Brian Robiskie v. Derrick Williams - YOU DECIDE 2009

Needless to say, there is a big debate going on whether a WR or DT will be drafted by the Colts in the 1st Round.  Of course, this means that neither position will actually be drafted in the 1st Round.  Assuming we don't draft a WR in the 1st Round, and either a DT is drafted in Round 1 or all of the Rd. 2 DT talent we'd be interested in is unavailable, many think that WR could be addressed in the 2nd Round.  Two names that have popped up amongst Colts fans are Brian Robiskie and Derrick Williams.  Assuming we draft a WR in Round 2 and assuming these two players are on the board, which player would you draft with the 61st pick?

Brian Robiskie - Ohio State

Photo
Robiskie Highlights - Ohio State v. Texas 2009
Robiskie Amazing Catch v. Minnesota
Robiskie's Road - NFL.com Special
Combine Video

6'3", 209 lbs.
4.46 40 Yard Dash, 4.19 20 Yard Shuttle, 6.72 3-Cone Drill
37.5 Inch Vertical Jump, 16 Bench Reps

SENIOR SEASON STATS:
42 Receptions, 535 Yards, 8 TDs (12.7 Yard/Avg)
5 PR, 17 Yards - 1 KR, 11 Yards

INJURIES:
No major injuries reported.

ANALYSIS:

NFLDraftScout.com, MockingtheDraft.com

Strengths:

Has the prototypical height, long arms and strong build for the position.  Good hands and body control; very capable of high-pointing the ball and making the tough catch in a crowd.  Can tightrope the sideline or the end line.  Lines up in the slot and outside, and is effective in either spot.  Uses his long arms and size to get off press coverage and negate small corners on running plays.  Shows the ability to separate from smaller, quicker collegiate defenders.  Also has some elusiveness after the catch and as a punt returner.  Uses his frame to his advantage all over the field.

Robiskie has top hands.  Combine that with excellent agility and Robiskie can make difficult catches.  Has the heart to play over the middle and knows how to absorb a hit.  Comes from a football family and plays with a lot of intelligence.  Knows how to take apart a zone defense, finding holes and sitting in them.  Hard worker.  Consistently tries to get extra yards after the catch.  Has long arms and some strength allowing him to beat press coverage.

What is clear about Robiskie is that he is a proven pass-catcher with exceptional body control.  He knows where the sidelines and markers are on the field and is not afraid to go into traffic to make a big catch.  It is clear that Robiskie is more of a possession receiver than a game-breaker.  Accordingly, Robiskie can be counted on to consistently make plays on the ball with his height, long arms and soft hands but is not a deep threat.

Weaknesses:

May not have the straight-line speed and quickness needed to separate from top NFL corners.  Mixes it up with corners, sometimes too much for coaches comfort.  Lacks consistent technique blocking, sometimes struggles to block a moving target at times.  Not a breakaway threat on punt returns, tending to dance a bit.

A lack of quickness is what holds Robiskie back from being a top receiving prospect.  He has no burst off the line of scrimmage and doesn't explode out of his cuts very well.  Robiskie should get stronger because he's rather thin and could get beat up against stronger opponents.  Not a burner.  Won't break away from many defensive backs.

Again, Robiskie's on-field speed will not wow people.  His aggressiveness can be be detrimental to his ability to produce on the field, though I'm sure that this habit can be broken with training.  Robiskie is a good blocker in certain aspects of the game and struggles in others.  With work he may be able to improve in his weaker areas as well.

PROFESSIONAL SCOUTING REPORT - Dave-Te' Thomas - CBSSports

Dave-Te Thomas Biographical Information

Body Structure:  Robiskie has a lean frame that lacks ripped muscle tone, but he can carry at least another 10 pounds without the added bulk affecting his overall quickness.

Athletic Ability:  Robiskie lacks blazing speed, but shows valid quickness and a long stride to get behind the cornerback.  He shows good agility and balance to weave through traffic and the hip flexibility and change of direction movement to slip into and settle in the field's soft areas.  He has just an adequate burst and accelaration, but has learned to use his reach effectively to keep defenders off his body in attempts to reroute him.  He might not have the speed to challenge deep, but he is an athletic mover with the stride to get into his routes smoothly.  He lacks ideal upper body strength to shock an opponent on the press, but he uses his hands effectively to prevent from being rerouted coming off the snap.  What you do see on film is that he has enough change of direction agility and loose hips to elude in the open field.

