 Player Profile |
Calvin Johnson 
I'll
never forget the first NFL Draft I watched as a kid; I turned it on
almost by accident to hear, then Commissioner, Pete Rozelle say something
like, "with the first pick in the NFL Draft the New England Patriots
select from the University of Nebraska, wide receiver, Irving Fryar".I was 12 years old at the time, and was hooked as I remembered seeing Irving Fryar just a few months earlier whenNebraska lost to the University of Miami. Well, unlike that draft, you won't hear Roger Goodell say "The Raiders are selecting wide receiver, Calvin Johnson from Georgia Tech"..... but make no mistake....... there is no player in this draft more ready for the NFL. If the Raiders were able to draft for the best player, and not for their most pressing need, it would be Johnson hands down..... and they wouldn't need the 15 minutes on the clock. The team fortunate enough to be able to grab Johnson is looking at a dynamic playmaker that will make an immediate impact on their team. Calvin had possibly the most dynamic career of any player in Georgia Tech history and always seemed to come up biggest when his team needed him most. At times during his career Calvin looked like a man amongst boys, especially in games such as the Maryland game this past season, when he had 10 receptions for 133 yards and a touchdown; the West Virginia game this season when he had 9 receptions for 186 yards and 2 TDs, or the 2005 game when he helped defeat then #3 ranked Miami with 6 catches for 89 yards. It appeared no matter how many guys where covering him, if the balls was thrown anywhere near him, he was making the catch and there was nothing they could do to stop him. The really scary thing is that Calvin played this way with a quarterback who isn't at an NFL level, so only imagine what he'll do with a pro signal caller. It's really frightening! Player Breakdown Size: He will create serious mismatches as he'll use his 6-5 frame to shield smaller corners away from the ball. At 235 lbs, more physical corners won't be able to push him around and will have more than they can handle. Patterns: As previously noted he was normally able to make the adjustments to under or over thrown balls by his QB. Runs very crisp routes and always keeps his body in control to make a play on the ball using his 45 inch vertical leap to his advantage. Hands: Outstanding. Shows great concentration and is able to snatch the ball from the air. Style: Obviously with 4.4 speed can be the deep threat, but doesn't shy away from making the tough catches across the middle to keep a drive going for his offense. Release: Because of his size and frame, he won't have any issue getting off the line of scrimmage. After the catch: Has the God-given skills to take every catch to the endzone. Blocking: Will mix up when needed. Special teams: You truly don't want to risk a talent like this on special teams. We are looking at a very special talent. Overall: Calvin is an extremely special talent who possesses all the qualities of the top wide receivers that have been top ten selections over the past 23 years and is probably the most complete to come into the league since Randy Moss. The nice thing is that while he has some Keyshawn, Moss, and Irvin qualities, he doesn't have their personalities. Calvin is a future Hall of Famer. > see Calvin Johnson’s profile |
