Gridiron Experts

Written by: Bob Cunningham of 2minutestomidnightgreen.com

In the spread offense, a receiver is always running a route and nothing else. Very rarely are they ever asked to block, or even read a defense. The route is called, and they run it blindly like a path was drawn for them on the field.

In the west coast offense, however, there is much more to the receiver position. They are asked to block regularly, and are expected to be able to read a defense on the fly. For a guy who has never been asked to do this, it can be a very difficult transition.

Enter Jeremy Maclin.

Maclin thrived in the spread offense, as most receivers do. It’s an easy job as they simply run the route and a strong-armed quarterback hurls the ball at them hoping for the best. But for the same reason that a quarterback running the spread offense does not usually fare well in the NFL, a receiver may not bring his college success to the NFL.

Look at some of the best spread quarterbacks over the past couple of years. Chase Daniels went undrafted, as did Graham Harrell. Colt Brennan got drafted, but only in the fifth round. The quarterback who set nearly every NCAA passing record possible falls all the way to the fifth round and is now backing up a guy who Washington has repeatedly tried to replace.

Why?

Because they do not know how to read a defense.

In the west coast, the receiver must be able to differentiate between zone and man coverage in a split-second. In fact, if the receiver reads the defense after the ball is snapped, they’re already behind. They must know before the snap that it is man coverage, so the corner will follow him, or if it’s zone coverage, he must quickly diagnose the zone, find the soft spot, sit and wait for the pass that may already be in the air, coming in his direction. In other words, rookies rarely get thrown out on to the field without a solid grasp of how the play will develop- which makes DeSean Jackson’s rookie season that much more impressive.

…Continue reading From Spread to West: Maclin’s Difficult Transition

Draft Prospect: Jeremy Maclin | Written by Daniel Phillips

If you follow football, there’s a good chance you know the name Michael Crabtree; now you need to know the name Jeremy Maclin. Standing at 6’0″ and 198lbs, this Missouri Tiger is arguably the second best wide receiver in this years NFL draft class. Maclin will most likely go within the top 15 picks of this draft, and every day he seems to get more and more attention from the media.


Maclin has deadly speed. Misrepresented at the combine with a time of 4.48 in the 40, Maclin improved on his numbers at his pro day running a 4.40, and it is rumored that he ran a 4.32. Watching game tape of Maclin, his game-speed is evident. He has incredible explosiveness and agility, and he has great control over his body and hands, allowing him to make spectacular grabs in traffic and catches over the middle of the field. He is an extremely strong and physical receiver allowing him to break free of the jam easily (at the collegiate level) and should continue to do so in the NFL if he gains more bulk and technique.


After the catch Maclin is at his best, showcasing his speed and razor sharp cutting ability, allowing him to break defenders ankles; in a foot race Maclin will virtually never lose. He has spectacular vision and explosiveness on punt and kick returns, almost reminiscent of DeSean Jackson in a bigger frame. Coming into the NFL Maclin will initially line up as a #2 or #3 wide receiver (depending where he’s drafted) and will definitely be used as a return specialist. Long term he projects to be a #1 wide out, and with his natural talent long term may come sooner than it seems.


Scoring an impressive 25 on the Wonderlic, he beat out all wide receivers by at least 10 points. Maclin’s work ethic is second to none, evident by his dedication to improvement over two seasons, and praise from his quarterback Chase Daniel and Coaches on said improvement. He is a grounded individual with solid background, and has shown great instances of character, such as crying at his press conference on his decision to turn pro, speaking of his love for the Missouri family.


The knock on this Missouri star is his route running ability, or lack thereof. He has only played in college for two years, and seems to rely almost entirely on his athleticism rather than pure football knowledge. He will need to develop into a more consistent and fluid route runner in order to succeed at the pro level. Mizzou plays in a spread offense, so this will create problems for Maclin in adopting an NFL system. Before the Broncos had announced that Cutler will in fact be changing addresses, we had Maclin pegged as a Bronco; the system that is being installed is a type of spread offense that Jeremy Maclin could flourish in. Until a trade can be made for Cutler many mock drafts are on hold, but Gridiron Experts is fairly confident he will go within the top 15.