Eddie Royal Highights

[DenBronx]

makes you wonder why this guy was over looked. this guy might be the next big thing in the return game fellas. less pressure on our offense = more points!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=rloo1rd4Bl4

http://youtube.com/watch?v=sCGy5FYAuEI&feature=related

[JONtheBRONCO]

Broncos selected Virginia Tech WR Eddie Royal with the No. 42 pick.

Not a great size and speed guy, but Royal has terrific short-area quickness. He runs professional routes and has good hands. In short, he's the type of receiver we love and Mike Shanahan can mold into a solid starter. As a rookie, he'll compete for snaps with Darrell Jackson and Keary Colbert, who are just short-term fixes. He could be undervalued in dynasty leagues.

[DenBronx]

Broncos selected Virginia Tech WR Eddie Royal with the No. 42 pick.

Not a great size and speed guy, but Royal has terrific short-area quickness. He runs professional routes and has good hands. In short, he's the type of receiver we love and Mike Shanahan can mold into a solid starter. As a rookie, he'll compete for snaps with Darrell Jackson and Keary Colbert, who are just short-term fixes. He could be undervalued in dynasty leagues.

not a great speed guy? he ran a 4.3!!!

[lex]

Broncos selected Virginia Tech WR Eddie Royal with the No. 42 pick.

Not a great size and speed guy, but Royal has terrific short-area quickness. He runs professional routes and has good hands. In short, he's the type of receiver we love and Mike Shanahan can mold into a solid starter. As a rookie, he'll compete for snaps with Darrell Jackson and Keary Colbert, who are just short-term fixes. He could be undervalued in dynasty leagues.

Of the smallish WRs he's actually strong enough to fight for position.

[lex]

not a great speed guy? he ran a 4.3!!!

You missed the size part.

BTW, its worth pointing out that Va Tech, year in and year out, is probably the best team in college football at special teams. Someone correctly pointed out in the other thread that we need something/someone in place to block for him.

[honz]

He is also 20 pounds STRONGER than DeSean Jackson.

[Lonestar]

He is also 20 pounds STRONGER than DeSean Jackson.



WOW..

[honz]

WOW..
Mmmmkay!

[LRtagger]

he's not a bad player, but was a reach at 42. Laws or Simms would have been the better pick...even Dre Moore.

[Requiem / The Dagda]

he's not a bad player, but was a reach at 42. Laws or Simms would have been the better pick...even Dre Moore.

Is he a reach at #42 when PFW evaluations of teams boards showed he was a high second rounder? He's a reach in your mind because you didn't get the player you wanted. That's not how it works. (Unfortunately.)

[xzn]

24 Reps of 225 at the 'bine and one rep max of 365! That's very nearly DOUBLE his body mass!!

All time ACC leader in punt return yards.

4,698 total career yards.

http://www.nfl.com/draft/profiles/eddie-royal?id=1990

[NameUsedBefore]

I would have preferred a ILB/DT, but I like him as a pick for receiver.

[Coast Guard]

From NFL.com...

Pick Analysis:Royal has been compared to Carolina wide receiver Steve Smith. The Broncos need a return man and he can fit the bill. He's incredibly strong for his size and can get behind the defense.

[Watchthemiddle]

Being that we have struggled on special teams and returing punts/kick offs since Gordon was here....I like this pick.

[xzn]

If he's only an above average return man he's still worth the pick. If he develops as a slot receiver, better yet. If he figures out how to utilize his upper body strength to get off the press at the los and becomes our #2 wideout with Marshall in the future he'll be a friggin' steal.

[LRtagger]

Is he a reach at #42 when PFW evaluations of teams boards showed he was a high second rounder? He's a reach in your mind because you didn't get the player you wanted. That's not how it works. (Unfortunately.)

Says the guy who thought DeSean Jackson wouldnt be a bad pick at #12 for us

ANY return man at pick #42 is a reach...but if PFW says he could be an early second rounder, then we would be dumb to pass up all the good DT's on the board for him!

BTW, he is the #13 WR on nfldraftcountdown.com, the 9th best WR on Rivals, fftoolbox.com has him as the #97 player overall, GBN has him at #57 overall, The Herald Online doesn't have him in their top 75 (Dexter is #75), etc

Yes I would have liked to have had DEXTER, but that is because he provides VALUE with a 4th round pick. There is no value in a returner at pick #42, especially for the Denver Broncos who have multiple needs WR not being one of them. We could have traded out of this pick, picked up a late second and a third...or two thirds...and still picked a guy like this in the 3rd or fourth...all the while adding another much needed pick.

[Brand]

Two "need" picks with highly rated players and some guys are griping. It doesn't matter who the Broncos pick, nearly half the posters here will be trashing the pick!

Frankly, I have no impact on who they pick, so I don't get too worked up about it. The value of the picks will be seen at TC and the values will be measured three years from now. Except Royal may be able to make an impact fairly soon....

Trade with whom? You got a link to the phone at Dove Valley?

[haroldthebarrel]

Says the guy who thought DeSean Jackson wouldnt be a bad pick at #12 for us

ANY return man at pick #42 is a reach...but if PFW says he could be an early second rounder, then we would be dumb to pass up all the good DT's on the board for him!

BTW, he is the #13 WR on nfldraftcountdown.com, the 9th best WR on Rivals, fftoolbox.com has him as the #97 player overall, GBN has him at #57 overall, The Herald Online doesn't have him in their top 75 (Dexter is #75), etc

Yes I would have liked to have had DEXTER, but that is because he provides VALUE with a 4th round pick. There is no value in a returner at pick #42, especially for the Denver Broncos who have multiple needs WR not being one of them. We could have traded out of this pick, picked up a late second and a third...or two thirds...and still picked a guy like this in the 3rd or fourth...all the while adding another much needed pick.

I couldnt give a **EDIT** what anybody else says about royal... we could have gotten laws or connor at this pick. i suscpet we will rue in the end....!

