DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Paul Hubbard Wants To Become As Good As Braylon Edwards

BEREA Paul Hubbard is worried about the obvious: Final cut day.

"You really just don't know," the rookie wide receiver says.

Yet, he is serious about becoming what peripherally seems is preposterous: Another Braylon Edwards.

At least, midway through a conversation after a camp practice, Hubbard said this:

"Like you said, I'm a track guy. I started football later on in life. But as I grasp more and more of the concepts of football, maybe I could be as good as him one of these days."

Him? Yeah, No. 17.

If one indulges the comparison, there are some similarities.

Both Edwards (6-foot-3, 215 pounds) and Hubbard (6-2, 225) are big, athletic wide receivers.

Both played in the Big Ten, Edwards at Michigan, Hubbard at Wisconsin.

Both showed big-play ability in the preseason opener. Edwards beat his man and forced a pass interference call that set up a touchdown. Hubbard adjusted to a ball he lost in the lights and made a 44-yard circus catch along the right sideline.

"I honestly do think we're both very athletic types," Hubbard said. "We can do a lot of things that other people can't."

Hubbard isn't out of his mind. He supplied the appropriate "but ..."

"But Braylon has the experience, and he's done it so much longer."

Edwards grew up in an NFL culture, the son of an NFL running back. At Michigan, he caught 252 passes for 3,542 yards and 39 touchdowns.

Edwards was heavily into track and football while growing up. Hubbard was more a track specialist. He joined Wisconsin's football team as a walk-on, but track was still his real deal.

He red-shirted in 2003 and caught a grand total of one pass in the 2004 and 2005 seasons. During that period, he was a major track star, at one point winning Big Ten championships in the 100-meter dash and the long jump.

When he finally got football playing time, he wasn't big time, catching 38 passes for 627 yards in 2006 and 14 passes for 305 yards in 2007.

General Manager Phil Savage saw potential. He factored in Wisconsin's offense, a run-first scheme that hardly accentuated Hubbard's ability.

Savage grabbed Hubbard in the sixth round, with the No. 191 overall pick. It was 188 picks lower than where Savage chose Edwards in 2005. From Hubbard's perspective, it's a foot in the door.

Who better than Browns scout Paul Warfield to help Hubbard resemble Edwards? Warfield, a Pro Football Hall of Fame receiver, has an unusual bond with Hubbard. Both of them were Big Ten long jump champions.

"I'm taking everything that I can from Mr. Warfield," Hubbard said. "When he comes up and talks to me, it's about things he's seen me do on film that I could do better.

"Maybe it's a release off the line of scrimmage. Maybe it's not looking in at the ball, knowing what the snap count is, just looking at the defender so I can get his hands off me faster.

"Stuff like that ... everything that's gonna make me a faster player and more dominant."

Wideouts coach Wes Chandler rides his group hard. No one can dismiss Chandler's knowledge — he went to four Pro Bowls and left the NFL with 8,966 receiving yards.

One Chandler pet peeve is young receivers taking their eyes off the ball to see if their feet are in bounds.

"On that 44-yard catch," Hubbard said, "I did the things I've been coached in this camp. Squeeze the defender. Catch the ball, and don't worry about the sideline. Just feel the sideline."

Hubbard has a feeling the Browns' offense will suit him well. He sees it as a latter-day version of the 1980s offense in which Chandler played for prolific Chargers teams.

"K2's father (Kellen Winslow) was on that team," Hubbard said. "Those guys were the ones who did this offense first."

First things first for Hubbard. Make the team now. Then make people believe he's in Braylon Edwards' league.

BIG TEN BROWNS

Paul Hubbard is one of 13 Browns who played college ball in the Big Ten. The complete list, taken from the 80-man camp roster:

Illinois: PK Jason Reda

Indiana: OL Isaac Sowells

Iowa: G Eric Steinbach, WR Kevin Kasper

Michigan State: DL Robaire Smith, DB Travis Key

Michigan: WR Braylon Edwards

Northwestern: RB Jason Wright

Ohio State: DB Brandon Mitchell

Penn State: RB Austin Scott, WR Joe Jurevicius

Wisconsin: OT Joe Thomas, WR Paul Hubbard

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It's going to be hard for him to not be put on the practice squad.... We are very deep, and we have some young guys trying to make that next step in the league... Wilson, Sanders, Hubbard, Steptoe... Whoever is the best.. Put them on the field...

