WR, Michael Crabtree, Texas

WR, Michael Crabtree, Texas

Pros:  Ultra-productive, competitive playmaker with prototypical size. Excellent hands; snatches the ball from the air within or outside his body. Secures the ball quickly in his strong hands after the catch. Uses his size, initial quickness and hands to get inside or outside separation off the line of scrimmage. Runs quick slants and has the suddenness to take the route upfield. Excellent body control to high-point the ball in traffic, adjust to any poor throw, tiptoe on the sideline and find his way through creases. Can turn his man out, plant and get the inside shoulder, giving the quarterback a big target down the seam. Quick to stop and adjust for the ball behind him, whether purposely or not. Used outside, in the slot and even in the backfield at times. Always tries to make a play after the catch, keeping his legs moving when tackled low, stiff-arming smaller defenders on the run and extending the ball to get to the first down or goal line. Rubs defenders for other receivers. Displays a good attitude and appears to be a solid teammate without major ego issues.

Cons:  March surgery to fix a stress fracture in his left foot will prevent Crabtree from running for scouts leading up to the draft. It's an issue teams are grappling with because a lack of great top-end speed is one of the few concerns about Crabtree. Needs to speed up his release, as he jumps off the line too often trying to lull his defender to sleep. Does not have the elite speed to separate from quick corners on the outside, although the point typically was moot at Tech because he could overpower collegiate talent. Not sudden with the ball in his hands, dancing awkwardly at times instead of using his size and strength. Must improve consistency on downfield blocking, as he has the size to be effective but gives inconsistent effort to get to his man or sustain. Runs with the ball loose in the open field.

Around MHR:

From "Boom or Bust:  this year's class looks like a minefield"

WR’s I actually think is probably a fairly safe group even though WR has historically been one of the worst investment ideas in the 1st round.  Many may point to Michael Crabtree as being a product of the Mike Leach offense, well Wes Welker was also a product of that offense, and Crabtree is imminently more talented than Welker was coming out of college.  There may be some cause for concern due to the injury, but I still think he will be an excellent WR at the next level, although it may take two or three seasons before he truly shines.

Around SBNation:

From Scouting Report at Mocking the Draft:

An incredible collegiate wide receiver who has good hands. Consistently catches the ball away from his body. Gets nice separation while running routes. Very quick off the line and in his cuts. Does a good job after the catch. Willing to go over the middle and catch the ball in traffic. Has an NFL-ready body with good bulk throughout. Could stand to get stronger in his legs, however. Long arms.

Highlights:

Scouting Reports and Offsite Links:

• Crabtree, generally regarded as the top receiver in this draft and the No. 2-ranked prospect overall by NFLDraftScout.com, announced in a statement Sunday that he will have surgery on his foot March 4 in Charlotte, N.C. It was discovered during a bone scan at the scouting combine last month that his left foot has a stress fracture that will require insertion of a screw in order to heal properly.
  
  Rehabilitation is expected to take about 10 weeks. So the surgery will eliminate the possibility of him working out before the draft April 25-26.  [see more...]
• What makes Crabtree so special is that he is not just a product of the system. He will use his 6-3, 214 pound frame and be a physical receiver when he needs to do so, but he also has the speed to blow right past the defenders. There are not many receivers who have his size and speed, and that is not just counting the college ranks. Crabtree even has great hands and rarely drops a pass. There is nothing he cannot do.  [see more...]
• A tall, well-built receiver who displays excellent quickness and body control in and out of his breaks. Possesses excellent hands and awareness down the field. Consistently can go up and pluck balls at their highest point. Is a sharp route runner who snaps off routes quickly and showcases a good burst out of his breaks. Uses his body to gain inside position and shield defenders from the ball. An ultra productive wideout whose skill set should translate well to the next level.  [see more...]
• Very good height and bulk with long arms...Excellent hands...Good concentration and will make the difficult catch...Outstanding body control...Terrific ball skills...Tremendous leaper who high-points the ball...Does a great job of running after the catch...Doesn't go down easily...Physical and aggressive...Tough and not afraid to go over the middle...Nice feet and works the sidelines well  [see more...]
• The one knock on Michael Crabtree’s NFL potential is his top-end speed, besides that he is, in many scouts opinion, infallible. He is extremely quick off the ball, and the more physical nature of the National Football League will be a fit for Michael Crabtree’s game. He has outstanding hands, and it is almost unbelievable to think that he has only played the position for two years. There are two schools of thought in regards to his experience or lack thereof, some may feel that there is going to be a transition phase where he struggles to the NFL level, some feel that due to his inexperience, the best is yet to come. The Andre Johnson/Larry Fitzgerald comparisons are out there, and they are accurate. Michael Crabtree is a top five talent in the 2009 NFL Draft, and the early favorite for 2009 Offensive Rookie of the Year  [see more...]
• If NFL teams are looking for a big, physical receiver with all the tools, they cannot look past Texas Tech’s Michael Crabtree. Crabtree (6' 3" 224 lbs) is one of the nation’s top wide receivers who not only puts crazy numbers but can also be relied upon to make the big play. He is talented in many different ways and is one of the premier players in college football.  [see more...]
• A two time Biletnikoff Award winner as the Nation’s best receiver. Entering the 2009 NFL Draft as a redshirt sophomore, Crabtree is considered the number one overall prospect by many scouts. His playmaking ability reminds most of Larry Fitzgerald, who is making a claim for the League’s best receiver. Crabtree is as close to a can’t miss prospect as the ‘09 class offers.  [see more....]
• Texas Tech featured three seniors ahead of Crabtree on its 2006 depth chart entering fall drills, but the redshirt freshman beat out Joel Filani for the "Z" receiver position, starting every game. He earned Biletnikoff Award honors, given to the nation's top receiver, the first time a freshman ever captured that award. The unanimous All-American and All-Big 12 Conference first-team choice set NCAA freshman records, leading the nation with 134 receptions for 1,962 yards (14.6 avg) and 22 touchdowns, as he also led the major college ranks with an average of 10.31 receptions and 150.92 yards receiving per game.
  
  While Crabtree did not match his lofty 2007 totals in 2008, he still had a banner sophomore campaign. He was again the Biletnikoff Award recipient, in addition to garnering first-team All-American and All-Big 12 recognition. He ranked sixth in the nation with a team-high 97 receptions, good for 1,165 yards and 19 touchdowns, despite battling late season ankle issues.  [see more...]
• Perhaps the most dynamic offensive player in the 2009 NFL Draft, wide receiver Michael Crabtree was a force for the Texas Tech Red Raiders in both 2007 and 2008. As a freshman, he set NCAA records for a first-year player for receptions (134), receiving yards (1,962) and touchdown receptions (22). In two years of play, Crabtree caught 231 passes for 3,127 yards and 41 touchdowns. Sure, his stats are inflated by the pass-happy spread offense he plays in. But Crabtree's skills shouldn't be considered overrated because of it.  [see more...]
• When I put on the tape in the first week of January, Crabtree became a much tougher evaluation than I previously thought. The Tech offense does not have many NFL routes to evaluate Crabtree, and this worries me because route running is the first thing I look at when determining the transition to the NFL. He has the ability and talent to be a great route runner, it just remains to be seen what the NFL scouts project him at in this area and his work ethic (which I have no way of knowing what this is) could be the deciding factor. This is the only aspect of Crabtree's game lacking maturity. Because of all of his great tools translating greatly to the NFL level (effort, ball skills, instincts) I am giving him a cautious Top 8/4.5-star grade.  [see more...]