Overview
Position: Wide Receiver
Height: 6’4”
Weight: 230 pounds
School: Ole Miss
Combine Performance Data
40-yard dash: 4.33 seconds (tied for third-best among wide receivers)
Bench press: 27 reps (tied for best among wide receivers)
Vertical jump: 40.5 inches (tied for third-best among wide receivers)
Broad jump: 11 feet, 2 inches (fifth-best among wide receivers)
20-yard shuttle: 4.50 seconds
D.K. Metcalf 2019 NFL Draft Profile
D.K. Metcalf was a consensus four-star recruit and a U.S. Army and MaxPreps All-America selection out of high school. He was listed as the number 70 overall recruit and the fifth-best prospect in Mississippi. Metcalf was ranked as the 14th-best wide receiver recruit in the nation.
Metcalf’s freshman year was cut short after he broke his foot during Ole Miss’ second game of the season. He was awarded a medical redshirt. He totaled two touchdowns in those two games. His redshirt freshman year, Metcalf was awarded SEC All-Freshman honors. He started in all 12 of the Rebel’s games. He caught 39 passes for 646 yards and seven touchdowns, all of which ended up being career highs. Metcalf appeared in seven games during his redshirt sophomore year. His season ended early due to a neck injury which he later had surgery on. He hauled in 26 passes for 569 and five touchdowns before the early end to his season.
Metcalf, unfortunately, has dealt with injuries two of his three college seasons. Though his stats don’t pop out at you, he does not lack in the ability to put up big numbers. The few games he has played in he has shown how great he can be when he is healthy.
Strengths
- Great burst and snap in routes;
- Adjusts well to under-thrown balls;
- Tremendous at high pointing the ball;
- Ideal size in an X receiver;
- Very athletic;
- Great long speed;
- Accelerates from defenders with his long stride;
- Unfazed by contact;
- Ability to run through arm tackles;
- Runs through press coverage with ease;
- Violent hand usage at the line of scrimmage;
- Uses a variety of releases;
- Great blocker.
Weaknesses
- Limited route tree;
- Timing his jumps;
- Footwork efficiency could use improvement;
- Needs to get involved as a blocker.
NFL Comparison: Mike Evans
Teams With Need at Position: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Baltimore Ravens, Tennessee Titans, Washington Redskins, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, New York Jets, Indianapolis Colts, Oakland Raiders, New Orleans Saints, San Francisco 49ers.
Projection: First round
Bottom Line
Metcalf is a freak athlete. His size and strength make him an ideal candidate to be a top receiver on a team. His burst and acceleration to earn the yards after catch may be the best in this draft class. He has very long strides that make it appear effortless when separating himself from defenders. Metcalf plays extremely physical with press coverage never seeming to faze him. He’s able to fight through any contact with either his strength or his handwork. He uses a variety of releases to get off the line. His technique is superb. When he wants to block, his ability to do so is at the top of his class. He needs to show more willingness to block on every play though.
He’s tops in this class of wide receivers when it comes to going up and getting the ball. He’s tremendous at going up and getting the ball at its highest point. His ability to fight through contact and come down with the contested ball is great. One thing that concerned me a bit was his lack of different routes he ran in college. He mainly ran hitches, comebacks, curls, and nine routes. With his athleticism though, he should be able to master the route tree at the next level. Nonetheless, his production with such a predictable route combination really stands out. Ole Miss did not make it easy for him to be as productive as he was, which goes to show how successful he can be in the NFL.
