SI Andy Staples on Denard Transitioning to WR

I agree Denard will be a Percy Harvin type player.  Just because he's choosing to be slotted as a WR at this point only means he has to pick a position group.  This is best, at WR he can show of his speed and elusiveness, but whichever team drafts him will be doing so because they see how dangerous he is with the ball in his hands and will find ways of doing it.  

he was seen lining up incorrectly and had to be moved by coaches to get him lined up correctly.  Denard continues to show that he is struggling to catch the ball cleanly and keeps fighting the ball.  His route running leaves a lot to be desired.  I question his motivation to elect on trying out only at WR instead of at both RB and WR.  RB is his best position considering that he has the vision and patience to find holes/cutback lanes.  Not every speedy player can be Harvin type. It takes a certain kind of player who can do it all naturally and Robinson haven't show it at WR.

I think Harvin is a best-case scenario. Denard is similar in that he will probably get some snaps in some sort of wild-cat/option scenario or in a jet sweep or just something out of the backfield. But, Harvin's been a receiver for a while and he just has those instincts that may be difficult for Denard to pick up. I just hope that he can get as healthy as he can as soon as possible. He's a guy who could be very effective in the right situation, but he could just as easily be wasted, IMO. 

Harvin type production is a lofty goal. I think he should try to be Dexter McCluster for starters. Percy is very good at what he does, and I'd imagine he's quite a bit stronger.

That second video has Denard's height listed as 5'10"...that seems short.  I always knew that his listed height of 6'0 was a stretch, but I just assumed that he was 5'11".  Not that it's a big deal, because he obviously has a ton of talent, I just thought he looked a little taller than 5'10".

In a sense richrod was right in the Denard is best as a quarterback running a spread offense.  Unfortunately for denard he doesn't have the arm (right now at least, maybe not ever) to play quarterback at the next level.

As for wideout, dude doesn't seem to have the hands. 

As for running back, I think that is interesting but you can't start in the NFL if you can't block.

For me when he couldn't catch a punt or a kickoff that was the end of his NFL chances, I would be surprised if he goes before the 6th round or is even drafted.  I know we all love him but this 3rd round talk is ridiculous.

Denard is a Harvin at the next level.( Best scenario.) I won't discount him from learning how to play WR. The kid has a superb work ethic.

Why I'm not too worried he'll find a spot, somewhere, eventually:  the reports are not shocking thus far, they sound a lot like they are about a guy who has never played the position he is now working out against NFL level talent against.  The few highlights above where he "dropped" passes, well they were shitty passes.  He is fighting an injury that causes numbness in one of his hands, one of only two hands he currently uses to try and catch the ball...again, something he has never had to do even when healthy.  He is fast, but that alone of course does not mean much, he is fast and knows how to run with the football in his hands.  He follows/sets up blockers well, finds creases and can cut at full speed (this was the catalyst for Devin Gardner telling him, "you're the best football player i've ever seen").  He is a zero-risk draftee in terms of character.  

I'm holding out some judgement until the game on Saturday.  Not necessarily to see how he performs, but more so to see how he is used.  This may give some indication as to how teams see him in the NFL, because we know and they know he is not a pure WR prospect. 

In or out of professional football, the young man has a bright future. 

but the amount of quick cuts that he stumbles on, both in the above videos and in his last few games at michigan has given me reason to pause...

...I was amazed at how good of a receiver Harvin was in the NFL from the jump.  I just don't think Denard ever gets to that level.  A faster Julian Edelman (who was also a college QB, IIRC) seems like a better comp; not just a slot, but some sort of slot/RB/PR combo that sees him get seven-ish touches per game.

Denard does things you cannot coach.  If I'm a team with no major holes, I'm looking at him as a guy who is a project as far as blocking and route running but who can bring things to my team that few can...My fantasy is either that he joins RGIII in D.C. (though Washington has major holes to fill on defense) or Chip Kelly in Philly, who presumably has the imagination to use him well. 

I understand why everyone thinks Denard's natural NFL role is at WR/slot (along w/returner, obviously) -- the Randle-El/Cobb comparisons, the idea of getting him the ball in space, etc. But I hope some scouts/team will push Denard to give RB a serious try. Some posters above dismissed this option b/c of Denard's size/build.  Now is he a 25-carry/game guy in the NFL? No. But what makes Denard so dangerous with the ball isn't just his track speed -- it's his vision, his cuts, and his patience to set up his blocks & then accelerate through the hole, as well as his toughness. If I'm an NFL team making an investment in DR as a draft pick, I think I get more immediate contributions from him as a 10-touch/game RB along w/returning kicks, instead of having him ride pine for 2-3 years while he tries to learn WR.

This piece from Rotoworld a couple months back made a great case for using Denard as a RB in the NFL:

When I watch Robinson run (and the way Michigan uses him), I can't help but think his best role would be to start out as a returner and as a situational running back. He's listed at just 6'0/197 pounds, but has a thickly built lower body. The Michigan offense has taught him to make the same types of reads NFL runningbacks are taught. He's totaled over 200 carries the last two seasons, and he was the entire foundation of their run game in 2010 - totaling 256 attempts for 1702 yards (6.6 YPC) and 14 touchdowns. He has a tendency to get upright, but he's a tough and patient inside runner who reads and sets his blocks up well, hits cutback lanes with authority, and has the speed to do damage in space.

[...]  Make no mistake though, he's absolutely electric with the ball in his hands. Should he play some snaps at receiver or get involved in some gadget plays? Sure, but I think it'd be criminal to ask this kid to consistently line up away from the ball, run around, and then try and throw it to him. Give him the ball, don't make him go get it. 

The main question as to whether Denard can consistently get snaps at runningback in the NFL is going to come down to one main thing: whether or not he can pass protect - a completely unprojectable factor at this point. If blocking is something he picks up on, I think he'll eventually develop into a real weapon as a committee running back/returner/space player. If he can't do that, however, it's likely he'll be relegated strictly to returns, Bubble Screens, and the occasional Jet Sweep.

Chip Kelly should just draft him as a quarterback. Problem solved.

Denard will have some time to improve his WR skills in the months leading up to the draft and most likely run a fast 40 time at the combine. Some team will take a chance on him in the early rounds. I know everyone remember Armanti Edwards or maybe you've blocked that name from memory. Anyways, he was a 3rd pick a couple of years ago and that's about where I expect Denard to go. As a Packer fan I would love for them to take Denard and have Cobb show him the ropes.