Louisiana Football Magazine - High School and College Recruiting News with Lee Brecheen

by Lee Brecheen

January 4, 2010 - There are three types of Wide Receivers you usually see in any level of College Football, One, is usually tall, fast, Deep Post route Receivers, who can run under 4.6 forty, and break the long gains after the catch, then there’s the Tall or Short possession receivers, who are not fast usually in the 4.6 to 4.7 range, but have good hands, and run really good routes. Then there’s the slot receiver, who usually is too small to be a running back, but not big enough to be a true post wide out, usually these guys are like 5-7 to 5-10, they are usually either super quick or super fast, Example Super quick, Wes Welker, Texas Tech, and Currently New England Patriots, or a Fast Version being a DeSean Jackson, 5-9 165, California, and currently Philadelphia Eagles. Jackson can run in the 4.3 range, and Welker is only in the low 4.5 forty range, but wow is he quick and has great hands, runs great routes.

I think the best college football programs always have all three types of Wide Receivers in their rotation I think the best college team to fit that was in 2008 Florida Gators, Percy Harvin Rookie with ( Minnesota Vikings) 5-11 195, was the burner and slot guy, Riley Cooper 6-3 210, had the height and hands ,was the possession receiver, and was reliable, and Louis Murphy 6-2 195 ,Rookie with Oakland Raiders, was the hands, and post guy, with his height and route running. If you notice Florida missed the slot WR part, which hurt this year’s team. Alabama is this year’s version with Julio Jones 6-4 225, being the post guy, who can run a 4.45 forty, Marquis Maze 5-9 175 4.45, being the slot burner, and Darius Hanks 6-0 175, being the Possession guy, 4.55 4.6 forty, with great hands, great routes. Let’s see wow, these teams both in National Championship games, one won it in 2009, Florida Gators, and Alabama is favorite to win it in 2010.

This year’s best most polished Wide Receiver I’ve seen in person and on film is in my opinion is James Wright, 6-2 200 pounds from Belle Chasse HS, this kid is the most polished Wide Receiver I’ve seen come out of Louisiana in a long time. Remember Michael Clayton came out of Christian Life HS then (LSU), with only one year starting at Wide Receiver, he played QB for two years in HS, and was raw, at 6-3 205 pounds, Devery Henderson 6-0 190, in HS at Opelousas, was a Running Back in High School, and moved to WR, in his second year at LSU, now he’s 6-0 200 pounds, and is the New Orleans Saints most dangerous deep post route receiver. Devery can run a true 4.4 forty, ran track in HS, and was ALL State in track. I saw those two play, and they were great athletes, I feel like James Wright, who’s been a WR for four years, and a DB, at (Safety) when needed, is more polished than Michael Clayton, and Devery Henderson at this stage. James Wright is even more polished than the late former Belle Chasse WR, Chris Henry, and West Virginia, Chris was really tall 6-4, but skinny in HS, weighed about 165 pounds, but played at 190 in the NFL with the Cincinnati Bengals.

I will even go as far as saying James Wright is more polished than former ST Thomas More HS player Javon Walker, who was 6-3 190 in HS, but played at 200, plus pounds at Florida State. Javon, if you remember was a First Team ALL American at Florida State, and until injuries was one of the top WRS in the NFL for the Green Bay Packers and now currently the Oakland Raiders. Not many people talk about hands on Wide Receivers coming out of HS or Route running, that’s what you see with James, with great size and toughness. Very few Receivers have great hands, usually they have great speed or size, James Wright is the total package.

James Wright

# 1 James Wright reminds me a lot of Michael Clayton in stature, and all out on the football field. Anytime you watched Clayton play, he was fast, fought for yards vertically, would out leap anyone for the ball, and always take the hit over the middle, hit people blocking, which most WRS don’t like to do in HS, and could run routes, and had the football moxy to be big time, that’s what James has, but I think James is even faster than Michael Clayton, and has more vertical than Michael Clayton and better hands. I think what’s really remarkable is James Wright, did something most players never do, he lost his Star MVP QB from the 2008 season in Blake Matherne , who was incredible in 2008, hooking up with James Wright to win the 4 A title in 2008. The new QB for Belle Chasse, had zero experience, was short and not a big thrower, but James Wright still managed to finish second in the state overall in yards, 1,125 , with 55 catches, and 15 tds. He is a big time WR that will play on Sundays, he’s the type of post player that can take over a game, and will catch the hard throws over the middle, runs great routes, has great hands, will block, and wants the ball. Let’s take a look at the other big time Wide Receivers in Louisiana for 2010 class.

The #2 best Wide Receiver I saw in person last two years was Glen Coleman 6-2 205, from West Jefferson HS on the Westbank of New Orleans. Glen is a big, tall, tough kid, who can run deep routes, has great hands, and makes plays. This kid has a SEC body, SEC speed for the deep ball, and showed effort to look at times unstoppable at WR. His HS QB was only 5-9, but had a good arm, but had trouble finding Glenn even more. West Jefferson also had three talented RBS, who will sign, that did not rely on throwing as much. IN a throwing offense, Glen might be ranked higher in recruiting, but this is a kid you have to see in person to say wow, what a talent, so throw out the low ranking nationally, remember I told you so.

