Baskett using snub as fuel at start of NFL career

From: Todays Sunbeam, nj.com

[size=18px]Baskett using snub as fuel at start of NFL career[/size]

Monday, May 29, 2006

PHILADELPHIA -- After having his pride hurt on draft day, receiver Hank Baskett is ready to make the leap to the NFL.

The 6-foot-4, 220-pound receiver and high jumper out of New Mexico slipped through the NFL draft last month and wound up signing with the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent. His whirlwind few weeks continued when he was traded to the Eagles.

Baskett still is surprised by the lack of interest during the draft.

"We've talked to numerous general managers and people that have been around the NFL for a long time, and no one can explain what happened," Baskett said.

Now, he's set to show the Eagles they made the right move in dealing for him.

"Philadelphia is a place where I fit in," Baskett said. "To be starting my NFL career catching from Donovan McNabb. Who's a better quarterback that you can have throwing to you? He's a great guy on and off the field. It's a good fit."

Baskett relied on the advice of a former high school coach to get through the disappointment of draft day.

"He said you have 24 hours to feel sorry for yourself," Baskett said. "So, I got to about 21 hours, and then I said I've got to get up and go. I've got to start preparing myself to go to Minnesota.

"The draft is a pride thing to say you got drafted, and then it's all about the paycheck," he said.

He was brought in by the Eagles for a predraft workout, but Baskett initially believed that the Vikings were a better fit.

The Eagles drafted receivers Jason Avant and Jeremy Bloom. The Vikings didn't draft a wideout.

"Their receiving corps wasn't as strong as some of the other teams that had called me," Baskett said. "I got a good signing bonus with them."

Less than three weeks after signing with the Vikings, Baskett was sent to the Eagles in exchange for wide receiver Billy McMullen, a 2003 third-round pick who never panned out.

"It's a good feeling," Baskett said. "The way everybody explained it to me, it had to be a good thing for me that they traded me for a pick."

At New Mexico, Baskett excelled as a receiver and as a high jumper. Despite gaining 30 pounds in college, Baskett won the Mountain West Conference high-jump title as a junior.

"That's pretty good to go at 220 (pounds) and still be able to out-jump those guys who practice every day," Baskett said.

Baskett's football numbers improved each season at New Mexico. After making two catches as a freshman, he had 17 his second season, 54 as a junior and 67 as a senior. He had more touchdowns as a senior (nine) than in his first three years combined (eight).

Baskett admits his leaping ability helps.

"Being in the red zone and going across the middle, being able to get up and out-jump guys, that definitely makes it a lot easier right there," Baskett said. "It's just a huge advantage."

Baskett using snub as fuel at start of NFL career

Hopefully he doesn't just explode into the NFL. If that happens, then alot of people will be wondering why in the hell did Childress trade a guy like that for a guy that hasn't proved himself one bit.

"VikesfaninWis" wrote:

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Hopefully he doesn't just explode into the NFL. If that happens, then alot of people will be wondering why in the hell did Childress trade a guy like that for a guy that hasn't proved himself one bit.

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I just have this funny feeling that's exactly what will happen.

I think so too................

I aid to myself right away "What the hell are they doing?"

Baskett needed at least a year or two to prove himself. Who drafts a huge red zone target only to trade him for a nobody?

Totally stupid move.

Uhh.... Baskett-case has proven himself even less than Billy has. At least Billy knows the system, has played in the NFL for a few years and racked up close to 300 yards last year.

Baskett hasn't done squat and wasn't even highly regarded enough by scouts to warrant a draft spot.

In college, Billy McMullen played for an elite program in Virginia, while Baskett played in the lowly Mountain West. McMullen emerged as a star for Virginia in '01, when he led the Atlantic Coast Conference in all key receiving categories and won All-ACC honors while catching 83 passes for 1,060 yards and 12 TD's (Baskett had 17 TD's total during his 4 years of college football). Here's Billy's draft bio:

Positives: Good size. Thick, muscular, tall and wide with thick hips. Good worker who is good in the clutch. Quick feet. Great wingspan with long 35-inch arms down to his knees and big 10-inch hands. Durable and productive. Uses size well. Quick and sudden off the line. Hard to jam. Sinks hips into and out of breaks. Strong vs. the press. Quick hands and reflexes. Willing, tough, physical blocker who is strong after the catch. Takes long, strong strides with no wasted motion. Good hand-eye coordination and extends. Captain who is coachable and prepared with top intangibles. Excellent in a crowd. Very good adjusting to the ball; knows how to position his body to shield the defender from the ball and uses his height well on alley-oop passes.

Neither one of these guys has any real speed and Billy is actually a bigger target (6'4" vs. 6'3") in the end zone. All reports are that Baskett has problems when jammed at the line of scrimmage, while Billy is a beast who will knock CB's out of his way. Plus, Baskett suffered a MAJOR spinal cord injury during his freshman year of college and one has to wonder if that will be a problem for him in the future.

I think this was another smart move by Childress. He picked up a guy he already knew from the Eagles; one who knows the system and appears to only be getting better in this league. This in exchange for an undrafted WR from a small school in an irrelevant conference.

Of course, time will tell.

Yeah i have a really bad feeling about the trade, I really see Baskett excelling with the eagles. Childress better turn mcmullin into something!

Both these guys are practice squad meat. I can't believe that a guy who caught 67 passes in a crappy conference is even being discussed right now. I mean come on. Think of it this way, how many corners, safeties, or linebackers were drafted out of the Mountain West...zero, and this guy put up mediocre numbers against them, he's nothing to waste our time talking about.

"bigdaddy72_1" wrote:

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Both these guys are practice squad meat. I can't believe that a guy who caught 67 passes in a crappy conference is even being discussed right now. I mean come on. Think of it this way, how many corners, safeties, or linebackers were drafted out of the Mountain West...zero, and this guy put up mediocre numbers against them, he's nothing to waste our time talking about.

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thankyou =) look at it this way. Yes, ok, Baskett very well could have a lot of potential. But... if he is such a good pick up, why did 32 teams pass on him every chance they got in the draft to take him.

Childress seems to know exactly who he wants on this team right now, if he wanted McMullen with out dishing out anything to get him (since he's not worth dishing out on), why not pick up this undrafted FA, and give him away for the guy he wanted

"Vikes_King" wrote:

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"bigdaddy72_1" wrote:

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Both these guys are practice squad meat. I can't believe that a guy who caught 67 passes in a crappy conference is even being discussed right now. I mean come on. Think of it this way, how many corners, safeties, or linebackers were drafted out of the Mountain West...zero, and this guy put up mediocre numbers against them, he's nothing to waste our time talking about.

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thankyou =) look at it this way. Yes, ok, Baskett very well could have a lot of potential. But... if he is such a good pick up, why did 32 teams pass on him every chance they got in the draft to take him.

Childress seems to know exactly who he wants on this team right now, if he wanted McMullen with out dishing out anything to get him (since he's not worth dishing out on), why not pick up this undrafted FA, and give him away for the guy he wanted

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Yeah, like McMahon. :roll: