Ohio State vs. Wisconsin: Jared Abbrederis Was Best NFL Prospect on the Field
Scott Carasik@ScottCarasikTwitter LogoContributor IISeptember 29, 2013
Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
The best NFL prospect on the field wasn't Ohio State's Braxton Miller, Bradley Roby or Carlos Hyde nor was it Wisconsin's Melvin Gordon or Joel Stave. It was Jared Abbrederis.
Abbrederis is a 6'2", 188-pound receiver for Wisconsin who returns punts in addition to his normal duties out wide. He's able to stretch the field and work the intermediate routes. He's also a heads-up player who crushed a defender toward the end of the game to break up an interception.
There's many things that the pros look for in an wide receiver, and Abbrederis showed every one of those. Things like size, toughness, durability and speed. Not to mention a high football IQ and great on-and-off the field leadership.
He stepped up against the best competition he'll play this season. He also showed ability as both a possession receiver and deep-ball receiver.
Abbrederis Went Bonkers Against His Best Competition
Normally great players will get shut down against their best competition of the season. And there's no question that Wisconsin's best competition this season will be Ohio State. Abbrederis was averaging six catches for 91 yards and a touchdown almost every game.
He went insane against the best corner he'll play all year in Roby of Ohio State. His 10 catches were all over the field. His 207 yards receiving were the most he's had in a game all season by almost double—his 122 yards versus Massachusetts being the closest.
The corners he'll be playing in the NFL are all comparable to Roby, and if he continues to elevate his level of play to exceed his competition, he'll be worth a pick in the top two rounds. The Badger is a great prospect who will compare favorably to Jordy Nelson when teams start to dig into his tape.
He Can Catch the Ball in Traffic and Burn a Defense Deep
Every receiver with any sort of size will have to go over the middle and catch a ball. In the NFL, that's one of the most important traits for a wide receiver on the edge of the play. It's even more important for a guy who will line up all over the field and not just one spot.
Abberderis can line up outside with the best of them and burn a guy deep. But an underrated aspect to his game is the ability to line up, run a slant over the middle of the field and catch the ball in soft spots within the defense.
He can also burn a defense deep, and with his three catches for over 30 yards including a 64-yard bomb, he showed excellent separation. When a guy can do it all and ups his game against the best competition, his stock will soar.
Abberderis looked like a first- or second-round receiver against the Buckeyes. If his play continues to look this good all season, he'll be a first-round pick.
All stats used are either from ESPN or CFBStats. All recruiting rankings come from 247Sports.com.
Scott Carasik is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. He covers the Atlanta Falcons, NFL and NFL draft. He also runs DraftFalcons.com.
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