The Other Shoe: Lavelle Hawkins Scouting Report

by Fooch on Mar 12, 2008 10:55 PM PDT in News Comment 28 comments

I really think there hasn't been enough conflict over when and if the 49ers should draft a wide receiver in the 2008 draft....Now that there has been sufficient chuckling, I thought after the DeSean Jackson scouting report, it was only fitting to put one together about his running mate Lavelle Hawkins. While DeSean Jackson was the sizzle for the Cal teams, Lavelle Hawkins was the steak, taking care of business without quite the same level of flash. Jackson clearly is a stud as a return man, but as a receiver, Hawkins caught 72 passes for 872 yards and 6 TDs to Jackson's 65, 762 and 6, although Hawkins did play in one more game.

Anyways, I was checking out the scouts' take and noticed an interesting comment:

"Following a strong senior season and an impressive showing at the Senior Bowl, Hawkins has established himself as one of the top-10 receivers in the 2008 class, which likely will land him a spot in Round 2."

I've watched plenty of Cal football the last few years and I always felt Hawkins was underappreciated. While he isn't quite a home run threat, he seems to bring a quiet consistency that any team would appreciate. In 2007, aside from a 64 yard reception against Oregon state, Hawkins never had a long of more than 28 yards. As enjoyable as it is to see someone run down a back-breaking catch and run, I think most of us can appreciate a consistent pass catcher all day long. On to more of the report:

Strengths: A quick, fluid and polished receiver. Runs smooth and crisp routes. Effectively uses double moves and subtle head bobs to separate . . . He stands out on film because of his outstanding initial burst. Uses quick feet to beat the jam at the line and has enough speed to occasionally get over the top of defenders. Gets upfield in a hurry after the catch. Is not afraid to go over the middle and will make the tough catch in traffic.

Weaknesses: Lacks ideal size and strength. Is not physical enough. Will get pushed around by some bigger DB's in coverage. Goes down too easily after the catch. Speed is good but not elite. Will not be much of a vertical threat in the NFL. Needs to be more effective as a blocker.

Overall: Hawkins is a bit undersized and he's not very physical. However, he is one of the most underrated receivers in the 2008 class because he's quick, consistent and does almost all the little things correctly. Hawkins is an outstanding route runner that knows how to separate and will catch anything in his neighborhood.

Everything they say makes sense looking back at his career at Cal. So the question becomes how high do you draft him? If he truly is moving into the 2nd round of the draft, there are a few options:

Roll the dice with that high second round pick.
Gamble on him falling to us in the third round.
Trade up into the end of the second round (or down from the high second round pick) and snag him then.
Just don't take him b/c he's not worth it.

So what would Niners Nation do? I've included a poll within this post that you should see when you go into the comments. There has been some discussion of Hawkins but I'd love to hear everybody's thoughts. While he might not be a #1, I still think he would be a great addition to the team. While it's based a lot on potential, a long term trio (after DJack and Bruce are done) of Battle, Hawkins and Hill to go along with Vernon Davis is not the worst thing in the world....potentially. A little crazy-sounding, but certainly intriguing if you are willing to consider the potential.

Poll

If Lavelle Hawkins is projected as a 2nd rd pick, what do you do?

Trade up into the end of the 2nd rd/down from the high 2nd rd and snag him then

14 votes

Just don't take him b/c he's not worth it.

19 votes

Roll the dice with that high second round pick.

22 votes

Gamble on him falling to us in the third round.

57 votes

112 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

I think

We should gamble to see if he falls into the third. If he does, we take him. If not, we take the appalachion state superstar dexter jackson, who many think is the next wes welker, but not only quick, but also extremely fast.

by montasmob69 on Mar 12, 2008 11:30 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

The next Wes Welker...

...is only the next Wes Welker if he has career year Randy Moss, Tom Brady, and O-line around him.

In my opinion, Wes Welker is the 2nd most overrated player in the league behind Vince Young (hat tip, HTS).

We are not who I thought we were.

by marcello on Mar 13, 2008 8:32 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

welker

was good in miami too. not as good, but he's a great slot receiver

by sam23 on Mar 13, 2008 1:08 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I like Lavelle

I think he's pretty darned good, but I think what we really need is the homerun threat. I see Jackson and Battle as the kind of guys who will go out and get you that first down on third and eight, but what we don't have is that guy who beats everyone over the top for the 60 yard TD. Maybe Hill or Lelie can be that guy but I think if we draft someone, it should be a burner. OTOH, we have a lot of trouble in the red zone, so a big guy like Hardy could be nice, but he doesn't seem to fit the Martz system.

So Hawkins isn't really the burner or the big guy, so I don't know if he's right. I'd still be happy to have him on the team, but I don't think we should reach for him at the top of the 2nd round.

Bring back the classic Uni's!

by wjackalope on Mar 13, 2008 8:43 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Burner?

