Got my write-up done, ready to pick as soon as fyte on picks.

K well I'm not doing research in my phone while I'm out. Give me Brandon Marshall

Marshall's got SICK WIL tho.

With the 72nd overall, I take Wesley C. Welker, WR.

Yes he's 30 but you know what? Some other 30 year old WRs have been taken, and Wesley sort of got a late start in life anyway. His first full season wasn't until age 25, so he's really just 6 years in. And he seems to have bounced back just fine from his ACL tear 2 years ago which caused plenty of concern at the time. He's more of a quickness guy as opposed to a speed guy, and I think quickness deteriorates slower than straight-line speed once you get older. I think he'll be a very good possession/slot receiver for years to come, and he's a great complement to Calvin Johnson on the other side of the field and he gives rookie Robert Griffin 3 a great short-pass outlet. Welker is elite at finding open space and I think he's a great fit for this team. Even as he loses a step he may, in time, get wiser at deking a defender. I like getting a veteran on one side for my very young raw QB.

For those that don't know, Welker has logged 4 seasons between 111 and 123 catches! It's crazy to call his 2011 season a "breakout" but he had 1,569 yards and 123 catches for a career high 9 TDs! He's never been an elite red zone target but that's fine since Calvin Johnson is the best WR in that regard. Welker will move the chains and provide a safety net underneath for my QB when he's being chased by a DE who is as fast as he is.

Oh yeah, guy's got an incredible motor.



Team:
4 Calvin Johnson, WR
47 Robert Griffin 3, QB
72 Wes Welker, WR

Welker really won't work without an elite QB tho.

He decides what route to run based on the defensive look, and the QB has to be able to anticipate what route he will pick. A mediocre (or inexperienced) QB will not be able to utilize him the way Tom Brady has.

PHB has the ultimate gamble gamble roster. Picking 4th it turns out he could have had an elite QB paired with an elite WR, but instead he took a WR 1st and rolled the dice on a QB (easily most important position) with no NFL experience, then 3rd pick he rolls the dice on a player generally thought to be highly system reliant/based. I don't see why one would take this high variance route when they have the huge advantage of an early pick.

I could still have an elite QB, and I didn't just take "a" WR first, I took far and away the most valuable one in the draft.

So if Welker is a system slot guy then maybe his production falls way off and he only has 80 catches for 60 first downs with Griffin. Certainly I did not expect him to be as good with Griffin as he is with Brady but I still like the option underneath. He's got elite hands, and I think there are just so many tight ends left that would be solid in my system so I like the option of Welker as my non-wideout receiving target. Welker is the best slot reciever ainec.

I mean I'm pretty sure RG3 can throw screen passes to him and slants. It's not like he has to do everything he does with Brady to be highly effective.

If by "best slot reciever ainec" you mean "best guy that usually plays slot because he lacks the versatility of the truly elite WRs" you might be right, but once you rationally include all players that frequently line up in the slot but also frequently line up elsewhere, then no, he's not the best slot receiver.

Versatility doesn't matter if you can continually put up 110 grabs and 1,200 yards a year.

And I already have a versatile dude on my team.

It doesn't make sense for Welker to lineup at wideout since the dbs would all be taller than him and probably have faster straight-line top speed.

But he is mega elite at finding space tighter to the line when he can cut left or right and is much quicker than a linebacker. It wouldn't make a lot of sense to line up a 6'3" 210 pound receiver in the slot.

I think Welker is awful here.

Let me know why. I considered age as his only snafu. I never thought "he's just a system receiver" would be the consensus hate phrase. I mean is Tom Brady the only guy who could figure out how to hit Welker on 8 yard routes?

Megatron and Fitz I'm going to argue would be fine r2 picks but no one else

I mean Welker seemed to progress nicely in Miami with Gus Frerotte and then Joey Harrington as his QB. And with not close to another receiver opposite him like TRON. That "system" was totally in shambles and he had a decent impact his first two seasons.

pretty much yeah

Welker pick is fine but don't love two WR picks because its really deep on #2 receivers and you are drawing dead to pick one worse than Burleson later

Who cares. Plenty of serviceable tight ends to grab. Will probably just get a burner who can't catch for my WR2. Those dudes are a dime a dozen. No team is going to have zero holes in this. I thought Welk would be a great option for a rookie QB.

And with a QB and 2 WRs, my next WR is the least of my concerns at this point. At some point I will need some defenders!

Wat you already have a WR2 I meant since you have Megatron it shouldn't matter who any of your other receivers are you can grab one really late.

In case still confused you should not have picked a second receiver at yet. But value wise Welker was ok.

WRs that are even bigger then 6'3 210 line up in the slot quite frequently now.

With the Dolphins Welker maxed out at 680 yards, 1 TD, and under 7 yards per target.

Oh I thought you were talking about my other wide out. I disagree. I certainly could have gone another route but honestly I did like zero research since my last pick and just got the idea that having a good option on each side (who are not both just streak routers) would be good for RG3. It's never like my strategy was going to be "lob bombs to MEGA, profit". I mean Stafford+Mega is a much better tandem than RG3+MEGA. And since I threw my eggs in the "Passing game" basket early I figured I'd secure 1 more solid piece before I move on to D or O-line. Imagine Welker on the Lions with MEGA opposite and Stafford throwing to them.

Yeah he maxed out before moving on to another team and maxing out at 1,569 yards and 9 TDs.

I guess I don't see the issue of him not lining up at wideout if his $tats are as good as they are. He's just a different cat and he makes it work. I mean is the defense pointing at him saying "Hey man this little dude doesn't even run routes past 10 yards! We'll give him underneath all day!" then he goes for 8 grabs and 95 yards and moves the chains like 6 times that game... I'll take that.

You were trying to defend his work in Miami. Nobody doubts that with Brady and with Bellichek, Welker has been great as a specific cog in a specific well oiled machine with certain parts that complement his game. What he would do removed from that context is a glaring question mark. He might still be really good; it's just an unnecessary gamble. You could have had a guy certain to still be really good, or had a more EV gamble on a younger player.

The thing is Welker as you said is 30. He's a slot guy so he gets hit a lot, not good for his body. Though he's shown little signs of wear and tear it's gotta be catching up with him soon.

Plus, if he never moved to NE he'd have never been anything more than a decent #2 WR in the NFL. Tom Brady has made him better sure but I don't see him bailing out RG3 the same way he bails out Brady (or Brady makes him look good. Honestly unsure which at times).

victorrrrrrrrrrrr

I'm gonna make my pick now, but I will be gone all day bc gasperilla is today and so I'll be drinking all day

anyone I can PM a list for my 2nd pick to?

I think Blackmon is a fine pick, he has a really really high ceiling

I think Welker is a nice fit with Calvin. He can slot it up while Calvin demands double teams.

Taking Marques Colston.

I'm honestly surprised he hasn't been taken and I feel like this is nice value. He's only 28 and he's been consistent production in a great Saints offense. We know him and Brees have good chemistry. Since the Saints got Brees their offense has seen to share the ball really well so I think it shows Colston's talent that he's established himself as a true #1 receiver and put up 3 seasons like

80 catches 1143 yards 8 TD's
84 catches 1023 yards 7 TD's
98 catches 1202 yards 11 TD's

in 3 of his last 5 years.

Geoff, you can PM me, I'll be on all day.