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Devin Hester, a Hall of Famer?

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!!, Oct 3, 2011.

  1. Bob Cook

    Bob Cook Active Member

    Here's a test: put Hester on the Indianapolis Colts special teams, and see how he does. If he can return a kickoff more than 20 yards, then he must be a Hall-of-Famer.
     
  2. JC

    JC Well-Known Member

    No, not even close. If he was a better receiver he wouldn't be returning kicks like he does. Who knows how many other receivers or running backs would be good returners if that was their only job. I'd like to see what Desean Jackson cold do as a full time returner, but we won't see taht since he is too valuable on offense.
     
  3. Bob Cook

    Bob Cook Active Member

    Huh? He was drafted as a return specialist -- not as a receiver, and not as a defensive back, which was listed as his position when he was drafted. The main reason he's playing receiver is to put an actual game-breaker on the field, and because the Bears' wide-receiving core has been so crappy.
     
  4. JakeandElwood

    JakeandElwood Well-Known Member

    He better!
     
  5. Mizzougrad96

    Mizzougrad96 Active Member

    This times 1,000.

    There are countless receivers, defensive backs, running backs etc... who might be capable of being great return men, but they're too valuable at their current positions.

    I don't think it was a coincidence that when Chicago was trying to use Hester a lot on offense, his return numbers dipped.
     
  6. JC

    JC Well-Known Member

    If you can't make it as a regular DB or receiver you have no business even in a discussion about the HOF.
     
  7. Dick Whitman

    Dick Whitman Well-Known Member

    The Bears drafted him as a return guy, though. And they drafted him very high.

    I understand the argument - it's why I don't think Ryne Sandberg should be in the Hall of Fame. But I don't think it applies to Hester.

    That doesn't mean I'm ready to get his bust ready. Don't forget, he went two years between special teams touchdowns. That's a lot of unproductivity in a Hall of Fame career.
     
  8. Dick Whitman

    Dick Whitman Well-Known Member

    He plays receiver for the Bears. Three years with 40-plus receptions. Twelve career touchdowns.
     
  9. JC

    JC Well-Known Member

    I understand this, but he is not a good receiver.

    He is a great, great returner, but a lot of teams don't even have their best returners doing the job for fear of injury. Like I said let's see what a guy like Desean Jackson could do if that was his main focus.
     
  10. Dick Whitman

    Dick Whitman Well-Known Member

    Understood and agreed. I just didn't want someone coming to the erroneous conclusion that he can't get on the field as a receiver.

    Would Jackson be as good of a returner as Hester? I guess it's academic. We'll never know. Would he have been a second-round pick if he only or nearly only returned? That's what the Bears thought of Hester's return abilities (and, to be fair, they probably thought they would find somewhere to play him, whether on offense or defense, with his skill set).
     
  11. Mizzougrad96

    Mizzougrad96 Active Member

    Hester is a marginal receiver, but he's more valuable on special teams than he is on offense.

    That's not always the case with top return guys. Guys like Tim Brown, Charles Woodson, Deion Sanders etc... had their return duties limited or taken away because they were too valuable at their regular positions.

    Obviously, if Hester was a 1,000-yard receiver, it would boost his HOF chances, but he's being used in the way that he's most valuable to his team and in that role, he's a game-breaker and arguably the best return guy to ever play the game.

    Usually, the top return guys in the draft (assuming that is their primary duty) are taken in the fourth or fifth round or later. Lately, because of the success of guys like Hester, teams are willing to take a specialist in the second round or so if they think the guy has the abilities to be a game-breaker on returns. Hell, look at the guy the Packers drafted in the second round this year.
     
  12. RickStain

    RickStain Well-Known Member

    I don't know. How many?
     
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