Why Malachi Dupre fell

[PackersBacker]

Found this article detailing why Dupre fell to the 7th: http://walterfootball.com/ws2017mdupre.php

Basically the NFL thinks he's an entitled punk after being a 5 star in HS, who didn't produce enough in college.

Obviously his QB situation was rough, but another WR in this draft had similar circumstances: Travin Dural.

Comparing their stats, Dupre was clearly better:

2016
Dupre: 41/593/3
Dural: 28/280/1

2015:
Dupre: 43/698/6
Dural: 28/533/3

Clearly the mental makeup is an issue but many good WRs are divas. I think we got a steal.

 

[gbgary]

Clearly the mental makeup is an issue but many good WRs are divas. I think we got a steal.

let's hope so. it's always nice when a 7th hits but no biggie if he isn't.

 

[AmishMafia]

Hopefully the slight of getting drafted so late will wake him up to the idea that he needs to work hard to succeed.

Last year at this time I saw him going in the first round of a mock draft. Expectations were high for him.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Hopefully Dupre turns into someone like Jared Cook, a guy who gets paired up with the right QB/system and shines. While I don't expect a ton from the guy right out of the gate, if he shows enough in the preseason, it might be tough to sneak him over to as well as keep him on the PS. He could force the Packers into a tough decision and force them to cut Janis and Davis for the 6th WR spot. I think DeAnagelo Yancey, because the Packers spent a 5th round on him, will make the 53 (5th WR) unless he gets injured or shows nothing in the preseason. Dupre's lack of special teams work in college isn't going to help him either.

 

[Arthur Squires]

The big negative about Dupre is that he should be faster/quicker for his size. He is a talented athlete but he just lacks speed you would think he has!

 

[Zartan]

Hope he pans out. He could be the next Donald Driver a hidden gem late in the draft.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

The big negative about Dupre is that he should be faster/quicker for his size. He is a talented athlete but he just lacks speed you would think he has!

It's absolutely possible the Packers got a steal by selecting Dupre in the seventh round as he's fast enough to take the top off a defense but at this point is a deep ball threat only as his route running needs major improvement. In addition he has troubles with corners playing press coverage and body catches too much balls.

 

[HardRightEdge]

Clearly the mental makeup is an issue but many good WRs are divas. I think we got a steal.

I don't see anybody tagging him a "diva". It is noted in your link, "To be clear, there are red flags in his makeup as a prospect, but not the guy as a person."

The question is whether he's merely a track man who happens to play football. Questions have been raised by multiple sources in all the areas that constitute "special sauce": getting off press coverage, quickness out of breaks, reliability of hands, body catching, route running. Some of this stuff is evident even in the highlight tapes. You'll see him not extending for contested balls and there's a stop-and-go TD where the move is slow-mo by NFL standards. Who knows what we might see in the bad plays that don't make the clips.

We have fresh memories of two guys who show exceptional athletic talent in a Combine-like setting who simply don't have the intangibles that make for a decent NFL football player: Christine Michael and Jeff Janis. Janis would be long gone were it not for special teams utility, something Dupre lacks.

As for the "just wait for him to play with Rodgers", there's a little problem there. He must show something in preseason playing with backups.

Let's see what he can manage in full contact preseason. Maybe practice squad if he can show some quick study attributes.

 

[Dantés]

It's absolutely possible the Packers got a steal by selecting Dupre in the seventh round as he's fast enough to take the top off a defense but at this point is a deep ball threat only as his route running needs major improvement. In addition he has troubles with corners playing press coverage and body catches too much balls.

Route running could remain a persistent problem for him a la Janis. His speed is fine, and he's an explosive leaper, but his change of direction ability is pretty poor.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Route running could remain a persistent problem for him a la Janis. His speed is fine, and he's an explosive leaper, but his change of direction ability is pretty poor.

Hopefully Dupre is at least smarter than Janis and capable of learning the playbook.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

The bottom line for me is that the Packers used a minimal 7th round pick on Dupre. A guy who came out of college as a Junior, leaving an LSU program that has produced some quality NFL WR's but during his time had a marginal passing attack. There was talk before the draft that had he not declared early, he may have been a top 5 WR in the 2018 draft. Many scouts had him pegged for a 2nd-4th round pick in this years draft. Given that, I think he was more than worthy of the 7th round pick and if he is a success, he will be remembered as the steal of the draft. If he fails, as a guy who was worth rolling the dice on.

