Red Zone and Jalen Hurd

I think he'll be good if they chose him over hakeem butler they seen something in him and believe in him. Whether he catches it or runs it in he'll have a good amount of redzone td's.

Originally posted by 24karat49er:

I think he'll be good if they chose him over hakeem butler they seen something in him and believe in him. Whether he catches it or runs it in he'll have a good amount of redzone td's.

Originally posted by HearstFan:

Originally posted by krizay:

Originally posted by HearstFan:

I understand Jalen Hurd is going to be a bit raw as a wide receiver, but from his highlights it looks like he could create an absolute nightmare in red zone and goal line situations. I was impressed in his highlights with his ability to slide/wiggle through initial contact for extra yards - find the crease - some wiggle in his route running in small spaces - AND his big catch radius. I didn't see any jump balls or high pointing of fade routes - which is what I would have expected with his height. (Is there evidence he does that too?) With his abilities you could:

-go empty in goal line and motion him inside for a run
-work his big catch radius and ability to body out coverage for a quick throw
-throw a WR screen for him to run in with wiggle or power
- or lastly use him as a "big" jet sweep type of play

If he has fade and high point ability even more alternatives.

It just seems he could really improve the 9ers red zone woes.

Thoughts?

My thoughts is... if it were so easy he would have been that in college no? I mean if he can be a matchup nightmare in the NFL he should have DOMINATED the big 12 right?

Instead we got 946 and 4 TDs.

Not saying he wont work out. Not even saying we cant get creative with him. What i sm saying is this matchup nightmare jargon drives me bonkers.

That's fair. To your point tho, it has always perplexed me too why there are guys in college that are just good in college and then break out in the NFL. Also, Hurd was making the transition from running back to receiver - which isn't easy but he made the conversion and produced in just 2 years. I luv the fact that the scouting and his prior coaches say he is ultra competitive and smart - I hope that means he can learn quick under NFL coaching. I think his year 1 in the NFL he is more of a specialty plays player - and year 2 he is more of a full-time player.

Some of it must be the system they are in at the college level. Obviously Kittle is a rare example, but he was hardly used as a receiver in college and then blows it up in the NFL. Breida is another example - way better in the NFL than college would have indicated. Delanie Walker is a great example as well - good in college, late round pick, turns into a "match-up nightmare" in the NFL :)

I just think NFL offenses and level of execution can bring out the best in some of these college players that were just good.

Good post but i'll Raise you 5 cents. I also wondered about that for yrs. Look around the NFL and tell me how many great coaches there are. Answer? Not many. Every yr NFL loses avg 8 HCs. And generally they deserve to be fired. Not always, but usually.

Now go back to college. For every one Nick Saban , there are dozens of pikers. Really , really bad coaches. They bump around but somehow manage to keep their jobs. Ok, now include the dozens and hundreds of position coaches under those crappy college coaches, and the reason there aren't but a small handful of great college QBs every yr? Crummy coaches. Brady? Pick #212 or close. And you know there are others.

The reason that Hurd wasn't a 5 star stud in college? I'd bet my lunch money he had very average to mediocre head coaches (recall he was at two programs) and i also bet his postion coaches were no great shakes either.

Result? No spectacular numbers. But with WRs ...or ball catchers, anyway, kyle seems to have the magic touch. He can spot a kid that in his system will blow the doors off. Example 1: Kittle.

I will not be surprised if Hurd turns out the same way. One thing we know for sure about Hurd...whatever he does kyle will see to it he is a mismatch with whoever covers him....which should consistently give Hurd the advantage on every play. That's kinda nice. And it is also why in college nobody thot about how to use him to his maximum. You know kyle will.

Hurd doesn't have a nickname yet but by season's end, i bet they call him R Z.