengerRam]

Hines Ward was a 3rd rounder. Boldin a 2nd rounder. Bruce a 2nd rounder. I love how people think that somehow proves Blackmon is justified being the #2 pick in the draft. What it proves is the NFL values their talents as 2nd round talent but fans think it's #2 pick in the draft type talent because it fills a need.

Are you telling me that Ward and Bruce would not have been good values if they had been taken in the top 5? They're both HOF candidates.