Is Mike Wallace the next Willie Reid?

by phxsteeler on Apr 29, 2009 2:02 AM EDT

In the BTSC discussion of the Steelers' pick of Mike Wallace, I've noticed a few people ask/wonder if Wallace will follow the path of Willie Reid. Both were 3rd round WR that were supposed to contribute as returners and possibly in the passing game. The comparison seemed interesting to me, and it tempered my optimism about the potential of this pick to improve the offense and special teams.

I used ESPN DB to compile some quick stats about the college careers of the two players.

College & Combine Stats

Stat	Mike Wallace	Willie Reid
Height	6’0”	5’10”
Weight	199	190
40 time	4.33	4.34
Vertical	40	37.5
Broad	129	117
College Seasons	3	2
Receptions	101	65
Rec. Yards	1610	820
YPC	15.9	12.6
TD	15	2
Punt Returns	1	77
PR Yards	0	1063
PR Average	0	13.8
PR Long	0	87
PR TD	0	3
Kick Returns	56	12
KR Yards	1344	212
KR Average	24	17.6
KR Long	98	25
KR TD	2	0
Fumbles	0	0
Total Points	104	30

Reid's Stats

Wallace's Stats

So what can we conclude from this? I'm going to venture the following:

Wallace is more explosive (see combine, averages)
Wallace was much better as a KR. Looking at Reid's pedestrian 25 yard long KR, his lack of NFL success at that task isn't surprising.
Reid was a good PR in college, but we really don't have data on Wallace, since he only had one attempt for a fair catch. (BTW, I'd love someone who better understands the difference between KR and PR to fill in some here).
Check out the difference in total points. Even if we extend Reid's production to a third year, his projected 45 points is less than half of Wallace's total. Wallace was clearly more productive and dangerous.
Wallace production shows he is at least more likely to have an impact for the Steelers - as a KR in the near term and potentially as a WR in the medium to longer term.

Of course, this isn't the only (or even best) way to compare these players, but I'm bit more optimistic about Wallace's chances right now.

Poll

Will Wallace be more successful with the Steelers than Willie Reid?

Yes

142 votes

No

4 votes

146 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

Wallace..

I agree with you, I think Wallace will definitely have much more success as a Steeler than Reid did! Also I saw somewhere that Wallace was considered to be a KR specialist? I am not sure how accurate that is but I read it somewhere…I think the bottom line is that Wallace has a lot of speed with decent hands, while Reid just had speed and terrible hands..

by PolamaluPwns on Apr 29, 2009 2:08 AM EDT reply actions

Reid failed because of injury problems..

…and had a long history of them before he was drafted. Wallace has (almost amazingly) no injury history at all. He seems to be built more naturally strong than Reid was. Reid was a tiny guy who had to pump up just to get to 180 pounds. Willie seemed more the elusive scamperer while Wallace who seems more of a straight ahead burner.

What people forget is that Reid led the club in preseason catches in his rookie season, before the foot problems got to him. I don’t know that his hands were that terrible necessarily. He was just FRAGILE.

by robert ethan on Apr 29, 2009 2:24 AM EDT reply actions

You said it.

Wallace has more potential at WR, where Reid we drafted mainly as a returner which he could`t even do. I think Wallace had like 7 td`s last season and like a 20 ypc average, so with a little grooming maybe we can put that 4.33 speed to good use and stretch the field. Only time will tell.

by SteelerDomination on Apr 29, 2009 2:24 AM EDT reply actions

I think Reid was over valued on speed alone. Wallace has the numbers and another year to prove them. I’m not saying Wallace is guaranteed to contribute at a high level, but at the same point in their career I think Wallace is more likely to.

by Michael Uhlhorn on Apr 29, 2009 3:44 AM EDT reply actions

Reid also failed because...