Football Sense:  With Robiskie, you get a field savvy type who rarely blows assignments.  He is a good student of the game, growing up in a football environment.  He has no problems dealing with the mental aspect of the game.  He understands all three receiving position assignments (started his career as a split end, moving to flanker as a senior, where he also played in the slot) and does a very good job adjusting in his routes when on the move.  He can make a nice living just based off his feel for the soft spot in the zone, quickly settling into it.  He shows very good sideline vision, keeping his balance and feet in bounds.  He is also quite effective at setting up defensive backs downfield.  He knows the playbook inside and out and shows quick instincts to come back for the ball when the quarterback is pressured.

Character:  Robiskie is a quiet, very respectful sort who comes from a strong family environment.  He is a "yes sir, no sir" type who is all business in his approach to football, both on and off the field.  He shows the maturity you look for in a quality character.

Competitiveness:  Robiskie likes to mix it up with defenders, but that sometimes frustrates the staff because he becomes so intent on beating his man that he is taken out of the play.  He needs to reduce those confrontations at the next level to prevent foolish penalties.  He loves the contact when going over the middle and shows true courage sacrificing his body to get the most difficult tosses.  He is very physical down near the goal line and uses his hands well to prevent the cornerback from riding up on his body.

Work Habits:  Robiskie is described by the staff as being a very good worker, a self-made type who will spend a lot of his spare time working on all aspects of his game.  He is well respected by the staff and teammates, and while not a vocal leader the younger players do listen to him (took QB Terrelle Pryor under his wing).  He has the attitude to succeed that makes it very easy for the staff to coach him.

ATHLETIC REPORT: GRADE: 6.83

Release:  Robiskie lacks good speed, but glides to top acceleration nicely.  He knows how to use his frame to prevent defenders from rerouting him, despite needing to add more strength to compete at the next level.

Acceleration:  Robiskie is the type of player who compensates for a lack of blazing speed with physical play.  He comes off the line with a strong surge and uses his hands with force to beat the jam.  He has the size to shield defenders from the ball and is a physical presence in the middle of the field.  He might not run the crispest routes, but he does a decent job of dropping his hips and sinking his weight to separate out of his cuts.

Quickness:  Robiskie showed better acceleration and thrust in his get-off as a senior, but knows he has to execute moves to compensate for a lack of suddenness.  His problem is that he is not really quick out of his breaks.  He is really just a long strider with decent initial quickness, but not one with blazing speed.  He has the burst agility to get off the ball and the hand usage to defeat the jam, but it is his cutting ability and steady acceleration that allows him to gain advantage and run by the defensive backs.

Route Running:  Robiskie is used more on control routes underneath, but shows good flexibility turning and running with the ball.  He will take too many soft angle cuts rather than sharp ones on deep patterns, though.  He is very good planting and driving in and out of his breaks.

Separation Ability:  If a defensive back becomes too confident in his own speed, he will give Robiskie a big cushion.  That results in the receiver taking advantage of the spacing to set up and con his opponent.  He is not the fastest runner and even slower changing direction, but with his fakes to set up and balance on the move, he has decent success getting through traffic.

Ball Concentration:  Robiskie has eyes only for the ball when working in a crowd.  He times his leaps well and does a very good job of getting to the pass at its highest point.  He takes advantage of his frame to jump over defenders for the ball and can take a shot and hang on to the ball (never fumbled as a starter).

Ball Adjustment:  Robiskie is a natural hands catcher, taught by his father to never use his body as a crutch.  He does a nice job of looking the ball in, catching it and not breaking stride.  He excels at catching outside his framework and shows the vision and agility to adjust to the ball in flight.

Leaping Ability:  Robiskie not only has natural leaping ability, but also precision timing going up for the ball.

Hands:  Robiskie catches the ball with his hands properly extended and shows the hand/eye coordination to look the ball in, especially when negotiating through the crowd.  Robiskie has the wingspan and natural hands to get to any pass thrown his way.

Blocking Ability:  Robiskie is a good cut blocker for the outside running game, taking proper angles while staying low to take second-level defenders off their feet.  He gives solid effort facing up to bigger opponents at the line of scrimmage.