[UnderArmour]

At first, I clueless as to who this guy was. But he actually looks like a quality pick, I think he'll be a big player for us.

[Drill-N-Fill]

Analysis

Positives: Has a well-built upper body with a tight abdomen, good muscle thickness in his chest, back, shoulders and arms and valid timed speed to threaten the deep secondary...Best on controlled routes, as he is slippery getting under defenders and finding the soft areas on the field...Does a nice job of working back when the quarterback is pressured...Relies a lot on his quickness in and out of his breaks to gain separation...Will trap the ball at times, but shows soft hands and good vision to look the ball in over his outside shoulder...Despite his explosive speed, he is patient letting blocks develop on returns...Does a good job of moving laterally to avoid tackles and has a short pitter-patter running style to elude in space...Will lose his concentration at times, but is a tough, fearless receiver combating for the ball in a crowd...Likes to get the ball in pressure situations and has a keen knowledge of defensive coverage...Can sneak up on a cornerback to gobble up the cushion and get behind the defender in an instant...Hard worker in the weight room and has a good grasp of the playbook...The staff feels his knowledge and love for the game will make him a coaching candidate one day...Shows good body tilt and lean, along with the burst and acceleration to surprise a lethargic defender, showing good stutter-step moves with above-average balance in attempts to escape after the catch...Has the ability to eat up the cushion with his speed and does a nice job of dropping his pads and exploding out of his cuts (will drift on long patterns)...Can generate power in his running stride, using effective head-and-shoulder fakes while stemming and stabbing to set up the defenders...Has a nice set of gears that he uses to change the pace of his running stride...Makes good body adjustments to get under the ball and is quick to find the soft spot in coverage...Will go vertical and lay out to haul in the ball near the sideline...Adjusts well underneath and can take a shot and hold on to the ball when working in traffic...Makes a good effort to snatch the ball at his shoestrings or extend to reach and pluck at its high point...Has natural hands and while he will trap at times, he shows ease of movement with his arm extension...Has the body control to adjust to off-target tosses and shows good vision and run instincts...Times his leaps well and has the quick burst to separate...Good pester-type blocker in the open, doing a nice job of taking defenders off their feet with cut blocks (needs more bulk to sustain when blocking in-line, though)...Shows a good wiggle and quick feet to get past the initial tackler and when he maintains focus on the ball, he will come up with some spectacular aerial grabs...Has the leaping ability to explode in his jumps to reach the high point...Has the vision to locate defenders, making his an efficient runner on screens and reverses...Has the upper-body strength to break arm tackles...Also shows a decent arm to throw the option pass.

Negatives: Has a strong build, but his frame is at maximum growth potential, leaving no room for needed additional bulk...Has a muscular upper body, but possesses a small bubble and just adequate thickness in his thighs and hamstrings...Has very good timed speed, but is inconsistent getting a sudden burst off the snap...Despite his upper-body strength, he struggles to avoid getting a clean release vs. press coverage, which causes him to get redirected in his routes too often for a player with his power...An inconsistent route-runner who will drift on deep routes and takes soft-angle cuts when going long distances...Is more effective on controlled and short-area routes, but needs to be more consistent when attempting to plant and drive to gain separation...Tough player, but will have some concentration lapses, along with a penchant for trapping the ball, leading to a share of dropped balls...Can make the initial tackler miss when working in space, but is not a very shifty route runner and needs to be more crisp in his turns coming out of his breaks...Scrappy cut blocker with a good concept for taking angles to stalk second level defenders, but because of size issues, he can be walked back into the pocket when trying to block in-line...Has had some minor injury problems, leading to some durability concerns...Must do a better job extending for the ball, as he likes to let it into his body too often (has just adequate hands)...Good competitor, but will get frustrated when he can't escape the jam to get into his route (lets that affect him for several plays, getting take out of his game).

[vtroper]

Although I am admittedly biased as a VT alum and season ticket holder, I'm thrilled to see Denver spend an early pick to solve it's KR and PR issues. When you think about how many 3rd, 4th and 5th round picks we wasted on guys over the years in hopes of filling that ellusive KR/PR void, I'm happy to have a guy who we can stick back there for 6-8 years and not have to worry about.

Royal may or may not ever be a true #2 WR, but he'll be a great slot guy after the Stokley era comes to an end. I was always disappointed that he never got to play with a consistent QB in college and am excited to see what he can do with a pro like Cutler.

Although he was projected as a mid to late 2nd rounder in most mocks I saw, I have no issue "reaching" for him over guys like DeSean Jackson. Jackson strikes me as a guy with similar ability that had much more hype because he played in a pass happy conference. Considering some of the attitude issues we've already had with Brandon Marshall, I'm happy to have Eddie Royal's Eagle Scout attitude rather then another locker room problem in Jackson.

[lex]

If Denver has to play a game in Europe, I wonder if he'll be Eddie Royale?

[xzn]

The part of his scouting report I really, really like is how his coaches think that he's the type who will end up as a coach in the future because of his intelligence and passion for detail.

He sounds very grounded and smart in the conference call.

I have to admit that I was upset at first when we took him instead of De Sean, but after I checked the grill and walked my dog I realized that he is just a bigger and stronger version of De Sean.

I was probably biased to Jackson having seen him play as a prep at Long Beach Poly.

[haroldthebarrel]

never ever justify your pick after its selected. your first impression is always the right..... i have exp since the begiinning of this century..........!!!!!!!!! i suspect we will be sorry we dint take connor or laws.

[Dreadnought]

The part of his scouting report I really, really like is how his coaches think that he's the type who will end up as a coach in the future because of his intelligence and passion for detail.

He sounds very grounded and smart in the conference call.


Yeah, I'm impressed with this aspect of the kid too. I'm beginning to think the Broncs really meant it when they promised to bring in higher character guys. It will be a pleasure to root for him.

[Requiem / The Dagda]

On knowing the Broncos were interested in him

“I had an idea. I spoke with them at the Senior Bowl, but I was totally shocked when I was picked. I got the call from [Head] Coach [Mike] Shanahan, and I wasn’t expecting it at all.”



