Wagner to Wide Receiver?

[hawkeyeinmo]

He is an elite athlete with fantastic conditioning and according to the coaches and teammates, he has the quickest first step on the team.

I will wager he is faster in the first 20 yards than anyone in the WR corps, and is a big target.

If he chooses to play football there is no guarantee, but I think the odds are very good that he will be successful. I don’t know (or care) whether he is s TE or WR, the coaches need to find a way to get him on the field and get him the ball.

He looks to be the 2nd coming of Antonio Gates or Jimmy Graham. Why wouldn’t you want to at least try it? It might be different if we were really stacked at WR, but let’s face it - we are NOT even average for Power 5 football teams at that position.

Seriously, for you naysayers- what is the downside of this move? Losing all of his “production” on the basketball team?! What if he is a bust and never climbs higher than Quarrels did?

Nothing ventured, nothing gained! It could pay off in a really big way, though. Both for himself and for the Hawks.

I agree on most your points and would like to see him give FB a shot. However as a former strength coach I would be shocked if his 20 yard dash was faster than all our WRs on the roster. The shorter leg powerful athletes are usually quicker off the starting line as the long leg athletes cruise by them. He has shown a decent 1st step on the BB court but I haven't seen anything extraordinary in vertical leap that usually translates into "explosiveness" . For example I would actually expect an RB like James Butler to beat Wagner in a 20 yard dash but not surprised to see him blown away in 60-100 yard dash.

Again, I hope he makes the move

He is an elite athlete with fantastic conditioning and according to the coaches and teammates, he has the quickest first step on the team.

I will wager he is faster in the first 20 yards than anyone in the WR corps, and is a big target.

If he chooses to play football there is no guarantee, but I think the odds are very good that he will be successful. I don’t know (or care) whether he is s TE or WR, the coaches need to find a way to get him on the field and get him the ball.

He looks to be the 2nd coming of Antonio Gates or Jimmy Graham. Why wouldn’t you want to at least try it? It might be different if we were really stacked at WR, but let’s face it - we are NOT even average for Power 5 football teams at that position.

Seriously, for you naysayers- what is the downside of this move? Losing all of his “production” on the basketball team?! What if he is a bust and never climbs higher than Quarrels did?

Nothing ventured, nothing gained! It could pay off in a really big way, though. Both for himself and for the Hawks.

 

[ICTrojans99]

WR? You crazy.

He was a 4 star WR after playing one season and has put on at least 20 pounds of muscle since then. Not to mention basketball is probably one of if not the best cross training sport a potential WR could do. Maybe not NFL WR material but who cares figure your pro position out if that time comes.

 

[hawkandroll]

OK OK OK...but can he block?!

 

[David1979]

He was a 4 star WR after playing one season and has put on at least 20 pounds of muscle since then. Not to mention basketball is probably one of if not the best cross training sport a potential WR could do. Maybe not NFL WR material but who cares figure your pro position out if that time comes.

He is more fit for a TE than WR. Also have a hard time taking that ranking seriously when no other service had him rated like that.

 

[CO_hawk]

He had a scholarship offer from Kentucky. All the WR currently on our roster had a scholarship offer from Iowa, and have spent their time since then dedicated to become the best WR they can be, while Wagner has played hoops.

In the dream scenario of Wagner playing spring ball this year, there is almost zero chance the coaches would decide to offer him a scholarship after that. There are walkons who've been busting their asses for the program for years, and now they're going to give one of the few scholarship openings to a guy who has been there for a few weeks? After not playing football for 3 years?

There is a chance he could transition to football. But it isn't going to happen as easily as some hope it will.

A scholarship offer should go to the guy good enough to help the team on the field, weather it be Wagner or one of the walk-ons.

 

[milehighhawkeye24]

He only plays like 5 Min a game in hoops- time to join the football squad

 

[TKingpin]

Hawkeyeinmo said, “I haven’t seen anything extraordinary in vertical leap that usually translates into explosiveness...”



Show me how many of the NFL WRs or TEs that can do that! ( Total b.s. call by the official to wave that off).

 

[hawkeyeinmo]

Hawkeyeinmo said, “I haven’t seen anything extraordinary in vertical leap that usually translates into explosiveness...”

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Show me how many of the NFL WRs or TEs that can do that! ( Total b.s. call by the official to wave that off).

I think quite a few can to be honest with you. 5'8'' Cole Beasley posted a youtube video of doing a behind the back dunk. I watched 5'8'' Jim Lenhard (Wisconsin D cord.) throwing down unbelievable dunks.Watched Marvin McNutt throw down impressive dunks in HS. Watch 6'5'' Kahlil Iverson from Wisconsin if you want to see an explosive leaper. I'm sorry I don't see explosive vertical in this video. Was probably a 26-28 inch vert. I guess I'm sounding a bit too negative. Just saying I think many fans are expecting a little too much.

 

[WahooHawk]

Dude played for Wayne, same school as Braxton Miller, and one of there BEST playmakers with one year of hs football. OSU fans were licking there chops hoping Urban would flip him after the championship game. Other than Fant, he would be the best playmaker on the team. He's not going to the next level with basketball, but has all the athletic ability for football. Hell, after this season he should go to football full time, not like the bball program is going anywhere.

 

[H4wkfan4life]

Not sure about his hands? Did you watch the video? How many of our receivers currently on scholarship can make that catch?

I completely understand why a kid would want to stay away from football, especially a WR or TE that tends to get blown up by DBs with some regularity. If that is his reason I think we all need to respect that. But if that isn't the reason, we could really use him on the football field more than on the basketball court. He'd probably be a receiving TE with his height and weight, similar to Fant, since he doesn't have any blocking experience. Considering our history of putting TEs into the NFL, he'd have a shot at getting paid if it turns out that he can actually play well in the Big Ten.

I'd say we are just fine at TE......

 

[bigfridaynite]

I'm pretty guys like Henry K Coble and Hockenson where all about basketball till about their Jr year of High School so it's not that usual for young men to change sports but it all about where Wagner's heart is.
It could very well be that he is very happy playing a little bit of basketball and getting a degree.

 

[wcbtee]

Could you imagine a receiver contingent of ISM, Easley, Fant, Hockenson & Wagner on the field at the same time? That would be interesting.

 

[Hawkdome]

Dont worry i am walking on as a wide out..

 

[cocoem]

He wants NOTHING to do with contact....can see that on the basketball floor.

 

[Harbinger273]

New offer could help out, albeit in a couple years.