The 2023 NFL Draft will be a great event for teams to start building for their future. Here is the Nathaniel Dell 2023 NFL Draft Profile.
Position: Wide Receiver
School: Houston
Size: 5-foot-8, 165 pounds
Class: Redshirt Senior
2022 Stats: 109 receptions, 1,398 receiving yards, 17 touchdown receptions, 12.8 yards per catch
Dell spent his time at a few different colleges and was able to show his skills. He is now in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Out of high school, Dell signed with Alabama A&M. He then spent some time at Independence Community College. As a three-star JUCO recruit, Dell signed with Houston. In his first season with the Cougars, Dell had 29 catches for 428 yards and three touchdowns. The next season, he raised the level of play with 90 receptions for 1,329 yards and 12 touchdowns. His play helped Houston go 12-2 and win the Birmingham Bowl. For the 2022 season, he had 109 receptions for 1,398 yards and 17 touchdown catches. He led the Cougars to an 8-5 record and a win in the Independence Bowl.
Following the Independence Bowl, Dell declared for the 2023 NFL Draft. He is currently projected to be a mid-round pick.
Dell is a great athlete who is explosive. He shows good acceleration at the snap of the ball with good burst. Dell can change directions quickly as well. His long speed can also stretch defenses vertically, while he is a solid jumper too.
He is a good route runner, as he was able to show it on tape and at the Senior Bowl. Dell has an expanded route tree to run plenty of different routes. He also has nice releases at the line of scrimmage. Once Dell needs to make a break in his route, he gets in and out of his cuts quickly, creating ample separation.
His ability to create big plays in a variety of ways. He can beat defenses deep and then tracks the ball well. Dell is also dynamic with the ball in his hands. He shows good open-field vision and has the elusivity to take routine catches all the way to the end zone.
He will be undersized for the NFL level at 5-foot-8 and 165 pounds. Dell has limited play strength and can struggle against bigger corners. His size will also force him inside to the slot, as he doesn’t have the size to play on the outside.
Dell needs to continue to work on his hands. He had plenty of drops over his three seasons at Houston. Dell has to look balls in before looking to turn up field, as that contributes to his drops. He can have trouble with contested catches and he does have a limited catch radius.
His run blocking will not be something that teams will like. Adding strength will help, but he is pretty small for the position. He struggles to sustain blocks and create holes for running backs. In two wide receiver sets or less, it may be hard for him to find the field.
Projected Draft Range: Third Round Pick-Fourth Round Pick
Draft Grade: Third-Round Pick
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