Rookie Report Card: Jordan Matthews and Alfred Blue

Dan Meylor

matthews

I’ve decided to put my own spin on the concept of a rookie report card this year.

Not only will I cover my expectations for the player coming into the league and how he’s performed at the NFL level to this point, I’ll actually give him a grade in three categories. Those categories are performance to date, 2014 potential and long term upside. Each week I’ll cover at least two rookies and try to always include the biggest performers from that particular week.

The series continues with a closer look at Jordan Matthews and Alfred Blue.

Jordan Matthews, WR PHI
Week 11 Stats: five receptions, 107 yards, touchdown
Season Stats: 44 receptions, 558 yards, six touchdowns

Matthews could have been featured in this space in any of the last three weeks. After all, he’s hauled in 15 passes for 285 and four touchdowns over that span and included a pair of 100-yard games.

Coming out of Vanderbilt, I wasn’t convinced Matthews would be a dynamic playmaker at the next level. Every time I watched him in college, he was barking at referees, opposing defenders and sometimes even his teammates and when you have the “Diva” personality, you’d better have a big game to go along with it. Although he showed flashes of brilliance while in Nashville, there were also flaws to his game.

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Along with what I saw as a huge ego, Matthews also displayed very erratic hands which seemed to show up at some of the biggest moments. Perhaps even worse, he didn’t regularly display the characteristics of a big play receiver either on the field for the Commodores or at the scouting combine. While his college numbers are impressive especially in his final two years on campus where he hauled in 206 passes for 2,800 yards and 15 touchdowns, his 40-yard dash was only above average at 4.46 seconds and his vertical could be classified as no better than alright at 35.5 inches. In my opinion at the time, coming into the NFL Draft, Matthews never showed the skills of an elite receiver.

With that said, there were things that I liked about Matthews in college. While at Vanderbilt, he ran the entire route tree and ran it well. He routinely showed the ability to shake defenders at the top of routes to create space and even though he tended to make some disgusting drops while in college, he also made some terrific grabs in traffic. After the catch he always immediately turned up field, getting as much yardage as possible.

Then Matthews landed in an ideal spot when he was drafted by Chip Kelly and the Eagles early in the second round of the draft and dynasty owners everywhere salivated at the possibilities. He instantly moved up draft boards and even I, a guy who was cautious about his upside, scooped him up late in the first round of a rookie/devy draft when he slipped to the tenth pick.

Since he arrived in Philadelphia, Matthews has done nothing but impress. On top of making big plays, he’s been a workout warrior, spending extra time both in the classroom and running routes after practice, and hasn’t displayed the same attitude on the field that he did in college.

So far in his rookie season, Matthews has been used as the Eagles’ primary slot receiver, running more than 90% of his routes and making all but two of his receptions out of the slot. Although he’s excelling at the position it’s expected that he’ll at some point also develop into a fine outside threat due to his excellent route running skills and good size (6’3”, 212 pounds).

On Sunday against the Packers, Matthews was the best receiver in an Eagles jersey. He made a couple very nice plays including an impressive ten-yard touchdown on a bubble screen out of the slot to the left of Mark Sanchez. On the play he was met by Packers safety Morgan Burnett, who is usually a good tackler, at the eight yard line. Matthews stiff armed Burnett, making it look easy to swat him away from his body, and pushed ahead for the score.

On the afternoon, Matthews hauled in five passes for 107 yards and that touchdown. And if Sanchez had been more accurate, he would have hauled in another pass for a big gain late in the third quarter so Matthews’ numbers could have been even more impressive.

Overall, Matthews has done more than enough to ease my mind about his upside to become a big-time NFL receiver. When I watched him in college I always had some pause when considering his potential to become a WR1 for dynasty owners. That’s completely gone away now that I’ve seen him play multiple times and read the glowing reports coming out of Philadelphia. I’d be surprised if he doesn’t develop into a top-15 fantasy wide out and wouldn’t be shocked if it happens as soon as 2015.

As far as the rest of this season goes, as long as Matthews comes away healthy from his slight injury scare in the fourth quarter Sunday, he should be considered a quality WR3 with the upside of a low-end WR1 on a weekly basis. He’ll likely have some ups and downs, but Matthews shouldn’t be on very many benches going forward.

As for this former skeptic, I’m extremely glad I changed my tune on Matthews before it was too late and got him in one league. Hopefully you weren’t as incredulous. And if you were, hopefully you too realized your mistake and got some stock in him. If you didn’t, it’s likely far too late to do so.

Rookie Report Card
Player: Jordan Matthews
Performance To Date 2014 Potential Long Term Upside
C+ B A

 

Alfred Blue, RB HOU
Week 11 Stats: 36 carries, 156 yards
Season Stats: 104 carries, 390 yards, six receptions, 56 yards, one touchdown

Like many, I didn’t know much about Blue before the draft process started. Then I read what The FFGhost had to say in The ORANGE Report:

“Despite being used very little at LSU, Blue is actually a more interesting back than (Jeremy) Hill is in my opinion. Blue has very good vision and is able to find his way to yardage when he is given the ball. For being such a large back, coming in at 6′-2″ and 225 pounds, he moves very well.

Blue really shines in his patience, he doesn’t rush a play to develop, he waits for it to develop in front of him and helps set up his blockers to gain more yardage.

Not only is he an excellent rusher, but he has been utilized in the passing game as well, which really intrigues me since big backs usually aren’t involved as pass catchers. A huge reason for Blue not being utilized much stems directly from his rushing style. He is very much an upright rusher.”

After reading what Ghost had to say about Blue, I had to watch him play. Once I did however, I wasn’t buying him as a potential contributor for dynasty owners. In fact, after he was taken by the Texans in the sixth round of the draft I wrote the following.

“If you’re looking for a sleeper tailback late in rookie drafts, Blue likely isn’t your guy… Because of his lack of college carries, Blue doesn’t have many miles on his tires. He’s a power runner who is physical with the ball in his hands and can catch the ball out of the backfield, but has limitations to his game including his lack of overall speed, nonexistent explosiveness at the line of scrimmage and his inability to block in the passing game which will keep him off the field early in his career.”

Using Sunday as the only indication, Ghost’s scouting report was much more on point than my own.

Blue displayed excellent patience on Sunday against the Browns. Although he didn’t show much burst through the hole, he waited for the offensive line to create openings and made the cut without hesitation to get to the second level. Once he reached the linebackers he was very effective, using the stiff arm and his powerful running style to shed tacklers and gain extra yardage.

Although he didn’t find the end zone in Cleveland, Blue was very effective for the Texans and his fantasy owners in the absence of Arian Foster. He tallied 156 yards on 36 carries (4.3 YPC) but wasn’t relied upon in the passing game which was a disappointment.

All indications are that Foster will return in week 12 against the Bengals so Blue’s short term upside is extremely limited. That said, in the event that Foster misses anymore time Blue should definitely be considered for your flex spot considering the Houston coaching staff’s faith in the rookie.

As far as long term potential goes, I still feel Blue lacks the explosion and overall speed to become anything more than a secondary ball carrier and possible short yardage and goal line runner. Because of that, his fantasy upside is severely limited. I’d be surprised if he develops into anything more than a RB4 for your dynasty team beyond this year.

Rookie Report Card
Player: Alfred Blue
Performance To Date 2014 Potential Long Term Upside
C- C C-

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dan meylor