Draft a Return Specialist.

Our special teams play has been good except for our return game.

I would like to see us use a mid-round pick on a player who can return punts and kickoffs--a return specialist.

Here are two possibilities

Brelan Chancellor WR North Texas 5-9 185

PR---12 for 232 yards (19.33)
KR---17 for 496 yards (29.18)

He has also has 36 receptions for 619 yards (17.19)

Rashard Smith WR N. Carolina St 5-9 175

PR—7 for 114 yards (16.29)
KR---5 for 117 yards (23.40)

He also has 23 receptions for 261 yards (11.35)

that first dude sounds like a boss. i think we'll see more of LaMichael doin returns in the second half so how he does determines what we do at returner in my opinion

College returners rarely translate well to the pro's, guys that are specialists in anycase, I remember the hype about LeRoy Vann a few years back. There's plenty of high talent WR's who can contribute as wide receivers, but also have the ability to be quality returners as well. I'm not a fan of rolling the dice on a guy just because of his return ability.

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:
College returners rarely translate well to the pro's, guys that are specialists in anycase, I remember the hype about LeRoy Vann a few years back. There's plenty of high talent WR's who can contribute as wide receivers, but also have the ability to be quality returners as well. I'm not a fan of rolling the dice on a guy just because of his return ability.

I agree. We should go after someone like Justin Gilbert, a CB out of Oklahoma St. He's a highly experienced and productive kick and punt returner as well as a highly rated CB. Don't know much about how he's actually played this year at CB though.

Odell Beckham

I agree with Phoenix and AllTimeGreat. I'm not a big fan of drafting a return specialist guy unless he can produce well at another position. I'd rather pick a guy who is good at their position who happens to also be good returning than just a guy who is a return specialist who is ok or bad at their other position.

Phoenix, Ace Sanders as well. Some on here wanted him for returns. In college 53 for 594 and 3 TDs and for the Jags so far 8 punts for 33 yards and 16 of them came on 1 return. Not saying he can't get better but like you said they don't automatically translate.

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:
College returners rarely translate well to the pro's, guys that are specialists in anycase, I remember the hype about LeRoy Vann a few years back. There's plenty of high talent WR's who can contribute as wide receivers, but also have the ability to be quality returners as well. I'm not a fan of rolling the dice on a guy just because of his return ability.

Trindon Holliday does well in NFL as a return specialist and he was more successful as a return man in college than he was as a running back or a wide receiver.

Chancellor can return punts and kickoffs and he has shown decent to good skill as a wide receiver.
Among all FBS wide receivers, he is ranked 54 in receiving yards per game.
Among all draft eligible wide receivers (FBS, FCS, and D2), he is about 30th in receiving yards per game.

Using a mid to late round pick on a player with the potential to solve our return problems could well be a good investment.

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:
College returners rarely translate well to the pro's, guys that are specialists in anycase, I remember the hype about LeRoy Vann a few years back. There's plenty of high talent WR's who can contribute as wide receivers, but also have the ability to be quality returners as well. I'm not a fan of rolling the dice on a guy just because of his return ability.

I remember Vann. Who was the Kansas State kid from like mid 2000's we signed as an UDFA. He was supposed to be the next big thing as a Returner. Never even made the roster.

Originally posted by Gore_21:
I agree with Phoenix and AllTimeGreat. I'm not a big fan of drafting a return specialist guy unless he can produce well at another position. I'd rather pick a guy who is good at their position who happens to also be good returning than just a guy who is a return specialist who is ok or bad at their other position.

Phoenix, Ace Sanders as well. Some on here wanted him for returns. In college 53 for 594 and 3 TDs and for the Jags so far 8 punts for 33 yards and 16 of them came on 1 return. Not saying he can't get better but like you said they don't automatically translate.

Chancellor is not just a return specialist. He has been productive as a wide receiver, as well as a return man.

Very few college players automatically transition well to the NFL.

I'd like to get a CB that returns punts. I always felt like that is the best position because it's kinda like returning an interception (to me at least). WR's and RBs haven't really worked for us anyway. Let's try a CB.

