Background:
Chose Auburn over the hometown Crimson Tide. Has been a significant contributor in each year with the Tigers, going 26-534-5 (20.5) as a freshman, 59-830-8 (14.1) as a sophomore, and 47-760-4 (16.2) as a junior before declaring for the draft.
Positives:
Taks snaps predominantly split out wide to the right side of the formation, with some snaps on the left as well; not working from the slot very frequently. Very well-built for a pro at the position, being one of the biggest top receivers in this year’s class. Pretty smooth mover with some build-up speed. Was targeted on a lot of back-shoulder throws and jump-balls down the field. Offers a large catch radius and is capable of adjusting to passes thrown away from his frame. Capable of coming away with circus catches downfield. Has the flexibility and body control to develop into a red-zone option on fades and back-shoulder throws. Can be elusive when he has room to work with in the open field. Willing to get a little bit more physical when he has the ball in his hands, working in some stiff-arms.
Negatives:
Disappears from games for stretches. Body language looks bad. Needs to play with more aggression and physicality. Should be a dominant blocker but isn’t (see attempted block in the first quarter of the Arkansas game.) Gives very little effort to engage and sustain through the whistle. Can struggle to get separation against press-man coverage, with a lot of his production coming by working into soft spots in/underneath zone coverage shells. Struggles to come down with catches in traffic. Appears to hear footsteps and leaves too many plays on the field in terms of focus drops, etc. Not much of a threat to break tackles or punish smaller defenders with the ball in his hands.
Summary:
Has a great set of physical tools, with an excellent combination of height, length, flexibility, and speed, but doesn’t seem like someone who loves the physicality of the game and is willing to sacrifice for his teammates as a blocker. Could end up as a real weapon if he gets more glass in his diet and plays with passion, but it’s also easier to motivate someone before they have millions of dollars in the bank. Boom-or-bust type whose draft stock will depend heavily on personal interviews and the types of feedback his coaches give to pro teams.
DRAFTEXAMINER 