NFL Draft Scout's Rang: WR Jeffery is Overrated

[Nick]

Something to consider for those who favor trading down for multiple picks and using one of those on South Carolina WR Alshon Jeffery. Not saying you're right or wrong, but just providing an opinion to consider or discuss.

This snippet about Jeffery is from a November NFL Draft Scout article, but Rang referenced it again on his Twitter. I've added two tweets from today about Jeffery as well.

Upon Further Review highlights a player whose performance over the weekend significantly altered my earlier assessment.

Last year, South Carolina wide receiver Alshon Jeffery made a mockery of SEC defenses catching 88 passes for 1,517 yards and nine touchdowns on his way to All-America honors.

Through 10 games this season: 38 catches for 504 yards and five touchdowns. He was limited to two catches for 17 yards Saturday by Florida. It is the fourth consecutive game the 2011 Biletnikoff Award finalist has been held under 25 receiving yards.

Some are chalking up Jeffery's mediocre production as simply a by-product of the Gamecocks' season-long struggle to find consistent quarterback play.

The truth: Jeffery is overrated.

In his first two seasons, Jeffery used his size and physicality to gain position on defensive backs. With defenses sucked up to try and contain Marcus Lattimore last season, Jeffery was often able to exploit single coverage, break a tackle and gain yardage -- sometimes big yardage -- after the catch. With defenders not in position to stop him, Jeffery appeared to possess explosiveness.

This season the rare talent playing cornerback in the SEC has exposed Jeffery's lack of explosiveness. He's not getting the ball as much this season, in large part because he isn't getting open.

Jeffery reminds me a great deal of another former USC receiver -- Southern California's Mike Williams (now with the Seattle Seahawks). Like Williams, Jeffery's NFL-caliber traits are his size, strength, soft hands and hand-eye coordination. Due to each man's ability to make the catch even with defenders draped over them, many of Williams' and Jeffery's receptions are memorable plays.

The reality is both need to make plays with defenders clutching at them as neither has the agility or straight-line speed to consistently get open in the NFL.

And the Tweets from today...

Argument is he's Mike Williams. Won't separate in NFL. RT @travisrstephens Yr argument breaks down bc Jeffery successful w/ Lattimore in HS

For every WR drafted highly from Spurrier's offense I'll give you 5 that struggled in NFL. I'm not betting high on the slowest of the bunch.

[39thebeast]

Kendall Wright is my second favorite WR in the draft anyway. Then I like Floyd then Sanu and finally Jeffery.

[mcpeepants232003]

Kendall Wright is my second favorite WR in the draft anyway. Then I like Floyd then Sanu and finally Jeffery.

I would be completely fine with drafting Kalil at 2 if we got Sanu or Wright in round 2.

[sosa39rams]

The people that are in love with Jeffery have only 1 reason why they like him : his size, other than that, they dont know a thing about him or why he'll be good (he wont).

[richtree]

I don't know how anyone can watch South Carolina play with Quarterbacks that look like they are I-AA and make a clear evaluation on Jeffery....He Played in the toughest conference in football with Stephen Garcia chucked off the team..Rice and Buffalo were ranked ahead.....

I am sure there are 20 teams that would be happy to take him after Blackmon and Floyd are gone

[chiguy]

If we don't get some speed on offense, I may just go burn down the dome. (I kid, of course.) If this kids is "a big receiver," it seems to me that we already have that and its time to move on to evaluating other prospects.

[HUbison]

This season the rare talent playing cornerback in the SEC has exposed Jeffery's lack of explosiveness. He's not getting the ball as much this season, in large part because he isn't getting open.

I don't really have a dog in the Jeffrey hunt (as I think we should take Blackmon w/ #2 pick), but I sure do hate it when "experts" don't get facts straight.

Jeffrey's receptions per Conference game = 3.9
Jeffrey's receptions per non-Conference game = 3.6

On average, he caught more passes per game against SEC corners than non-SEC corners. His drop in production was not "exposure" by "rare talent" SEC corners.

[richtree]

Funny thing is if Blackmon was to tear his ACL in the next few month, these same people would have Jeffery as a top 5 pick ....

I will update my full Wide Reciever analysis once I know who is in for the draft and who is staying in schoool.