The Shutdown Corner draft podcast with Greg Cosell: Evaluating the WR/TE class

You didn't think that we were finished doing podcasts with our buddy Greg Cosell of NFL Films and ESPN's NFL Matchup just because the NFL season is over, did you? Well, if you did, fear not -- we're back in the saddle (and Greg's now writing for Shutdown Corner as well) to do a new series of podcasts in which we evaluate the draft prospects by position. We've already discussed the quarterbacks and running backs in this year's class, and how it's time to talk about a very intriguing group of receivers and tight ends. Greg has taken his decades of experience, and oodles of coach's tape, and transferred both to the college side just in time for the pre-draft process.

The Shutdown Corner draft podcast with Greg Cosell: Evaluating the WR/TE class

A few words of wisdom from Mr. Cosell:

On Tennessee WR Cordarrelle Patterson: "Patterson will be drafted high solely because of his size, and his dynamic movement. I don't think he's anywhere close to being a quality receiver in terms of the subtleties of how to run routes. In fact, he's so much quicker and more dynamic with the ball in his hands, as opposed to running routes. Running routes, he's not that dynamic, because he doesn't know how to do it yet. He needs to go to a team with a very good receivers coach, and he needs to be taught how to become a receiver."

On West Virginia WR Tavon Austin: "He may be one of my favorite players in this draft, and I spent a lot of time talking about this on Twitter the other day. I would select this kid in the top 10 or 12 in the draft, and I think that this is where the league is going. I wrote about this in my last column on Shutdown Corner. The NFL has now become a passing space league in many ways, and the conventional concepts of how to use receivers -- that's a little old-school. I think Tavon Austin fits where this league is going."

The Shutdown Corner draft podcast with Greg Cosell: Evaluating the WR/TE class

On Clemson WR DeAndre Hopkins: "To me, what stood out -- I think he has excellent hands. He has a great ability to snatch the ball away from his body, and great body control. He's a very competitive guy with the ball in the air. I think he's a little straight-line in his movement, but very strong hands, and deceptive speed. I wouldn't call him a burner, but he has deceptive speed. Guys like this -- he'll obviously play in the league, and he might be very good, but he's not what I would call a smooth, fluid guy."

On Cal WR Keenan Allen: "He's a smoother accelerator than Hopkins. He's got deceptive vertical speed. Again, not a burner, but a smoother, quicker guy. What I really liked when watching him is that he's very compact in his vertical stem -- every route looked the same. I remember talking with cornerbacks years ago, when they played against Jimmy Smith, the old Jaguars receiver, who was really good. They would say that about him, and how he was so tough to defend because of that."

On Notre Dame TE Tyler Eifert: "He's my favorite tight end in this draft. I think his athleticism and movement is number-one in this draft. A very smooth athlete who shows the ability to run routes from split wide receiver positions against cornerbacks. He's made back-shoulder catches in the seam against cornerbacks. In today's NFL, he's a first-round pick."

As with everything involving Greg Cosell, this podcast is a must-listen for those fans of advanced tape analysis. Subscribe to the Shutdown Corner iTunes link (in iTunes, go to "Advanced/Subscribe to Podcast," and paste this link in: http://ysportspods.podbean.com/category/shutdown/feed/). You can also use the link below to either left-click and listen, or right-click to save to your computer.

The Shutdown Corner draft podcast with Greg Cosell: Evaluating the WR/TE class

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