On his ability to return kicks

“I definitely feel like I can come in and be that guy. I can come in and make plays on special teams and be a guy that teams are scared to kick the ball to. I definitely look forward to doing that and making an impact right away.”



On if he prefers returning punts or kickoffs

“It doesn’t matter. I feel comfortable doing both. I have had more success on punt returns, but I love doing them both. If it involves catching the ball and making plays for my team, I’ll do it.”



On making an immediate impact with the Broncos

“I’m hoping they need me a lot because I want to come in right away and play. At the opening game, I look to be the starter back there returning kicks and punts. Hopefully I can do that. Mostly, I want to show the coaches that I am mature enough to come in right away and play.”



On why he believes he is a better punt returner than kickoff returner

“I don’t believe I am a better punt returner than kick returner. It is just that I have had more success returning punts. I think that I will be able to come in and be effective at both.”



On how long it will take to see time on offense

“Hopefully not too long. I think the coaches will see me out there making plays on special teams and say, ‘Hey we gotta get this guy the ball on the offense.’ Hopefully not long at all.”



On learning how to play the slot position from Broncos WR Brandon Stokley

“It is great to have someone like him to learn from. He really studies the game and he knows the business. He is one of those guys that may not have the big name but is always productive. He is like the Ed McCaffrey type, the silent killer.”



On being drafted ahead of other big-name receivers

“I really was surprised. I didn’t know what to expect out of the receivers in the first round, and that kind of made me nervous but the great thing is that [Head] Coach [Mike] Shanahan has a lot of respect and he gave me this chance, so I am going to get out there and give him all I got.”



On being drafted before California’s DeSean Jackson

“A lot of coaches have told me different thing comparing some of the things that he does to what I do. We are similar players, but at the same time we do some things differently. I think it really depended on what the team was looking for. I think my personality and me being more mature definitely helped with the selection.”

[Requiem / The Dagda]

Wow, I love the guy even more now. Sounds like a real good guy.

[lex]

Royal is a better all around player than Jackson.

[FJC_77]

On learning how to play the slot position from Broncos WR Brandon Stokley

“It is great to have someone like him to learn from. He really studies the game and he knows the business. He is one of those guys that may not have the big name but is always productive. He is like the Ed McCaffrey type, the silent killer.”


Sounds like he's got a good head on his shoulders

Gotta love the Eddy Mac reference

[Broncospsycho77]

What a suck up w/ the Eddy Mac reference :lol: He's got a home here forever.

On a different note, the more I look at him, the more I like him. High character guy who is also intelligent... the perfect Shanahan player. Hope he has a future here.

[G_Money]

Pros:

+ We NEED a damn return game. Our field position suckitude cost us games last year. That HAS to stop. Cutler can't go 84 yards every drive, and our D can't stop the other team from gaining just 20 yards to kick field goals. We have to be able to switch the field position battle in our favor occasionally, and a great returner helps us do that.

+ Royal can flat out fly on the football field, and he can do it in 4 steps. I don't care what timed speed you run with your hand down, I care how fast you go from catching the ball and turning to being at full-speed. Royal's as fast as it as anyone. That said, his top gear isn't as elite as some, but he can change direction at full speed with those punchy strides of his.

+ He has great open-field AND in-traffic vision and exceedingly fast hips and knees - he can cut on a dime and give change. He's also not a dropsies guy and is pretty fearless. When I saw him he wasn't the sort to hear footsteps. If you killed him on one catch he didn't get alligator arms on the next pass thrown his way. That's part of the reason he works out like a fiend.

+ He works out like a fiend - like Cutler and Marshall. He lives in the weight room, which is awfully impressive for a little guy (and unlike some I could mention...one of whom rhymes with Teshaun).

+ He's a character guy. With some of the shlubs we've had it's nice to get a guy who's well-spoken and unlikely to be arrested by the cops for holding his GF hostage or punching a cabbie.

Cons:


- Yes, he was great at returns in college...but VT RULES the special teams ouvre every year. It's not just him - there are 11 perfectly trained men working in unison to achieve a goal on every ST play. In Bronco-land our guys just run around in circles and hope defenders bump into them and fall down. Without 10 other guys doing their jobs (instead of saying, "Wedge? WTH is a wedge?")
he's not going to be as big an improvement as we'd hope.

- We have to get the ball in his hands for his top-notch speed to come into play, and that may be tough to accomplish. He plays a slot, Stokley's better in the slot (tho we're gonna try him outside, but if he CAN'T play outside...) and other than some reverses and short routes we may not be able to work a lot of offensive plays for him with Scheffler taking "slot" passes as well. I would hope we'd run him on some fly patterns occasionally, but we just don't run a lot - possibly because we haven't had people who can either a) run them or b) catch the ball when they did run them.

- He'll have the same problem outside that I expect Stokley to have - size. We use our wides to block like madmen, and while he's almost certainly gonna be willing, we'll see how able he is. With his strength, I hope he'll be better on that side than I expect Stokley to be.

- WR scheme. The Broncos usually like to have wides whose abilities mirror each other so teams can't key on plays by who the player is running them. For a slot receiver it's not terribly important, but for a #2... Stokley and Royal could mirror each other, but neither can mirror our #1, Marshall. It's just gonna require a planning change by the head man, which might do him some good - some of our calls have gotten stale anyway.

- Slot/KR as a position in the high 2nd concerns me some. I understand missing out on Devin Hester burned Shanny, but we're not a perfect fit for a small WR as we already HAVE one. However, with Stokley's career likely winding down it's nice to have a pretty damn perfect replacement as his understudy, who will hopefully be taking some to the house in the meantime.

