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OVERVIEW

Also starred in basketball as a California prep. Redshirted in 2011, earning offensive scout team player of the year recognition. Was Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year in '12 when he amassed 102 receptions for 1,312 yards (12.9-yard average) and 14 touchdowns in 13 starts, setting conference freshman records for catches and yards. Led the nation in receptions and receiving touchdowns and set a single-season school record for receiving yards in '13 when he started 12-of-13 contests and piled up 131-1,718-24 (13.1). Owns MWC records for single-season and career touchdown catches (38) as well as the school mark for career receptions (233).

ANALYSIS

STRENGTHS

Has a rangy build with good body length and secure hands to palm the ball and make difficult one-handed grabs. Tracks and adjusts to the ball very well downfield. Extends outside his frame and plucks the ball out of the air. Natural hands-catcher. Terrific athlete with good leaping ability and anticipation to properly time jumps and highpoint the ball. Wins jumpballs in the red zone and shows very good hand-eye coordination to take the ball away from defenders. Exceptional production. Has a 39 1/2-inch vertical jump.

WEAKNESSES

Lacks ideal functional playing strength to consistently beat the jam and can get hung up at the line. Long strider and is not sudden out of his breaks. Production was inflated from a quick-hitting, lateral passing game.

DRAFT PROJECTION

Round 2

BOTTOM LINE

A rangy, sure-handed possession receiver with starter-caliber, positional traits. Lacks top-end speed and strength. As a 21-year-old, third-year sophomore entering the draft early, is still growing into his body and developing core strength. Comparing favorably to a poor man's Michael Crabtree, Adams possesses very intriguing upside to be groomed.

 

 

CBS:

 

STRENGTHS: Broad-shouldered and well-built wideout who consistently wins at the catch-point, demonstrating good leaping ability, timing and hand-eye coordination. Tracks the ball well over either shoulder and has strong hands to pluck the ball when turned towards the quarterback. Quickly corrals the pass and wastes no time in getting upfield, showing vision to set up blocks as well as strength to run through arm tackles and a nice stutter-step to elude. Deceptive straight-line speed to challenge deep and shows good balance and overall body control to gain separation on comeback and out routes. Good strength and courage to take passes over the middle and isn't afraid of running through traffic. Alert blocker. 

 

WEAKNESSES: Lacks the elite speed that his gaudy production indicates. Possesses normal acceleration and tops out quickly. Occasionally will allow the ball to swing away from his frame as he attempts to fight for extra yardage, which can result in forced fumbles. Cognizant blocker downfield but isn't nearly as physical in this area as he is when fighting through would-be tacklers. Production was certainly inflated by Fresno State's spread offense and because he is the favorite target of highly regarded quarterback, Derek Carr.

 

Compares To: James Jones, Packers - Like the former San Jose State standout, Adams' eye-popping numbers have come against questionable competition. However, his similar build, deceptive vertical speed and strong hands at the catch-point should help Adams emerge as a big-play candidate in the NFL.

PLAYER OVERVIEW

Adams caught 233 passes for more than 3,000 yards over the past two seasons, including leading the nation with 131 receptions in 2013, and opted to cash in on that success rather than return for his junior season with quarterback Derek Carr also moving on to the NFL.Adams was extraordinarily productive during his two seasons at Fresno State, but scouts must weigh that against the fact it largely came against inferior competition while catching passes from one of the top quarterbacks in the nation.

 

 

Great ideas rooted in love.(R)

Last edited by Rusty
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and OK Rusty, NFL's coverage of this pick was "reminds me of James Jones"  what??  Really???  My point about TV coverage is I hate when the talking heads say "oh he reminds me of such and such player"...... I HATE THAT.  and the blond talking to the picks makes no sense with her questions.  I miss and really enjoyed Deion Sanders talking to the picks last night.  JMHO  

Originally Posted by Iowacheese:

More athletic - leaper James Jones type....agree with you poo foo.   Looks like a great fit and only 21...Draft and Develop

High character kid...both parents raised him, is not a kid who will go out clubbing or getting purple drank. His entourage is his girlfriend. Really good kid.

 

Has some things to fix, but will absolute battle for balls. If you look at most of Derek Carr's spectacular throws, Tae is catching them.

Originally Posted by Iowacheese:

More athletic - leaper James Jones type....agree with you poo foo.   Looks like a great fit and only 21...Draft and Develop

High character kid...both parents raised him, is not a kid who will go out clubbing or getting purple drank. His entourage is his girlfriend. Really good kid.

 

Has some things to fix, but will absolute battle for balls. If you look at most of Derek Carr's spectacular throws, Tae is catching them.

 

He's never missed a game with injury either. Knock wood.

Consider the depth at WR in this draft...he's only a RS sophomore...had he come back next year, he could have potentially been a first rounder, although he probably felt his numbers would drop given Carr wouldn't be slinging the pill to him.

 

He is a first round talent though...hard worker, holds all the WR weight room records, shattered every single season record, most of which held by Henry Ellard. He is the real deal.

Originally Posted by :

James Jones with a bit more speed.

