* 05/14/17 Update *
Flanker ~ Stacy Coley ~ Miami Hurricanes
6000/192
Regarding FlankerBacks
Most Fans don't know that WideOuts can generally be broken down into 3 Categories, based on traditional Roles, and that those Roles naturally enough call for 3 distinctive Skill Sets, based on the classic X, Y, and Z Positions:
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.
And I'm adding a 4th: The Slot End.
The term may make some Readers cringe, for the same reason that the term "Jumbo Shrimp" might.
And it's a term, as far as I know, entirely of my own Invention.
But it is of course the perfect Tactical term for a WideOut lined up in the Slot yet on the Line of Scrimmage.
And it strikes me as an excellent term to describe a WideOut who's not necessarily tall ~ like a Split End ~ not necessarily fast ~ like a FlankerBack ~ and not necessarily spry ~ like a SlotBack ~ and is often a bit Beefy. Not necessarily beefy enough to take on a Flex End's Blocking Responsibilites, but beefy enough for a Split End's.
I'm talking about WideOuts who're well suited to catch Balls in Traffic, and Move The Chains.
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 all WideOuts:
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.
Yards After Catch are well and fine, but it seems to me that 90% of the Value of a Flex End and any WideOut is getting open and catching the Ball. Anyone who's read my Work extensively knows that I consider Blocking to be the Heart & Soul of FootBall, but that is a philosophical position, and I recognize that with most Philosophies, where it comes to Wide Receivers and Flex Ends...it's just Gravy. And so is Yards After Catch: Moving The Chains is What Wins.
Chunk Yardage: An highly overrated Aspect of the Game, I believe, so much so that in fact I didn't even include it in 2016. It is not a negligible Aspect of the Game, so I'm bringing it back, but getting open, catching the Ball, and Moving the Chains are far more crucial to a Team's Success, I believe, than making Splash Plays and getting on ESPN HighLights Reels. Power, Fluidity, Ricochet, Speed, Combat Skills, and Processing Speed/Field Vision all play into Chunk Yardage.
Blocking: It was a Mistake to leave this Aspect ~ my very favorite Aspect of FootBall ~ out'f 2016's Flex End Reports, and I'm very happy to correct that Mistake, evermore. Blocking of course comes down to Power, Agility, Frame, Combat Skills, Processing Speed, and Motor, and further breaks down into In Line Blocking and Open Field Blocking.
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
Chunk Yardage
* Power
* Fluidity
* Ricochet
* Speed
* Combat Skills
* Field Vision
Blocking
* Power
* Agility
* Frame
* Combat Skills
* Processing Speed
* Motor
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.
And I'm adding a 4th: The Slot End.
The term may make some Readers cringe, for the same reason that the term "Jumbo Shrimp" might.
And it's a term, as far as I know, entirely of my own Invention.
But it is of course the perfect Tactical term for a WideOut lined up in the Slot yet on the Line of Scrimmage.
And it strikes me as an excellent term to describe a WideOut who's not necessarily tall ~ like a Split End ~ not necessarily fast ~ like a FlankerBack ~ and not necessarily spry ~ like a SlotBack ~ and is often a bit Beefy. Not necessarily beefy enough to take on a Flex End's Blocking Responsibilites, but beefy enough for a Split End's.
I'm talking about WideOuts who're well suited to catch Balls in Traffic, and Move The Chains.
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 all WideOuts:
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.
Yards After Catch are well and fine, but it seems to me that 90% of the Value of a Flex End and any WideOut is getting open and catching the Ball. Anyone who's read my Work extensively knows that I consider Blocking to be the Heart & Soul of FootBall, but that is a philosophical position, and I recognize that with most Philosophies, where it comes to Wide Receivers and Flex Ends...it's just Gravy. And so is Yards After Catch: Moving The Chains is What Wins.
Chunk Yardage: An highly overrated Aspect of the Game, I believe, so much so that in fact I didn't even include it in 2016. It is not a negligible Aspect of the Game, so I'm bringing it back, but getting open, catching the Ball, and Moving the Chains are far more crucial to a Team's Success, I believe, than making Splash Plays and getting on ESPN HighLights Reels. Power, Fluidity, Ricochet, Speed, Combat Skills, and Processing Speed/Field Vision all play into Chunk Yardage.
Blocking: It was a Mistake to leave this Aspect ~ my very favorite Aspect of FootBall ~ out'f 2016's Flex End Reports, and I'm very happy to correct that Mistake, evermore. Blocking of course comes down to Power, Agility, Frame, Combat Skills, Processing Speed, and Motor, and further breaks down into In Line Blocking and Open Field Blocking.
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
Chunk Yardage
* Power
* Fluidity
* Ricochet
* Speed
* Combat Skills
* Field Vision
Blocking
* Power
* Agility
* Frame
* Combat Skills
* Processing Speed
* Motor
Stacy Coley ~ Scouting Report
Separation: Exceptional...and with extraordinary Potential.
