Not a great day for KJ Hamler at Indy...

[Kiber]

Measurement day for WRs and not great results for KJ. But nothing you can do about your height, your arm length, your hand size or your wing-span.

But that being said, KJ measured under 5'9" (5'8" and change), measured small hands, short arms and a very short wing-span (abut 72"). Buy comparison, another "small" WR in this class, the guy from ASU had almost an 80" wing-span.

Don't think it hurts KJ too much. Teams knew he was "small". I believe teams either already liked him, regardless of his size, and had him on their boards. Or, did not like his size and did not have him on their boards. The teams who had KJ on their boards, probably still do, despite today's measurements.

IMO, his stock all comes down to the speed drills. He needs to rip off a totally ridiculous 40 time. If he can crank out a low 4.3, then all of a sudden those small hands, short arms and short wing-span become meaningless to teams. On the flip, if he has just "normal fast speed", like say something in the 4.4 range, then those measurements will be over-analyzed.

 

[ericstratton-rushchairman]

I thought average person's wingspan was equal to their height? That would mean his wingspan is above average for his height. Right?

 

[interrobang]

then all of a sudden those small hands

His hands were bigger than 30 other WRs, including 25 that measured in at 6'0 or more.

The measurables mean nothing for Hamler. His 40 time means nothing (unless he only runs in the 4.4s or worse). His draft stock impact comes in the drills.

 

[ILLINOISLION]

His biggest plus from my perspective was his confidence and great hands receiving punts....especially with the disasters PSU have had back there over the past many years.

 

[BobPSU92]

It also doesn’t help that he smells like cabbage.

 

[psuro]

NFL Films guy Greg Cosell thinks he is at best a late 2nd/early 3rd round pick.

 

[Eurotrash1]

Honestly, I don't see him making an impact as a WR at the next level. He will make his paycheck on Special Teams. If he is fortunate. He will work with an innovative OC who designs plays to get him the ball in space.

 

[sss]

Just think about how much larger his hands would be and how much bigger his wingspan would be if he had just stayed one... more... year.

 

[psugisher]

178 pounds is a good sign I think. Tyreek Hill 185 and Desean Jackson 175 with both being a little taller. Similar hand size and wing span as guys taller than him. Right now the only thing anyone can say negative about him is that's he's short. He'll test well. PSU guys have tested extremely well the last couple seasons. I don't think KJ will be any different.

 

[Dunkindonuts]

Honestly, I don't see him making an impact as a WR at the next level. He will make his paycheck on Special Teams. If he is fortunate. He will work with an innovative OC who designs plays to get him the ball in space.

Coming out early was a mistake but I'm not surprised because this board continues to endorse every tom dick and Harry to leave early. Nick Saban says unless you are a 1st round lock you stay.... It would be nice if Franklin saw it the same way.

 

[artsandletters]

Measurement day for WRs and not great results for KJ. But nothing you can do about your height, your arm length, your hand size or your wing-span.

But that being said, KJ measured under 5'9" (5'8" and change), measured small hands, short arms and a very short wing-span (abut 72"). Buy comparison, another "small" WR in this class, the guy from ASU had almost an 80" wing-span.

Don't think it hurts KJ too much. Teams knew he was "small". I believe teams either already liked him, regardless of his size, and had him on their boards. Or, did not like his size and did not have him on their boards. The teams who had KJ on their boards, probably still do, despite today's measurements.

IMO, his stock all comes down to the speed drills. He needs to rip off a totally ridiculous 40 time. If he can crank out a low 4.3, then all of a sudden those small hands, short arms and short wing-span become meaningless to teams. On the flip, if he has just "normal fast speed", like say something in the 4.4 range, then those measurements will be over-analyzed.

I would be surprised if he cracks 4.4.

 

[ericstratton-rushchairman]

Just think about how much larger his hands would be and how much bigger his wingspan would be if he had just stayed one... more... year.

Now that made my laugh

 

[BBrown]

Coming out early was a mistake but I'm not surprised because this board continues to endorse every tom dick and Harry to leave early. Nick Saban says unless you are a 1st round lock you stay.... It would be nice if Franklin saw it the same way.

I know I think its their decision and has nothing to do with me.
I'm sure Nick Saban sees it that way, its not like it would be a benefit to Nick Saban or Alabama if they left early.

