Johnny Knox v. Mike Wallace - YOU DECIDE 2009

WR is one of the most debated positions amongst Colts fans in this draft.  Some believe a WR is a no-brainer in the 1st Round of the upcoming draft, others are not convinced that a 1st Round talent is necessary for the Colts passing offense to succeed and that depth options are available later in the draft.  For those considering later picks at the position, two names which have garnered a great deal of attention are Johnny Knox out of Abilene Christian and Mike Wallace out of Ole Miss.  Knox, of course, got the attention of the entire league at the NFL Combine with his blazing speed.  Wallace also has blazing speed and brings an impressive special teams resume to the draft.  If both players are available in the 5th or 6th Round of the upcoming draft, which player would you choose if you could snag only one?

Johnny Knox - Abilene Christian

Photo
Draft Guys TV
Combine Video

6'0", 185 lbs.
4.29 40 Yard Dash, 4.15 20 Yard Shuttle, 6.81 3-Cone Drill
35 Inch Vertical Jump, 12 Bench Reps

SENIOR SEASON STATS:
56 Receptions, 1,069 Yards, 13 TDs (19.1 Yds./Avg)
1 Rush, 16 Yards
13 Punt Returns, 96 Yards (7.4 Yds./Avg)
3 Kick Returns, 75 Yards (25 Yds./Avg)

INJURIES:
None listed.

ANALYSIS:

NFLDraftScout.com, TFYDraft.com

Strengths: Adequate height with wiry upper body strength and good muscle definition in his arms. Not your typical slight small-school receiver. Good initial quickness off the snap to get into his route. Reliable hands; snatches the ball and adjusts to poor throws. Gets up to high-point and secure the catch. Sinks his hips and displays quick feet going into and out of routes. Has good vision and is elusive running in the open field. Works hard to block downfield, and will sustain and even dominate against smaller corners. Experienced as a punt returner.

Explosive pass catcher with reliable hands and game-breaking speed. Displays a lot of quickness to his game, immediately gets to top speed and runs sharp routes, getting separation from defenders. Shows good field awareness and always on the same page as the quarterback. Consistently extends to make the reception away from his frame, and possesses soft hands. Plays with terrific balance, body control, and easily makes the difficult reception running full speed. Possesses good eye/hand coordination, nicely adjusts the errant throw, and makes the reception in stride. Consistently finds the open space in the defense, comes back into the clearing to make himself an available target, and effectively uses his frame to shield away defenders.

Johnny Knox is a VERY intriguing WR prospect.  Had he played at a larger school and had the chance to display his talents against big school competition, he'd be talked about as a potential day 1 draft pick.  Knox has speed, we all know, but he also brings strong route running and reliable hands to the picture.  At 6'0" tall he's an inch taller than Gonzalez, the same size and Marvin Harrison, and has the kind of game-breaking ability in the passing game we've not seen since Marvin was in his prime.  Add to all that a surprise for many of you, he is experienced as a punt returner and posted a respectable average of over 7 yards an attempt.  Knox could very well be a late round gem in this draft and in many respects, bring more to the table than Pierre Garcon did last year as a small school candidate.  No, he did not put up Garcon's gaudy numbers but in pure physical, athletic and football ability... he may well be the stronger candidate.

Weaknesses: Thin through the hips and legs. Gets a lot of his yardage after short routes, screens and swing passes. Lacks elite speed or quickness, but had enough to be special at the FCS level. Easily tripped up in the open field. Does not switch the ball to the outside hand. Despite his strong effort, he lacks the bulk and strength to be effective against NFL defenders. Dances and runs backward too much after the catch or on returns - will not get away with that at the next level.

Choppy with his footwork into breaks. Does not consistently translate his timed speed onto the football field. Has a thin build and must get stronger, as he is likely to have difficulty handling jams in the NFL.

As with any other candidate in the draft, Knox could improve in a number of areas.  The upside of his weaknesses is that all of them are things that can be taught or handled through appropriate time with the training staff.  The Colts have one of the most respected WR coaches in the NFL who has been able to get the most out of his back-ups when they have come into the game, although those back-ups were ridiculed by fans.  With a little time in the weight room, some work on his fundamentals, and time with NFL-level coaching Knox could be very dangerous as a slot receiver in the NFL... particularly with Peyton Manning throwing him the football.

