The 2012 NFL Draft is rapidly approaching, so you have to take comments like this with a grain of salt. That said, a few NFL general managers were interviewed on Friday and none of them believed Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon was a top five talent or elite prospect.
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The five players that are viewed as “elite prospects” are Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck, USC offensive tackle Matt Kalil, LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne, Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III and Alabama running back Trent Richardson.
While Blackmon may not hold elite status, he is still held in high regards. The problem with Blackmon is the concern over his lack of speed. Not only is Blackmon not as fast as you would hope, but he is also not as big as many would believe. You couple his size and speed concerns with his tendency to catch the ball with his body and you can understand the concern surrounding Blackmon.
At one point during the draft process, many believed Blackmon would be a lock in the top five. Now, the closer we get to draft day, his stock is starting to slide. How far will Blackmon fall in the draft? You would have to believe he won’t suffer a major slide and should not last past the seventh overall pick, when the Jacksonville Jaguars are on the clock.
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