This article was interesting to read, it was written by an LSU beat writer talking about Dupre coming out early as being a mistake and analysing the move that the writer at the time felt would make Dupre only a mid round pick.

https://www.seccountry.com/lsu/lsu-football-dupre-draft-mistake

 

[Sky King]

Hopefully Dupre is at least smarter than Janis and capable of learning the playbook.

Dupre scored 20 on his Wonderlic and Janis scored 30.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Dupre scored 20 on his Wonderlic and Janis scored 30.

That doesn't mean Janis has a higher football IQ though.

 

[Sky King]

That doesn't mean Janis has a higher football IQ though.

The definitions of "football I.Q. ought to be entertaining. Hopefully, some posters will weigh-in on this.

 

[Sky King]

http://footballiqscore.com/wonderlic-score-database

 

[HardRightEdge]

The definitions of "football I.Q. ought to be entertaining. Hopefully, some posters will weigh-in on this.

It means knowing what a nickel defense is before your second year in the league.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

The definitions of "football I.Q. ought to be entertaining. Hopefully, some posters will weigh-in on this.

I consider being able to fully grasp the playbook and playing receiver with the Packers correctly adjusting once Rodgers starts to scramble as football IQ. Unfortunately Janis hasn't been able to demonstrate the necessary knowledge.

 

[swhitset]

Hope he pans out. He could be the next Donald Driver a hidden gem late in the draft.

lol that is the most polar opposite comparison I can think of.... Driver was an average talent with a great attitude and an even higher work ethic. From what I have heard Dupre is a very talented player with an even bigger attitude. That being said I am hoping his fall in the draft will have humbled him enough to drive him to succeed.

 

[Curly Calhoun]

Found this article detailing why Dupre fell to the 7th: http://walterfootball.com/ws2017mdupre.php

Basically the NFL thinks he's an entitled punk after being a 5 star in HS, who didn't produce enough in college.

Obviously his QB situation was rough, but another WR in this draft had similar circumstances: Travin Dural.

Comparing their stats, Dupre was clearly better:

2016
Dupre: 41/593/3
Dural: 28/280/1

2015:
Dupre: 43/698/6
Dural: 28/533/3

Clearly the mental makeup is an issue but many good WRs are divas. I think we got a steal.

I hope you're right. He faces an uphill battle in Green Bay - Six returning veterans, another receiver drafted ahead of him and the usual assortment of undrafted free agents. He'll have to impress early, and contribute on special teams - If that doesn't humble him, the veterans will.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

He'll have to impress early, and contribute on special teams - If that doesn't humble him, the veterans will.

Unfortunately I don't believe Dupre is going to impress on special teams.

 

[PikeBadger]

The definitions of "football I.Q. ought to be entertaining. Hopefully, some posters will weigh-in on this.

I think a lot of football IQ pertains to the natural feel of the game a player has and his ability to pick up subtle nuances and incorporate those tidbits of knowledge into his game.

 

[HardRightEdge]

I consider being able to fully grasp the playbook and playing receiver with the Packers correctly adjusting once Rodgers starts to scramble as football IQ. Unfortunately Janis hasn't been able to demonstrate the necessary knowledge.

It's not just on scrambles. A receiver has to make route adjustments based on what the defense shows. It's what "being on the same page" as the QB is about.

 

[jakemillar]

Does anyone else think the narrative to this whole "spoiled 5 star athlete doesn't produce in college because of entitlement" is a little dated for Dupre at this point? He's 3-4 years removed from the high school-to-college transition. Like their may be more football related issues rather than character, and not all entirely his fault.

He played in an offense that was truly pro-style which featured (and really FEATURED) Leonard Fournette. His opportunities were really limited in college.

 

[HardRightEdge]

Does anyone else think the narrative to this whole "spoiled 5 star athlete doesn't produce in college because of entitlement" is a little dated for Dupre at this point?

Again, who is characterizing Dupre in that way? From what I've seen he's thought of as a decent kid.

Again, the issue seems to be whether he's simply more athlete than football player.

 

[jakemillar]

The OP posted an article literally implying he was an entitled young 5-star HS athlete?