 

Watched every snap of this kids career.

 

Interestingly enough, the same guy who recruited and coached James Jones at San Jose State, recruited Davante at Fresno State...Keith Williams, WR coach at Tulane now.

 

Tae will make an impact.

 

Originally Posted by :
Originally Posted by Johnny Z:

Finally, a punt returner.

Not at all.

 

Originally Posted by :
Originally Posted by Iowacheese:

More athletic - leaper James Jones type....agree with you poo foo.   Looks like a great fit and only 21...Draft and Develop

High character kid...both parents raised him, is not a kid who will go out clubbing or getting purple drank. His entourage is his girlfriend. Really good kid.

 

Has some things to fix, but will absolute battle for balls. If you look at most of Derek Carr's spectacular throws, Tae is catching them.

 

Originally Posted by :

 

This is not Davante.

 

Originally Posted by :

 

Watch breaking ankles vs Air Force at 1 min 30 seconds in...

 

 

 

Originally Posted by :
Originally Posted by Rusty:
Originally Posted by :
His entourage is his girlfriend.

Is that who he was sucking face with after he was drafted? Can't hate.

 

Yes. Soon to be his wife.

 

Originally Posted by :

Consider the depth at WR in this draft...he's only a RS sophomore...had he come back next year, he could have potentially been a first rounder, although he probably felt his numbers would drop given Carr wouldn't be slinging the pill to him.

 

He is a first round talent though...hard worker, holds all the WR weight room records, shattered every single season record, most of which held by Henry Ellard. He is the real deal.

 

James Jones did a lot for this team and I can maybe see some of the comparisons but Davante Adams IMO is a better prospect/player than JJ.   If you look at his movements and mannerisms he does sort of look like Jones  but this kid catches EVERYTHING and that wasn't Jones.   I also think he's got better speed and quickness than JJ.

 

We talk about this team lacking some red zone options but I see a bright future for him fighting for passes in the end zone.  The highlights of him catching fade patterns is very encouraging because while he's "only" about 6'1" he has a 40" vertical so he plays a lot bigger than that.

Not to mention they have a lot of receivers that can't run or aren't fast enough

 

Funny that I've seen Jordy and JJ run past plenty of DBs at this level and my guess is if Adams has that same opportunity he'll be OK in that department as well

 

People make it sound like 4.5 speed is too slow for WRs.   Not everyone can run a 4.2-40 like Randy Moss.  

Fights for the ball, not a burner but nifty and hard to bring down after the catch.  Can't wait to see him on sundays.

 

RE: comparisons to JJ...Jones didn't "catch everything" but people seem to focus more on his brain lapse drops during 2010 than his last 2 seasons.  He made a lot of really ridiculous catches since then and really cut down on his drops.  Some of those catches were candidates for play of the year.  It's always great to get younger and better and Adams looks like he has the potential to make that happen quickly.

Last edited by DH13

Fresno State WR coach breaks down Davante Adams' hands, speed, route running

Packers Tape Watch: Fresno State WR Davante Adams

acmepackingcompany.com

By Jason Hirschhorn

on May 27 2014, 1:00p

 

Looking at the tape, it's easy to see what intrigues Packers GM Ted Thompson about Adams.

 

Fresno State runs an offense that features primarily three and four receiver sets. Along with Adams, the Bulldogs passing game included Isaiah Burse (UDFA with the Broncos) and Josh Harper (an intriguing 2015 draft prospect). That meant that quarterback Derek Carr had ample motivation to spread the ball around. Yet it was Adams who received the lion's share of the attention as his 233 catches, 3031 yards, and 38 touchdowns over two seasons reveal.

 

On nearly every offensive play, Fresno utilized Adams as their split end. This means that while Harper moved around as the flanker and Burse lined up in the slot, Adams was left tethered to the line of scrimmage and unable to move pre-snap. As a result, the defense often pressed him at the snap forcing Adams to break free and separate. Due to his strength and quickness, Adams excelled in this area as defenders regularly struggled to knock him off his routes.

 

In Green Bay, most expect Adams to handle James Jones old role in the offense, which involves playing mostly off the line of scrimmage, and shifting in the pre-snap phase. However, should Jordy Nelson continue to receive a significant number of snaps in the slot (and especially if he leaves as a free agent after 2014), Adams can step in as the Packers' X receiver. continue

Lots more past the click

 

The local sports talk group out of GB was talking of this play earlier in the week.  It's great to be able to see the actual play (thanks for posting).  

I have a feeling that Adams is going to be a helluva WR for the Packers.   The coaches and talking heads are raving about the guy.   With our current receiver corps this guy could do a lot of damage because if he can do that against Hayward what will he do against mediocre nickel or dime DBs?
Originally Posted by Tschmack:
With our current receiver corps this guy could do a lot of damage because if he can do that against Hayward what will he do against mediocre nickel or dime DBs?

I'd be willing to bet if Hayward had any film of Adams to study, maybe it doesn't happen like that.

