Kadarius Toney NFL Draft Overview
Position: Wide Receiver
Height: 6’0”
Weight: 193 pounds
School: Florida
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Kadarius Toney 2021 NFL Draft Profile
Kadarius Toney is a senior out of the University of Florida. Though he is likely a first round pick this year, he made a quick rise up draft boards after a stand out season in 2020. At the beginning of his collegiate career, Toney was more of a gadget player. He was previously a quarterback in high school and the team asked him to make a position switch to wide receiver.
Toney was buried on the depth chart his first three seasons. Besides Toney’s breakout season in 2020, his sophomore campaign was his best. He finished the year with just 25 receptions for 260 yards and one score. However, everything changed in 2020. Toney was the most prolific receiver on the team outside of potential top-five pick Kyle Pitts. Toney had 70 receptions for 984 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also had seven kick returns for 155 yards for an average of 22.1 yards per return. Toney earned Second Team All-SEC honors for his senior campaign.
Strengths
- Great downfield vision which allows him to extend plays;
- Not afraid to look for contact and make defenders miss;
- Shifty runner who showcases speed out of his cuts;
- Natural playmaker;
- Can contribute on special teams as a punt or kick returner;
- Very coachable, as evidenced by his willingness to switch positions.
Weaknesses
- Just one season of high-level production;
- Injuries in freshman and junior seasons limited his playing time;
- Can lose some speed with the ball deep, sometimes letting defenders back into the play;
- Still somewhat unpolished at the position;
- Has showed route running skills, but his timing may be off at the next level.
NFL Comparison: Curtis Samuel
Teams With Need at the Position: Cincinnati Bengals, Chicago Bears, Los Angeles Chargers, Miami Dolphins, Green Bay Packers, New England Patriots, Baltimore Ravens, Houston Texans
Projection: Late-first to early-second round
Bottom Line on Kadarius Toney
Toney projects as a slot receiver at the NFL level. However, he’s got the versatility to do well on the outside and make contributions on special teams. He’s been compared to players such as Tyreek Hill , Dante Hall, or Curtis Samuel. He definitely has the ability to be a “human joystick.” In limited reps during college (one breakout season), Toney showed the ability to make defenders miss and not shy away from contact. Though Toney dealt with injuries in college, he also proved he can play through some nagging pain.
With the right coordinator, Toney could shine early in his NFL career. He has the potential to be used as a gadget player, perhaps in a similar vein as Alvin Kamara. His vision and playmaking ability should go a long way towards coaches putting him in their game plans. There’s a lot of intangibles with Toney, and if he continues to refine his skills as a receiver, he could be a force to be reckoned with on any team in the NFL.
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