More of the same old same old:
<H3>Mike Hass and Jordan Kent combined would make a 'can't-miss' NFL wide receiver</H3>
<H4>Posted by
Aaron Fentress, The Oregonian August 09, 2009 22:30PM</H4>
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Beavers,
NFL View
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Seattle Seahawks wide receivers Jordan Kent and Mike Hass are chasing the same goal, but doing so armed with polar opposite sets of tools.
Kent, a track and basketball star at Churchill High School and the University of Oregon, has the speed, body type and athleticism NFL teams covet. But he must make up for not having played football until his junior year with the Ducks.
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Hass, out of Jesuit High School and Oregon State, is a more polished receiver with the savvy and skill teams strive to teach. But despite a knack for making big plays, he has been dogged by questions about his lack of speed.
If Dr. Frankenstein were to splice the two receivers together, he would create one of the most dynamic pass-catching targets in all of football. Someone in the mold of Detroit's Calvin Johnson or New England's Randy Moss. "Together, you'd probably have a can't-miss guy," said an NFL scout.
But separately, each is fighting for his NFL life. And time is running out for both. Hass spent two seasons on the Chicago Bears' practice squad and one on their 53-man roster, appearing in one game. Kent played in nine games with Seattle last season. Neither is eligible for a practice squad this season.
The question is, can either compensate for what they lack to stick with Seattle?
"Hass has the ideal foundation but does not have the ability to ascend too high," the scout said. "Kent has a little less foundation but more potential. Whichever one can make up the difference in what he lacks is the one who has the chance to make it."
Making matters tougher is that Seattle has 10 receivers (it released Billy McMullen on Saturday), with four considered locks to make the roster. That leaves the other seven, including Kent and Hass, to fight for two positions.
"Both of those guys have good work ethics," Seahawks wide receivers coach Robert Prince said. "Mike, he might be a little more polished having played a lot of his life. And Jordan, he's been really working on his game."
Kent's innate talent was on display Sunday at Seattle's practice in Renton, Wash. He drew cheers for several spectacular catches during 11-on-11 drills, including a leaping reception of an overthrown pass from Seneca Wallace.
A breakdown of Hass' and Kent's strengths:
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Football IQ: Hass has been underrated his entire career. He was forced to walk-on at Oregon State after not receiving a scholarship offer despite scoring 27 touchdowns his senior year at Jesuit and wound up winning the Fred Biletnikoff Award his senior year with the Beavers. Proving people wrong in the NFL has been a tougher road. But what helps him keep getting chances is that he is a football player to his core and understands the nuances of the game. Kent has shown a tremendous learning curve since taking up the sport in 2005. But his lack of thorough knowledge of the position hurt him last year when he was thrust into action following numerous injuries at the position. "He's a very good person and has shown a willingness and eagerness to learn," the scout said.
Advantage: Hass
Route running: Hass caught 176 passes over his junior and senior seasons at OSU despite opposing teams gearing their defenses to stop him. The reason? Hass demonstrated an ability to manipulate defenses and get to the open spot regardless of the coverage. "He had a good sense for routes and the other thing, he gets very good leverage," the NFL scout said. "He can get open in short areas and he knows the angles and how to get his body into position. Mike has a very good base and strength and balance, and strength on the catch. His nuances there really help." Kent has had to work overtime to become adequate in learning how to use his upper body to dip, lean and deceive defensive backs. But he has yet to prove he's a reliable target in tight situations.
Advantage: Hass
Body type: NFL teams couldn't sculpt a better receiver's frame than what Kent possesses. At 6-foot-4, 219 pounds, Kent dwarfs most quarterbacks and has explosive leaping ability to out-jump any defensive back for a pass. And his wiry, but muscular frame is strong enough to allow him to be physical when needed. "Kent obviously has the athletic traits with being sort of a Bruce Jenner-type athlete," the scout said. At 6-1, 206, Hass offers nothing spectacular physically. But he's no slouch. Strong and well built, Hass has always proven durable.
Advantage: Kent
Hands: Reports out of Chicago Bears training camps in 2007 and 2008 were that Mike Hass put on daily shows by making fantastic catches and rarely - if ever - dropped a pass. And his abilities are not limited to routine consistency. Hass has demonstrated an ability to make receptions no matter what the degree of difficulty. Kent's hand-eye coordination for the routine catch was honed on the basketball court. Adjusting to deeper throws at unfamiliar angles was his challenge. But over time, he's developed into a consistent receiver on the practice field, if not in games. But he's still improving. Said Prince: "Jordan is a guy that is very proactive. He comes in early in the morning to work (on his hands). He knows what he needs to do to get better and he will do what it takes. He can really go catch the ball better than people think, he's really worked on his game."
Advantage: Hass
Speed: A track star most of his life, Kent is blessed with elite speed. He was easily Seattle's fastest receiver last year and this season is second only to rookie Deon Butler, clocked in the 4.3 second range in the 40-yard dash at this year's NFL Scouting Combine. As for Hass, hie lack of speed is somewhat overrated. "Mike Hass is a lot faster than people think," Prince said. Hass ran a 4.59 at the NFL combine. Comparatively, the legendary Jerry Race was clocked at 4.55 coming out of college. "I think Mike's speed is good enough," the scout said. "His times were faster than other successful receivers like Anquan Boldin (Arizona) and Marty Booker (Chicago and Miami), to name a few."
Advantage: Kent
Quickness: While Hass' speed might be underrated, his lack of elite quickness cannot be denied. "His deficiency is more in his re-start quickness, change of direction quickness," the scout said. "He doesn't really have real quick feet." Because of his height, Kent does not have the same level of elite quickness as many smaller receivers. But Kent excelled as a defender in basketball because of his ability to move his feet quickly. That change of direction quickness has helped him on the football field, as well, where he has improved his ability to shorten his stride to make sharp, quick cuts on route and regain acceleration.
Advantage: Kent
Analysis: It's going to be an uphill battle for either to make the team this season. But of the two, Kent would appear to have the best shot, given that he has something no other on the roster has - height and size. And should he not be released, chances are there could be teams lining up to give him another opportunity given his physical gifts. "He's a guy you would take a flier on because he has some things you can't coach," the scout said.
http://blog.oregonlive.com/nfl/2009/08/making_a_cantmiss_receiver.html