 

[rigi11]

Coming out early was a mistake but I'm not surprised because this board continues to endorse every tom dick and Harry to leave early. Nick Saban says unless you are a 1st round lock you stay.... It would be nice if Franklin saw it the same way.

You only care about yourself. Give us the list of kids that don't contribute who you want back.

 

[HazletonLion]

I would be surprised if he cracks 4.4.

I wouldn't be surprised if he cracks sub 4.4. To others in this thread about big hands i can think of a few WR's with big hands, slippery fingers, and alligator arms.

 

[PearlSUJam]

I wouldn't be surprised if he cracks sub 4.4. To others in this thread about big hands i can think of a few WR's with big hands, slippery fingers, and alligator arms.

I believe he has a laser timed 4.29 posted on the wall at Lasch but I may be mistaken.

 

[Waste Management Consultant]

KJ seems comparable to another smallish speedy guy Tavon Austin. Hopefully KJ’s 40 is blazing fast.

 

[PearlSUJam]

I would be surprised if he cracks 4.4.

Put your money where your mouth is with Micah then.

 

[WDLion]

Coming out early was a mistake but I'm not surprised because this board continues to endorse every tom dick and Harry to leave early. Nick Saban says unless you are a 1st round lock you stay.... It would be nice if Franklin saw it the same way.

What does Franklin have to do with it? It's Hamler's choice not Franklin's.

 

[PearlSUJam]

Coming out early was a mistake but I'm not surprised because this board continues to endorse every tom dick and Harry to leave early. Nick Saban says unless you are a 1st round lock you stay.... It would be nice if Franklin saw it the same way.

If the kid come back and blows his knee out and misses the whole season just like he did his senior year in high school it wouldn't benefit anyone. Nick Saban is saying that to benefit Nick Saban's multi million dollar bank account. Hamler is a broke college kid that has the chance to make millions and you are saying he should risk injury and possibly end his career?

 

[rigi11]

What does Franklin have to do with it? It's Hamler's choice not Franklin's.

If Joe were alive this would not happen.

 

[Art]

Coming out early was a mistake but I'm not surprised because this board continues to endorse every tom dick and Harry to leave early. Nick Saban says unless you are a 1st round lock you stay.... It would be nice if Franklin saw it the same way.

And the kid to whom Saban was referring told Nick Lou to pound sand:

https://ftw.usatoday.com/2019/04/ronnie-harrison-furious-nick-saban

 

[WDLion]

If Joe were alive this would not happen.

What?

 

[Art]

If the kid come back and blows his knee out and misses the whole season just like he did his senior year in high school it wouldn't benefit anyone. Nick Saban is saying that to benefit Nick Saban's multi million dollar bank account. Hamler is a broke college kid that had the chance to make millions and you are saying he should risk injury and possibly end his career?

Middle-aged white folk don't like people messing with their Fall Saturday afternoon entertainment.

 

[psugisher]

Middle-aged white folk don't like people messing with their Fall Saturday afternoon entertainment.

That’s what it sounds like. KJ gave everything he had to Penn State. Great kid off the field too. Playing football is high risk. He has a chance to get paid for it rather well as long as he can be productive. One less year in the NFL is a large amount of money to pass up. He’s healthy now. He’ll test well and get paid. Serious injury next year with PSU and maybe he can’t do anything at the combine. Draft stock drops. Few hundred grand, maybe more gone. Hope he runs 4.2 and he gets drafted in the first round. Another great representative of Penn State.

 

[Kiber]

I expect that the guys who will be responsible for drafting - or not drafting - KJ Hamler, already knew how big he was

Not necessarily true. NFL teams do not have "exact" measurements until either Indy or at the Pro Days. Up until Indy, NFL teams more or less had to rely on the college programs for sizes & speeds. Yes, NFL Scouts did not think KJ was 6'3". They knew he was small. But probably did not think he was 5'8".

Remember... for years EVERY player coming out of VaTech either ran a 4.2 forty, or benched 500 lbs about 60 times, or weighed 300+ lbs.... then they'd get to Indy and run 4.7 forty or bench 225 about 13 times, or be about 290lbs.... VaTech under Beamer was the worst of exaggerated measurements.

 

[LionJim]

Not necessarily true. NFL teams do not have "exact" measurements until either Indy or at the Pro Days. Up until Indy, NFL teams more or less had to rely on the college programs for sizes & speeds. Yes, NFL Scouts did not think KJ was 6'3". They knew he was small. But probably did not think he was 5'8".

