Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Brandin Cooks Will be this Years Steal of the Draft

5'10, 185 pounds, and if not for Mike Evans he'd "biggest" receiver entering the NFL draft. That sounds incredibly stupid, right? Well, when you watch Cooks play, really isn't far-fetched, at all. Cooks is one of those guys that is easy to root for based solely on the fact that he's just so damn fun to watch play.

The only thing holding him back, or that's stopped him this year, is the offense he's in.

Let's get into some of Cooks traits.

Route Running

By now, if you've read my thoughts on Marqise Lee, or Odell Beckham Jr, you know how important route running is in my eyes. The thing I love about Cooks is his creativity as a route runner. He's probably faster than anyone guarding him, but he understands how to get open at the top of is route, and he's brilliant at doing so.

In this example, he's running a simple 5 yard in, at the top of his route, he gives the corner a little "Welker stutter & head fake."



If the balls out in front of him, it's a huge play, but nonetheless, he freezes the corner at the top of the route without tipping where he's going. These small things translate.

Here, he's running a go route, he knows where he's going the entire time but gives the corner a subtle jab step inside, helping him create separation.




This is a double whammy. He not only creates separation with his route running skills, but does so with his speed as well.

Cooks isn't limited in his route tree, at all. He's one of the few receivers that don't take a false step off the line of scrimmage, he transitions smoothly in and out of his breaks, and as I've shown, can create separation with his route running ability, not just his athleticism. He's a very savvy route runner with extremely "active" feet.

Speed

You know, the trait that you can't coach. Speed kills and everyone knows it.

In the offseason, Cooks put on 11 pounds of muscle, and you can tell. He's more explosive than he was last year. He's shown this year that he can take the top off of a defense. His ability to get to top end speed in a matter of steps is very impressive.




In the open field, Cooks runs away from defenders with ease. In spring ball, Cooks ran a 4.3 flat. Electronically. That. Is. Fast. Should also be noted he's a former track athlete.

Hands

Watching Cooks you're surprised to see him drop a ball. I remember him dropping an in route and I was stunned. That's because, for the most part, when he gets his hands on the ball, he catches it. He has very strong hands, which is another reason I believe he'll be so successful at the next level. Per Second Round Stats, a receivers drop rate should be no higher than 7%. Cooks has by far the lowest drop rate, at 4.1%.

This one handed catch in the bowl game shows you how well his concentration is.

Ball Skills

For a receiver who is sub 6", Cooks tracks the balls, high points it, and wins the catch point insanely well. He's very good at adjusting to under-thrown balls and putting himself in position to make a play.







Sometimes, a receiver is asked to bail his quarterback out. Cooks does this over and over. His ball skills are definitely a blue chip quality.

YAC Ability

With the importance on getting the ball out of the quarterbacks hands quicker in today's NFL, receivers must be able to create for themselves once they've caught the ball.

Cooks is incredibly explosive and does most of his work in the intermediate game, over 70% of his routes are ran under 15 yards. Once the ball is in his hands, he's special.



It's rare that the 1st player tackles Cooks.



I realize that this next play he stepped out of bounds. But this play best describes Cooks and his toughness, effort,speed, and competitive nature.





Grade

As always, the grade explanation can be explained here.

Multiple Pro Bowl Player, Top 10  8.5 – 9.0
Highly Productive Starter, 1st Round  8.0 – 8.4
Very Good Starter, Early 2nd Round  7.8 – 7.9
Reliable Starter, 2nd Round  7.5 – 7.7
Potential Starter in Year 2, 3rd Round  7.0 – 7.4
Backup/Spot Starter, 4th Round  6.5 – 6.9
Productive Backup, 5th Round  6.0 – 6.4
Very Good Backup/STs, 6th Round  5.5 – 5.9
Quality Backup/Good STs, 7th Round  5.0 – 5.4
Backup/STs/Project Player, 7th Round  4.5 – 4.9
Priority Free Agent w/ Limitations  4.0 – 4.4
Non-Draftable    < 4.0

Trait WeightGrade
Route Running43.7
Speed2.52.5
Hands32.8
Ball Skills32.9
YAC Ability22
Effort22
Blocking21.3
Toughness22
Awareness2.52.3
Athleticism22


Cooks graded out at an 8.4. That tells you how high I am on him. I tried envisioning a situation where he can't be successful in the NFL, and I couldn't. He's far from limited to just a "slot WR." He attacks the ball in the air, and with his creativeness as a route runner, it should be an easy transition for me to be a 90 catch player at the next level.

