He could have been a first round pick but like two of his teammates (Marvin Austin and Robert Quinn), he was suspended for the entire 2010 season for taking gifts from an agent then lying about it to NCAA investigators. Players who miss significant time always fall in the draft and when you add in character questions, they drop even further. Little is expected to come off the board in the third round and could still be there when the Jets pick near the bottom. Is he a bad kid? No. Is he immature? Absolutely. There are parts of his game that give me pause such as his practice habits, mental toughness and commitment to the team concept but I believe he can grow in these areas if he works with a good coaching staff and has solid role models in the locker room. As a player, he reminds me of Anquan Boldin. He is not super fast and does not get much separation on deep routes but he has excellent hands, is very physical and will break a lot of tackles in the short-intermediate zones. I really like his competitiveness, route running and ball skills. He is great in jump ball situations and attacks the ball in the air - has good leaping ability. Knows how to set up DB’s on his routes and does a good job gaining initial leverage off the line. Has excellent body control and makes a lot of acrobatic catches. Does a good job wading through traffic and finding openings in zones on shallow crossing routes. Has a thick trunk and is hard to knock off his routes. Has great hands and never lets the ball get into his frame. Has good vision in the open field and is shifty after the catch. Is tough - can make catches in traffic and knows how work the middle of the field. Is very strong - did 27 reps at the combine - nearly twice the average for WR’s. Combines strength with a good stiff arm to shrug off defenders after the catch. Is also a very good blocker. Little had good production for the Tar Heels but could have been even better were it not for the QB play. T.J. Yates was a very inconsistent passer and missed a wide open Little on numerous occasions. Again, Little can be immature and undisciplined. This shows up when he fails to sell fakes or takes plays off but I think these habits will improve if he is surrounded by the right influences. Little has great size, strength and athleticsim and will be an excellent pro.  Jerricho Cotchery has been a tremendous player for the Jets but he is starting to wear down and Little would be a great heir apparent and could learn a ton from the classy, hard-working vet. Little would bring great value as a third round pick and would provide security if the team loses a receiver to free agency.

Written by Alan Levin

Greg Little video