(05-16-2021, 05:58 PM)TheO-LineMatters Wrote:

(05-16-2021, 07:16 AM)Bullseye Wrote: Oh I agree completely with you on Chark.

As for Johnson, I see him as being faster than Ernest Wilford, much more of a refined  receiver than Matt Jones, and less of a headcase than Reggie Williams.  That means while he'll never be mistaken for Randy Moss in terms of being a deep threat, he'll be a far more competent and effective receiver than those three WRs from the JDR era, if UM gives him the chance.  I think he would be a good complement to Chark.  If I could draw a parallel, he would be an oversized Keenan to Chark's Jimmy Smith.  With TL's accuracy, Collin Johnson should be a great red zone threat.

That is a very accurate description. 

Agreed. I just wonder how much of a chance he will get with Chark, Jones and Shenault ahead of him, not to mention Etienne lining up at WR on some plays? I liked what i saw from Johnson last season. There is always a place for a big, redzone target with good hands.

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(05-16-2021, 11:25 AM)iHaunting Raven Wrote: If I remember correctly Wilford ran 4.79. Imo Johnson at worst runs 4.65, I think he is around 4.55-4.62.

He can be a decent WR, especially with Lawrence.

I was expecting Johnson to run somewhere in the 4.57 to 4.70 range. Remember, Jerry Rice ran a 4.71/40, so speed isn't everything.

I wonder what the depth chart will be going into camp.

Presumably, it will be something like:

Chark
Shenault
Jones
and then Johnson, Etienne, Dorsett and the rest filling in the rear.

But someone raised a point earlier about Etienne vis-a-vis Shenault.  It seems Etienne will be utilized in many of the same ways that Shenault was used last year.  While it's entirely possible Meyer simply wants more playmakers, it does raise the question of why you should have two guys dong essentially the same thing instead of having 5-6 guys to complement each other.  Who knows what UM, Baalke and Lal concluded after reviewing the tape.

As for Rice's speed, I had always heard he ran in the 4.6 range, but your larger point about speed not being everything still stands.  Wilford could be timed with the OL & DL and might finish in the middle of the pack of the DL, but he wound up being better than faster and higher drafted Reggie Williams and Matt Jones.

But I reiterate that I hope Jimmy Smith is right about Collin Johnson and I hope he gets his shot to thrive in this offense if Smith is right.  While I believe in emphasizing skill players early, it is important to bolster the trenches next year.  Even assuming Walker Little starts this year and upgrades one of the T positions, contracts are expiring, players are aging, and some just flat out need to be replaced, and there's depth needed, and this is just on the O-Line.

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