UDFA Reggie Dunn

[thor75]

The ESPN broadcasters as well as the production staff do a great job selling the audience on the drama unfolding in a game tied at 35 with 8:25 left in the 4th quarter.

The crowd is noisy and boisterous in Boulder, Colo., as the Buffaloes are kicking off to their opponents, the Utah Utes, and the video is chock full of clips of crazed fans dressed up and acting nuts.

One would think Colorado would not want to put any Utah playmaker in a position to make a play, particularly on the kickoff.

They failed in that task.

WR/KR Reggie Dunn erases any doubt about his viability as a pro returner on this, simply due to his freakish burst of speed. The color analyst sums it up the best:

"Why would you kick it to Reggie Dunn?"

Dunn ended up with four 100-yard returns in 2012, an NCAA record. This particular return happened to be the second consecutive 100-yard touchdown return in the game, but it was the last score in the game.

One area of concern for Dunn making this roster is showing position flexibility. While he's a highlight machine in particular packages, he wasn't particularly productive overall, hence the reason he wasn't drafted.

But you can't ignore speed like that.


[url]http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2013/5/1/4289012/steelers-nfl-draft-reggie-dunn-kick-returner-highlights[/url]

Above link has the video of the return. A spark in the return game would be great if we can alleviate the penalties. Seems to be a lot of competition for the returners this year with Justin Brown, Dunn, possibly Wheaton, and McNeal.

[phillyesq]

Although I'm a bit wary of his reported 4.2 forty (apparently, there were a lot of similar times at that pro day), if Dunn can be a weapon in the return game, he should have a shot at a roster spot. A real weapon in the return game would be great.

[SteelSpain]

Although I'm a bit wary of his reported 4.2 forty (apparently, there were a lot of similar times at that pro day), if Dunn can be a weapon in the return game, he should have a shot at a roster spot. A real weapon in the return game would be great.

Several years Tomlin has reserved a roster spot for a returner (Allen Rossum, Stefan Logan) so why not this time too. I think this guy can be a weapon in both kick off and punt.

[SteelerOfDeVille]

if you have a Devin Hester/Dante Hall, you KEEP him... those guys had entire careers based on being return specialists

[SteelSpain]

if you have a Devin Hester/Dante Hall, you KEEP him... those guys had entire careers based on being return specialists

OK letīs the kid prove in preseason if he belongs. What I meant in the previous post was I think a roster spot is justified if he is a waepon as those you correctly mention.

[flippy]

The video said he averaged 45+ yards per return. But can he return punts because they're likely kicking everything out of the endzone on KOs.

[NorthCoast]

The video said he averaged 45+ yards per return. But can he return punts because they're likely kicking everything out of the endzone on KOs.

A pure kick returner's value has definitely declined:

Kickoff rule change has big effect on NFL

January, 3, 2012

1/03/12
3:10
PM ET

By Paul Carr | ESPN.com

Before the NFL season, one of the rule changes that received the most discussion was how moving kickoffs up five yards to the 35-yard line would affect the return game.

Kickoff Returns Last 5 Seasons

2011	53.4	43.5
2010	80.1	16.4
2009	80.7	16.1
2008	82.1	14.4
2007	82.5	12.4

As expected, the raw number of kickoff returns and kickoff returns per game was significantly down from previous years. 1,374 kickoffs (5.4 per game) were returned in 2011, compared to 2,033 (7.9 per game) in 2010.

Expressed as a percentage, 53.4 percent of kickoffs were returned this season, a huge drop from 80.1 percent in 2010.

In a related note, touchbacks skyrocketed to 43.5 percent this season, more than two and a half times last year’s rate of 16.4 percent.

Did the rule change deprive fans of excitement? From a numbers standpoint, the answer is yes. Nine kickoffs were returned for a touchdown in 2011, compared to 23 in 2010.

The 2011 rate of 153 kickoff returns per touchdown was close to double the rate of 88 per touchdown in 2010. But it was actually better than the rate of 163 returns per touchdown from 2008.

