Fact: The Washington State Cougars were beyond awful in 2009. The only team worse in the Pac-10 and perhaps all of Division-I football were the Washington Huskies.
So when Washington State wide receiver Brandon Gibson is mentioned as an excellent draft prospect, there's good reason to be skeptical.
Despite coming off a junior season in which he led the Pac-10 in receiving, Gibson managed only 673 yards and two touchdowns last season for a team that finished with only two wins.
To continue...
Strengths
Gibson enters the league with legitimate NFL size. At 6-foot, 210 pounds, he won't get pushed around at the line like many rookie receivers, and he'll be able to take the hits when crossing the middle of the field.
Skills-wise, he has everything a scout looks for. He explodes out of his breaks and possesses enough speed to go deep and the elusiveness to make yards after the catch.
To run off a final list, he is a good redzone target, has soft hands, blocks well and will make the tough catches in traffic.
Weaknesses
Physically, Gibson doesn't stand out in any particular way, as he doesn't have great size or speed.
That, combined with his limited production in college, makes Gibson an unappealing target high in the draft, where players with his skill set are typically found.
He also showed a bad case of the drops at the Senior Bowl. While he displayed mostly good hands in college and made many tough catches, he has been known to drop some balls from time to time.
How does he fit in Seattle?
Seattle needs depth at receiver, and Gibson is one of the most NFL ready receivers in the draft.
He should provide an immediate number-four or five receiver alongside Ben Obomanu.
With his toughness and work ethic, Gibson may eventually develop into an ideal starter in a West Coast offense.
Draft position
Gibson could go anywhere from rounds four through six. While he's unlikely to fall as far as six, it's hard to tell. Teams often go for the tall, fast project players late in the draft.
Helping his cause is three years of experience as a kick returner in college. He's also a young senior, as he'll still be 21 when drafted.
Gibson didn't participate in the combine due to injury and ran only a 4.59 40-yard dash at his personal workout. Still, it helps that 15 teams showed up to watch him workout.
If they haven't taken a receiver yet at that point, Seattle should be eyeing him in the fifth round.
Just one highlight, but it's a nice catch:
Watch Alex Brink TD pass to Brandon Gibson in Sports | View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com
Reach Jeff Richards at nextseasonsports@gmail.com
