Overview
Position: Wide Receiver
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 200 pounds
School: Texas A&M
Combine Performance Data
40-yard dash: 4.47 seconds
Bench press: 20 reps (tied for fourth among wide receivers)
Vertical jump: 35.5 inches
3-cone drill: 7.09 seconds (sixth among wide receivers)
20-yard shuttle: 4.45 seconds (third among wide receivers)
60-yard shuttle: 12.03 seconds (second among wide receivers)
Christian Kirk 2018 NFL Draft Profile
When Christian Kirk confirmed that he would take his talents to Texas A&M instead of Arizona State, Aggie fans thought that the top-tier Johnny Manziel–Mike Evans connection would be reborn with Kirk and Kenny Hill. Er, Kirk and Kyle Allen. Kirk and Kyler Murray. Kirk and Jake Hubenak. Kirk and Nick Starkel. Kirk and Kellen Mond?
The highly-touted recruit out of Scottsdale, AZ was meant to maintain the athletic excellence the Aggies enjoyed with Manziel and Evans at the helm. Unfortunately, Kevin Sumlin grossly mismanaged his quarterback situation and doubled down on inefficient offensive coordinators.
Despite the quarterback carousel in College Station, Kirk managed to emerge as a shining star on a team that failed to produce. His dazzling runs and sticky hands placed him atop the depth chart at wide receiver and the enemy of special teams units across the SEC.
Strengths
- Decisive and quick in open space;
- Breaks quickly with good decision-making after the catch;
- Solid upper and lower body strength, almost running back build;
- Tough, competitive attitude with short-term mistake memory;
- Natural pass-catching hands;
- Able to get low and stay mobile on low-thrown passes;
- Plays with consistent speed;
- Displayed good sideline awareness in Combine toe-tap drill.
Weaknesses
- Struggles to create separation on routes;
- Route-running displays lack of initial burst;
- Strength is being underutilized to bully defenders off;
- Average height with a below-average catch radius;
- Needs passes close to the body;
- Made some sub-optimal fielding decisions as a punt returner;
- Was unable to find the height for the catch on several high-throw screens.
NFL Comparison: Pharoh Cooper
Teams with Need at Position: Chicago Bears, San Francisco 49ers, Washington Redskins, Atlanta Falcons, Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars
Projection: Mid-to-late first round, early second round
Bottom Line
Much like Cooper, Kirk is going to make splashes in the NFL as a return specialist and slot receiver. After an excellent showing at the NFL Combine, Kirk’s draft stock is going to rise a little, but Aggie hopefuls should temper expectations of the receiver going in the first round. Although Kirk has experience with less-than-ideal quarterback situations, he will need stability and accuracy to be good at the next level. A number of mock drafts have Kirk going in the first round to the Carolina Panthers. In fact, Lance Zierlein was the only NFL.com analyst not to take Kirk in the first round. The only wide receiver in this group definitively better than Kirk is Alabama’s Calvin Ridley. The case could be made for James Washington out of Oklahoma State, but Kirk has the added value of being an electrifying returner.
If Kirk falls to the second round, the Washington Redskins should snap him up with the 44th overall pick. Washington lost receivers DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon prior to the 2017 season and no clear top receiver emerged for the Redskins this year. With Alex Smith‘s accuracy leading the charge in Washington, Kirk could become a decent NFL starter in his rookie season.
