Josh Gordon, WR, Baylor - Supplemental Draft Prospect

[AvengerRam]

Pros: He's 6'4, 225 lbs., and had decent production at Baylor. Reportedly has good speed.

Cons: Was suspended from team due to marijuana arrest.

Should the Rams bid?

I'd say... maybe a 5th round pick.

[AvengerRam]

More info:

Former Baylor WR Josh Gordon applies for Supplemental DraftPosted by Darin Gantt on July 2, 2012, 9:57 AM EDT
APIf you’re big enough and fast enough, they will find you.
According to Adam Caplan of TheSidelineView.com, there’s another player in the NFL’s annual Supplemental Draft, one with the kind of speed to intrigue teams regardless his background.
Former Baylor wide receiver Josh Gordon will make himself available, after not playing last season while transferring to Utah. He was suspended by Baylor for violating team rules in 2011.
He had 42 receptions for 714 yards (17.0 per catch) and seven touchdowns in 2010, and has been clocked in the low 4.3-second range while at Baylor.
TCU running back Ed Wesley has also declared for the less-publicized version of the Annual Selection Meeting, which is scheduled to be held July 12. The Supplemental Draft is for players who didn’t declare for the previous draft but whose status has changed since then. If a team takes a player in the Supplemental Draft, they lose the corresponding selection next spring.
Oakland made the only pick last year, taking quarterback Terrelle Pryor in the third round.

[Nick]

Here is what CBS Sports' Dane Brugler said about Gordon in their supplemental draft preview...

Gordon began his career at Baylor, setting career-bests in 2010 as a sophomore with 42 catches for 714 yards and seven touchdowns. However his two-year stint with the Bears ended shortly before the 2011 season as he decided to leave the program after he was suspended indefinitely for an off-campus drug arrest. Gordon joined Utah and began practicing with his new team, but was forced to sit out last season due to transfer rules. In August 2011, Utah head coach Kyle Willingham said the Utes “did their homework” on Gordon and felt he “deserves a second chance.” But the wideout never officially played for Utah, leaving the program for undisclosed reasons.

Gordon has tremendous speed and natural athleticism for his 6-4, 220-pound frame, but is still very rough around the edges as a receiver. He is a long-striding runner with the build-up speed and fluidity to make plays after the catch. Gordon is raw as a route runner and has only one true season of playing experience in college and that came in Baylor's high-octane offense, catching passes from Robert Griffin III. He also carries off-field concerns stemming from his past drug arrest and has now decided to leave two different college programs, creating some concern about his professional demeanor.

In 2010, Baylor's top-three leading receivers were Gordon, Kendall Wright and Terrance Williams. Wright was drafted in the first round this past April and Williams is considered a possible first round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft. That leaves Gordon who has the athletic skill-set to be an early round pick, but his inexperience and questionable background will drop him down draft boards. As unpredictable as the NFL Supplemental Draft is each year, Gordon will certainly be a wildcard on July 12.

[THOLTFAN81]

I would definitely consider investing a 5 in him.

[JM7]

I don't think he is worth the investment of any draft pick. We have enough WR's that are "rough around the edges" and I don't believe that it would be beneficial to take on yet another project player. I'm not against taking some players with questions surrounding them, but with this guy there are just a few to many. He had a drug problem, has one year of production, left one school due to suspension, doesn't play football for a year, and then just randomly leaves Utah; I'm not buying into him amounting to anything in the league. I think I'll just stick with the talent we have now, and trust that the coaches can develop them into productive receivers. With all that said, it does appear that he has the physical tools, I do hope that straitens up and makes a roster, I just hope its not the Rams'.

[HUbison]

I suppose him and Janoris could go in together and get a bulk discount.

[AtlantaRamFan]

I'd definitely spend a fifth round in next years draft on him. It doesn't seem the drug issue will be what scares away the Rams, and they seem to be all about calculated risk. I'd be interested to see who he would replace in the WR battle. While Pettis or Salas might have shown some potential last year, I think you could argue that any WR with "early first round talent" will have more natural ability than everyone but Quick and Alexander and DX might not last much longer.

[mcpeepants232003]

Gordon will get higher than a fifth I'd think. Russ Lande gave him a high 2nd round grade. He's very talented.

[BarronWade]

I say do not bid at all...

We have Quick, Givens, Salas, Pettis, DX, and gibson 6 young high ceiling WRs battling for 5 spots on the team (Amendola's spot is guaranteed so their are 5 potentially 4 spots left)

I am not doubting Gordan's talent but the guy has not played in a year so he would have to beat out one of these guys or get cut...if he gets cut we lose our 5th rounder for nothing...we have depth and potential at WR if anything we need a proven #1 not Gordan

[VegasRam]

I suppose him and Janoris could go in together and get a bulk discount.

Just couldn't resist, could you. They'd make great roommates. A CB and a WR.
Plus, Rams would only have to do one bed check. ;-)

[HUbison]

Just couldn't resist, could you. They'd make great roommates. A CB and a WR.
Plus, Rams would only have to do one bed check. ;-)

I was just hoping to draw you out of the weeds (no pun intended). I figured a good ol' fashioned "Jenkins smokes dope" reference would do it.

[Ram Mar Ram]

Only if you dont like what you see with the current crop. If Smith doesnt look like he's recovered, niggles are plauging DX and the 2 rookies look lost (not too say adding a new kid without the benefit of the installation phase with red flags wouldn't look even more lost)

So i'd say no (but i havent looked at his highlight reel to be fair)

[VegasRam]

I was just hoping to draw you out of the weeds (no pun intended). I figured a good ol' fashioned "Jenkins smokes dope" reference would do it.

You gotta love Josh and Janoris, otherwise known as...wait for it...
the 'J' brothers, or the Zig Zag boys.

[HUbison]

You gotta love Josh and Janoris, otherwise known as...wait for it...
the 'J' brothers, or the Zig Zag boys.

Awe-some!!

[berg8309]

Not sure we need another project WR right now, it's already crowded. Unless he is definitely better than what we have, no need to add another camp body at the expense of a draft pick. We need quality, not quantity.