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June 24, 2007

How about those receivers?

Question: What's up, Matt? I would like to know your opinion so far on WR Jason Hill. With the WR injuries, do you think he has a shot a becoming a starter this season? How about the other WRs - have any of them shown potential in the OTAs? Thanks.

Ricky, San Mateo

Answer: What up, Ricky? The thing that struck me about Hill is that he's not a little guy. A lot of times the guys who run phenomenal 40s at the combine - which Hill did - arrive at minicamp with fragile sprinters' bodies. Hill has thick legs and thick arms, which is what endeared him to McCloughan and Nolan, who love big-bodied players.

That said, I'm not sure how much playing time he'll see this season. It's not that he played poorly at the recent OTAs. In fact, he made a lot of nice catches. It's just that, like any rookie, he's learning the playbook from scratch. The only way he sees plays early in the season, at least, is if there's a rash of injuries. As far as the receivers who looked good, Arnaz Battle is Mr. Consistent while Brandon Williams showed he is hard to cover while lining up in the slot. Whether he does as well in full-contact practices remains to be seen. Can't wait to see Marcus Maxwell in action, too.

- Matt Barrows

Posted by Ahmed Ortiz at 7:02 PM | Comments |