PROFESSIONAL SCOUTING REPORT - Dave-Te' Thomas, CBSSports.com

Dave-Te' Thomas Biographical Information

Body Structure: Has a wiry, yet cut frame with adequate width in his shoulders and chest, good lean muscle development and low body fat, but he is too thin in his legs and hips. Needs further strength and bulk development, but his frame might be at maximum growth potential without the additional weight affecting his best asset -- his explosive speed.

Athletic Ability: Has outstanding quickness and good athletic agility. Shows the flexibility, burst and acceleration to get behind the defender consistently, but seems more comfortable working on controlled routes than threatening the deep areas of the secondary. Has good feet and an exciting second gear on the move. Runs with a normal stride, but is quick to turn on the after-burners. Has good balance and change-of-direction agility. Shows the second-level speed and explosiveness with a fluid natural running motion to run past most defenders in isolated coverage.

Football Sense: Needs route refinement and must show better determination to run with the ball, as he does a lot of dancing after the catch rather than just turning and heading upfield. Has the functional vision not to run into spots often. Finds the open areas quickly and does a nice job of working back for the ball, but relies more on his speed rather than football experience. A good learner, but needs a few reps and is still developing his retention skills.

Character: A team player and a decent student, but did not have the academic standing to apply for a major college coming out of high school. A conscientious person and a sociable sort with no known off-field issues.

Competitiveness: Aggressive going for the ball in a crowd, but would have better success if he can improve his marginal-to-adequate strength. Has developed that ability to come through in the clutch. Despite his almost frail-looking frame, he is very tough and determined going for the ball. When on his "game," he will give a good, consistently high effort and is the sort that will play through minor pain.

Work Habits: Still maturing, but football is important to him. A good worker in all areas, a team-first guy who is generally the last to leave the practice field. Will need to be pushed a bit in the weight room, an area that he is sorely lacking in strength, but is the type that will embrace any suggestions from the coaches that will improve his playing ability.

ATHLETIC REPORT: GRADE: 6.21

Release: Has world-class speed that is evident when he gets a clean release off the line, as he is quick to get behind the defender, showing suddenness to eat up the cushion. When he sinks his hips, he is very crisp using his feet to get in and out of his routes, but if he fails to drop his weight, he struggles to get downhill out of his breaks. Has the ability to escape the hold up with solid head fakes, but must generate a stronger push with his hands and not expose his chest so often for the defender to get a piece of his jersey in attempts to reroute. Shows outstanding quickness in his release, with the shiftiness and avoidance ability at the line of scrimmage. Even though he is still developing strength, he does a decent job of eluding with nifty swim and spin moves.

Acceleration: A very productive pass catcher on slants and crossing routes due to his ability to get open quickly. Effective on posts, fades and go routes, but needs to get stronger to have better success navigating through traffic. Has that second- and third-gear burst to run under the ball and get there in a hurry. If a defender hesitates, Knox can change gears and beat him. Quick to uncover and even quicker to separate on short patterns. Shows exceptional ability to get open deep, displaying that superb speed needed to take the ball to the house.

Quickness: Very quick through his routes and shows good movement off the ball, with nice stop-and-go action. Blessed with outstanding quickness on the field, which helps him execute short and sharp cuts. Initial burst is sudden, especially when left uncontested. Quickly gains advantage on the defender due to his speed, but is still learning how to gear down in order to prevent from out-running the ball.

Route Running: For all of his explosive speed, route running is still an inconsistent area for Knox. Needs to be more consistent sinking his weight in order to negotiate out of his breaks better. Does not have the strength to power through tackles, so avoidance is key for him having success catching the ball. Shows too much gather before he gets depth on intermediate patterns. Displays excellent quickness and foot speed in and out of his breaks when he drops his pads. When he plays at a low pad level, he shows good set up and body control, but needs to use his hands better to prevent the defender from attacking him and trying to reroute him with a strong push.