He was not really a wide receiver, but a running back out of High School who tried to be a receiver and kick returner in College and the Pros

Foot injuries are very tricky to heal. If it is not done correct the 1st time, you will have to go thru multiple surgeries to fix it. This happened to a friend of mines

by Steeler Y360 Nation on Apr 29, 2009 5:11 AM EDT reply actions

Reid was a fast elusive kid with no real position. Punt returns were his strength, but he had trouble catching the ball.

Wallace is a better route runner who can follow blocks. That’s how you do well on Kick-off returns. Punts you rely more on quick reactions and agility.

by Phantaskippy on Apr 29, 2009 7:50 AM EDT reply actions

40 time

BTW – didn’t Wallace clock a 4.28 somewhere?

by SteelerBuddha on Apr 29, 2009 10:29 AM EDT reply actions

yeah I saw that reported

I think the 4.33 I’ve seen in a few places is an average

by phxsteeler on Apr 29, 2009 11:23 AM EDT up reply actions

I believe the 4.28

is what Mike Mayock said he clocked him at…his official was a 4.33

I'll drink your Milkshake, I'll drink it up!

by Frank Mineo (DYMS) on Apr 29, 2009 11:45 AM EDT up reply actions

Maybe the "next Reggie Bush" from that same draft..

Bush (from USC pro day) – 6-0, 200, 4.33 40, 40" vert, 10"9" broad.

Mike even looks like him. :)

by robert ethan on Apr 29, 2009 1:11 PM EDT reply actions

I see a couple of you hit it on the head

You probably weren’t trying to do so, but you described the difference between a good PR and a KR. A PR has to be quick and able to change directions quickly. Forty times are mostly irrelevant (doesn’t hurt though). Burst is very important. A PR must be elusive, able to make people miss and then hit top speed quickly. A KR should have good straight line speed and an eye for spotting creases (creases don’t always have daylight) and hitting it quickly. It won’t stay open for long. He also has to have a decent passing gear. When you hit the crease you aren’t looking to avaoid anyone you hit the passing gear and then you run for daylight. A crease may be an opening between your blocker on the left and an opponent on the right that has a bad angle…you may be able to hit that passing gear and break his tackle.

In punt coverage you want to smother the returner and make him go lateral (attack in waves). In kick coverage you want to make the returner have to stop and change directions (keep lanes and pursuit angles flush).

In a nutshell with no technical jargon.

"The team that scores the most points wins."
John Madden
(Master of the obvious)

by PixburghArn on Apr 29, 2009 1:14 PM EDT reply actions

What he said...

Wallace seems like the classic KR type, while Reid was (is) the classic PR type. Mike has great straight line speed, but not much for juke and jive. Some players can do both, but if that was the case with Wallace he would probably have gone a round or two earlier.

Still, I’m hopeful about his pass catching possibilities. If you look at last year’s draft, the WR who really outperformed their draft position were all small, fast, KR types like Eddie Royal, DeShaun Jackson, and Donnie Avery. I guess you could say that Davone Bess doesn’t really fit that profile, but he is on the small side as well.

Also, Wallace really came on at the end of his senior year. Ole Miss was awful his first three years there, and Mike actually led the team in receiving as a soph with 24 CATCHES. Last season they had a new coach, a new QB, and a new system, and it took them half of the season to adjust. But in the second half, the team went undefeated and beat Texas Tech in the Cotton Bowl. In that stretch Wallace averaged about 4 catches and close to 100 yards per game receiving. Over a full season that extrapollates to 50+ catches and over 1000 yards.

In the Cotton Bowl Mike caught 4 balls for 80 yards and had even more in KR. Michael Crabtree had 4 catches for just 30 yards in the game. Wallace was a last minute addition to the Senior Bowl, and a last minute performer in the game, but still managed to catch a 40 yard TD pass to win the game, and came within a whisker of breaking the other ball thrown to him in the game, but ended up with just a 2 yard gain.

by robert ethan on Apr 29, 2009 2:36 PM EDT reply actions