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Draft Special: Calvin Johnson Wide Receiver GT

By JScott

Meet: Calvin Johnson a Wide Receiver from Georgia Tech. Did I save the best for last? I think I did. Calvin Johnson is a straight freak of nature standing in at 6'5 and 239 lbs. From the day he stepped on the field as a freshman for the Yellow Jackets he immediately made an impact, catching 7 touchdown passes in his first season in the ACC. To cap off his 2006 season, Calvin finished with 1200 yards receiving, hauled in 15 touchdowns, and won two awards: ACC Player of the Year and Biletnikoff Award Winner. He accomplished all of that with what Jerry Rice would call "not much of a quarterback." Calvin Johnson is viewed as the clear cut, hands down, can't miss prospect coming out of the 2007 NFL Draft . . .

Here's Footballs Future to elaborate:

"Johnson is a special talent. His combination of size and body control is rare. Game after game, he makes an amazing catch look easy. He will win out against any corner in a one on one situation because of his combination of size, body control, and desire to grab the ball. Johnson also shows the speed to get vertical, and to outrun defenders once he gets the ball in his hands. He has been very productive since stepping foot on campus, despite being the focal point of the offense. Even though he makes the big play routine, he still has a tendency to drop the easy one every now and then, but that is nitpicking. Johnson is a phenomenal prospect, and lacks nothing as it projects to the next level. Johnson's stock cannot get any higher as a receiver. He is arguably the top player in the draft, and should be a Top 5 pick in April. He should be a pro bowl type player for a long time in the NFL."

I've only seen a fan base come together collectively while begging for their teams ownership to land the big fish twice and they both have happened this year. The Mets fan base and the longing for P Barry Zito and the Bucs fan base and the longing for WR Calvin Johnson. The Mets fell short of landing Zito and for good reason, the Giants went over board for him. I've tried prefacing this off-season by downplaying our chances of landing Cal and I would continue here but enough's, enough. If the three GM's ahead of the Bucs were interested in truly upgrading and potentially improving their teams then they would Draft the players they NEED. Not the player Mel Kiper and the entire Universe say you should covet. I mean, the Raiders have Joey Porter and Randy Moss (Can you possibly feed another high profile WR?), then you have the Lions who have drafted WR after WR in the first round (Matt Millen HAD to of learned something, right?), and then the Browns, our lovely coin-flipping brothren. They could truly go either way, because they have a stop gap of a RB in Jamal Lewis and a borderline starting QB in Charlie Frye. There's been rumors they want RB Adrian Peterson or QB Brady Quinn, but I wouldn't set my watch by it. All of this brings me to our lovely Bucs . . . The argument could be made that we too don't need another WR, but only the blind would make such analogies after having witnessed our offense. So, it all comes down to this ladies and gentlemen: Al Davis, Matt Millen, and the Browns, OH MY, what will they do? The right thing for their franchises or will they be misled by temptation and bright lights? Ahhh we shall see . . .

Calvin Johnson's career history brought to you by: Footballs Future and ESPN.com

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