Overall:

I give it a solid 87/100. I like Eddie, he's a good dude, he works HARD which ALL Broncos wides should (and whadda ya know, Marshall and Stokley are all ass-busters too), we FINALLY have some stability for kickoffs at the returner position. He has good hands which could become great, has terrific vision in traffic which is a must for a slot guy, and should be a pleasant surprise for the offense. We'll see about the blocking, and whether he can ever be more than a slot (which for the Broncos with their pass-catching TE is sort of a hybrid position anyway and can diminish the impact of a pure slot receiver). He DOES have Steve Smith potential, but so few guys ever hit that kind of potential that it's unfair to expect it of him. If he's Just Eddie Royal, that could be enough.

Compared to some of the other small-fast-kick-return-burner types I like him better on the balance, and rather than focus on who I might have liked to pick and instead on who we did pick, by his own merits Royal comes out fine.

And maybe in a couple of years if we still can't block our way out of a paper bag on Special Teams then he can take over the coaching job on that squad too.

"Listen, at Va Tech I didn't have 10 dudes coming down field at me unblocked. See this formation? It's called a 'wedge.' Repeat after me: 'Wedddgge...'"

~G

[Broncospsycho77]

Pros:

suckitude



- Yes, he was great at returns in college...but VT RULES the special teams ouvre every year. It's not just him - there are 11 perfectly trained men working in unison to achieve a goal on every ST play. In Bronco-land our guys just run around in circles and hope defenders bump into them and fall down. Without 10 other guys doing their jobs (instead of saying, "Wedge? WTH is a wedge?")
he's not going to be as big an improvement as we'd hope.



~G

"Suckitude" might be my new favorite word.

And about the VT thing... just as you said/typed, I'm hoping that Royal rubs off some of that Hokie magic in between the offense and defensive downs, and we act as a coherent unit for once. Shanny knows offense, gives defense to someone else... it took us a few years too many, but might as well focus on special teams sooner or later.

[DenBronx]

once again....i keep seeing people say he doesnt have speed. he ran a 4.3 forty people....damn!

would a 4.2999 be better?

[shank]

i'm ok with the pick, was relieved that we didn't get desean, and then disappointed that we chose a guy pretty similar to jackson.

eddie royal is like desean with a good attitude and an extra 18? lbs. i would have gone a diff direction, but i think royal will be a good returner, and will at the very least take over in the slot after stokely hangs em up.

a stater would have been nice though, and i don't see royal doing anything as a returner if we don't help him out with some better blocking.

[nj10]

As much as I wanted us to draft Micheal Crabtree next year. (or the one after) We may not need him from looking at this guy's highlights.

[nj10]

Though I still want us to give Danny Amendola a chance in the later rounds.

Alot of repeat highlights, but still pretty good:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-zNzpwKxEA

[G_Money]

once again....i keep seeing people say he doesnt have speed. he ran a 4.3 forty people....damn!

would a 4.2999 be better?

He has speed. Don't let anybody tell you he's slow.

But he runs on the football field with short, punchy strides. They let him change direction FAST but they limit his top end speed while on the football field.

There will be points where a real burner at CB can catch him. His strength lies in his ability to go up through his gears faster than you.

Picture a race car.

Race car ER has 4 gears but can accelerate through all of them to top speed faster than any other car.

Race car X has 5 gears but takes longer to get through all the gears up to 5. In that 5th gear, in a straight sprint, X will catch ER eventually.

But if you're stopping and starting, or just blowing off a line to a specific point before car X can GET to that 5th gear, ER's gonna win.

Double moves, quick hitches, WR screens, pitches...Eddie Royal is gonna win. In the open field, Eddie's likely to win. Corners who like to bite on angles? Eddie can change direction FAST - he's gonna win.

Where he's not gonna win are jump balls, Deep routes w/o double moves (That give the faster cb's time to recover), and currently sharp post routes (he rounds off routes right now which will allow DBs recovery time as well - Stokley will teach him how not to do that).

Press coverage shouldn't bother him too much - that's the reason he's a strong, STRONG dude, to make up for his size that way.

I look forward to watching Royal take WR screens to the same side that Marshall is on and having Giant Marshall seal the side for Royal to explode down the sideline.

That should be fun.

Double moves making a guy look stupid as Royal stops and starts again while the DB's shoes are falling off should also be amusing.

We'll see how much of that we see from him the first year and how much has to wait for year 2+ as he learns his way around the pros.

~G

[WARHORSE]

never ever justify your pick after its selected. your first impression is always the right..... i have exp since the begiinning of this century..........!!!!!!!!! i suspect we will be sorry we dint take connor or laws.


I hate to disagree but imo Connors is a wimp. Tackles like a girl. Nothing worse than watching your linebackers make tackles by dragging someone down. Thats the problem with Connors. No PACT in him being an impact player. He doesnt smack people around, and if you play LB here, you gotta be a backhander.

I like Laws, but there are going to be a bunch of DTs available to us in the fourth, along with RBs.

I think this is a great pick now that Ive seen it, and we have addressed the RETURN game and hopefully made it a force to contend with. Its a very solid pick that meets alot of need for us. Strong, can separate (great for Cutler) and get open quickly, not afraid of contact, is super football smart, and can return very, very well.


Not what I expected, but I like it.

And btw, I DO hope hes the next Steve Smith. Id settle for Santana Moss though.:beer:

[Scarface]

I like this pick a lot. He's an excellent returner. He can play in the slot. He'll develop as a receiver over the next few years but still contribute as a returner in the meantime. Mayock has been very high on him. Nice pick.

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff302/ScarfaceBroncos2007/NFL%20Draft%2008/WR/71923332.jpg
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff302/ScarfaceBroncos2007/NFL%20Draft%2008/WR/51824245-1.jpg
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff302/ScarfaceBroncos2007/NFL%20Draft%2008/WR/vt_hokieRoyal002b.jpg

[Scarface]

I hate to disagree but imo Connors is a wimp. Tackles like a girl. Nothing worse than watching your linebackers make tackles by dragging someone down. Thats the problem with Connors. No PACT in him being an impact player. He doesnt smack people around, and if you play LB here, you gotta be a backhander.

