He's a more attractive prospect as a S. His traits are more suited for playing S than WR. He's an exceptional ATH playing WR. Doesn't run great routes and has below average ball skills. Precisely why we have him cross training at RB. Get the ball in his hands without having to catch it. Maybe better put this way, if I was recruiting him or drafting him as of right now, he's a very intriguing option at S and a non issue as a WR. The fact that he was productive at WR shows his high level athleticism but doesn't mean it's his best position. Myles Jack looks good runnin the ball but his best position is LB. Shaq Thompson is one heck of a RB as well but he's an NFL S. Just because you can do something with a moderate amount of success doesn't mean it should be the primary position.
I definitely think that BK and staff should do what's best for the team and not the player. However, what did last years team need more. A situational big play WR or a consistent FS? Based on the athleticism that we've seen from CJ, I feel pretty confident that if left at S he'd have played a major role on the team last year.
CJ's highest upside is at S and he would be best impacting the team at S as well. Hindsight is 20/20 and that's why nobody is freaking out. Just calling it like it is. With keeping in mind that the player himself admitted to thinking about this, I feel pretty good about my previous statements.
A+ for sticking to your beliefs.
It entails a ton of conjecture and the most extraordinary of lights shined on his safety skills while a dimming of his receiver skills--the latter we've actually seen produce on the field. For example, he's just an athlete playing receiver. But of course he wouldn't be just an athlete playing safety, right?
He may very well have been (or at some point down the road will be) a better safety. But the facts are he wasn't doing much to distinguish himself during his redshirt year, except when he touched the ball playing offense on the scout team. He proved himself to be very explosive and eye catching.
By spring '13 the staff clearly loved what they saw from him. Go back and read all the quotes from the coaches and players from then--there's a lot of glowing praise for his skills on offense once he made the switch.
I think that's what's weird about this discussion: He's blossoming and developing into a major part of the offense and this whole aspect is being enormously glossed over to fit the narrative that he'd be a more impactful safety. Even the fact that he's going to increase his touches from the backfield is seen as some sort of negative because he's not a good enough receiver. The staff loves his potential on offense and it's been this way for 2 years.
Yeah, the depth at safety isn't good now. But would Prosise have been starting over two much more highly regarded, decorated, and prep developed safeties in Redfield and Shumate last season? According to this thesis it sure seems like it, which means that ho hum 50-yard momentum swinging touchdown run against LSU doesn't happen.
I've got no issues with how he's been handled, and I doubt Kelly & Co. do either.
