Since his days at Texas Tech Wide Receiver Michael Crabtree has been loaded with talk. Rated in the top five by countless scouts and NFL analyst coming into the 2009 NFL Draft, Michael Crabtree was looking like a sure top five lock with the St Louis Rams, Kansas City Chiefs and Seattle Seahawks holding three of the top four picks in the draft.

However, as we have seen in recent NFL Draft’s, hype doesn’t guarantee anything. Brady Quinn was a sure lock at 9th overall to the Miami Dolphins. He took a huge draft day fall and landed at 22nd when the Cleveland Browns and Phil Savage traded back into the first round to get “their” quarterback in Quinn.

Now flash-forward to Michael Crabtree in 2009. With all the hype (among other things) coming into the draft surrounding Crabtree it looked as if he would be a sure top 4-7 lock. Well that’s not how it went down.

Crabtree was passed up by the Rams, Chiefs, Seahawks, Jets, Raiders (who took Heyward-Bay over him) and the Jaguars all the way down to 10th overall with the San Francisco 49ers.

At the time it looked like a steal for the 49ers, who were looking to add another playmaker to support Frank Gore, Vernon Davis and the other weapons in San Fran.

Well five months later it went from a great pick to a potential huge setback for the 49ers organization when Crabtree threatened to sit out the entire 2009 season and reenter the draft in 2010 in hopes of receiving the contract he wanted and the contract he thought he deserved.

Before Crabtree signed I wrote an article comparing Crabtree and the 49ers to the Cutler-Broncos situation.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/254098-the-michael-crabtree-situation-why-its-worse-than-the-jay-cutler-saga

Finally on October 8th, 2009 Michael Crabtree grew enough brain cells and agreed to a six year $32 million dollar contract with $17 of the being guaranteed.

Before Crabtree had signed the 49ers were looking great and were about to take that next step to the forfront of the NFC West along with the Arizona Cardinals.

Coming into their bye week they were 3-2. Since Crabtree has signed the 49ers are 2-5 and have lost sight of what made then a winner in the first half of the season.

Now even though he has only played seven games in his career I thought it would be interesting to see if Crabtree is really showing signs that he can be that true elite No. 1 Wide Receiver or just another bust.

Here are Crabtree’s stats to date in 2009: 32 receptions, 406 yards, 1 TD with a 12.7 avg.

Going a little bit deeper into his stats through the first seven games Crabtree is averaging over four receptions per game and 58 yards per game.

Not bad numbers but what has changed since Crabtree was signed was the 49ers swagger and since officially joining the Niners they have lost their edge they had the first half of the season.

Is it because Crabtree forced the hand of the 49ers front office or is it just because that’s the way the NFL goes?

We won’t be fully able to judge Crabtree for at least two more years. After that he’s either made it or he’s out. That’s how it is in the NFL.

I believe that Crabtree is more than talk, but he needs to continue to progress to stay that way.

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