Many returners appeared to be taking back kicks from deeper in the end zone, which likely explains the additional yard and a half per return this year, 23.8 yards compared to 22.3 in 2010.

Avg Starting Field Position
After Kickoff

2011	22.1
2010	26.8
2009	26.4
2008	27.2
2007	28.1

The change becomes glaringly obvious when looking at average starting field position. The average drive after a kickoff started just past the 22-yard line, down almost five yards from the previous year.

With each team averaging 189 possessions this season, that adds up to an additional 888 possible yards per team, which may account for part of the offensive boom in 2011.

[SidSmythe]

Too bad Kickers kick it out of the end zone more than half the time now.

[SteelSpain]

Too bad Kickers kick it out of the end zone more than half the time now.

But still there are punts

[SS Laser]

It seems to me that guys who excel at kick returns in college are not always the best punt returners in the NFL? Does it seem that good college punt returners make good kick returners?

[SteelerOfDeVille]

OK letīs the kid prove in preseason if he belongs. What I meant in the previous post was I think a roster spot is justified if he is a waepon as those you correctly mention.

My mistake - wasn't disagreeing with you... but, if he proves to be as valuable as his college stats indicate, you kinda have to keep him - don't you?

[SteelSpain]

My mistake - wasn't disagreeing with you... but, if he proves to be as valuable as his college stats indicate, you kinda have to keep him - don't you?

No problem friend, we are saying the same thing.

[hawaiiansteel]

Steelers rookie minicamp: Undrafted Reggie Dunn says he's 'a big-time playmaker'

By Neal Coolong on May 3 2013



The electrifying Reggie Dunn will be on the field starting today as the Steelers kick off their rookie minicamp in Pittsburgh.

Former Utah kick returner Reggie Dunn seems a tad miffed at the fact he fell past 32 teams over seven rounds in the 2013 NFL Draft.

And he seems quick to tell you why all those teams were wrong.



'Why would they kick to Reggie Dunn?'

Broadcasters were in shock after Utah return man and Steelers undrafted rookie Reggie Dunn returned a kick for a touchdown against Colorado.

In an interview with Desert News reporter Brad Rock, Dunn said he wondered what he needed to do to get drafted. With four kick returns for touchdowns and a blistering 40 time of 4.22, he seemed beyond shocked he wasn't taken.

Rock had a great line in describing Dunn's impact at Utah:

...Utah coach Kyle Whittingham marveled: "I can't for the life of me figure out why they kicked to Reggie Dunn."

Neither could the Colorado administration, which fired coach Jon Embree three days later.

His two returns against Cal boosted his legend.

Looking at his highlights, it's tough to say he's not what he says he is; "a big-time playmaker." But in the NFL, with the difficulty to paring a roster down to 53 players, showing more dimension than just special teams is oftentimes the reason perhaps a lesser-skilled return man is used.

That's not set in stone, however. Would a team rather have a jack of all trades who masters none, or a guy who can excel at a high level in one area of the game, but nothing else?

How Dunn performs at the Steelers minicamp this weekend could begin answering that question. Either way, he is still perhaps the most intriguing prospect who will be on the field at the South Side facility starting today.

[URL]http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2013/5/3/4296332/steelers-rookie-minicamp-highlights-reggie-dunn-kick-returner-utah[/URL]

[DukieBoy]

That KO return was way to easy. Colorado covered it like a broken sieve. Still, it's just one sample of Dunn. More to follow, I hope.

[8467thekraken]

If Dunn can show up and deliver as advertised, either redman or dwyer may be the odd man out. Personally, I am hoping for Dwyer to come into camp in shape. Hoping that the team putting him up for trade has lit a fire under this kids a$$. Nothing against redman. It's just that I can see the talent that dwyer has. So can other posters on this site. Having Bell, a determined Dwyer and a speedster like Dunn in the backfield gives the team a nice diversification of weaponry for Haley and Ben to utilize, and compliment the WR squadron. It kinda makes my mouth water.