Quintez Cephus Overview
Position: Wide Receiver
Height: 6’-1”
Weight: 202 pounds
School: Wisconsin
NFL Combine Performance Data
40 Yard Dash: 4.73 seconds
Bench Press: 23 reps
Vertical Jump: 38.5”
Broad Jump: 124.0”
3 Cone Drill: 7.2 seconds
20 Yard Shuttle: 4.33 seconds
Quintez Cephus 2020 NFL Draft Profile
After missing the 2018 season due to sexual assault allegations, Quintez Cephus returned the field in 2019 for his redshirt junior season. Playing a large part in Wisconsin’s passing attack, Cephus ended the year with 59 receptions on 91 targets for 901 yards and seven touchdowns. Even though he had one more year of eligibility, Cephus opted to declare early for the 2020 NFL Draft.
Quintez Cephus initially entered the collegiate football ranks as a three-star recruit. A two-sport athlete in high school, the Georgia native eventually committed to football at the University of Wisconsin. After spending the majority of his freshman season on the bench, Cephus earned a larger role in 2017. Over the course of the year, Cephus recorded 30 receptions on 39 targets for 501 yards and six touchdowns.
Strengths
- Contested catch specialist with red zone upside;
- Big, physical player with ideal size and strength for the position;
- Impressive testing numbers for the broad jump and vertical jump;
- Reliable, soft hands and can make some impressive grabs;
- Attacks the ball rather than waiting for the pass to get to him;
- Knows how to use body to box out cornerbacks.
Weaknesses
- Cannot separate to save his life;
- Slow receiver with limited lateral agility;
- Footwork has a long way to go – route tree leaves a lot to be desired;
- Cannot find a second speed in the open field;
- Faced sexual assault allegations in 2018.
NFL Comparison: Geremy Davis
Teams With Need at Position: Buffalo Bills, Denver Broncos, Green Bay Packers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Las Vegas Raiders, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles
Projection: Round 6
Bottom Line on Quintez Cephus
Quintez Cephus is a limited receiver with a couple of interesting traits that should intrigue NFL teams. The 6’-1”, 202-pound receiver knows how to use every last ounce of his build to box out defenders and win in contested catch situations. This should give him intriguing potential as a red zone threat, even though he’ll need to prove he can outmuscle NFL-caliber athletes. The good news for Cephus is that he tested well in the broad jump and vertical jump, which is good news for a player of his profile. Additionally, his impressive hands mean that he won’t need to create too much separation for himself – if the pass is anywhere near him, he’ll typically haul it in.
It’s hard to make it in the NFL as just a contested-catch guy. Cephus has a few glaring flaws in his game, with separation concerns topping the list. The Wisconsin product simply cannot get open on his own and will need to be schemed into the open field. His 40-yard dash finished in the 2nd percentile, and nothing about his tape suggests this is a fluke. He doesn’t have a second gear, struggles to move laterally, and needs to develop as a route runner. As far as off-field issues go, Cephus missed the 2018 season after facing sexual assault allegations. While said allegations were eventually dropped, teams are going to need to take a long, hard look at his background to make sure there aren’t any character red flags under the surface.
Main photo:
Embed from Getty Images