The # 3 best Wide Receiver I saw with untapped ability was LeSean Williams 6-3 180, from Franklinton HS, who is a DI big time WR in a Running Offense, a team that averaged almost 55 points game in regular season and finished state runner up in class 4A to Neville. Williams wasn’t needed in the pass game, as much, because the team QB Terrrance MCgee is a (DI) RB for the next level, and the teams two RBS where both 4.5 forty guys, who ran all over everyone. Williams, when he caught the ball was terrific in open field, good hands, great height, really good speed, 4.5 forty, and tough kid, that will block downfield.

Kyron King

#4 best Wide Receiver was Armand Williams, 6-2 190, from Slidell HS, who had a decent Senior year, but had a new QB who struggled to get the ball downfield, their QB was more of a Athlete, than a thrower. IF Armand would have had a tall drop back QB to throw him the ball this year, this kid would have been ranked higher in recruiting, again throw away the low ranking for him in the recruiting world, this kid’s big time. Williams has great speed in open field 4.5 forty, great height, and body to weigh over 200 pounds in college, hands need some work, but again did not get ball enough to see in that department.

#5 best Wide Receiver I saw was the biggest sleeper in the state of Louisiana in Denzell Bashful 6-3 175, 4.5 forty from Cohen HS, in New Orleans, played on a team, that did not have a passing QB, the QB was 5-7 in height and gutsy and no depth overall as a team, kid also played DB full time, and when the ball got in his hands, all I can say is WOW, kid can fly, and he’s tough. Bashfull will weigh over 200 pounds in a college weight lifting program, and will play on Sundays.

# 6 best , that I saw was Kyron King, 6-1 185, who can run a 4.5 forty, had a great junior year, but team had a new QB, who struggled to get the ball down field to the play makers, new QB was young and had no experience. King was so much un- taped ability, if this kid goes to a mid major DI program, he has a chance to be a Sunday player one day, and King has the tools to be great.

#7 Rodney Heard 6-0 180 from Bastrop HS , When Rueban Randle was throwing him the ball, he was a SEC Wide Receiver, problem is Rueban Randle was at LSU for his Senior year, and Bastrop had a new QB , who struggled to find the Wide Receivers like most new QBS do learning the game. I saw Rodney in camp at Louisiana College over the summer, and this kid is a big time route runner, who has great hands, he’s not super fast, but he’s deceptive in the speed area, because he knows how to run, and get open, he’s also a big time worker . Rodney runs a 4.6 forty, but doesn’t look it in games.

Shedrick Davis

# 8 is Shedrick Davis, who is 6-2 210, and prepped at Central HS, started for three years, and all three years was a big impact guy, caught 34 catches passes for 518 yards, with 7 tds in 2009, doesn’t sound impressive, but was one of three WRs to catch over 34 passes on the team in 2009 season. Davis was the most feared over the middle, and always seemed to catch the tough long throws, and broke plays for three years that you thought would go for 10 yards and end up being 30 or 40 yard gains. This kid is the poster boy for term deceptive speed, runs a 4.6 forty, but not on the field in game jersey and full pads, don’t tell this kid he can’t catch and run for long gains, being that he’s 210 pounds, it’s very impressive to see kid like this so hard to bring down after a catch, and put his nose in over the middle with no fear, he’s big time, and not ranked high for DI schools, Davis is a big time steal for next level. Davis might even become a DI / TE as a pass catching TE in right offense, could easily weigh 240, and still run in 4.7 range or better.

Let’s take a look at the sleeper Wide Receivers in Louisiana, I break down in two categories, (Post speed Wide Receivers) fast deep route DI players, and DI (Possession Wide Receivers) Great hands, good speed, and runs great routes

Fast / Post Wide Receivers (in no particular order)

1 Ray Moss 6-1 180 West Ouachita
2 Nick Collins 6-1 185 Southwood
3 Jarmon Clark 6-1 180 Woodlawn / Baton Rouge
4 Thomas Bridgewater 6-0 180 Evangel Christian
5 Robert Tillman 6-0 175 St Augustine
6 Kendale Thomas 6-0 175 New Iberia
7 Devario Thornton 6-1 190 Rayville
8 Tevin Ratliff 6-1 180 Carver
9 Ladrian Banks 6-2 200 Wossman
10 Daryl Surgent 5-11 170 Alexandria
11 Damien Thomas 6-0 168 Southern Lab
12 Jaleel Richardson 6-1 178 Warren Easton
13 Chris Willis 6-0 180 Huntington/ Shreveport
14 Demon Frazier 6-3 190 Arcadia

Possession Wide Receivers (in no particular order)

1 Brad Nelson 6-2 180 Catholic/ Baton Rouge
2 James Butler 6-2 200 Hahnville
3 Eric Thomas 6-2 195 Evangel Christian
4 George Williams 6-1 190 Salmen
5 Matthew Pearce 6-6 195 Ascension Catholic
6 Alex Price 6-3 215 Captain Shreve
7 Marceis Davis 6-3 200 Richwood
8 Reginald Travis 6-3 175 Plaquemine
9 Will Briscoe 6-2 180 Central
10 Chip Armelin 6-3 190 Sulphur
11 Brycen Koch 6-0 180 Jesuit
12 Kenneth Gausman 6-2 190 Edna Karr
13 Jaron Miller 6-4 200 Warren Easton
14 Malcolm Suttleff 6-3 190 Brother Martin