Compares To:  Amani Toomer, ex-New York Giant -- Like Toomer in his prime, Robiskie learned to compensate for his one major shortcoming - a lack of blazing speed - with excellent hands, good body control and outstanding field vision.  He is most effective on controlled routes, knowing he will never have the explosiveness to threaten the deep secondary.  He is a good chain mover with solid blocking skills, a perfect complement for a team that already has its established deep threat and is looking for someone to keep defenses honest underneath.

It is clear that Robiskie has a great deal of potential and has positive attributes the Colts tend to be excited about.  His game isn't flawless but any time a player excels in finding soft spots in opposing defenses, is phsycial enough to gain separation in traffic, and has the size and athleticism to make a play on any ball thrown near him, he will warrant a close look.  Being compared to the likes of Amani Toomer is no insult either.

2009 SENIOR BOWL PRACTICE RECAP - TFYDraft.com

Monday Practice Notes:  Clearly the former Buckeye is not the fastest or quickest reciever, but he had a very solid day all around.  Ran good routes, and the inconsistency seen with his hands late in Ohio State's season was not apparent today.  Also doubled as a punt returner.

Tuesday Practice Notes:  Robiskie is sure handed but slow and does not stand out.  He caught the ball well but was unable to shake defenders out of breaks or down the field.

Wednesday Practice Notes:  Robiskie made serveral nice catches today in traffic and showed reliable hands.  No single aspect of his game sticks out.

Thursday Practice Notes:  For the most part a good day for Robiskie, though he uncharacteristically dropped a couple of balls.  Also lined up as a kick returner which is something to keep an eye on.

Analysis:  Robiskie was his usual solid self.  Except for a few drops he caught everything thrown his way.  He's got the size and reliability to develop into a solid third receiver at the next level.

Robiskie was not entirely consistent but showed the ability to catch the ball and win contests with defensive backs consistently.  His work as a punt returner and kick returner is something that may be developed but his lack of blazing speed might turn some off to his work in this area of the game.

Another Scouting Report - WalterFootball.com
Scouting Report - FFToolbox.com

Derrick Williams - Penn State

Photo
2008 Season Highlights
Punt Return TD v. Notre Dame
Punt Return TD v. Wisconsin
NFL Draft Vignette
First Draft
Combine Video

6'0", 194 lbs.
4.47 40 Yard Dash, 4.21 20 Yard Dash, 6.96 3-Cone Drill
18 Bench Reps, 33 Inch Vertical Jump

SENIOR SEASON STATS:
44 Receptions, 485 Receiving Yards, 4 TDs (11.0 Yards/Avg.)
43 Rushes, 243 Yards, 3 TDs (5.7 Yards/Avg.)
40 Punt Returns, 149 Yards, 1 TD
20 Kick Returns, 515 Yards, 2 TDs

INJURIES:
2005 - Missed final five games of the season after suffering a left arm fracture.

ANALYSIS:

NFLDraftScout.com, MockingtheDraft.com

Strengths:

Good height with a strong upper body.  Quick off the line, reaching top speed within a couple of steps.  Uses moves and his hands to get off press coverage.  Lines up in the slot and outside.  Finds holes in the end zone and presents a target.  Typically solid hands, catching the ball away from his frame.  Cognizant of the sidelines, and can tightrope or tiptoe to stay in-bounds.  Good hands on returns, catching punts over his shoulder if necessary.  Retains the catch after a big hit.  Excellent straight-line speed and quickness; able to make the first defender miss.  Takes direct snaps and handoffs, and is willing to run tough inside.  Shows nice vision and toughness after the catch, as a returner and getting the occasional carry as a running back.  Very willing blocker downfield, using his strength, good angles and sound technique to keep safeties and corners out of the play.  Team captain as a senior, and a vocal leader in practice and during games.  Stayed a positive leader while not putting up huge numbers in 2008.

An excellent athlete with incredible speed and agility.  Top-notch change-direction ability.  Much like DeSean Jackson, Williams can break a play open at any time.  Dangerous after the catch.  Decent hands, even though he sometimes catches passes in his body.  Intelligent player who has played several different positions.  Quick off the snap.  A competitve player who became one of Penn State's team captains as a senior.