I like Laws, but there are going to be a bunch of DTs available to us in the fourth, along with RBs.

I think this is a great pick now that Ive seen it, and we have addressed the RETURN game and hopefully made it a force to contend with. Its a very solid pick that meets alot of need for us. Strong, can separate (great for Cutler) and get open quickly, not afraid of contact, is super football smart, and can return very, very well.


Not what I expected, but I like it.

And btw, I DO hope hes the next Steve Smith. Id settle for Santana Moss though.:beer:

Plus Connors is slow. As for Laws Casserly said he had a 3rd or 4th rd grade but would go higher because after Ellis and Dorsey the DT class is weak. We're not missing out on anything special, imo.

[omac]

makes you wonder why this guy was over looked. this guy might be the next big thing in the return game fellas. less pressure on our offense = more points!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=rloo1rd4Bl4

http://youtube.com/watch?v=sCGy5FYAuEI&feature=related

Thanks for the vid; I'm warming up to this selection more and more. I checked up on Jackson's highlights for comparison ....

http://youtube.com/watch?v=N2mlNn45Mh0

Both very similar, both very fast, both with excellent vision, and both very smart runners; Jackson's faster and quicker, a bit more elusive, and probably a better WR too (although in Royal's highlight film, he had to wait on the ball a lot). But what I liked about Royal is that he plays physical, and always seems to be moving forward, just changing gears as he jukes someone, but moving forward. Jackson seems to like to take risks and go lateral (or backward) a lot, looking for the homerun. If they were RB's, Jackson would be Reggie Bush, and Royal would be Marshawn Lynch.

[G_Money]

If they were RB's, Jackson would be Reggie Bush, and Royal would be Maurice Jones-Drew.

Fixed that for you ;) but otherwise I'm right with you.

~G

[omac]

Fixed that for you ;) but otherwise I'm right with you.

~G

Hehe, I'm pretty high on Marshawn Lynch. :D

[Scarface]

Marshawn is a sick RB.

[DenBronx]

New nick name for Eddie

Eddie "Crown" Royal
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k272/DenBronx/untitled-5.jpg

[DenBronx]

Thanks for the vid; I'm warming up to this selection more and more. I checked up on Jackson's highlights for comparison ....

http://youtube.com/watch?v=N2mlNn45Mh0

Both very similar, both very fast, both with excellent vision, and both very smart runners; Jackson's faster and quicker, a bit more elusive, and probably a better WR too (although in Royal's highlight film, he had to wait on the ball a lot). But what I liked about Royal is that he plays physical, and always seems to be moving forward, just changing gears as he jukes someone, but moving forward. Jackson seems to like to take risks and go lateral (or backward) a lot, looking for the homerun. If they were RB's, Jackson would be Reggie Bush, and Royal would be Marshawn Lynch.


I also think Cal was more offensive minded than VT.

[omac]

Marshawn is a sick RB.

Yep, 1000 yards in his rookie season, showed smarts and patience in allowing his blocks to develop, runs with a lot of toughness, like the time Denver had about 3 or 4 defenders pushing him back, but then he powers through, losing his helmet in the process, but gaining the 1st down. Too bad he was overshadowed by AD. :D

[omac]

I also think Cal was more offensive minded than VT.

I haven't seen them play, but I read an article saying they use 2 quarterbacks; one for passing, the other for running. Doesn't seem like they have confidence in either quarterback playing a full role, so they don't sound very confident offensively.

[Stargazer]

Jackson's faster and quicker, a bit more elusive, and probably a better WR too

Which is why it baffles me if Denver is going to go midget WR in round 2, they select Royal over Jackson. Just stupid.:tsk:

[omac]

Which is why it baffles me if Denver is going to go midget WR in round 2, they select Royal over Jackson. Just stupid.:tsk:

They probably see Royal as a better fit for their return game. If your argument is that Denver needs a WR now, NFL analysts have shown it usually takes WR's 3 years to develop, so even if they did take Jackson, it would be unlikely that he would be a definite contributer to the passing game this season.

Like I said in my post, I just think Denver likes the more physical style of Royal.

Btw, here's an article saying how Denver had plans of getting Hester, but didn't have the ammunition for it. If true, they probably have a good idea of what they're doing. It's in hindsight, though, so take it with a grain of salt.

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/apr/26/broncos-take-kr-royal-second-pick/


The team loved Devin Hester, who emerged into a record-breaking force as a return man for the Chicago Bears the last two years.

But Denver traded a high second-round pick in the Javon Walker deal in April 2006, and gave up a third-rounder selection to take quarterback Jay Cutler, leaving them with no leverage to move up when Hester was available.

[G_Money]

Originally Posted by omac
Jackson's faster and quicker, a bit more elusive, and probably a better WR too

Which is why it baffles me if Denver is going to go midget WR in round 2, they select Royal over Jackson. Just stupid.:tsk:

Because the first time Desean goes over the middle in the NFL he'll eat his teeth and spend a month coughing up rib particles.

Jackson's very good in open space and on kickoffs. He's not a great route runner, he's VERY slender (Royal isn't) and I don't think he can actually survive as a slot receiver in the pros.

Which means he's a deep fly guy who will get manhandled by press coverage due to his puny frame.

Could Jackson be a great kick returner? Yeah.

But if he isn't, I don't know what kind of wide receiver he can be. He was in a pass-happy system all his college years and still isn't crisp.

Royal was in a "make it up as you go" offense, is an absolute brick for his size, can handle press-coverage even at his height and has lots of growth and refinement left to get while he's dashing for the endzone on kickoffs and punts for us.

If they were my two choices, I'd take Royal too. He can do things to compensate for his size while still playing the role he's meant for (slot). I don't think Desean can, which leaves him touching the ball strictly on designed plays and punts/kicks.

Royal has more of a chance IMO to turn into an actual WR who is also a stellar kick returner.

