Rams' 3rd round pick: Jonathan Wade, CB, Tennessee

(4/28/07)

Jonathan Wade 5'10" 195 4.41
Wade was PFW's 12th CB overall, behind 3 other DBs still on the board: Tanard Jackson, Tarell Brown, Fred Bennett. Wade's their #92 player overall. Top 3 players left: Ray McDonald, Jackson, Brown.
Scout.com guide has Wade as a late 4th-round value. 5 available CBs in front of him. Top 3 players left: Tony Hunt, Tarell Brown, Brandon Mebane.
Sporting News' #11-ranked CB. 3 CBs ahead of him on their board: Jackson, Hughes, David Irons.
Wade is #62 on Rick Gosselin's top 100. Top CB left. Think his top 3 left were Trent Edwards, Antonio Pittman, Ray McDonald.

Draft guide notes:
Scout: 3-year starter; All-SEC as a senior. Athletic CB with outstanding
size & speed. Fast running downfield with opponents, quickly breaks
to the throw, has burst to the action. Explosive moving up the field against
the run and plays with an aggressive style... Lacks instincts, gets lost on
the field, does not recognize assignments. Does more hitting than wrapping
up, which leads to broken tackles. (OH NO)... Better athlete than football
player at this point. Wade improved as a senior but is far from the complete
package. Boom-or-bust type with good upside due to natural skills.

TSN: Stock on the rise. Jams receivers and can turn and run without losing
a step. Good athleticism but must improve his technique, especially in man
coverage. Slips and falls too often. Lack of body control. Must wrap up better
to avoid missing tackles.

PFW: Louisiana state record in 100 meters. Ran track at UT. Two INTs in
'05; 4 in '06. Has outstanding pure speed, but not great size. Plays ball well
when it's in front of him. Nice recovery speed. Playing with more toughness...
Gives too much separation in man. Gets out of position too often. Relies too
much on his speed. Does not play ball well over his shoulder. Not very tough
or physical (OH NO). Does not have good feel for game, not strong tackler....
Converted receiver who came on as a senior but still has a way to go. Will
intrigue scouts with his athleticism, fluid movement and terrific burst, but
is not a true football player and will take time to develop. Has upside to
continue developing.

Another third-round classic from Rams Park. Wade sounds like a cross
between Travis Fisher and Jacoby Shepherd. Is the Ram defense so good
they can play around with projects at CB? I would have opted for one of the
more polished CB prospects or built the defensive line further. It looks like
the Rams braintrust has been blinded by their stopwatches. Again. Thumbs down.