Williams is a dynamic threat as a ball-carrier.  Whether his touches are in the running, passing, or returning game, he is a game-breaking talent any time he touches the ball.  He possesses the quickness and body control to be elusive in the open field.  Williams also has experience playing in all receiving positions, so he would be prepared to take snaps in the slot or on the outside.  Williams has the vision to be effective on reverses out of the backfield.

Weaknesses:

Was never "the guy" at Penn State, so it's not clear if he's an elite receiver.  Lacks the short-area quickness or elusiveness most top NFL returners exhibit.  Needs to work a bit on his footwork coming in and out of routes.  Does not always separate from defenders as his timed speed would indicate.  Concentration lapses occasionally when trying to make a move after the catch.

Williams was one of the top recruits in the nation who never really lived up to the hype.  Never had more than 529 yards receiving in a season.  Became something of a gadget player who caught and ran the ball and played special teams.  Isn't the best route runner and doesn't seem to like going over the middle to make difficult catches.  Bulk is something of a concern.  Has had some minor injury concerns throughout his career.

Despite all of Williams' many talents and high regard as a prospect, many will say he never lived up to his own hype.  While he was very capable, his athletic ability did not translate to exceptional on-the-field production. 

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

Dave-Te Thomas Biographical Information

Body Structure:  Williams has an angular frame with good upper body muscle development, but his weight room strength is just adequate.

Athletic Ability:  Williams has a decent sized frame with good muscle tone and look stronger on the field than he does in the training room.  He has good lower body flexibility and while he lacks speed, he builds his acceleration nicely.  He does a good job of stretching and adjusting to the ball in flight, but his training room leaping skills do not always translate to the field (needs to time his jumps better).  He runs with a normal stride and has the body control to redirect with ease when on the move.  He is more elusive than explosive coming out of his breaks, but has good athletic ability, change of direction agility and short-area quickness.

Football Sense:  Williams has very good field vision and is alert to sticks and boundaries.  He is very conscious to keeping his feet inbounds when working the sidelines and does a good job of finding holes underneath.  He is smart enough to take direct snaps under center and performs capably in a variety of roles, as he has no problem taking plays from the chalkboard to the field.

Character:  Williams has really embraced his leadership role.  He will not hesitate to get vocal in the huddle and responds well to hard coaching.

Competitiveness:  Williams is a big-play guy who loves to make the tough catch over the middle, but needs to improve his overall aggressiveness, especially as a blocker.

Work Habits:  Williams has good work habits, doing everything that the coaches ask of him, evident by all of the roles he has played on offense (slot, split end, tailback, flanker and taking direct snaps) and special teams (punt and kickoff returns).  He will do extra conditioning on his own and is a team-first player.

ATHLETIC REPORT:  GRADE:  6.75

Release:  Williams has just pedestrian speed into his routes and shows inconsistent footwork off the line and also in and out of his routes.  He uses his hands effectively to get a clean release vs. the press and has adequate straight-line speed, but compensates for a lack of explosion with loose hips to weave in and out of traffic.  When he stays down in his pads and is clean coming off the ball, he is capable of gobbling up the cornerback's cushion.

Acceleration:  Williams might lack good timed speed in front of a stopwatch, but he has the ability to accelerate for the deep ball, with a decent burst getting into his routes.  He is a little inconsistent adjusting to the ball in the short area (will short arm when defenders are on top of him), but has an adequate feel to get open.  On deep throws, he is capable of making body adjustments to track the ball in.  He also shows an adequate burst to separate, but has better success using head and shoulder fakes to fool the cornerback rather than try to outrace his man.

Quickness:  Williams is quick, but not fast.  He carries his equipment well and has the hip snap to redirect and is slippery enough to get small working his way through a crowd.

Route Running:  Williams has great field vision, evident by the way he finds holes to give his quarterback an inviting second option target.  He has never really been the team's go-to receiver and lacks explosiveness or blazing speed, but he runs crip routes, whether lining up wide or in the slot.  He runs with good aggression and has the strength to break tackles.  With his frame, he knows how to shield defenders from the ball and can run by defenders once he fools them with his nifty double moves.

Separation Ability:  Williams is never going to be the type who will leave defenders eating dust, but he has good gear-down ability and an array of moves to drive the defender off the ball and force his man to commit to coming out of the backpedal too early.  He might not have the speed, but his built up acceleration lets him uncover.