That's the fun thing about the draft though...we'll all see who was right and who was...optimistic. :beer:

~G

[topscribe]

once again....i keep seeing people say he doesnt have speed. he ran a 4.3 forty people....damn!

would a 4.2999 be better?

Sounds as if some have never seen him play, have never seen any of his
highlights, and have never read any scouting reports on him. It seems some
just hear the name, and all the sudden they know all about him. :coffee:

-----

[slim]

Because the first time Desean goes over the middle in the NFL he'll eat his teeth and spend a month coughing up rib particles.

Jackson's very good in open space and on kickoffs. He's not a great route runner, he's VERY slender (Royal isn't) and I don't think he can actually survive as a slot receiver in the pros.

Which means he's a deep fly guy who will get manhandled by press coverage due to his puny frame.

Could Jackson be a great kick returner? Yeah.

But if he isn't, I don't know what kind of wide receiver he can be. He was in a pass-happy system all his college years and still isn't crisp.

Royal was in a "make it up as you go" offense, is an absolute brick for his size, can handle press-coverage even at his height and has lots of growth and refinement left to get while he's dashing for the endzone on kickoffs and punts for us.

If they were my two choices, I'd take Royal too. He can do things to compensate for his size while still playing the role he's meant for (slot). I don't think Desean can, which leaves him touching the ball strictly on designed plays and punts/kicks.

Royal has more of a chance IMO to turn into an actual WR who is also a stellar kick returner.

That's the fun thing about the draft though...we'll all see who was right and who was...optimistic. :beer:

~G


Couldn't agree more. I really don't see the issue here. I guess D. Jackson was the "sexy" pick. Screw that. Royal was the right pick.

[atwater27]

Looks like at least Dante Hall caliber. but this guy can actually catch.

[shank]

lol, i just remembered this:
lex, i'm sorry to have to do this to you...


eddie royal is looking very good. i think mayock said he may be propelling himself into the 2nd round... do you buy it?


No.

http://www.broncosforums.com/forums/showthread.php?p=151733&highlight=royal#post151733


i was a fan or royal's for a while haha. (lex, i didn't buy it at the time either ;))

[WARHORSE]

Royal is the better reciever. DeSean Jackson is afraid to get hit. Ive seen it. If youre afraid to get hit in college, just wait till you see guys like Patrick Willis waiting in the middle for you........or Laron Landry.

I would have been PISSED if we chose DeSean.

I like Eddie Royal even more now that Ive heard him speak.

http://football.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ/Ya&sdn=football&cdn=sports&tm=5&gps=92_101_1020_563&f=22&tt=14&bt=1&bts=1&zu=http%3A//denverbroncos.com/

This guy is going to be productive in both aspects of the game, and I for one would not be surprised at all if he eats up the playbook and plays early at WR.

[SmilinAssasSin27]

Year GP Rec Yds YPC TD
2004 12 28 470 16.8 3
2005 13 27 315 11.7 2
2006 13 31 497 16.0 3
2007 13 33 496 15.0 4
Totals 51 119 1,778 14.9 12


I know durability issues were listed, but look at the number of games played...

[r8rh8r]

This pick is a complete train wreck. If Denver wanted a prospect at receiver, they should have taken one of the 5 higher quality players still on the board. If they wanted an elite kick returner, they should have taken Dexter or DeSean Jackson. With this pick, they want to have their cake and eat it too.

Royal has zero potential to be an elite kick returner in the NFL. He'll be capable in that role and should be a field position upgrade in 2008, assuming his compartment syndrome is cured (I have a buddy who has this and he eventually needed a series of corrective surgeries). Good at everything, elite at nothing, I think Denver was trying to accomplish too much with this pick. Ultimately, they are going to have a serviceable backup player at multiple positions and a slightly above-average punt returner.

I'm disappointed. I did a more detailed write up at my blog (in my sig).

[threefolddead]

I like him cause his names Eddie :D

[vtroper]

Again, as someone who saw Royal in person 22 (maybe 23 times) over his college career, I have zero doubts that Royal will be a better WR then D Jackson.

Royal was a 4 year starter and led VT in recieving as a freshman. Virginia Tech is and has always been a run first team and Royal had to share reps since the day he stepped on campus with 3 other WR's (Justin Harper and Josh Morgan who will likely be drafted today and Josh Hymen who will likely be picked up as a FA)

Jackson if I remember correctly, despite being a very high recruit played only sparringly his freshman year in a pass happy conference and then left after his junior year.

Again, my point is, while Jackson may be a slightly better returner, I have no doubt Royal would of put up equal or better recieving numbers if he had played at Cal, and will make much more of an impact on the offensive side on the ball then Jackson. Not to mention, Royal is a great teammate and has never heard the words "attitude issues."

[r8rh8r]

vtroper:

I live in Richmond and come from a big-time Hokie family. Its nice to see some more Broncos/Hokies guys out there!

I must say, I don't see the same potential you do in Royal. Beamer's special teams are so successful because of how they play as a unit. The Hokies dominate the return game on both sides of the ball.

I think Royal is a very average talent at the NFL level in just about every phase of the game. Outside of great straight-line speed, he's not great at anything. He's also not tragically flawed in any way. He's going to have to work his ass off if he wants to be more than a serviceable kick returner in the NFL and a backup receiver. I'm a little weary of this pick.

I hope I'm wrong...

[vtroper]

vtroper:

I live in Richmond and come from a big-time Hokie family. Its nice to see some more Broncos/Hokies guys out there!

I must say, I don't see the same potential you do in Royal. Beamer's special teams are so successful because of how they play as a unit. The Hokies dominate the return game on both sides of the ball.

I think Royal is a very average talent at the NFL level in just about every phase of the game. Outside of great straight-line speed, he's not great at anything. He's also not tragically flawed in any way. He's going to have to work his ass off if he wants to be more than a serviceable kick returner in the NFL and a backup receiver. I'm a little weary of this pick.

I hope I'm wrong...


