6’3” – 215 lbs.
Has been a major contributor in each of the past four seasons. Went 44-590-4 (13.4) as a freshman, 64-793-5 (12.4) as a sophomore, and 55-846-7 (15.4) as a junior. Finished his career with a 71-816-6 (11.5) line in his senior season. Has excellent size for a pro receiver, with a prototypical combination of height, bulk, and length. Takes snaps on both sides of the offense as the team’s split end. Has pretty crisp footwork to release at the line of scrimmage against press-man. Was often targeted on throws over the middle, including short slants, and using those to set up deeper routes down the field, often on double-moves; would have liked to see a few more short/intermediate routes in his tree, but footwork on his route running is polished overall. Does a good job of maintaining inside position when working over the middle, using his body to shield defenders from the ball. Able to change speeds in order to keep opposing defensive backs off-balance. Overall speed when going deep is pretty solid for a player with his size, and at times he can threaten over the top, pulling a safety over to his side of the field; looks more dangerous when making inside releases than when working down the sidelines. Not one of the most flexible receivers, however; doesn’t always do a great job of sinking his hips into breaks and exploding out of them. Big hands make him a reliable target, and demonstrates the ability to make contested catches in tight coverage. Will let some throws into his body a little bit but that didn’t impact his catch rate during the games reviewed. Has a pretty physical, no-nonsense approach after the catch; not the most creative with the ball in his hands, but can pick up a few extra yards after contact, taking defensive backs along with him. Gives solid effort through the whistle when blocking, with a physical approach and the strength to overpower smaller receivers; would like to see him get more consistent extension with his hands but overall results are good. A big, physical four-year starter who gets good releases at the line of scrimmage, can make contested catches in coverage, and brings a physical approach to running after the catch and to blocking, it’s a shame that a broken foot will prevent him from working out, as he’ll miss an opportunity to make teams confident that he will have some value as a deep threat. Very likable prospect overall.
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