6 Minicamp All-Stars We're Not Sold on Quite Yet

Randy Moss has been blowing things up in a good way for the San Francisco 49ers in minicamp, but I'm not convinced he's going to be as good as advertised during the regular season.

Moss isn't the only minicamp all-star that still has a lot to prove, though. 

It's easy to look good in shorts, but the real test is yet to come. Some players that shine in June start to lose their luster once the real hitting begins during training camp and throughout the season.

Let's take a look at the minicamp studs who still have a lot to prove.

Blaine Gabbert, Jacksonville Jaguars

Blaine Gabbert isn't a bust. Not yet, anyways. 

Yes, his rookie campaign is one he and the rest of NFL fans would gladly forget, but according to Jaguars.com's John Oehser, he's turning a corner and is heading in the right direction:

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[Gabbert] has looked all offseason like a different player off the field—more confidence, and a bit more maturity—and the player we saw on the field for most of minicamp looked different, too.

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We'll see how much this newfound confidence and maturity manifests itself once NFL defenders start crashing Gabbert's party in the backfield. He didn't handle pressure well at all last year, looking for all intents and purposes like a scared little school girl when defenders busted through the Jaguars' porous offensive line.

I really want to believe he's turned the corner. I actually think he's got the tools to become a terrific NFL quarterback, and I always hate to see talent wasted.

That said, I need to see it before I'll believe it.

Shea Mcclellin, Chicago Bears

Shea McClellin may turn out to be a stud, but I'm not convinced he'll hold up on the edge against elite offensive tackles. 

According to this video by Boise (Idaho) news station KBOI 2, the Chicago Bears are thrilled with what they've seen thus far out of McClellin during OTAs and minicamp, but he'll need to prove it during training camp and the preseason before I buy into what they're selling. 

The Bears are going to hype their first-round pick. They want to believe he'll be great, and they want their fans to believe he'll be great.

Me, I need to see him go up against an offensive line that's not the one the Bears feature—one of the worst in the NFL, as far as I'm concerned.

Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons

Julio Jones is big, strong and fast, and he possesses all the tools to become an elite wide receiver...except an elite pair of hands.

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Jones won the team's minicamp MVP award for his excellent play.

That's all well and good, but Jones needs to become more consistent this season before I'll get excited about his potential.

I see Jones becoming a big-time threat for the Falcons in the future, but I'm not convinced that he'll improve upon his inconsistent performance from last year.

He needs to prove that his hands aren't made of stone before I jump on board.

Dez Bryant, Dallas Cowboys

Dez Bryant is one of the most talented wide receivers in the NFL.

He has the entire package: speed, strength, stellar hands, run-after-the-catch abilities and an understanding of how to get open in the NFL. The one thing he's missing is the drive and commitment to follow through and become a true professional.

According to The Dallas Morning News:

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The former Oklahoma State standout and first round draft pick, has performed well on the field during OTAs and mini-camp, making several impressive grabs and appearing to be on the same page with his franchise quarterback.

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That doesn't surprise me in the least. Like I said, he's got ability up the wazoo. What remains to be seen is whether or not Bryant can focus solely on football.

If he can get rid of all the distracting elements that have plagued him thus far in his young career, Bryant will become one of the league's best wideouts.

If not, then he'll just be another could-have-been-great story.

Nick Fairley, Detroit Lions

By now, I'm sure you're aware of Nick Fairley's off-field problems.

Apparently, Fairley is completely focused on football now. Not only that, but he's reportedly standing out in a good way on the field.

Detroit Lions general manager Martin Mayhew spoke to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press about his maligned second-year player:

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(Fairley's) had an outstanding offseason out here on the field. Not so good off the field, but he's been outstanding in practice. He’s worked his butt off; he’s in great condition. He’s done some things out here on tape, just running around, that make you run the tape back and go, ‘Who is that?’ He has tremendous, tremendous talent level and, hopefully, he can fulfill that.

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I sincerely hope that Fairley's bad behavior off the field has come to a permanent end.

I want to see the young man succeed, but until he proves he's completely finished acting like a clown, I'm not sold on his ability to contribute in a meaningful way long term.

Randy Moss, San Francisco 49ers

Anyone who has followed me for the past eight months knows that I'm a devout San Francisco 49ers fan. I am hoping and praying that Randy Moss is as good during the regular season as what we've been hearing all offseason long. 

According to offensive coordinator Greg Roman, via ProFootballWeekly.com:

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He has really been as good as you can possibly ask for in terms of being totally engrossed in football. He’s a throwback…And it’s been great watching the players interact, the quarterbacks interact, the receivers interact with him. And we’ll all be better because of it.

"

What happens if Moss doesn't see as many passes come his way as he'd like, though? Will he start shutting down and quit on plays as he's done in the past? 

The 49ers have been and will continue to be a defensive, run-first team that doesn't want to turn the ball over. Alex Smith is a competent NFL starting quarterback, and he's getting better, but he's no Tom Brady. He has his limitations, and nobody knows it better than head coach Jim Harbaugh. 

Moss may well become a major cog within the framework of the 49ers offense in 2012, but until I see the results on Sundays, I will maintain a wait-and-see attitude.

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