Darnell Mooney: Superstar in the making

[RubberBanMan]

Oh ya and he can block. Sometimes better than Leno

 

[remydat]

I like Mooney, but just as this hype train is getting going I want to remind of the following:

• Devin Aromashodu
• Devin Hester
• Earl Bennett
• Johnny Knox
• Dane Sanzenbacher
• Cameron Meredith
• Kevin White
• Kendall Wright
• Taylor Gabriel
• Anthony Miller

There has been varying degrees of excitement around all those players to become viable NFL WRs in a Chicago jersey.

Let's pump the breaks a bit with Mooney. Let him continue to improve and let's do the evaluation when we have more of a history.

I'd add, all teams are like this. Every WR that gets drafted has a college highlight video and and if they show some flashes the excitement starts to build. The issue I have is it can create inaccurate expectations. Mooney had a great rookie season, but let's remember he was a 5th rounder for a reason. Let's give him space and let him develop without any pressure.

None of those guys had as impressive a rookie year as Mooney outside of Knox who was a fine player before a career ending neck injury.

 

[bamainatlanta]

Difference is that Mooney has shown at the NFL level, an ability to run routes in a way to find open space, has had more elusive runs with the ball in his hands and defended more poor throws than any of the above. He was a 5th rounder due to college program and size. He's already overcome those concerns.

None of those guys came close to showing anything at the level that Mooney does. Ramsey was burnt toast numerous times just no QB to make the throw

 

[Mighty Joe Young]

None of those guys had as impressive a rookie year as Mooney outside of Knox who was a fine player before a career ending neck injury.

And even Johnny Knox was just a slot wide receiver on a good team in terms of talent.

Mooney showed flashes of being a legit number two.

 

[Montucky]

I would say Mooney is at about the same hype-level where Anthony Miller was after his first year and where Cam Meredith was before the career-ending injury. This is certainly way past the level of Kendall Wright or Devin Aromashodu (or Dane Sanzenbacher??? lol come on). Guy can play, its just a matter of how he develops. He could have an injury like Meredith did. The Bears broken quarterback situation ruined Anthony Miller's midset and his play cratered, same could happen with Mooney. Frustration is a powerful emotion.

I don't want to deviate onto a completely unrealted tangent, but the Bears quit on Anthony Miller at their own peril. Kyle Fuller didn't even get his fifth year optioned picked up by the Bears after his third year and now he's a damn fine player. That hype Miller had after his first season, which was considerable, can still be realized.

 

[gallagher]

Oh ya and he can block. Sometimes better than Leno

My dude one time I blocked better than Leno by falling down on the sidewalk.

 

[Bearly]

I recall most calling Miller a poor route running idiot after his 1st year but were willing to give him time to improve.

 

[Pegger]

None of those guys had as impressive a rookie year as Mooney outside of Knox who was a fine player before a career ending neck injury.

Aromashodu's 'rookie' year with the Bears was pretty damn good. Remember how he finished that year? It was the last 4 games of the season and he got 39 targets, 22 receptions (5.5 catches/game), 282 yards (70.5/gm) and 4 TDs.

I vividly recall people putting him down for 1000+ yards like it was a forgone conclusion.

But, you see where I'm going, right? Let's let the kid breath a bit. He did great in a #2 role with the offense that was run. A lot of things can change and teams will have some film to better prepare themselves for his skills and role within the system. I AM NOT saying he's bad. I'm just saying the expectations do nothing to help him develop.

 

[Montucky]

I recall most calling Miller a poor route running idiot after his 1st year but were willing to give him time to improve.

Let's not pretend there aren't weaknesses to Darnell Mooney, though. The guy weighs less than a hundred and eighty pounds. Durability is a definite concern.

 

[Bearly]

Let's not pretend there aren't weaknesses to Darnell Mooney, though. The guy weighs less than a hundred and eighty pounds. Durability is a definite concern.

Who pretended that?

 

[NCChiFan]

Aromashodu's 'rookie' year with the Bears was pretty damn good. Remember how he finished that year? It was the last 4 games of the season and he got 39 targets, 22 receptions (5.5 catches/game), 282 yards (70.5/gm) and 4 TDs.

I vividly recall people putting him down for 1000+ yards like it was a forgone conclusion.

But, you see where I'm going, right? Let's let the kid breath a bit. He did great in a #2 role with the offense that was run. A lot of things can change and teams will have some film to better prepare themselves for his skills and role within the system. I AM NOT saying he's bad. I'm just saying the expectations do nothing to help him develop.