I do think Hubbard has the athleticism to be a pretty good WR, but only thing.... We have had a track star in A. Davis, and he had great speed, but he was mediocre at best.

I agree Turk. With both Wilson and Sanders showing some signs of blossoming as legit NFL wideouts, it is hard to see how Hubbard can stick this season. Hubbard is a project for sure. I just hope we decide to keep him around in some capacity (even if it is only on the practice squad). At least for a little while.

Interesting that you mentioned Andre Davis in your post. I was kind of thinking the same thing. However, I don't think Davis ever really showed the kind of hands and body control that could make that circus catch Hubbard made last week.

Long way to go to become another Edwards,, I wish the best...

Agree that the PS is his best option as things stand now but, he could certainly improve is chances if he excelled on STs, such as maybe having the ability to become "a gunner type" guy. But, you have to have a special mentality for that position and I don't know if he's that type of guy. I guess it all comes down to how much you want it. He might even have a chance to become an excellent punt returner, he has the hands and speed but again does he have the mentality, that abstract of character to put out at all costs for the team and himself to become an integral part of the team. Time will tell.

Quote:

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We have had a track star in A. Davis, and he had great speed, but he was mediocre at best.

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and we had a track star in P. Warfield... and he was good enough for Canton.


The past performance (or lack of) of another player has less than nothing to do with how Hubbard will turn out.
I completely fail to see how your statement was relevant in any way.

Comparisons are invalid in a lot of cases..each player is different.
If you have the talent and are WILLING to be coached , you'll succeed.
As long as he works hard and improves, the physical stuff will show itself.

Say hello, practice squad. We're deep at the position and that's where first year, late round receivers go on this team. I love this guy's potential but he's not making the roster unless something disastrous happens.

Im hoping a division rival doesnt have an eye on Hubbard. Most likely, he will make the P.S. Which says alot on how far this team has come. No other Browns team, would have had their 6th rounder, that they traded up for, make the P.S. All of Palmers and Butchs picks, even in the late rounds made the team. Heck, I dont think Butch cut or put any of his picks on the P.S. Us Browns fans had to watch all of their early round picks not pan out or live up to expectations, and hope all of their late round picks were diamonds in the rough. That made for a lot of long dreadful seasons.But Cincy and Pittsburgh is one injury away from needing a tall, fast, athletic WR. Baltimore can use one right now. Im sure Newsom has his eye on his former employee on his former team. Especially with Savage double dipping Newsom and the Ravens, to get Lewis; Anderson(off of their P.S.); and swiped Baxter from them (who was expected to re-sign).

here's my thinking on this:

If Phil thought enough of this kid to actually draft him (when we only had 4 picks to use...) there's NO WAY he's gonna place him out there for another team to pick up... much less, another team in our division.

From all we've seen and heard, this kid could be the Real Deal... count on him making the PS. whether he's immediately useful on Special Teams or not.

He gets at least 1-2 years to prove his worth before this is even a consideration.


And btw... I agree with your first point... ain't it great to finally be at a place where we can hide players away and develop them, instead of sticking them out there on Day One?

In general, I love the depth we have at WR. The entire group of receivers is leap years ahead of what we had here last season. I actually wished we hadn’t gone out and signed Stallworth with the talent we have.

Having said that though I’m not so certain that any of the WR we have will clear waivers, the group on whole is really solid. In fact I cannot remember a Browns team that has ever had more depth nor talent, at the WR position. Hubbard imparticularly is very intriguing because of his size and potential. He will require some seasoning, but I can see this kid being another BE in another year or 2. And I figure if I can see that potential so can the rest of the NFL. It will be very hard for this kid to clear waivers IMO. If this kid had been made available last season via waivers I would have snagged him up in a minute, we didn’t have much of anything after the starters last year. Now this season rolls around and we are unbelievably deep at the WR position. But still I would find it impossible to waive a guy with his potential in hopes of him clearing waivers. Tuff tuff call.

Can he play ST? That could be his ticket for now!

JMHO

BTTB

I like the guy and think he will be pretty good with some time.

I did notice his little shimmy dance after making the catch.

The guy is a rook...If I was coach, I would have played that a few times in the team film review, then have the guy come to the front to show off the move for the whole room...then make him stand at the back of the room and do that dance for the entire film session.