The Official Numbers on Justin Gage

[stlouiecard]

6'4 210 lbs. Ran a 4.43 40 yd. and had a 10'1 standing broad jump.... Take Notice Cards we need to build a WR core since we didn't keep our players...Not meant as a dig but hey, there are no FA available- the cubbard is bare,therefore hopefully we can get lucky in the draft.

Gage can be had in the 3rd round.

 

[WizardOfAz]

I like the kid from Harvard - Carl Morris (I think).

 

[artp]

I don't think we need to draft a wr on Day 1 of the draft. If we can re-sign Sanders or sign a FA after the June 1 cuts, I think that will be OK going into camp.

 

[WizardOfAz]

That's why I like the kid from Harvard - I think he can be had on day two.

 

[TJAM]

Justin's agent was on the radio Friday, here in ST. Louis , on a sports talk show. He said several teams are looking at him, but would not elaborate on which ones. He did not go to the combine because he had tweeked his knee and did not want a bad performance. All is well Know. He did workout at Missouri's Pro Day I think Thursday. Anticipation is 3rd to 5th round. Apparently he has several things to work on for his game and may not be an instant impact player.

 

[stlouiecard]

I disagree and this is why

Originally posted by TJAM
Justin's agent was on the radio Friday, here in ST. Louis , on a sports talk show. He said several teams are looking at him, but would not elaborate on which ones. He did not go to the combine because he had tweeked his knee and did not want a bad performance. All is well Know. He did workout at Missouri's Pro Day I think Thursday. Anticipation is 3rd to 5th round. Apparently he has several things to work on for his game and may not be an instant impact player.

This kid stepped in 3 basketball seasons and contributed in big ways for Mizzou. He has played on bad bad football teams all four years and has excelled. I think he will be an impact player.... but all is a crapshoot when it comes to picking players this time of the year.... who knows?? A good WR is needed to replace the only sure thing that we had in DB. Hopefully some miracle will happen and Jeff Blake will have some targets. Freddie Jones is going to have a good season this year, but he will need help.

 

[TJAM]

Only time will tell if he can make an impact somewhere. The local radio experts certainly were not even concidering him for a 1st or 2nd rounder...............but he has enough going for him that the Rams certainly have serious interest and everyone knows they like to put the ball in the air

 

[pinnacle]

justin gage is a stud..I am shocked his 40 time was that good. Not sure the cardinals will take him because we have quite a few young guys that need some work..but I think he will have an very good nfl career barring injury. (caveat..I am a mizzou homer - although I have not lived there since I graduated from college 15 years ago)..

 

[JeffGollin]

6'4 210 lbs. Ran a 4.43 40 yd. and had a 10'1 standing broad jump.
Source?

I don't recall seeing anything about Gage's Pro Day numbers, and he'd been consistently racking up 4.62 - 4.65 forty times prior to that.

If the 4.43 were to be true, I think he'd become a legitimate option for us.

 

[stlouiecard]

ESPN

Originally posted by JeffGollin
6'4 210 lbs. Ran a 4.43 40 yd. and had a 10'1 standing broad jump.
Source?

I don't recall seeing anything about Gage's Pro Day numbers, and he'd been consistently racking up 4.62 - 4.65 forty times prior to that.

If the 4.43 were to be true, I think he'd become a legitimate option for us.

ESPN

 

[JeffGollin]

ESPN
I'm sorry to be such a pain in the butt, but where on ESPN is there updated info on Justin Gage? I just visited the EPSN site, went through all of Kiper's updated stuff and couldn't find anything on Gage. I then went to the NFL.com Pro Day recap page and Missouri isn't listed as having any Pro Day workouts yet.

The reason I'm asking is - I'm putting the finishing touches on the BRS draft annual and want to put the latest available updated info on each player - including Gage. But before I post anything new, I need verification - that I can see for myself - from a legitimate source.

 

[DieHardFromMO]

Originally posted by JeffGollin
ESPN
I'm sorry to be such a pain in the butt, but where on ESPN is there updated info on Justin Gage? I just visited the EPSN site, went through all of Kiper's updated stuff and couldn't find anything on Gage. I then went to the NFL.com Pro Day recap page and Missouri isn't listed as having any Pro Day workouts yet.

The reason I'm asking is - I'm putting the finishing touches on the BRS draft annual and want to put the latest available updated info on each player - including Gage. But before I post anything new, I need verification - that I can see for myself - from a legitimate source.

40-yard dash time helps NFL scouts gauge Gage
By JIM THOMAS Post-Dispatch
updated: 03/29/2003 01:53 AM



Already respected for his pass-catching ability, MU's Justin Gage drew some attention Friday with his speed in the 40-yard dash.

As far as National Football League scouts were concerned, the biggest question surrounding University of Missouri wide receiver Justin Gage was his time in the 40-yard dash.

Gage turned that question mark into an exclamation point Friday during a campus workout in Columbia, Mo. Performing in front of scouts from 13 NFL teams, including two scouts from the Rams, Gage was consistently timed around 4.4-seconds.