We'll see. I think he was tremendously underused at VT because Beamer had so many good WR's (NFL draftee David Clowney was there Royal's fresh, soph and junior years also) and he liked to rotate them. In addition, because all the other WR's were 6' 3"-6'4" range he almost always came out in the redzone which undoubtedly wounded his TD totals.

I've followed VT since I applied there in 1998 and have been a Bronco fan since 1986. Royal is the first guy that I ever felt compelled to search out the E-mail address of the Broncos Atlantic Coast scout and send him an E-mail asking him to take as extra look at Royal.

[G_Money]

Again, as someone who saw Royal in person 22 (maybe 23 times) over his college career, I have zero doubts that Royal will be a better WR then D Jackson.

Royal was a 4 year starter and led VT in recieving as a freshman. Virginia Tech is and has always been a run first team and Royal had to share reps since the day he stepped on campus with 3 other WR's (Justin Harper and Josh Morgan who will likely be drafted today and Josh Hymen who will likely be picked up as a FA)

Jackson if I remember correctly, despite being a very high recruit played only sparringly his freshman year in a pass happy conference and then left after his junior year.

Again, my point is, while Jackson may be a slightly better returner, I have no doubt Royal would of put up equal or better recieving numbers if he had played at Cal, and will make much more of an impact on the offensive side on the ball then Jackson. Not to mention, Royal is a great teammate and has never heard the words "attitude issues."

That freshman season was after that compartment syndrome issue as well, wasn't it?

Compartment syndrome feels a lot like shin splints, but it can affect nerves and harm muscles and other things if treated and/or diagnosed incorrectly. It usually occurs from impact (ie, somebody speared him in the calf with a helmet) or from changing training regimens and then training with a vengeance (which is why it happens to new military recruits a lot).

In medical terms Chronic normally means "slow onset" and compartment syndrome can take a while to come on as a training injury. But if you diagnose it correctly and treat it, it can be completely fixed. It looks like his was, because he hasn't had any other problems with it in the years since.

H8R, I'm not concerned about his compartment syndrome. As for trying to have our cake and eat it too by going for a KR who can also be a WR, and maybe not taking the best KR or WR in the process...

I can see that fear. I agree he wasn't the best WR there.

But if he CAN be a great slot WR and KR then I can't really cry about it, can I? I mean, if he works out as both then it's a good pick, regardless of what other wides were there.

Of course, my boys Jordy and Devin were off the board, so I'm less invested on the guys we passed on. :cool:

I just want to see the rest of our special teams pick it up. Royal won't be anything as a KR/PR if the rest of the unit doesn't improve significantly.

~G

[SmilinAssasSin27]

This pick is a complete train wreck. If Denver wanted a prospect at receiver, they should have taken one of the 5 higher quality players still on the board. If they wanted an elite kick returner, they should have taken Dexter or DeSean Jackson. With this pick, they want to have their cake and eat it too.

Royal has zero potential to be an elite kick returner in the NFL. He'll be capable in that role and should be a field position upgrade in 2008, assuming his compartment syndrome is cured (I have a buddy who has this and he eventually needed a series of corrective surgeries). Good at everything, elite at nothing, I think Denver was trying to accomplish too much with this pick. Ultimately, they are going to have a serviceable backup player at multiple positions and a slightly above-average punt returner.

I'm disappointed. I did a more detailed write up at my blog (in my sig).


Well, that is a rather arrogant statement. Make sure you tell the Bronco brass that you are ready to start next week.

[atwater27]

Well, that is a rather arrogant statement. Make sure you tell the Bronco brass that you are ready to start next week.

I know. arrogant and just plain wrong. Zero chance to be an elite returner? That's the best chance he has to succeed... in the return game.

[r8rh8r]

I didn't say he won't be a serviceable kick returner. He's not going to be a top ten punt/kick returner, however. He's not that kind of talent. I'd love for him to prove me wrong. I don't see it.

I think there are a lot of players with "elite" kick returner potential still on the board when Royal gets picked. I think Denver drafted a player who is good a just about everything you want from a WR/KR rather than targeting a deep threat, possession receiver, or kick return specialist. This year's draft is full of one-dimensional talents capable of doing one of these three. Royal isn't the best player available at any of them. As a second round pick, this is a big stretch. If this were round 4, I'd be happy with the pick.

[r8rh8r]

That freshman season was after that compartment syndrome issue as well, wasn't it?

Compartment syndrome feels a lot like shin splints, but it can affect nerves and harm muscles and other things if treated and/or diagnosed incorrectly. It usually occurs from impact (ie, somebody speared him in the calf with a helmet) or from changing training regimens and then training with a vengeance (which is why it happens to new military recruits a lot).

In medical terms Chronic normally means "slow onset" and compartment syndrome can take a while to come on as a training injury. But if you diagnose it correctly and treat it, it can be completely fixed. It looks like his was, because he hasn't had any other problems with it in the years since.

H8R, I'm not concerned about his compartment syndrome. As for trying to have our cake and eat it too by going for a KR who can also be a WR, and maybe not taking the best KR or WR in the process...

I can see that fear. I agree he wasn't the best WR there.

But if he CAN be a great slot WR and KR then I can't really cry about it, can I? I mean, if he works out as both then it's a good pick, regardless of what other wides were there.

Of course, my boys Jordy and Devin were off the board, so I'm less invested on the guys we passed on. :cool:

I just want to see the rest of our special teams pick it up. Royal won't be anything as a KR/PR if the rest of the unit doesn't improve significantly.

~G

Compartment syndrome causes swelling in the lower legs when your heart rate elevates and can be both painful and disabling. I have a buddy who is ex-infantry who was diagnosed with compartment syndrome after a minor cold-weather injury. He had surgery three times before it became "manageable," and he's not a pro athlete. I find it strange that Royal would have this condition to begin with. Its possible that he's learned to control it but its a big red flag in my opinion.