Separation Ability: Needs to refine his cut mechanics and is inconsistent when trying to elude, as he rarely does the same thing twice. Despite his timed speed, he is not as sudden in and out of his breaks as his quickness dictates. Speed and burst should allow him to consistently get past defenders, but he does not have the power to break tackles. Very quick in his running stride, especially when trying to pull and separate with vertical routes and short runs, but must show better leg drive to plant and turn once he has the ball secured.

Ball Concentration: Will not hesitate to stretch and lay out for the ball in a crowd. Might not win many jump-ball battles due to strength issues, but he has the courage and toughness to sacrifice himself in order to make the play. Has good concentration and keeps his eyes on the ball in flight. Still needs to do a better job of being aware of the sticks, but is very adept at working his way back for the pass.

Ball Adjustment: Has the body torque and loose hips to adjust to the ball in flight, but while he has good leaping ability, his timing needs refinement. Quicker to react to the short throws that drift into the deep ones. Shows the ability to make proper adjustments on the ball and is very athletic to turn his body around as he tracks the ball well. Flexibility and ability to turn allow him to excel at adjusting to the off-target passes. While he shows aggression, he lacks the strength to consistently make the catch in traffic.

Leaping Ability: Has very good leaping ability, showing the proper explosiveness to go get the ball and out jump smaller defenders, but he gets bounced around quite a bit by the second-level defenders. Training room vertical jump does not translate when he needs to high point the pass.

Hands: Has reliable hands to look the ball in and catch outside his framework. Problem occurs in ball distribution, as he dances and bounces around too much trying to head upfield, doing so without properly switching the pigskin to his outside hand. Has soft hands to grasp the pigskin and the look-in mechanics with good concentration, but needs to attack the ball better than he does. Has soft, natural hands, but will revert to body catching. Also needs to time his leaps properly to get to the pass at its highest point.

Run After the Catch: Much better separating when taking slants and screens, thanks to his ability to maintain acceleration and turn upfield. Knows he does not have the power to break tackles, but when he gets too cute dancing around and moving backward to try to separate, it usually leads to the defenders recovering to take him down. Has that game-breaking speed with the ball in his hands, but just needs to try the "meat and potatoes" route rather than try to get fancy with the pigskin. A "make you miss" type of receiver who can take a short throw, have the defender grasp at air and then, turn it into a big play. Looks fluid moving in the open field, but has to rely strictly on his speed to separate, as he does not have the strength or frame to battle vs. the bigger defenders.

Blocking Ability: Will give adequate effort, but only to pester. Does not have the power to sustain or wall off. Quick to position as a cut blocker, but not strong enough to make an impact.

Compares To: JACOBY JONES, Houston -- Like Jones, Knox has the speed to simply fly past the defender, but needs to improve his strength in order to beat the press vs. NFL types. With 30 touchdowns over the last two years, he has proven to be capable of making the big play. May be better in the slot, as he has great ability to turn and run on crosses and slants to separate than he does on long patterns. He tracks the ball well and has a fearless attitude operating in a crowd, but he needs to work on sinking his pads and dropping his weight in order to come out of his breaks better when running deep patterns.

The good news on Knox is that he excels where the Colts would likely ask him to excel.  He is at his best on posts, crossing patterns, and is not afraid to go over the middle.  His biggest weakness over the middle is the same as many slot receivers, he's not so large or strong that he'll man-handle larger players like the LBs he'll see in the middle of the field.  However, with some work in the weight-room, some reps with Peyton, and some time to develop, I think he could be a solid slot receiver in a year or two.

Mike Wallace - Ole Miss

Photo
Combine Video

6'1", 199 lbs.
4.28 40 Yard Dash, 4.27 20 Yard Shuttle, 6.90 3-Cone Drill
40 Inch Vertical Jump, 14 Bench Reps

SENIOR SEASON STATS:
78 Receptions, 1, 568 Yards, 14 TDs (20.1 Yds./Avg)
20 Rushes, 184 Yards (9.2 Yds./Avg)
35 Kick Returns, 861 Yards, 1 TD (24.6 Yds./Avg)

INJURIES:
None listed.

