Stretching The Field: Film Breakdown WR Charone Peake

Photo: courtesy of TigerIllustrated.com

Dorman wide receiver Charone Peake has been on our top players list since his freshman season. The 6-3, 200lbs receiver is a playmaker with the ball in his hands and entered the 2010 season as a four-star prospect with Rivals.com. Peake finished with more than 1,000 yards on 65 receptions, more than 16 yards per touch.

Every program would like to have wide receivers with speed and height. Still, plenty of Division I playmakers lacking those traits make up for it in other areas. If a player doesn't have great speed or size, he must have great quickness; the ability to separate from a defender in one-on-one situations also is critical. Peake has the height, hands, and skills he needs to be a blue chip.

There are many wide receivers who have good speed but can't separate. On the flipside, there are a lot of possession guys who lack great speed but have both quickness and the ability to burst out of the cut, allowing them to separate from tight coverage.

For any wideout, getting open is the first part of the equation. Catching the ball, of course, is the most important part. Wide receivers in today's game must be physical enough to get off the jam, be a presence over the middle and be able to catch the ball in traffic. When coaches look at wide receiver measurables, good hands and the ability to extend their arms to snatch the ball away from their body are sometimes just as important as speed. If you can't catch the ball consistently, you can't play.

There's no denying that size can give a receiver a major advantage. Good wide receivers with excellent height cause great matchup problems for cornerbacks, specially in the red zone. The ability to make plays on the jump ball or adjust to poorly thrown balls is a must for wide receivers who possess great size. There is nothing worse than a 6-foot-3 receiver who plays like he is 5-10.

The days of the smaller receivers being in vogue are gone. Now undersized wideouts must be difference-makers in the return game and extremely tough. Most smaller prospects are better suited as slot receivers. If he is to play inside, he must be physically tough and have the ability to separate, get open and make the first down. He must also be smart and savvy and know how to adjust routes and read defenses on the move.

However, until a receiver makes the transition from high school to college, it is hard to project whether he will fit in as an inside slot guy or an outside vertical threat.

Jim Baxter's Evaluation of Charone Peake

Hands: Peake has excellent hands and the ability to catch the ball atit's highest point, making him dangerous in the red zone. Patterns: Has good body control and runs crisp patterns. Receive long and short: Makes good adjustments ont he ball and has the skill to use his body to his advantage in possession situations. Stretches the field well and is lethal on long balls and jump balls. Run after catch: One of Peake's strong points is his threat after the catch; averaged more than 16 yards per catch this past season. Blocking: Needs improvement in his blocking for the run game. Has a great frame and this will come through development. Release: Has good skills in getting off of DB's and is physical. React to ball and crowd: One of his stronger skills is catching and splitting the defense. He's got good vision and finds the lanes. Initial quicks: Needs to show more burst coming off of the line to create separation from the corners.

Peake is an outstanding pick up for Clemson. Of all of the South Carolina prospects, he has the best chance at being an impact player as a freshman.

Watch Charone Peake Highlights Here