"My best was a 4.43," Gage said. "I had no complaints at all."

The Rams had Gage clocked at 4.46. Coupled with Gage's size (6 feet 4, 218 pounds) and his productivity in college, Gage should be taken on the first day of the NFL draft, when the top three rounds are selected.

Gage had a vertical leap of 40 inches at the workout, and went 11 feet 1 inch in the standing broad jump. Both are excellent numbers.

Gage had spent his previous winters in Columbia playing basketball for the Tigers. But this year, he left school after the fall semester, training for football in Phoenix.

Gage tweaked his knee not long before the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, so he wasn't timed there last month. The minor knee problem also forced Gage to postpone his originally scheduled Mizzou "pro day" at the end of February. With no prior dash time to help NFL scouts fully evaluate him, Friday's workout became more important.

Other Tigers working out for NFL scouts Friday were defensive end Antwaun Bynum, linebacker Sean Doyle, quarterback Kirk Farmer, safety Tauras Ferguson and defensive tackle Keith Wright.

 

[TJAM]

Jeff

I assume you got your verification on Justin Gage, the article ahead of this post was in the St. louis Post Dispatch - 4-30-03.

Do not know what your research shows but the top WR seem to be :

Charles Rogers Michigan State
Andre Johnson Miami
Kelly Washington Tennesse some kind of injury
Taylor Jacobs Florida
Brandon Lloyd Illinois
Walter Young Illinois

 

[stlouiecard]

That's correct - but

Originally posted by TJAM
Jeff

I assume you got your verification on Justin Gage, the article ahead of this post was in the St. louis Post Dispatch - 4-30-03.

Do not know what your research shows but the top WR seem to be :

Charles Rogers Michigan State
Andre Johnson Miami
Kelly Washington Tennesse some kind of injury
Taylor Jacobs Florida
Brandon Lloyd Illinois
Walter Young Illinois

Justin would be a good option if not great option in the 3rd round- all of these guys should be gone by the third round.

 

[JeffGollin]

Jeff - I assume you got your verification on Justin Gage, the article ahead of this post was in the St. louis Post Dispatch - 4-30-03.
Good enough for me. Thanx. You can't be too careful - often agents will plant questionalbe stuff that makes their clients look good.

Based on the updated forty-time, I'd rather take a shot at Gage - maybe even with our high second round pick (#37) and would rate him as a surer thing than Calico.

My reasoning: Many of us have seen the guy go up and pick it - the only downside was the speed issue. With that removed, he should at least be placed in the same draft-cluster as guys like Talman Gardner.

 

[conraddobler]

I'm a Mizzou fan and Gage would be a great 3rd round pick for us he's got lots of talent but is somewhat raw probably due to being a QB his first year.

I think with Jerry Sullivans help he could be a dominant reciever.

He does need a lot of work and has a problem dropping balls. He can make some circus catches to make up for it though.

He's basically a faster Tony Gonzales.

 

[mizzoucardfan]

IMO we pick defense in RD. 1 (in my order of preference : Suggs, Kennedy, Newman), Defense in Rd. 2 ( best available ), and Justin in Rd. #3. I think that we would look back in a couple of years and see this as a great draft.

 

[Russ Smith]

Originally posted by JeffGollin
Jeff - I assume you got your verification on Justin Gage, the article ahead of this post was in the St. louis Post Dispatch - 4-30-03.
Good enough for me. Thanx. You can't be too careful - often agents will plant questionalbe stuff that makes their clients look good.

Based on the updated forty-time, I'd rather take a shot at Gage - maybe even with our high second round pick (#37) and would rate him as a surer thing than Calico.

My reasoning: Many of us have seen the guy go up and pick it - the only downside was the speed issue. With that removed, he should at least be placed in the same draft-cluster as guys like Talman Gardner.

Playing devil's advocate one fast 40 time and you jump him up a couple of rounds? We don't even know yet how it translates into game speed lots of guys improve their weight or speed before the draft but it doesn't always translate on the field.

From what I'm reading on Calico he's extremely raw but a great athlete.

I give up trying to figure out scouts, all the talk about Andre Johnson dropping balls at his pro day, and then I read on Sporting News in their WR section(in the magazine) "best hands- Andre Johnson" !

They like Gage too btw they said they had him rated ahead of another basketball convert, Mike Bush(Washington State I've mentioned him several times)because he might be faster(his 40 time certainly is now) and because he's younger(Bush is 24-25 years old). Neither guy is considered polished but the size and jumping ability of both have them on most people's sleeper lists.

 

[stlouiecard]

Hey Russ

Originally posted by Russ Smith
Playing devil's advocate one fast 40 time and you jump him up a couple of rounds? We don't even know yet how it translates into game speed lots of guys improve their weight or speed before the draft but it doesn't always translate on the field.

From what I'm reading on Calico he's extremely raw but a great athlete.

I give up trying to figure out scouts, all the talk about Andre Johnson dropping balls at his pro day, and then I read on Sporting News in their WR section(in the magazine) "best hands- Andre Johnson" !