Press Coverage: Incomplete. Coley lined up mostly as a SlotBack in the Hurricane Offense. Speculatively, I'd estimate his Press Coverage Skills as adequate, based on decent Combat Skills as a Blocker and at the Catch Point, on excellent Fluidity, and on Power that I'd rate as adequate, which is in fact far better than I'd previously read, elsewhere.
Agility: Tremendous. Effective Acceleration off the Line of Scrimmage. Outstanding Speed, DownField. Excellent Fluidity and exceptional Ricochet. He can slip and slide through Traffic very effectively, and he can blast it.
Routing: Impressive, which is Light Years better than he's reputed to've been a Year ago. There were many Plays on which he anticipated Seems or Pockets beautifully.. The Game, as they say, seems to be slowing down for'm.
Coley brings an outstanding combination of Fluidity, Routing, and Speed to the Field of Battle.
If he continues to develop his Routing, he could become extremely dangerous.
Catch Point Capacity: Excellent.
Contest Catch Combat Skills: Effective. Adequate Power, impressive Combat Skills, and tremendous Vertical Agility.
Tracking & Timing: Extraordinary. Tremendous Timing in Transition, and outstanding Tracking on High Balls.
Hands: Exceptional. I read horrible things about his Hands, but they impressed the Hell out'f me.
Chunk Yardage: Exceptional. Adequate Power, exceptional Field Vision, and outstanding Speed.
Blocking: Competitive. Here, again, I read unflattering things about his Blocking, but the Motor was impressive, the Power was decent ~ far better than advertised!! ~ and his Combat Skills are effective. No mauler, but he'll do!!
* He also made a beautiful Pick on what would've been a David Njoku TouchDown, but, alas, the Refs caught it!!
Stacy Coley ~ Prospectus
I'm amazed that I'm not hearing more about this kid, especially considering his Wheels and his Miami Pedigree. He hasn't produced explosive Statistics, so I suppose that that's it, but I see a combination of tremendous Agility and impressive Route Running, topped off with blistering Speed. His Game needs Work, but his Potential is immense.
I fear that I'm getting fluffy on WideOuts, this Year, but I gotta call'm like I see'm...and while the Reports that I've read about Stacy Coley ~ many'f'm written before the 2016 Campaign, mind you!! ~ painted a Picture of a frail WideOut who could easily be pushed around, ran Routes badly, and couldn't block much, what I saw was for more sufficient Power than advertised, impressive Route Running...and a very dangerous combination of Game and, especially, Agility.
I have one enormous concern about Coley, and that's his Health, because he has repeatedly got biffed up over the last few Years, and I strongly suspect that he's gonna miss a lot of Games, and play a lot of others at far less than 100%, in the Years to come, unless his Frame gets a lot stronger. And for that reason, I'll be pulling his Grade down.
But Coley improved considerably in several Aspects of his Game in 2016, including Strength itself, and including, much to my admiration, Processing Speed and Field Vision. That tells me that he's got plenty of Drive and Intelligence, and that, naturally, translates, via my Trajectory Formula, into a considerably improved Chance of Success.
And if he continues to refine his Route Running, taking it to the next level and beyond ~ as I fully expect'm to do ~ his Agility and blazing Speed will enable'm to become one'f the most devastating Weapons in the Game.
* Update: Aaaaaand that's why I will forevermore be updating these things in April, because Spies investigate and we learn more about Prospects. I would not presume to judge Stacey Coley definitively, but I've read strong enough indications, questioning his Drive, that I'm persuaded that there's simply too much Risk in his Stock to justify the Beast Rank and 1st/2nd Round Grade that I originally gave'm. The Talent is there, but with Drive unknown, he's just a Hail Mary.
Grateful Thanks, as always, for the crucial Work done by the folks at Draft BreakDown!!
Yank Rank: Hail Mary ~ Par Value
| Market Value 4th/5th Round | Yankee Grade 4th/5th Round |
Please do Note: This and all Evaluations issued by this Site are produced by a ludicrously unqualified Amateur, privy to not even the tiniest fraction of Coach's Tape, Scouting Expertise, Face to Face Interviewing, Experience, or Inside Information enjoyed by the Professionals. As such, anything put forth is certainly misinformed, euphonious, derivative Tripe, and should be rejected out'f hand and indeed shunned by all men and women of Good Will!! I'm trying to discern Power, Agility, Combat Skills, and far more abstract, esoteric Concepts such as Processing Speed and Motor, and I'm trying to do so based almost entirely on a fascinating fusion of Tape, Combine Numbers, and Pro Days, while trying to attenuate my findings based on Allowances for Competition Level, Scheme, Concept, Context, and, above all: Trajectory!!
None of this is even remotely a Complaint, mind you, but rather a Warning!! Caveat Emptor!!
None of this is even remotely a Complaint, mind you, but rather a Warning!! Caveat Emptor!!
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