Cincinnati Bengals Select Mohamed Sanu, WR, Rutgers 2012 NFL Draft Grade

With the 83rd pick in the 2012 NFL Draft the Cincinnati Bengals have selected Mohamed Sanu, WR, Rutgers

Here is our report on Sanu:

Pros: Versatile is an understatement… he can catch…throw…can be used as a return man and can even punt in a pinch…pretty good size at 6’2 215 pounds…agile…tough (played through injuries all last year)…smooth athlete…creates separation off the line of scrimmage and in his routes…explosive of the line of scrimmage…very good blocker for a WR….has run the wildcat effectively…has good vision with the ball in his hands…sure hands…yards after the catch…better football player than he is an athlete…Massive hands

Cons

raw route runner (spending so much time at other positions doesn’t help his development)…has battled through injuries much of his college career…even though he’s been productive, he doesn’t have Justin Blackmon kind of numbers…Might be a tick slower than ideal…does most of his damage underneath…probably not a true #1 WR at the N.F.L.

Player comparison:

Brad Smith-This is more about their kinds of abilities than it is what I think Sanu can be. Sanu will be a much better wide receiver than Smith is (smith throws the ball much better), but he’s the only kind of gadget player who has any size to him. You could compare Sanu to a bigger Percy Harvin and that’s a fair comparison as well. Sanu could be an excellent return man, and I think he’ll be a very nice wide receiver as well.

A player comparison you also see used a lot is Hakeem Nicks because of his yards after the catch ability, smooth running and huge hands

Projected round-2nd

Thoughts

Sanu is one of the most exciting prospects to watch in all of college football. He’s used in so many different ways, it’s fun to watch. Beyond that though, you also see a determined player who is willing to throw big blocks, run with the football, go over the middle and just do anything he can to be productive for the Scarlet Knights. Sanu is unique. There aren’t many players like him in the N.F.L who have his size, explosiveness and versatililty. Sanu could run a 40 in the 4.5 range, but if he does get his 40 down to 4.45 area he could go as high as the middle of the first round in my opinion. The question he’ll face is whetheror not he is a number one WR in the N.F.L. and he’s probably not, but he can be an excellent complement.

Pick Grade: A

This is a great value for a team that needed a receiver opposite A.J. Green, and after getting prank called during the first round, Sanu eventually winds up in Cincinnati anyway.