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For the Arizona Cardinals, getting help at wide receiver was paramount in the 2018 offseason.
They started with the signing of Brice Butler, but they always had their eye on more.
More was always Christian Kirk, the dynamic Texas A &M wide receiver, who of course played his high school ball at Saguaro in Scottsdale.
Kirk’s game has enamored many and Matt Harmon, maybe the best pure analyst when it comes to the wide receiver position, offered a comparison that should excite Cardinals fans:
NFL comp: Randall Cobb. One of the more high-profile receivers in this class after a successful career at Texas A&M, Kirk is also one of the many with a wealth of experience in the slot. Clearly an intelligent player who takes his preparation seriously, Kirk is one of the best in this class at sifting through zone traffic. That ability to pop up as an easy target in the holes of zones will ingratiate him to his pro quarterback. Don’t underrate his physicality, however. Despite checking in under 6-foot, Kirk is nails at the catch point on contested throws and stronger than most of the defensive backs he competed against in college.
Cobb, when healthy, was a talented, volume receiver who converted a high percentage of his catches for first downs and at his peak, was a double digit touchdown guy.
The problem for Cobb was always twofold:
- He was on a Packers team with a lot of weapons.
- Injuries
Cobb has only played in all 16 games two times in his career.
If Kirk can stay healthy, his numbers could be on the Cobb spectrum, which is high end wide receiver two to wide receiver one numbers:
WR2: 79 catches 829 yards 6 touchdowns
WR1: 91 catches 1,287 yards 12 touchdowns
If that is the spectrum Kirk can be at over 16 games a season, then the Cardinals will have gotten a home run in round two.