Originally posted by buck:
Chancellor is not just a return specialist. He has been productive as a wide receiver, as well as a return man.

Very few college players automatically transition well to the NFL.

Depends on the position but yeah that's true. I don't have anything against your guy as I haven't seen him I'm just saying if we draft a return specialist he should be able to contribute as a WR as well and maybe your guy could. That's all I was saying wasn't knocking any player.

Originally posted by AB81Rules:
I remember Vann. Who was the Kansas State kid from like mid 2000's we signed as an UDFA. He was supposed to be the next big thing as a Returner. Never even made the roster.

Florida A&M and 2010 but yeah he looked really good in college and did nothing with us. Some were mad when we cut him. Think he's up in Canada now.


Antix, I'd like to try Perrish Cox out. He had 5 return TDs in college and he did well in the pre-season. Would be nice to know if he is worth tendering as AB says he will make 1.4 for the year if we re-sign him after this season. Not sure if he is worth 1.4 as a #4 or #5 CB but if he can return he would be. Either way I'd give Cox, James, Dixon, Patton (when healthy) or other guys a chance.

Originally posted by AllTimeGreat:

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:
College returners rarely translate well to the pro's, guys that are specialists in anycase, I remember the hype about LeRoy Vann a few years back. There's plenty of high talent WR's who can contribute as wide receivers, but also have the ability to be quality returners as well. I'm not a fan of rolling the dice on a guy just because of his return ability.

I agree. We should go after someone like Justin Gilbert, a CB out of Oklahoma St. He's a highly experienced and productive kick and punt returner as well as a highly rated CB. Don't know much about how he's actually played this year at CB though.

Justin Gilbert has shown that he has good skill at returning kickoffs, but his punt return numbers are not so good.
This year he has not returned a punt. In 38 games before this year, Gilbert returned 8 punts for 55 yards.

Originally posted by Gore_21:

Antix, I'd like to try Perrish Cox out. He had 5 return TDs in college and he did well in the pre-season. Would be nice to know if he is worth tendering as AB says he will make 1.4 for the year if we re-sign him after this season. Not sure if he is worth 1.4 as a #4 or #5 CB but if he can return he would be. Either way I'd give Cox, James, Dixon, Patton (when healthy) or other guys a chance.

I would like to see Perrish Cox returning punts in the last half of the year. I do think that he has some potential.

I agree that if he does well returning punts, it would make more sense to sign him.

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:
College returners rarely translate well to the pro's, guys that are specialists in anycase, I remember the hype about LeRoy Vann a few years back. There's plenty of high talent WR's who can contribute as wide receivers, but also have the ability to be quality returners as well. I'm not a fan of rolling the dice on a guy just because of his return ability.

Look at the Rams blowing a high pick on Tavon Austin, a return-receiver guy that has done nothing. These small return men are faster than anyone in college but in the pros everyone is fast. I wouldn't waste any pick, get someone off the street after the draft.

Originally posted by RishikeshA:
Look at the Rams blowing a high pick on Tavon Austin, a return-receiver guy that has done nothing. These small return men are faster than anyone in college but in the pros everyone is fast. I wouldn't waste any pick, get someone off the street after the draft.

Austin, Patton, Bailey, Hopkins were some of my favorites in the draft along with Sheldon Richardson. I liked Austin as a 2nd rounder but his stock went out of control. No way would I have drafted him at 8. I think with a guy like that you have to use him the right way. Same with a LaMichael James. You have to get them the ball in space even if it means going out of your way. Anyways, like I said earlier in the thread if I would draft a return specialist he would have to be a really good WR as well. I don't recall too many RS's in college that have came to the NFL and lit it up. Even if they do you better be one of the best in the league year after year to keep your roster spot. Look at Ginn, as good as he was he couldn't keep a spot with us. You have to be elite like a Hester type. Plus most of the great returners in the NFL are in and out like that. They usually don't stay good for many years like Hester. Teams figure them out or just start kicking away from them. They fade out quickly.