Jags have a history of drafting athletic quarterbacks to convert to receivers. Matt Jones was actually doing fairly well prior to his cocaine incident. That season I think he was the leading receiver out of the 2005 draft at the time of his suspension. Even at his worst he was better than guys taken ahead of him like Troy Williamson and Mike Williams.Pryor is a very similar athlete to Jones when he came out. 6-6, around 240 pounds, 4.4 speed, long arms, big hands, basketball hops. Zach Miller is another more recent example, and the two year vet hasn't disappointed other than through injury.
Given the fact that two draft picks were sacrificed in April to move up for targeted players, the club may be willing to give up a 2012 pick for immediate help at a thin position. By moving for Pryor in the supplemental draft they could have him in the system for a full year before they even had to "spend" a draft pick on him. Normally teams trading a future pick for a current pick in the draft pay a premium of one round. If you want a second round pick now, it will cost a first round pick next draft. So, getting Pryor for a third round pick in 2012 (via the supplemental draft) makes it the equivalent of using a fourth rounder now.
Looking at Pryor as a conversion project, is he worth as much as the fourth round receiver the team did take this year, Cecil Shorts? Shorts himself was a former quarterback who converted to receiver in college. He is a couple of years older than Pryor. Given Terrelle's 6-6 frame which can comfortably carry 250 pounds with 4.5 speed and his natural athleticism, he could become a formidable H back type of receiver similar to Antonio Gates. Denver used a fourth round pick this year on Julius Thomas, a former basketball star who only turned to football a year ago as a pass catching tight end. Thomas doesn't have the raw tools of Pryor, and is a year older than the OSU star.All in all, I'd use a third rounder in the supplemental draft on Pryor. Develop him as a receiver who can also fill a "slash" type role and perhaps return punts or kickoffs similar to Brad Smith with the Jets. I believe that Smith may have been a fourth round pick and he wasn't nearly as impressive a physical specimen as Pryor coming out of college.
FanPosts do not necessarily reflect the views of the authors of Big Cat Country or SB Nation.
There are 22 Comments. Load Now.
Shortcuts to mastering the comment thread. Use wisely.
C - Next Comment
X - Mark as Read
R - Reply
Z - Mark Read & Next
Shift + C - Previous
Shift + A - Mark All Read
Comment Settings
Live comment alert: Hide it!
Comments for this post are closed.