Let's not sleep on Auden Tate in the WR mix

[*SHRacerX*]

(06-04-2020, 08:57 AM)fredtoast Wrote: And some people fall ionto the trap than any of the million or so young men taller than 6'4" can be a good NFL wide receiver.

There are dozens of different things that make a great WR.  Speed is not the only one, but when a player lacks speed he has to be exceptional at something else.  Tate is not exceptional at anything else.  

That is why he was not a great WR in college.  

That is why all 32 teams agreed he was no better than a 7th round pick.

He just is not that good of a WR, and it is absurd to claim that every tall WR taken in the 7th round can be turned into Rob Gronkowski with just the proper coaching.  If all it took was coaching I am sure the Patriots would have a new Gronk by now.

He has exceptional length, wing span, and size (228 lbs).  He also has exceptional hands...kind of important for a WR.  His explosiveness measures were all really low ranked, and that was what caused him to drop to the 7th round.  Remember, that is where the Bengals got Houshmanzadeh.  Tate was projected as a 4th or 5th rounder, but his lack of explosiveness caused him to drop.

So, he isn't a threat to score every time he touches the ball with breakaway speed.  So what?  He did score a TD every 4 receptions his senior year in college, with pathetic QB play.  Teams knew he was the red zone threat and still couldn't stop it.  There is absolutely a role for him in moving the chains and a red zone threat.  

This video talks a bit about his offseason and has a few highlight catches from last year.  Dude looks pretty ripped and ready to go.  

https://www.bengals.com/video/catching-up-with-auden-tate