The St. Louis Rams selected two wide receivers out of West Virginia in the 2013 NFL Draft, taking WR Tavon Austin with the 8th overall pick and WR Stedman Bailey in the 3rd round with the 92nd pick overall. While I have a unique perspective at looking at WR Tavon Austin, it is the selection of WR Stedman Bailey that I will cover here.
By the title, it is easy to note that the belief at NFL Data Consultants is that Stedman Bailey will be a special NFL player. Analytically, he personifies all of the characteristics of success. His Reliance score is positive, his production metric meets the threshold several times over, his metrics met the threshold for better validity, and his movement metrics are good enough to hold an overall comparison to a more athletic wide receiver that has had success in the NFL. Basically, Stedman Bailey is a better football player and wide receiver than a pure athlete, perhaps the reason he was still available in the third round.
Wide Receiver is one of the most misjudged positions in the league. If you don’t believe that, go review all of the first and second round wide receivers and compare that to their career results. It is a position where teams can take advantage of arbitrage because the market value and actual value often varies heavily. With this selection, the St. Louis Rams did just that. Stedman Bailey holds very little risk for failure as an NFL wide receiver and has a very high upside as well. Stedman Bailey’s analytical profile screams that he is destined for NFL success.
[…] out of the St. Louis Rams camp continue to remain very positive on WR Stedman Bailey. Below is a quote from ESPN’s NFC West Blog, written by Nick Wagoner: “Rookie […]