I think Hawkins and Hill can be burners. Hill ran a 4.45 40 (I think) and according to Barrows, Hawkins ran a 4.47 and 4.49 40 at his pro-day. While that isn't anywhere near DeSean Jackson speed, it's no slouch.

by sfgfan on Mar 13, 2008 8:49 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hawkins

I don't think the 49ers should take a chance on him with the early second round pick. There are plenty of other WRs that will be available later that are fairly comparable. If he's there in the third, though, I'd say take him.

by sfgfan on Mar 13, 2008 8:51 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

rise in profile

Obviously Hawkins is a solid wide receiver. And every year there are players who rise in the rankings that can be qualified as "Work Out Warriors." It seems that Hawkins rising more on merit and production than having a great Combine or great Pro Day.

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by Fooch on Mar 13, 2008 9:48 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Hawkins Hawkins Hawkins

The frustrating thing for me about evaluating Hawkins, even though I've seen pretty much all of his college games, is that I spent a lot of time 1) not caring about him, and 2) lumping together with Robert Jordan (and Robert "Arms End at the Wrists" Jordan has frustrated me to no end). So I actually haven't paid a lot of attention to him, though his Senior season was a bit of an eye opener and he really seemed to put a lot of things together.

Hawkins has turned himself into a solid receiver. I wonder a little bit how much he benefited from teams being more afraid of Jackson, but on the other hand if we're going to say that Jackson struggled with shoddy QB play in 2007, then Hawkins actually thrived despite it which is a real accomplishment (and makes Hawkins look good and Jackson look bad). He has better size for a typical NFL receiver than Jackson, and is much more effective underneath, not to mention being a generally more polished runner and catcher. He's not a gamebreaker, and may never be one, though, so how much you value him as a possible "#1 guy" (depending on how you feel that should be qualified) might be broken by that. He's more of a possession type guy, isn't a blazer, but can get separation and has learned to make plays.

I love how consistent he's become and I prefer the "whole package" deal that he brings to the game as opposed to Jackson's high potential to be a "Go Deep" monkey. But Jackson has the skillset to be a gamebreaker whereas Hawkins has the skillset to be pacemaker.

I really wouldn't mind getting Hawkins. I almost think he's pretty similar to Jason Hill, and I'm not sure we should stretch for him so early in the second. If we're not going to get him in the third (which would probably be very good value for him), though, we shouldn't trade around for a late second rounder to snag him because that second round pick could really address another need and there are 4-5 Hawkins clones in the draft that we will be able to get.

Anyway, that's my opinion.

I keep reliving the moment when Steve Young almost fell down... over and over....

by howtheyscored on Mar 13, 2008 10:13 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Where Hawkins fits in

@SFGFAN-Hill actually ran a 4.32 at the '07 combine, so I'm not sure that we really need a burner just for the sake of getting a burner. What we need is for Hill to actually get some burn, so to speak.
If Hawkings fits into the 9ers receiving corps, it's as an inside receiver--at least initially. I echo your comment that he'd be a good guy to pick up in the 3rd round--or as a late 2nd-rounder if the 9ers should trade down to pick up some extra picks.
The reason I like Hawkins is that he is quick and, even more importantly, he runs good routes. This is absolutely critical for a Martz offense. If Hawkins comes in--as a fairly polished prospect already--and then gets mentored by Isaac Bruce, who knows the Martz offense better than anyone, he could turn into something.

by grantmp on Mar 13, 2008 10:37 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Thanks

Thanks for the correction. My memory falters at times and now that you say it, 4.32 sounds familiar. I think a guy like Hawkins, coupled with Hill and Battle under Martz could be a very effective group. While I have the suspicion that Martz will get gone after this year, it's possible his one year of tutelage along with help from Isaac Bruce could help Hill and whomever the 49ers take at WR this year to blossom into more useful players.

I think the thing I like about Hawkins most is that quickness. He's not extremely fast, but he knows how to come off the line and knows how to create some kind of separation. Along with decent route running, that skill should translate well into the NFL.

by sfgfan on Mar 13, 2008 10:50 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hawkins vs. Jackson

A lot of Hawkin's senior year production was due to the fact that DeSean Jackson was a "marked man" after starting the season as a possible Heisman candidate, and often drew double coverage or a safety would cheat in his direction. In general, if you aren't a home-run threat in college, the NFL will probably be an uphill battle because NFL defenses are quick. We already have Jason Hill with tons of speed, so we're better off going for a guy like Andre Caldwell with our 2nd or third pick.

by jaytierney on Mar 13, 2008 1:40 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Was Jerry Rice a home-run threat?