They like Gage too btw they said they had him rated ahead of another basketball convert, Mike Bush(Washington State I've mentioned him several times)because he might be faster(his 40 time certainly is now) and because he's younger(Bush is 24-25 years old). Neither guy is considered polished but the size and jumping ability of both have them on most people's sleeper lists.

I Respect your opinions but I have watched Justin the last four years play and I can first tell you that he is not a Basketball convert. He is Football first and always has been. Secondly, I can tell you that he has great hands and he has broken all of MU's WR records. There once was a great WR named Victor Bailey who played here and he smashed his records. Gage could theoretically go in rd. 2 but I would wait until rd. 3 and see if he can be had. I think if we get him there then it's a steal. If he goes in rd. 2 then kudos to the team that gets him. All in all he is a superd talent who does not have an ego problem like many athletes today do and he has played on a team that has struggled and has excelled. We shall see. A majority of picks are usually a crapshoot.... But I think Justin would be a good risk. The Rams thinks so too!

 

[Houdini]

I don't know anything about the guy, but here is a bio on him from a subscription I get.


JUSTIN GAGE, Wide receiver
School: University of Missouri Tigers. Height: 6:04.1. Weight: 203. Hometown: Jefferson City, Missouri

ANALYSIS


Positives…Natural athlete with a good height/weight/speed factor...Has a well-developed frame that packs a lot of power...Displays effective upfield quickness and the acceleration to elude defenders after the catch...Has the body control to make sharp cuts coming out of his routes...Shows timing to the stick posts and on corner routes...Uses his quickness and power to gain most of his yardage after the catch...Shows good leaping ability going up for the ball in flight and a competitive nature to wrest the ball away from defenders in traffic... Extends his arms properly and catches with his hands...Has the strength to escape press coverage...Shows aggression and functional strength when called upon for blocking purposes...Capable of making the crack block upfield...Knows how to come back for the underneath and off-target passes…Possesses a powerful and dangerous arm for the option pass.

Negatives…Lacks top foot speed, lateral agility and burst to escape the press…Does not have the long acceleration to be considered game-breaking material, as he does not separate quickly…Needs to concentrate on tracking the ball in better (too many drops)…

Shows he can reach and pluck the ball, but also has a tendency to bobble the pigskin…

Shows inconsistent aggression when asked to block, especially in pass protection…Bit of a selfish player who was never considered a team leader…Needs to build up before he can attain top speed…Bit stiff in the hips and lacks juking moves to elude after the catch, relying more on his power to break arm tackles.



CAREER NOTES

Versatile athlete who excelled on the basketball team before concentrating strictly on football as a senior…Started 34 of 37 games during his career, finishing with 200 catches for 2704 yards (13.5 avg) and 18 touchdowns.

 

[Russ Smith]

Re: Hey Russ

Originally posted by stlouiecard
I Respect your opinions but I have watched Justin the last four years play and I can first tell you that he is not a Basketball convert. He is Football first and always has been. Secondly, I can tell you that he has great hands and he has broken all of MU's WR records. There once was a great WR named Victor Bailey who played here and he smashed his records. Gage could theoretically go in rd. 2 but I would wait until rd. 3 and see if he can be had. I think if we get him there then it's a steal. If he goes in rd. 2 then kudos to the team that gets him. All in all he is a superd talent who does not have an ego problem like many athletes today do and he has played on a team that has struggled and has excelled. We shall see. A majority of picks are usually a crapshoot.... But I think Justin would be a good risk. The Rams thinks so too!

I'm not saying you're wrong, just jumping Gage up because of his 40 time is wrong because it probably won't translate onto the field. He wasn't a 4.45 40 guy in college in 4 years, why would we expect he will be in the NFL?

Gage is more polished than Bush that's why most have him rated ahead of him, the reason they get mentioned together is size and basketball background(Bush came to WSU as a basketball player on a basketball scholarship he only played 2 years of football). If Bush were 2-3 years younger I think he'd be rated at the same point Gage is now, I'd be happy with either but I think round 2 is probably early for him.

 

[JeffGollin]

Playing devil's advocate one fast 40 time and you jump him up a couple of rounds?
Absolutely. Here's why.

Going in to the offseason, I had liked Gage and felt that the only thing that was holding him back from being second round material was a major lack of straight-line speed - i.e. 4.65 is pretty slow.

Well, he proved he can run fast enough at 4.45, so I bumped him back up to second round consideration.

It's not like the impressive forty time caused me to get all gooey-eye - more that it resolved the only major concern I had. Think in terms of Gage bouncing back up to where he should have been all along.

Note - Earlier in the offseason, I made this very same point - that it isn't that All Star, Combine and Pro Day stats suddenly transform a workout warrior into a Pro Bowler, but that they could resolve some concerns and even right a few wrongs.

I specified: The big possession receiver who suddenly runs a 4.4 (Kasper and Proehl are two other examples of this). Or, conversely, the 230 pound premier RB thought to run a 4.5 but can't break a 4.7 (i.e. is the dude an Edgerrin James or Ricky Williams or is he a Curtis Enis?). The numbers can help a GM decide this.