Remember... for years EVERY player coming out of VaTech either ran a 4.2 forty, or benched 500 lbs about 60 times, or weighed 300+ lbs.... then they'd get to Indy and run 4.7 forty or bench 225 about 13 times, or be about 290lbs.... VaTech under Beamer was the worst of exaggerated measurements.

Did not know that.

 

[Kiber]

Did not know that.

Yea. That's basically why a combine at a mutual site was invented. It gave NFL teams "1-stop-shopping". Up until a combine, if an NFL team were interested in a player they'd have to either send a scout to that school, fly a guy into their city, or call the college coaching staff and hope to get a reliable scoop.

 

[Ranger Dan]

NFL Films guy Greg Cosell thinks he is at best a late 2nd/early 3rd round pick.

I hope he’s number 1 overall, but anyone predicting first round is pretty far out on that limb.

 

[Kiber]

Do they have televisions?

So why do they measure guys in Indy??? If they can simply size a guy by watching TV........ why waste time with scales and measuring devices in Indy

 

[PearlSUJam]

I hope he’s number 1 overall, but anyone predicting first round is pretty far out on that limb.

It's a very deep WR class from what the experts are saying.

 

[Kiber]

I hope he’s number 1 overall, but anyone predicting first round is pretty far out on that limb.

Agree. I think the extremist get 'bent' if anyone dares say anything but pixie dust and unicorn analysis of a PSU player. Unless you say "KJ is going to be the fastest guy to ever run at Indy and he is going to break the 40-yard record and he never dropped a pass or a punt return....." .... then to some you are hating on him.

 

[Kiber]

It's a very deep WR class from what the experts are saying.

Yes. But I don't think a player can base their decision on whether or not their draft class is deep, because you never know who is going to emerge the next year. What if a handful of Soph/JR WRs emerge and have awesome 2020 seasons.... then next year becomes a deep draft.

Back in August Joe Burrow was considered a "game manager". He was definitely not projected to be a 1st round draft pick, let alone the #1 overall. Then Burrow had a great 2019 season.

You gotta do what is best for you at the moment.... if KJ felt turning pro now was best for him... then good for him and more power to him.

 

[Shadow99]

Put your money where your mouth is with Micah then.

View embedded media

Stop trying to encourage gambling between PSU players and fans!

 

[PearlSUJam]

Yes. But I don't think a player can base their decision on whether or not their draft class is deep, because you never know who is going to emerge the next year. What if a handful of Soph/JR WRs emerge and have awesome 2020 seasons.... then next year becomes a deep draft.

Back in August Joe Burrow was considered a "game manager". He was definitely not projected to be a 1st round draft pick, let alone the #1 overall. Then Burrow had a great 2019 season.

You gotta do what is best for you at the moment.... if KJ felt turning pro now was best for him... then good for him and more power to him.

He can always finish his degree. A chance at the NFL only comes along once in a lifetime.

 

[The Spin Meister]

Middle-aged white folk don't like people messing with their Fall Saturday afternoon entertainment.

Yep, thats it. You really nailed it. College football fans are racist, no doubt about it. Especially Penn State red neck rubes. Great call.

A$$hole.

 

[LionJim]

Yep, thats it. You really nailed it. College football fans are racist, no doubt about it. Especially Penn State red neck rubes. Great call.

A$$hole.

That’s not what he said. Or implied.

 

[Kiber]

He can always finish his degree. A chance at the NFL only comes along once in a lifetime.

I just think every person is an individual and we should not judge THEIR decision. I am NOT ... repeat NOT ... suggesting this is KJ. But what if a guy just does not like school/studying. I had several friends from my PSU days who either dropped out, or could not wait to finish because after 2-3 years they just could not take any more school work. Not every football player is going to enjoy the work involved with being a student. Some may hate reading or studying or taking exams.

To each their own.... KJ knows KJ better than anyone. And if he felt going to the NFL is best for him, then that's what he should have done.

 

[psugisher]

I hope he’s number 1 overall, but anyone predicting first round is pretty far out on that limb.

Probably not first round based on the amount of good wrs in the draft but somebody in the second round will be looking for exactly what he provides. Hopefully that means it’ll be a perfect fit for him.

 

[ILLINOISLION]

He can always finish his degree. A chance at the NFL only comes along once in a lifetime.

No, follow the discussion.....he has more than a “once in a lifetime” chance.....he could have gone this year or next year. LionJim needs to confirm, but that’s more then once!