Flanker ~ Nelson Agholor ~ Southern California Trojans ~ 6000/198
Split Ends are usually the bigger, taller WideOuts who line up in the X Position, on the Line of Scrimmage.
SlotBacks are usually the quicker, smaller WideOuts who line up at the Y Position, off the Line.
FlankerBacks are usually the faster WideOuts who line up at the Z Position, off the Line.
The Split End prototype would be about 6030/225 or so.
The Flanker prototype would be about 6000/200 or so.
The SlotBack prototype would be about 5010/195 or so.
However a given Coach chooses to deploy the Soldiers at his disposal is of course entirely up to him, and most WideOuts will see Snaps at multiple Positions and in multiple Alignments, but I believe that it is valuable to categorize WideOuts in terms of classic Skill Sets, to better define the differences in the kind of Impact they might wield at the next level.
This is how I break things down when I'm evaluating Split Ends, Flankers, and SlotBacks:
Separation: Getting Open. This encompasses Combat Skills & Fluidity to beat Press, Acceleration out'f the Blocks, Fluidity and Ricochet in navigating Traffic, Route Running Precision, the capacity to deceive Defenders, and Field Vision for Timing Seems and Open Zones. All other Aspects of a WideOut's Job Description are dwarfed by this one.
Catch Point Capacity: In Transit or Contested: Hands, WingSpan, Vertical Agility, Combat Skills, and Timing.
Navigation: How well he Navigates the Field after the Catch: Power, Agility, Acceleration, Long Speed, and Field Vision.
Broken down into SubCategories, it'd go something like this:
Separation
* Combat Skills
* Fluidity
* Acceleration
* Ricochet
* Routing
* Deception
* Field Vision
Catch Point Capacity
Catch Point Capacity
* Timing
* Combat Skills
* Vertical Agility
* Hands
* WingSpan
Navigation
* Power
* Fluidity
* Ricochet
* Acceleration
* Long Speed
* Field Vision
Catch Point Capacity: Competitive and trending towards Impressive. Algholor's Combat Skills are mediocre, and his Hands have been deficient, but the latter improved noticeably over the course of 2014, and the excellent Mechanics that he displays consistently ~ his Extension ~ strongly suggest Attention to Detail that will fuel continued Improvement. And his other Aspects ~ impressive Tracking & Timing and terrific Vertical Agility ~ also suggest developing Improvement.
Navigation: Excellent. He brings impressive Fluidity and Ricochet to the BattleField, but what makes him dangerous is his combination of tremendous Long Speed and his phenomenal Field Vision and Processing Speed.
Not so with Nelson Agholor.
Both by Deed on the Field of Battle and by word of mouth, it's pretty clear that Agholor, besides being blessed with genuine Agility as well as Long Speed, is a motivated, passionate Student of the Game who has done and will continue to do whatever it takes to succeed and indeed to excel at the next level: He's got the Brains, and he's got the Drive.
Trajectory, baby.
His Game needs continued Refinement and Development ~ his Hands, above all ~ and he could stand to Beef Up a bit.
And all Prospects are Risks, obviously.
But I really like his Chances.
Grateful Thanks, as always, for the crucial Work done by the folks at Draft BreakDown!!
2nd/3rd Round Market Value | Yankee Grade 1st/2nd Round |
None of this is even remotely a Complaint, mind you, but rather a Warning!! Caveat Emptor!!