If Royal blossoms into a capable kick returner and slot receiver I will be enormously happy with the pick. He's eerily similar to Rod Smith in a lot of ways. Rod Smith's success was largely the result of his unmatchable intensity and work ethic. I'm behind Royal 100% and want him to succeed, but that doesn't mean I'd have made the same choice in round 2.

I thought both 4th round picks were great. I didn't like the Torain pick. He'll end up playing fullback but will help in short yardage situations immediately. Overall, Denver's having a good draft.

[DenBronx]

I didn't say he won't be a serviceable kick returner. He's not going to be a top ten punt/kick returner, however. He's not that kind of talent. I'd love for him to prove me wrong. I don't see it.

I think there are a lot of players with "elite" kick returner potential still on the board when Royal gets picked. I think Denver drafted a player who is good a just about everything you want from a WR/KR rather than targeting a deep threat, possession receiver, or kick return specialist. This year's draft is full of one-dimensional talents capable of doing one of these three. Royal isn't the best player available at any of them. As a second round pick, this is a big stretch. If this were round 4, I'd be happy with the pick.


i think all the picks evened out in the end. shanahan got good value out of the 2nd day guys. i doubt royal would have lasted out of the 2nd round. he has been compared to steve smith as a wr...so with an ageing stokely i think royal will be the slot guy in about 2 or 3 years but the return guy right away!

this guy does look dangerous though. id love for our special teams to be feared like kc was a few years back and now chicago. taking a return touchdown to the house just really helps take the heart out of the opposing team. i cant wait to see this kid return kicks.

[CoachChaz]

How the hell can he be compared to Steve Smith and be a slot receiver. I don't doubt he'll be capable of playing the slot ina few years and getting 2 or 3 catches a game with the occasional breakaway, but is that what we expect from a 2nd round pick?

...and please don't give the me the ST drabble. With 10 quality guys in the front, Cutler could be a successful KR/PR.

[Broncospsycho77]

How long does Stokely have left on his contract? This could be a move for the future, if Shanny played his cards right. A few years under one of the top 3 slot guys left in the league, and then take the helms in a couple of years...

[Tned]

It's from before the draft, but an interesting Q&A


Scout NFL Draft Q&A: WR Eddie Royal
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ed Thompson
WarpathInsiders.com Mar 22, 2008

Eddie Royal is a Redskins fan. See what else he had to say in this Q&A session with Ed Thompson.


Ed Thompson: Talk about your 4.39-second performance in the 40-yard dash at the Combine, fifth-best out of all receivers. Was that what you were expecting to run?

Eddie Royal: I knew I wanted to hit the 4.3s, I'm happy with it. But at the same time I'm not satisfied with the time. I feel like I could have run faster, but everything happens for a reason and I'm in those 4.3s. It's a pretty solid time, I feel like I could have run faster, but like I said everything happens for a reason.

Thompson: You're pretty hard on yourself at times aren't you?

Royal: Yeah, but I feel like to be the best you have to be hard on yourself. You always have to be pushing yourself to get better.

Thompson: Your 24 reps on the bench press was best amongst all receivers. Is that a normal amount you're able to push or were you especially inspired that day?

Royal: You get a little extra with all the guys encouraging you and the coaches there and all eyes on you. That's when you want to perform your best and I was able to do that with the encouragement from the guys and the competitive fire in me. It brought out the best in me. I've been working really hard on it, but I kind of surprised myself because I haven't repped-out in a really long time.

Thompson: You finished sixth in the vertical jump at 36 inches even. Not being the prototypical wideout from a height perspective at 5 foot 10 instead of around 6-feet tall, I would think that you doing so well in the vertical had to dispel any concern some scouts may have had since you showed you can get up high to more than compensate for those two inches?

Royal: It was important to me to do well in the vertical. It shows you can get those jump balls that those taller guys can get up there and shows you can compete at the highest point and I think that's what the coaches want from anybody. They want a guy who can go up there and get the ball, so it was very important for me to do well in the vertical jump.


Thompson: How much of a role is your skill as a return specialist playing in your favor as you're talking to teams?

Royal: They like the fact that I can return kicks. It adds value to me and it's something else I can do. Instead of having two or three guys on the roster for a slot receiver, punt returner, and kick returner, they can use me for all three. That's definitely helping me out a lot. Devin Hester is certainly helping me out a lot. He's showing how important a dangerous return man can be.

Thompson: Talk about your interview at the Combine with Dallas, because you mentioned to me in the media room that you were impressed by them during the interview.

Royal: It's the Cowboys. Whenever you hear the Dallas Cowboys name, you think about the championship teams from all the way back to Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, Michael Irvin. They've had great teams and it's a great organization. Jerry Jones has done a great job. He's signed some of the great coaches out there, and I think Jason Garrett is a heck of an offensive coordinator. It'd be an honor to play under him and wear those colors and the star on your helmet.

Thompson: Were you a Cowboys fan growing up?

Royal: I was actually a Redskins fan growing up. But the Cowboys make it very hard for you to root against them. Whenever they were playing anyone, other than the Redskins, I was a Cowboys fan.

Thompson: Who were some of your heroes from the Redskins?

Royal: I liked watching Art Monk, Gary Clark, Ricky Sanders, and Mark Rypien — all of those guys back then. I would think that I'd be too young to even remember, but I remember those guys. I just remember being a big fan and I remember seeing Earnest Byner out there and I remember hearing about John Riggins. So the Redskins from way back in the day are the ones I remember and I really liked their style of play.

Thompson: Who are the top two or three receivers in the NFL right now that you'd love to work with?

Royal: I like Marvin Harrison. He's not the biggest guy in the world, but he always finds a way to get open. He's always getting separation, he's good with his underneath routes, and he's a technician. Those are the types of guys you want to learn from. Wes Welker also, he's a great slot receiver. He's probably the best in the game right now at finding holes in the zones and beating man coverage. Just his moves at the line of scrimmage, I think he does a great job. Marvin Harrison works on the outside and Wes Welker works in the slot, so getting to work with either one of them would be a great honor.

http://was.scout.com/2/739783.html