The NFLDraftguys staff is going to duke it out over the question of whether the most enigmatic players in the 2007 draft class will become their best or worse case scenario right up until the 32 NFL franchises show us their take on those players in Radio City Music Hall on April 28 and 29.
High Side by Sigmund Bloom
Let's just get this out of the way: Ted Ginn can't work the middle of the field, he can't beat the jam at the line of scrimmage, and he can't make the crisp cuts that are required of an NFL wide receiver. Ginn works hard and his dedication is unquestioned, but his body type and playing style may never allow him to do those things.
The poor unfortunate team that drafts Ginn will "only" get a pro bowl level returner and offensive player who MUST be accounted for any time he's on the field. Any smart offensive coordinator will find ways to get Ginn clean releases off the line of scrimmage. Remember, Ginn is raw as a WR, and has much room to improve on his craft. But even if Ginn only becomes the kind of WR that catches the ball 30-40 times a year, 5-10 of those catches will change games. If Devin Hester = value in the 2nd as a pure return specialist, then Ginn is an easy pick in the mid to late first.
Low Side by Sean Baca
5-foot-11, 180 lbs.; some say 6-foot, 180 lbs... I say gadget receiver at best, who will rely on what Devin Hester did last year as proof. Proof that an incredibly gifted return man can be an impact player in the NFL. There is no argument when speaking about his ability to find a crack in the coverage team, it's the coverage a cornerback will apply that begins the debate. Ginn is not sudden enough to get open on anything more than go routes and slants, and even then, only in zone coverage. Ginn has a sprinters lean when he runs, the cardinal sin for a receiver, where the purpose is to not give anything away. His lack of "sudden" movement lumps Ginn in with a long list of special team standouts who wow us with a return here and there and occasionally score on a gadget play of some sort. In the long run, his size says slot, his running style says punt returner and his route running ability says vertical. I say Desmond Howard version 2k7, and in time we'll see what Ginn has to say about it
