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After Pitt wide receiver Devin Street was taken in the NFL Draft's fifth round by the Dallas Cowboys, he spoke to the Dallas media in a press conference. One of his primary focal points? He ain't slow:
Some people don’t call me a blazer, but in games I do run past people," Street said in a conference call with the Dallas media. "I do understand how to run routes. I understand tempos. And I feel like I’m going to get faster as well. Getting stronger and getting into a great organization like the Dallas Cowboys, with so many capabilities, so many assets, I think I am going to do great with them. I can take the top of the coverage. I can run those deep routes, but I can also run those short, intermediate routes as well."
First things first - I wouldn't call Street slow, either. He has enough speed to get some separation and, on occasion, pick up significant yards after the catch. It's equally wrong to call him fast, though. While he can get away from defenders a little, he's just not going to completely outrun many guys. He's always been kind of average in the speed department to me.
On the routes, Street certainly showed that he can haul in a deep ball. But his real ability, to me, lies in the fact that he has good hands. If the ball's near him, even when draped by a defender, he can come down with it. He's made all kinds of circus catches (see photo above, friends) during his career and, because of that, he's got some ability to catch a deep ball like he showed last year at Pitt assuming it's near him (looking at you, Tony Romo).
On getting faster ... I mean, I guess, right? It's possible, but at this stage, it's unrealistic to think he's going to turn into a burner.
Overall, Street has all the look of a possession receiver that's capable of occasionally stretching the field, as he suggests. And as a fifth-round pick that is the school leader career leader in receptions, that's not all that bad.