Here's to hoping Albert Hanyesworth stomps on Alex Smith's head.

by methodrampage on Mar 13, 2008 3:00 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

in the prime of his career

absolutely. And he was always a threat to take a slant over the middle and beat the defense all the way to the endzone

Bring back the classic Uni's!

by wjackalope on Mar 13, 2008 3:19 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think

I think Braekneck meant to respond to jaytierney's assertion that if you're not a homerun threat, then you'd have a hard time making it in the NFL.

by sfgfan on Mar 13, 2008 3:23 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

bah

a home-run threat in college.

by sfgfan on Mar 13, 2008 3:23 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

well either way

I looked this up and he had 77 regular season TD receptions of 30 yards or more, which is about 37% or his career TDs

Bring back the classic Uni's!

by wjackalope on Mar 13, 2008 3:27 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

actually

I think those numbers did include post season, not that it really matters

Bring back the classic Uni's!

by wjackalope on Mar 13, 2008 3:29 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

That was indeed my intent

It's reported that Rice ran a 4.7 40 and any way you look at it is far from your prototypical "home-run" threat coming out of college. But the real underlying point is that there have been plenty of collegiate "home-run" threats that haven't produced squat and plenty of collegiate "non-home-run" threats that have had very productive careers in the NFL.

Here's to hoping Albert Hanyesworth stomps on Alex Smith's head.

by methodrampage on Mar 14, 2008 8:23 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

homerun threat

Ridiculous speed and being a home-run threat don't always go hand-in-hand. You can be a bit slower with amazing hands, great route-running abilities, and good juking moves and be a home run threat. Oh, and in college, Jerry Rice was...

by jaytierney on Mar 14, 2008 10:32 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

In DII?

If Rice truely ran a 4.7 40 there's almost no concievable way he'd get drafted in the first round nowadays and I don't care how jukey someone is but if they're only running a 4.7 WR they'd get run down by a DL.

Rice played Division II football, where he did dominate but his competition was pretty sad, and from what I've read his measureables just don't scream "home-run" threat to me but that's totally subjective anyways.

Here's to hoping Albert Hanyesworth stomps on Alex Smith's head.

by methodrampage on Mar 14, 2008 10:47 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Comparing across generations

I'm curious how the average 40 times have changed since Rice was drafted. It's possible that a 4.7 wasn't too bad back then, although I have no real idea.

We are not who I thought we were.

by marcello on Mar 14, 2008 12:21 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

True

But 4.7 just seems ridiculously slow by today's standards.

Here's to hoping Albert Hanyesworth stomps on Alex Smith's head.

by methodrampage on Mar 14, 2008 4:16 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

scouting report

makes him sound like a very Martzian type of guy. Even his weaknesses (not very physical, going down after the catch) fit the the Mike Martz Mold, and may actually be the sorts of qualities that help him to excel in the system.

Theoretically, that is.

Not having seen, researched or bothered to learn much about the guy, I can only say as much about him as any other uneducated fan. But at least I can say that I wouldn't be opposed to seeing him taken in round 2.

by shleckothegecko on Mar 13, 2008 6:25 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

OK

It's just amazing to me that DJ Hall is still being overlooked by so many people. take a look at his stats, size, speed and big game performances...D jackason, L hawkins are way, way over rated. Any team that needs a WR and passes on Hall in the 2nd round or later is going to be very very sorry.

by boulder99 on Mar 13, 2008 10:25 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

OH...also...

and he played for Nolan in the senior bowl and was noted to be a very hard worker and model citizen contrary to some scouting reports.

As well....I can see the niners jumping at Kendall Langford in later rounds as a pass rusher. Also impressed the South coaching staff (49ers) at the senior bowl.

I say take the best OL in the 1st round and try to get some good value with Hall in the later rounds

by boulder99 on Mar 13, 2008 10:43 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't think...

... anyone is overlooking Hall. I think he fits in with all of the WRs going between the 2nd round and the 4th round. That's why many people here have been an advocate of the 49ers NOT reaching for a WR in the first OR second round, because there's plenty of value in the later rounds. If the 49ers miss out on Jackson or Hawkins, there are still guys like Hall and Caldwell, who are very comparable, later on in the draft.

The 49ers like senior bowl players, and I understand your using that as a reason the 49ers may like Hall. However, Hawkins did really well for the opposing side and the 49ers have taken plenty of players who played AGAINST them in the senior bowl as well.

by sfgfan on Mar 14, 2008 9:06 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hawkins

I guess part of me is just hoping that they pass on Hawkins and take Hall instead. I would prefer if they went for a little more size. Hall is listed at 6'2" 200 and just seems to be in the right place in the right time to make big plays...which is what the niners could use....big plays.

and....

Hawkins at 5'11" 187 and I read this in a scouting report (obvious that this guy is not high on Hawkins to start with)..."Size and bulk are just average at best...Isn't very strong or powerful and will get pushed around...Sub par route runner..Drops some balls and does not have great hands...Marginal timed speed...Is not a finished product..Questionable work ethic.

by boulder99 on Mar 17, 2008 1:17 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs