The 2019 NFL Draft will be a great event for teams to start building for their future. The Game Haus will be doing scouting reports on some of the top prospects in the 2019 NFL Draft. Ole Miss wide receiver had a solid college career and is now one of the most athletically gifted players in the draft class.
Background
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcmpfTqR-BQ
Position: Wide Receiver
Class: Redshirt Sophomore
2018 stats: 26 receptions, 569 receiving yards, 5 touchdown receptions
Size: 6-foot-3, 228 pounds
Metcalf may not have the volume of production compared to other receivers in this draft class, but he was a good player for Ole Miss. His physical traits and abilities have made him one of the most sought-after receivers in the 2019 NFL Draft.
After a standout high school career, Metcalf scored a touchdown in his first two games at Ole Miss in 2016. He broke his foot in the third game of the season and received a medical redshirt. Metcalf bounced back from the injury with a good season that saw him named to the All-SEC Freshman Team. His production dipped in 2018, but he was a part of an effective passing attack that featured many future NFL players in it including fellow wide receivers A.J. Brown and DeMarkus Lodge.
Although he was one of three talented receivers at Ole Miss, Metcalf could be drafted before the others. His stock is currently trending upward, which means he has the potential to be picked earlier than he likely would’ve thought when the college football season ended.
Strengths
For his size, Metcalf’s speed is amazing. He is a deep threat because his speed helps him separate. With the speed to separate and size to high point the ball above defenders he is one of the biggest matchup nightmares in this draft class.
He is explosive in the open field, as he is great at running with the ball once he gets it in his hands. Metcalf uses his strength, speed and smarts to outman defenders in the open field. He has the necessary quickness and agility to complement his speed and strength, making him hard to bring down.
Weaknesses
Although Metcalf has a big catch radius and strong hands, he does have his fair share of drops. These can mostly be attributed to his focus. If he can cut down on the number of uncontested drops, he will be a much more reliable target.
Metcalf shows the ability to run routes well, including beating press coverage and using double moves, but he needs to add to his route-tree. He ran a lot of go routes and with that comeback routes, but could be an even more dynamic receiver with a more sophisticated route-tree.
The build is there for Metcalf to be a great blocking wide receiver, but he didn’t block as well as he should’ve in college. He has the potential to be one of the best blockers at his position, but needs to work on his craft to get to that point.
Projected Draft Range: First round-Second round
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