ANALYSIS:

NFLDraftScout.com, TFYDraft.com

Stengths: Looks the part. Athletic build with room for additional mass. Rare straight-line speed. Eats up the cushion quickly and can blow by the defender. Smooth acceleration and has a late burst to pull away if being challenged. Can track the ball over his shoulder. Developing into a more reliable route-runner and pass-catcher. Has the foot quickness and balance to be a good route-runner and can sink his hips. Generally uses his hands to make the reception, though he still allows too many into his pads. Has some lateral agility to make defenders miss. Helped himself with a solid week of practice at the Senior Bowl.

Game breaking receiver that consistently makes big plays from the line of scrimmage. Quickly gets into pass routes, displays a burst of speed and runs away from defenders in the open field. Nicely makes the reception running full speed and looks the pass into his hands. Gets vertical, grabs the ball from the air and returns to the field on balance then continues running after the reception. Solid athlete who nicely adjusts to the errant throw and makes the catch in stride.

Mike Wallace has the things that Johnny Knox does not, he has been tested against superior competition, he has more size to handle the larger DBs and LBs he'll face in the NFL, and he is likely more polished from day one than Knox.  While  Wallace needs to improve in certain areas of his game, he does an adequate job with his hands, has the same kind of blazing speed Knox posses and is an inch taller, the same height as Reggie Wayne, which could give him the opportunity to reach some balls that Knox could not.  Add to that his game-breaking special teams ability and you have a pretty dynamic weapon.

Weaknesses: Still a work in progress as a route-runner. Learning to sink his hips and explode out of his cuts, as he has to gather himself too much. Struggles a bit against press coverage. Has to use his hands better to gain a quick release. Lets too many passes into his pads, resulting in some ugly drops. Doesn't consistently show the vision and elusiveness in the open field to truly capitalize on his pure speed. Needs an open lane as a returner to break off a big gain.

Not a physically strong receiver. Limited in the types of routes he can run.

If Wallace can learn to be more physical against NFL-level competition and develop his route running, he too could be the kind of slot receiver we'd hope to find in Johnny Knox.  Additionally, with his height and ability to stretch the field, he could play into the Colts system where we like to move personnel around to create mismatches, as he should be effective on the outside as well.  However, the importance of route running cannot be overplayed as Peyton is a timing QB and if his routes are sloppy it could result in incompletions or interceptions.

SENIOR BOWL PRACTICE RECAP - TFYDraft.com

Monday Practice Notes:  The speed is apparent as opposing defensive backs were moving further away from the line and giving an extra cushion.  Wallace also showed a burst with the ability to flip it on.   He caught the ball well yet needs a lot of work on his route running skills.

Tuesday Practice Notes: Wallace again showed tremendous burst and speed.  He quickly gets off the line then immediately opens it up.  He ran past defensive backs on a number of occasions and showed himself as the top deep threat on the South.  For the most part he caught the ball extremely well.

Wednesday Practice Notes: Opponents have trouble staying with Wallace down the field but there's one thing we've noticed; Wallace does struggle catching the ball if he's not running in a straight line.  On a number of occasions balls slipped through his fingers on crossing routes.

Thursday Practice Notes:  Really caught the ball well and made several nice receptions running corner patterns.  Used his size well.

Analysis:   Wallace stood out in a variety of ways this week.  He's an explosive pass catcher who can turn on his burst in a single step.  You could see how defensive backs stepped back a few extra yards when Wallace lined-up across from them.  He needs to develop his game and improve his route running as well as catching the ball when moving laterally yet Wallace did a very good job in Mobile.

The biggest concern for Wallace is that he's weak in an area that Knox is strong, crossing patterns and posts which require him to extend his hands in front of him and secure the catch laterally are a glaring weakness.  He'll often be asked to run these patterns in the Colts offense and will need to improve on his hands in those routes and his route-running ability before he'll be a regular part of the passing game.  Wallace would be refined to special teams play until such time as he could develop these attributes.

COMPARISON:

Both Knox and Wallace are speedy, deep-threat WRs with the ability to stretch the field.  Wallace excels catching the body over his shoulders while Knox excels catching the ball on crossing patterns and posts.  Knox is a decent route-runner but could use some work while Wallace is probably requires more work on this area of his game.  Wallace is a prove kick returner while Knox is a proven punt returner.  Which of these project WRs would develop the quickest or have the greater impact is tough to decide.  As such, I leave it to you.

YOU DECIDE