Greg Little Scouting Report
Separation Skills: Exhibits excellent suddenness for a guy his size. Shows a good burst off the line and gets on top of defenders quickly. Has the flexibility and body control to plant his foot, cut, and separate on deep angle routes. Uses his frame nicely to box out defenders. Doesn’t possess over whelming top-end speed, but can take the top off the secondary if allowed to build up speed. Is more of a power runner with a long stride. He can eat up yardage quickly. Does show good short area quickness, that allows him to separate immediately after securing a catch. Is a former running back, so his route running needs a lot of improvement. Needs to mature in this area and learn the finer details of the position. He’ll often drift into his breaks and round them off, giving defenders better angles to make plays on the ball. Didn’t run many sideline and dig routes in college. Will need to expand his route tree at the next level. Foot work is amateurish as well. Has to learn how to gather himself without taking unnecessary steps and sustain speed in and out of his breaks.
Ball Skills: Despite lacking experience at the position, he looks like a seasoned veteran when plucking the ball. Uses his broad body like a tight end, extends his arms, and snatches the ball from the sky. Displays good body control while climbing the ladder and great focus on deep balls. Tracks the ball exceptionally well at all three levels of the field. Is a gifted pass catcher. Possesses soft, but strong hands and catches everything away from his frame, making it difficult for defenders to knock the ball free. Shows the ability to adjust on the fly and haul in difficult catches as well.
Big play ability: Plays the wide receiver position, but has the mentality of a running back. He’s out on the field, playing on his toes, weaving in and out of defenders. Once the ball is in his hands, he is looking for daylight. There is no “catch the ball and go down”, or “out of bounds” to his game. Is an elusive and physical runner. Changes direction quickly and effortlessly. Shows good lateral movement and a splendid spin move. Has extraordinary vision. The combination of his vision and physicality is what makes him terrifying for opposing defenses. Lowers his head and uses a vicious stiff arm to break tackles and pick up extra yardage. Makes a lot of plays when running in breaking routes (slants, drags, crosses). Isn’t a speed demon but can get behind the secondary with his long stride.
Competitiveness/ Toughness: Plays with an abundance of passion. You can see it every time he stepped onto the field. Plays every play with the same enthusiasm and want-to. Shows a desire to pick up extra yards and tries to move the chains by any means necessary. Is relentless and stubborn with the ball in his hands. Usually takes a group of defenders to bring him down. Displays a physical prowess when blocking in the run game. Gets very aggressive and tries to lay defenders out.
Intangibles: Suspended for the 2010 season, for dealing with an agent and accepting gifts. Besides that run in with the NCAA law, he is known as a good kid who does a lot of community work. Is well liked by his teammates and coaches. Very passionate player, who can sometimes let his emotions get the best of him.
Overall Stock: It seems as if everyone has forgotten about Greg Little. In 2009, he showed an explosiveness and knack for yac, that’s rare in a receiver of his size. I was disappointed with his poor decision making, because I felt like he could have been a top 5 receiver coming into the 2011 draft. Now, he will have to put all of his cookies in the combine basket. We don’t know what Little looks like after having a year off from football. The first step to him getting back in the minds of scouts is, showing up to the combine in tip top shape. He has to show that he is dedicated to the game. Scouts will be looking to see if his skills and conditioning have been negatively impacted by his mini vacation. Little is what you would call a blank canvas. He hasn’t been playing the position that long, so he can be molded and shaped. He already possesses traits that aren’t teachable, so he has a good start. He’ll need some time to refine his route running and foot work, but I can see him being a starting receiver in a year or two. He is currently considered a round mid round guy. I think the third round is the peak for him. With his size, physicalness, and big play ability, some team is going to take a chance on him, like the Buccaneers took a chance on Mike Williams, and it may pay off in the same fashion.
NFL Comparisons: Terrell Owens and Anquan Boldin
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