Terry Lambert and I decided this week to post a joint post about which player we think Dorial Green-Beckham compares best to. So let's get right to it:
Terry Lambert
Player Comparison: Marques Colston
Personally, I wasn't a huge Green-Beckham fan through the draft process. His physical traits and athletic ability are undeniable, but his game tape was hot and cold. I saw a guy that could take over the college game with ease. So much so that he seemed to lose sight of some of the little things that make receivers great. Sure, he will always be a great "9 route" runner, but the NFL game is much more than that. Don't get me wrong, I think Green-Beckham can be a great pro, but he must add polish to his game first.
I think the Marques Colston comparison fits DGB from a physical standpoint. Both players weigh north of 225 pounds and play the game from a vertical standpoint. Colston has never been a guy that wins with precision, but he is a guy that has made a career out of being able to go get the ball. His 68 career touchdowns rank 39th in the history of the NFL. I ultimately think that Dorial Green-Beckham carves out a similar role in Nashville.
Here's a deeper look at the DGB-Colston comparison.
Will Lomas
Player comparison: Dez Bryant
While Lambert wasn't as high on DGB during the draft process, I had the opposite response. I hated the off the field rumors (like everyone) but remembered just how dominant he could be at certain times during the season.
I think DGB will face a lot of the same obstacles a Dez Bryant:
-Both were incomplete route runners in college
-Both won a lot of jump balls with strong hands and a good vertical.
-Both have very similar combine numbers.
-Both missed their final year of their NCAA careers.
Now, they aren't perfect clones obviously. For example, Bryant is 6'2" and had very good side to side agility in college as he showed when returning kicks.
DGB on the other hand is 6'5" and while he can make people miss in space (and in fact he is a very good screen player) he faces the same issues all 6'5" guys have when they try to cut on a dime.
I was really tempted to go with names like Martavis Bryant and Plaxico Burress here because of how I think he will be used in year one and how I think he should use his physicality, respectively. However, today at this moment after re-watching some film of DGB and with Dez Bryant being shown on television all week, it is hard not to make that association.