While I do not disagree with the notion of letting him breath a bit. You can actually SEE what Adipost talked about in the OP. He has shown, at times, that he can make Mitch's deep ball look really really bad and, humor aside, superior knowledge to make the correct Wr calls, more than just his speed. He gives you all three avenues, solid hands (what did he have, one drop last season), solid route running at times (which should improve), and speed. I can't say that for the rest of the guys on that list you popped in with. None of them had that combination out the gate.

 

[SlickWilly]

And he never gets the ball?

Just imagine how much he gets that ball with Watson tossing it to him....

 

[remydat]

Aromashodu's 'rookie' year with the Bears was pretty damn good. Remember how he finished that year? It was the last 4 games of the season and he got 39 targets, 22 receptions (5.5 catches/game), 282 yards (70.5/gm) and 4 TDs.

I vividly recall people putting him down for 1000+ yards like it was a forgone conclusion.

But, you see where I'm going, right? Let's let the kid breath a bit. He did great in a #2 role with the offense that was run. A lot of things can change and teams will have some film to better prepare themselves for his skills and role within the system. I AM NOT saying he's bad. I'm just saying the expectations do nothing to help him develop.

This is a bit of a fudge. There is no such thing as rookie year with the Bears. Aromashodu was drafted in 2006 by the Dolphins. He was in his 3rd year with the Bears.

Mooney has more yards in his rookie year than Armoashodu had in his first 5 years in the NFL. Of those 1st 5 years years he didn't play in 2006 or 2008 (his actual first year with the Bears). So there simply is no comparison between Mooney who was good enough to essentially start day 1 vs a guy that bounced around 4 teams his first 5 years and still only amassed 543 yards.

 

[bamainatlanta]

This is a bit of a fudge. There is no such thing as rookie year with the Bears. Aromashodu was drafted in 2006 by the Dolphins. He was in his 3rd year with the Bears.

Mooney has more yards in his rookie year than Armoashodu had in his first 5 years in the NFL. Of those 1st 5 years years he didn't play in 2006 or 2008 (his actual first year with the Bears). So there simply is no comparison between Mooney who was good enough to essentially start day 1 vs a guy that bounced around 4 teams his first 5 years and still only amassed 543 yards.

Devin did most of that production in 1 MNF game vs the Vikings. Same game that Cutler outplayed Favre and Chris Williams shut down Jared Allen.

 

[remydat]

While I do not disagree with the notion of letting him breath a bit. You can actually SEE what Adipost talked about in the OP. He has shown, at times, that he can make Mitch's deep ball look really really bad and, humor aside, superior knowledge to make the correct Wr calls, more than just his speed. He gives you all three avenues, solid hands (what did he have, one drop last season), solid route running at times (which should improve), and speed. I can't say that for the rest of the guys on that list you popped in with. None of them had that combination out the gate.

Exactly the difference with Mooney is from Day 1 he has shown good route running, excellent hands, speed, acceleration and agility. It does not mean he is guaranteed to be a stud but there are fair more good to great traits than any of the guys mentioned. The only real negative in his game is his size.

 

[dabears70]

I don’t know what the argument is but I’ll chime in and say that but was 100% intended for Evans.

Now go to the video in the OP and act like you never saw this video and tell me anyone could of guessed by that video alone that the ball was intended for M.Evans.

 

[dabears70]

Just stop. It was for Evans.

Ummmm no and going off of the video in the OP, which is the only one i had to go off of, you can't see that it was intended for M.Evans, you can't even see he got a hand on it. If i saw this video then it would of been pretty fucking clear that it was for Evans....obviously.

 

[Deep Dish Pizza]

can this post start off any longer?

 

[MikeDitkaPolishSausage]

Now go to the video in the OP and act like you never saw this video and tell me anyone could of guessed by that video alone that the ball was intended for M.Evans.

I don’t feel like scrolling through the thread to look but you can post it and I’ll take a look. I remember that play when I watched it live on TV and it was clearly for Evans.

 

[Pegger]

While I do not disagree with the notion of letting him breath a bit. You can actually SEE what Adipost talked about in the OP. He has shown, at times, that he can make Mitch's deep ball look really really bad and, humor aside, superior knowledge to make the correct Wr calls, more than just his speed. He gives you all three avenues, solid hands (what did he have, one drop last season), solid route running at times (which should improve), and speed. I can't say that for the rest of the guys on that list you popped in with. None of them had that combination out the gate.

I just hate getting overly excited about young players. For the Eagles I'm thinking of Travis Fulgham. There was a 4 game stretch were he was producing at a very high level. When people broke down his film they were saying it's all there and he's a star in the making. After that stint he had 2 games where he caught 1 ball each and had 12 targets.

Young players can look great for stretches. That doesn't mean it's sustainable, just that they flashed.