Pick #45, 2nd Round: WR Paul Richardson, Colorado

[-The Glove-]

Regarding those dropsies:

Danny Kelly ‏@FieldGulls 14m
John Schneider said that when they turned their card in last night it was Paul Richardson - instead they took him after trading back 2x

Danny Kelly ‏@FieldGulls 14m
Said Richardson had 184 targets and only three drops. "He's too rare for us to pass up"

Danny Kelly ‏@FieldGulls 12m
John Schneider notes that Paul Richardson's average scoring play was 40.5 yards

As m' boy Bill once said, "Tis much ado about nothing."

3 drops? What's all this hand-wringing about small, unreliable hands?

 

[Seahawk Sailor]

3 drops? What's all this hand-wringing about small, unreliable hands?

 

[raisethe3]

What? I thought we were supposed to pick a tall receiver?

 

[SalishHawkFan]

Richardson gives me really strong Mike Wallace vibes.

Good comp. Will be an even better comp after Richardson puts some weight on. Given Seattle's insistence on quality run blocking and need for WR durability, significant weight gain is a guarantee for Richardson. (According to Richardson himself, the guy played at 161 pounds last season. Wow.)

I've always thought Wilson was basically bizarro Big Ben, very different and yet so similar. Bevell's reliance on the big play is a lot like what Arians did with Big Ben and Mike Wallace a few years ago, so in that sense going for a guy like Richardson makes a lot of sense.

I like the Wallace comp because Wallace is a wonderful WR if you pass deep all the time. On deep throws he is one of the very best in the business, but seems pedestrian in pretty much any other situation. Watching Richardson I see a guy that is a pain to defend deep but is otherwise fairly ordinary. The physique and appearance similarities are pretty striking, both guys even share similar arm tatoos.

Richardson is very smooth and fluid getting separation on go routes. He understands horizontal separation is just as valuable as vertical separation. Plus I hear he's an excellent route runner. This is good because what takes rookie WR's 2-3 years to get NFL ready is learning the route tree. That's what made Baldwin an instant splash. He was a good route runner. That's why Tate took until his third year to break out, he was an awful route runner. Richardson should make an impact sooner, not later.

I really, really like this pick. If he busts, he busts, but if he doesn't bust, he's going to be huge. I liken him to DeSean Jackson. Paired with Percy, man this team will be fast!

 

[Seahawk Sailor]

Spot on, Salish. What gets me is looking at other teams drafting receivers and seeing them do well from day one. "Well so-and-so was an immediate impact and our guy got stuck on the PS." A lot of that may be the receiver's route running. Some may be the quarterback. With this combination, we have the best of both. It's entirely possible he's a stud from day one, and we have to make the tough decision whether to cut Rice or Lockette instead. It's a crap shoot, but I'll take this crap shoot over a lot of others out there right now.

 

[Tical21]

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this kid. I watched him play Cal in 2011 and became a huge fan. Dude is all sorts of electric. I was surprised he was so small, because he plays quite a bit bigger. Was really disappointed that he was so banged up for the UW game. Could barely walk and still lit us up for a deep TD. This guy was Colorado's entire offense. The whole defense knew where he was on every play and he still put up big numbers. I disagree that his tape seems rather ordinary. I watch that tape and see lightning quick. What are you hoping to see that he didn't do? Early in the season I was watching him and thinking "I don't know if people know him, but that guy is going to be a playmaker at the next level." I didn't think he had the cache to be taken ahead of some of the others, Robinson in particular, but it doesn't surprise me in the least bit that somebody saw something special in him.

 

[Fuzzman55]

You can tell Richardson was one of the guys they really wanted. Those 'special abilities' made Pete's eyes light up. I'm really looking forward to him beating defenses deep.

 

[-The Glove-]

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this kid. I watched him play Cal in 2011 and became a huge fan. Dude is all sorts of electric. I was surprised he was so small, because he plays quite a bit bigger. Was really disappointed that he was so banged up for the UW game. Could barely walk and still lit us up for a deep TD. This guy was Colorado's entire offense. The whole defense knew where he was on every play and he still put up big numbers. I disagree that his tape seems rather ordinary. I watch that tape and see lightning quick. What are you hoping to see that he didn't do? Early in the season I was watching him and thinking "I don't know if people know him, but that guy is going to be a playmaker at the next level." I didn't think he had the cache to be taken ahead of some of the others, Robinson in particular, but it doesn't surprise me in the least bit that somebody saw something special in him.

There's nothing ordinary about the guy...he flashes off the screen and makes DB's look like c-team track runners. For a quick second it looks like someone might catch him but he kicks it into another gear and is gonw

 

[400WattHPSHawk]

Spot on, Salish. What gets me is looking at other teams drafting receivers and seeing them do well from day one. "Well so-and-so was an immediate impact and our guy got stuck on the PS." A lot of that may be the receiver's route running. Some may be the quarterback. With this combination, we have the best of both. It's entirely possible he's a stud from day one, and we have to make the tough decision whether to cut Rice or Lockette instead. It's a crap shoot, but I'll take this crap shoot over a lot of others out there right now.

