http://rotoviz.com/index.php/2013/02/sounding-the-cowbell-on-mississippi-states-chad-bumphis/ From my point of view, the fact that Mississippi State finally put a legitimate passing quarterback on the field this year really opened up Chad's game. Tyler Russell's ability to attack all parts of the field with his strong arm really helped out Chad Bumphis and increased his production. That's not to say that Chad isn't a quality receiver. I definitely think he is. He's going to time somewhere around a 4.5, but he will blow out the agility and quickness drills at his pro day. It is a travesty that he did not get an invite to the NFL combine. He was very productive in his senior season against SEC competition.
Interesting, thx. I looked at a few clips and he certainly seems to have the speed and quicks that you'd want, decent size at 5-11, 200. Quite an impressive punt return here showing off his athletecism: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LXD1dDvRaY http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sf4wmqJO4s This is just a first glance, but I see a little Mark Clayton/Stedman Bailey with his lateral quicks and his ability to bounce of defenders, that kind of escapability and ability to keep a play alive. Btw I looked at some Connor Vernon video today- I think that he could be a productive WR for some team, he's a gamer with good hands and more wheels/quicks than I expected.
IMO, Bumphis will time solidly into the 4.4's. He's got everything you want except hands. But the hands are so bad I'd consider converting him to corner.
His hands looked ok here on the 1st play, caught it well: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63ju04CiMXc I'm flying blind here, just looking at a few clips, but he seems decently natural at catching the ball to me- is it a concentration thing? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_GRxhVXgSM
You're watching highlight vids where they're just showing catches. Of course the hands are going to look good. All he's doing in the highlight vids is catching the football.
Don't get me wrong though, Chad Bumphis was a guy I targeted to watch closely in Shrine practices because I thought him very underrated and I still think he's a guy I'd target late in the Draft as someone who runs, is quick as a bug, knows how to run routes, gets open, runs after the catch, and CAN catch the football. However in the tape I'd seen, I saw a hands problem...and then during Shrine practice that hands issue got worse. He showed a little bit better during the game itself but there was one catch he made for a TD that was contested that if you look close, was kind of a lucky catch.
That really isn't the point. What I'm looking for is how he catches the ball- hands vs body catches, does he look the ball in, stuff like that- that's what's relevant in these highlight clips for my purposes- how he does it, not the catch being made which is a given. Some WRs like Rogers and Patton look natural catching the ball to me, some like Patterson- not so much. At first glance Bumphis seems pretty smooth catching the ball, which is why I asked about concentration issues, etc. If there was more film available of him dropping passes, all the better to judge with.
"McShay believes MSU’s other draft prospects – cornerback Darius Slay, defensive tackle Josh Boyd, linebacker Cam Lawrence and receiver Chad Bumphis – are on the “fringe” of the draft this year. Bumphis, MSU’s career receptions leader, led the SEC with 12 touchdown catches in 2012 and impressed scouts at the East-West Shrine Game in January. Bumphis, a Tupelo native, caught 58 passes for a career-high 922 yards last season. “Bumphis is probably the best of the others for Mississippi State,” McShay said. “I still have him in that late-round range right now, with a Day 3 grade. I like his quickness. Obviously he’s very productive. I think he’s an instinctive receiver. I just don’t know how explosive he is. There are a lot of good wide receivers this year, even though there’s maybe not a guy you feel great about drafting in the top 10, 15 overall in this class.” http://www.clarionledger.com/articl...NFL-Draft-pick-Banks-one-watch?nclick_check=1 ----------------------------------------- He looks plenty explosive to me.
Bumphis has compelling speeds, quicks and escapability- all of which Cunningham did not. Hindsite is always 20/20, that being said if the Dolphins wanted a bigger 220 lb type of WR Rishard Matthews combined the size with way more speed and quicks- why Cunningham was taken first I have no idea. That doesn't detract form your point, but as a guy who knows next to nothing about Bumphis, he produced and has pro size/speed/quicks. Why he isn't ranked higher I don't know, i would like to see more of his receptions, and even more so his drops.