 

Don't get me wrong, I think Adams has the ability to be a great player here in GB...hell, being a 2nd round WR pick by TT suggests he's gonna be a pro-bowler...but I would guess that's not all that unusual when a DB is going against a WR he knows nothing about.

Last edited by Fond Du Arrigo

Everyone has been comparing Adams to James Jones, but I think his potential is a lot higher than James Jones'. If Adams stays disciplined and continues to get stronger, I think he is an Anquan Boldin type player. They're almost the exact same size (Adams= 6'1"/212 Boldin=6'1"/218), they were drafted 1 pick apart (Adams=53rd Boldin=54th), and their scouting reports were pretty similar...both thought of as possession receivers who are strong after the catch and have deceptive downfield speed. The future is bright for him.

 

As for Jordy, if the numbers add up then there's no reason why they won't re-sign him. If his demands are sky high, which hasn't been the case at any point in his career, then they won't have a choice. 

Originally Posted by Grave Digger:

Everyone has been comparing Adams to James Jones, but I think his potential is a lot higher than James Jones'.  

 

I agree his ceiling is a lot higher than Jones' ever was.

 

Interesting comparison with Boldin.

 

Re: Jordy: "How much money do you need?" - Jordy Nelson when signing his previous deal.

 

He's staying in Green Bay

http://espnmilwaukee.com/commo...=23&item_id=1592

 

In high school, my brother and dad gave me a hard time about being tight and not spending any money. I haven’t changed much. I’ve spent some money, but it’s been, I bought a house, I bought land. It’s something that’s equity, an investment. The truck I drive is free, I’ve got a car deal. My wife’s got a Nissan Murano that’s about as basic as you’re going to get.

 

There are a lot of guys who don’t save their money. It’s interesting. I’ve got nothing against them. It’s their choice. I can understand why you want to do some of it. But even vacations – vacations are fun, but it’s not like I have to go to Mexico or the Bahamas.

Originally Posted by DH13:

 Janis is smokin his guy too.

Indeed, but keep watching and you'll see he has safety help over the top. A very pale looking safety named Tanner Miller from Iowa. Its the number 2 or 3 defense and I think the CB who breaks his ankles is this guy, number 20 below, Jumal Rolle

 

Apparently they painted Adams' route on Rolle's socks so he doesn't get beat again

 

My favorite factoid about Davante Adams...in two years, he didn't miss one game due to injury. And he caught a lot of balls and got hit a lot.

 

Knock on wood that stat continues and he will be very healthy as a Packer...but he took some big shots, got up and laughed.

 

He had a phenomenal strength coach in former Badger Joey Boese, but I think once he gets in an NFL program and has the money to eat right every meal, he's going to get in even better shape. Fresno State does not have a training table for athletes...so they pretty much eat whatever they can afford...which means lots of fast food unfortunately.

 

Ceiling is high...

"No one knows our offense better than Aaron Rodgers," said McCarthy. "He clearly understands why we make changes or adjustments because frankly, he's driving this machine, and it's not only better for the rest of our offense, it's obviously better for him, too. He definitely welcomed all of the adjustments."

 

But simple does not mean sloppy, not when you're working with No. 12.

 

"He's coaching me up every time I make just the slightest mistake," said Davante Adams. "He's making sure I'm doing exactly what needs to be done. He has my best interests at heart — and obviously he knows what he is doing, so I'm going to listen to everything he says."

Originally Posted by Satori:

"He's coaching me up every time I make just the slightest mistake," said Davante Adams. "He's making sure I'm doing exactly what needs to be done. He has my best interests at heart — and obviously he knows what he is doing, so I'm going to listen to everything he says."

I'd be very surprised if this kid isn't successful in GB. I love this kind of attitude in a rookie, especially at a position that seems to breed a lot of prima dona like tendencies.

Yeah, but the team was crowded with established WRs back in 2011. Also, Cobb made some incredible plays on special teams. That kick he returned 109 yards for a TD on opening night of 2011 against the Saints is one of my all-time favorite plays. Adams is going to be a good one, but Cobb flashed a whole lot more than his rookie numbers may show.

@PackerUpdate: Adams needs 22 catches in final 4 games to break Sterling Sharpe's franchise record for most receptions by a rookie.

This is impressive as a #3 option. Sterling, James Lofton, other great Pack rookies were immediately the 1 or 2. Yeah its more of a passing league but speaks to Adams' productivity as well as Rodgers' ability to spread the rock around.

I remember the comments about Jones' hand-eye coordination and they came to the conclusion that when Rodgers threw at him in stride, he struggled. But when he turned and faced the QB like in a hitch or curl- he was fine. The Davante story has a long ways to go, but I think its a "good" thing that he "survived" the drop now and will ensure it doesn't happen in January/February

As someone who watched this guy in Fresno State games, I'm not surprised and I see him putting up better numbers the rest of the year, too. He'll drop the easy passes occasionally (did that in college) but make Jordyesque astonishing catches and run himself open more than most receivers.

 

We are truly blessed to have TT calling the shots. Enjoy the era, because someday we may be going through the 70s and 80s again....

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