We don't cut the Rocket. To valuable on special teams... and he can play.

 

[dontbelikethat]

The more I hear about this guy the more I like the pick! I have gone from "huh?" to being ecstatic.

Same exact feeling. The more I hear, the more I'm loving this pick.

 

[Blitzer88]

I have gone from hating the pick to, could be worse............Hopefully I'll move up a notch tomorrow.

 

[DJrmb]

Didn't know much about Richardson but the more I am finding the more I like. This video from NFL.com really made a big impact for me:

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-playe...Paul-Richardson-I-ll-be-able-to-be-successful

1. He's up to 180 and plans to play at 190, and said he's gained speed from the added strength

2. He was actually rated ahead of guys like Marqise Lee and Devonte Adams by a few people so not as big a reach as some of you arm chair GM's are trying to make it out to be.

3. Damn this dude is crazy fast!

4. He seems to have a knack for making the catch in traffic, which is a good trait to have and something a lot of college WR's can never figure out in the NFL where there is less separation on every play and more contested catches.

 

[LAMike1]

Sorry if already posted but there are too many posts to read through. Per Richardson's Twitter post, he will officially wear #10. Let the DeSean Jackson comparisons continue...

 

[400WattHPSHawk]

Spot on, Salish. What gets me is looking at other teams drafting receivers and seeing them do well from day one. "Well so-and-so was an immediate impact and our guy got stuck on the PS." A lot of that may be the receiver's route running. Some may be the quarterback. With this combination, we have the best of both. It's entirely possible he's a stud from day one, and we have to make the tough decision whether to cut Rice or Lockette instead. It's a crap shoot, but I'll take this crap shoot over a lot of others out there right now.

We don't cut the Rocket. To valuable on special teams... and he can play.

Show yourselves Modulators who doo edit. Don't hide yourself.

 

[CPHawk]

My first thought with this pick- the interest Seattle put out there for Brandin Cooks was probably legit. Cooks and Richardson were the two mini-speedsters from this draft with good route running.

I think Richardson's game tape is very ordinary, but at least he has plenty of room on his frame to add weight and it makes sense that Seattle would target a vertical threat WR.

Seattle has made good use out of bland prospects before. Bobby Wagner's college game tape was so boring it would put you in a coma, but he's been a valuable player for Seattle. Luke Willson had boring college tape, but had a good rookie season. Kearse and Zach Miller are kind of boring, but they are clutch and they help the team in multiple ways.

Besides, many of the players we've been talking about are still on the board, and I'm guessing a few will still be there in the 4th and 5th rounds, where Seattle has four picks now. Maybe we still end up with a few favorites.

Yeah but let's admit it, your list has some flaws, and half the guys you rated in the bottom half are drafted before guys you had in the middle. No scouts have UCLA WR Shaq Evans that high, he never showed he was that good in school.

 

[TXHawk]

As much as I liked our "pedestrian" WR group last year they had problems in a few games getting separation and I think the Richardson pick is an attempt to address that. Put him and Harvick on the field at the same time and their speed will definitely put some stress on the defense which will have to account for them and should also help ADB, Kearse, or whoever else happens to be on the field. It will also help keep safeties from cheating up into the box which should free up some room for Beast Mode to operate.

I like this pick.

 

[RiverDog]

I don't like this pick, but that's nothing new. Except for PC/JS's first round picks in 2010, I haven't liked a single first out of the gate selection of ours since. James Carpenter, Bruce Irvin, Christine Michael, and now Paul Richardson.

He's not Tate's replacement. Tate was a very underrated blocker. I can't see this guy blocking on much larger defensive backs and linebackers. He had to bulk up just to get to 180 lbs. dripping wet. In a run first offense, that relegates him to a 3rd down receiver in a 3 or 4 wide out package, perhaps a punt or KO returner. He won't do anything else on special teams. Plus he's damaged goods and he has trouble making the easy catches. Oh, joy! Another Koren Robinson. He's not a top 50 player, and please, don't tell me that we got in just ahead of some other team that would have taken him. That's a very poor way of justifying a pick.

Lord, I can just imagine the Rams secondary licking their chops with this guy. Remember how they rang up Tate in our last regular season game? This guy is going to get killed.

 

[bmorepunk]

1. He's up to 180 and plans to play at 190, and said he's gained speed from the added strength.

That's good that he noticed that; even in the NFL the recognize that stronger means faster and more explosive gets lost sometimes. I can't believe that some of the NFL S&C coaches are getting paid to do the programming for some of these players. Of course it's easy to still look good doing that job in a sub-optimal fashion if you have nothing but the best athletes as your trainees who would adapt to just about anything.

Get this kid in the squat rack and add a gallon of whole milk a day to his diet. He'll be beasting just in time for camps.

 

[Hasselbeck]

So fitting he is going to wear #10 since he's basically DeSean Jackson sans the gang affiliation

 

[MB12]

Sounds like he will return some kickoffs and punts:

"I really enjoy returning. I did a lot at Colorado and I would love to get the opportunity to do it again"

Also, after seeing him in interviews, he seems pretty switched on. This pick is growing on me more and more.