Ball Concentration:  Williams is prone to concentration lapses that will see him drop a fair share of easy throws, but he does a very good job of catching the pass over the middle and not breaking his stride.  He does a good job of throttling down vs. zone coverage and shows good courage over the middle.  He shows no flinch when positioning his body to compete for the ball at its high point when running in a crowd.

Hands:  Williams has good hand/eye coordination, as he is quick to get his head turned around and hands up to get to the ball outside his framework.  He does a good job of using his body to protect the ball on contact.

Run After the Catch:  This is one of his stronger areas, as Williams does a very good job of turning and running without having to throttle down, which surprises a lethargic defender.  He runs with good body lean and aggression.  While he won't turn on the after-burners, he sells fakes well and track and adjusts smoothly to the balls over his outside shoulder.

Blocking Ability:  Williams will give effort blocking for the ground game (more of a position and pester type), but he just lacks the sand in his pants to face up and sustain when blocking at the line of scrimmage.  He is more aggressive blocking upfield, where he can gain a head of steam and drive into the defender, but still needs to improve overall strength in this area.

Special Teams:  Williams is a savvy open-field runner who might lack the speed you look for in a returner, but he patiently follows his blocks and has loose hips for weaving through a crowd.

Compars to:  Domenik Hixon, New York Giants -- Williams is a better route-runner, but both are jack-of-all-trades types.  Williams lacks blazing speed, but could be quite effective as a slot receiver due to his ability to run after the catch.  He is just not the type that teams are looking for in a featured player.  But, with his special teams ability he saves a team a roster spot with his ability to handle multiple roles.  The best way to look at him is as a solid blue-collar type, not the blue chipper he was advertised to be coming out of high school.

Williams is an athletic specimen that rightfully commands a great deal of interest from scouts and recruiters.  His dynamic on-field talents make him have a great deal of value for any team.  The question remains, however, can Williams be a top-tier WR in the NFL.  A team will not be entirely sure "what they have" until they can get Williams in camp, work with him, and see how Williams' develops.

SENIOR BOWL PRACTICE RECAP - TFYDraft.com

Monday Practice Notes:  Early in practice, Williams was coached up multiple times to run tighter routes.  As the session progressed, he did as such.  Also had the catch of the day as he twisted and turned down the sideline to catch a floating ball just before it hit the ground.  Will be the North's primary return specialist as well.

Tuesday Practice Notes:  Williams was the star of the show today and his athleticism really stood out.  He quickly got to top speed, runs sharp routes and is very explosive.  Williams constantly beat defenders down field today and caught all but a single pass thrown in his direction.  His sheer athleticism really stood out.

Wednesday Practice Notes:  He's extremely quick off the line and consistently beat opponents down the field or on the underneath routes.  Williams has established himself as the top skill player in Mobile.

Thursday Practice Notes:  Even with no pads Williams looked good.  He was explosive, quick and defensive backs struggled to stay with him.  Williams also caught the ball very well.

Analysis:  There's no debating that Williams was the best and most dominant receiver on the field in Mobile.  He showed a complete game which was all the more complimented by his tremendous athleticism.  Now- this is one instance we'd really like to see a player perform well in the game.  Yes- the practices mean everything but considering Williams' history of not living up to expectations once they kick it off, it is important for him to keep the momentum going through the contest.

Unfortunately, in the Senior Bowl, Williams primary production was as a kick returner - 3 Kick Returns for 89 Yards.  He also produced with one run for 5 yards and 1 reception for 19 yards.  The running and receiving yards, clearly, were not what scouts were hoping to see.

Additional Scouting Report - WalterFootball.com
Another Scouting Report - TFYDraft.com
Last Scouting Report - FFToolbox.com

COMPARISON:

Robiskie has all the intangibles that would excite the Colts Front Office.  He also has the size, hands, and leaping ability to produce as a receiver, even at the NFL level.  Williams has the quickness, agility, and elusiveness to break a big play at any moment in multiple facets of the game.  However, it is apparent that for one reason or another, Williams has never been the go-to guy on offense and has proven the bulk of his production is as a returner.  The question is, with a quarterback the likes of Peyton Manning, would Williams turn that around?  Finally, if the Colts draft a WR in the second round (third if you're really troubled), which one should they take?

YOU DECIDE