Player Comparison

I try not to force these, but Cooks is a mix between Steve Smith & Antonio Brown. He is a fierce competitor and wins 50/50 balls much like Smith at his size, yet is quick, and will make you miss in a phone booth, like Brown.







Friday, November 22, 2013

Is Marqise Lee a #1 WR in the NFL?

I wrote about Odell Beckham Jr. about a month ago, and mentioned that without question receiver is my favorite position to scout. I scouting period because what one person thinks is a great play, the next thinks is a terrible play. That's why covering the draft has been so fun for me.

Marqise Lee is a perfect example. It seems like you either love him or hate him, and there's nothing in between. That's not the case with me. I think Lee has a ton of talent, and should be quite successful at the next level. However, I don't think he can be relied on as a #1 receiver, and I'll explain why.

Route Running

You can run a 4.2 but if you aren't a good route runner at the next level, you won't be successful. Receivers need to make every route look the same, need to be able to beat press coverage without any wasted movements. It shouldn't take extra steps to get out of your break to create separation. The margin for error is so slim in the NFL that 1 false step can be the difference of you not getting open.

In college, because of Lee's excellent athleticism, he can simply out run most DBs to gain separation. Lee does have a tendency to get too high coming out of his breaks, and round his routes. This is a good example.




This next example, looks good on the surface, but for me, Lee is taking too many steps here. NFL DB's will jump on the route as soon as he takes that extra step out of his break.



You can see right at the top of his route, he takes an extra step that isn't needed before he breaks.

Lee does have good awareness as far as sitting down in holes in the zone. Lee has no problem running any route on the route tree as well. He just needs a little more polish on some of his routes.

Lee actually does a good job of "hand fighting" to create separation either at the line or on the top of his route. He just doesn't do it enough at the LOS and that's why physical corners might give him issues at the next level.

Speed

The phenomenon of the combine, how fast can you run?

When in coverage 1-on-1, Lee is going to blow the doors off you if you're playing press. Don't.

Uscee_medium

It's effortless. Lee gets to top speed in about 3 or 4 steps and has a long, but quick stride. He's a home run threat every time he's on the field because of his speed. Lee is on USC's 4 X 100 track team and has a PR of 10.74. He can flat out fly.

Hands

Probably the most frustrating thing about Lee, is the inexplicable drops. Just a lack of concentration is what it is, but it hasn't been fixed. Drops are drive killers. They happen, but shouldn't as often as they do with Lee. He'll make the spectacular catch

Marquiselee_medium

 Then drop a touchdown. Last year it was a big issue, & this year he had 2 big drops against Hawaii, a touchdown against Notre Dame, and then this against Arizona State.





These drops will lead to points, for the other team in the NFL.

He has very good hand eye coordination, you can see it. He has quick hands and he'll just pluck the ball out of the air. Unfortunately, he doesn't rely on them enough.  But you can't just dismiss the drops.


Ball Skills

Not to be confused with actual hands, but this is how he adjusts to the ball, if he high points it, catch radius etc.

Because he's a ridiculous athlete, Lee has a huge catch radius. We've seen time after time Lee win a 50/50 ball because he simply out leaped the defender. Lee has very good body control in the air, and does a good job of coming down with it.

I think Lee could be even better. In these 50/50 situations, he doesn't always high point the ball. He also has a tendency to mistime his jumps. He gets away with this now, simply because no one is on his level athletically, but that won't be the case in the NFL.

I'd like to see him high point the ball and track deep balls better on a consistent basis. I'd also worry about Lee and contested catches at the next level. Over the middle when the defender hits him, even after he's caught it, it winds up incomplete due to lack of strength.

YAC Ability

This is what separates the Demaryius Thomas/Keenan Allen's from the Sidney Rice/Vincent Browns. What can you do after the catch? You can't coach this ability, and in today's quick passing games, YAC is a huge part of offenses today.

This is where Lee shines. He does a great job of catching the ball and immediately turning into a ball carrier.



This trait alone will make Lee successful in the NFL.

At times he will cut across field too often and look for the home run play when it isn't there. But more often than not he's does a great job of maximizing the yards he can get after the catch.

Blocking Ability

When you see long running plays in the NFL, it's usually a direct result of the receiver making a block. An underrated, unappreciated part of a receivers game.

Lee is a surprisingly good blocker. Lee shows great technique and effort when blocking. He looks like he enjoys it, and backs have to appreciate this. Whether it's chasing the play down-field, or locking on to his defender while keeping his hands inside, Lee is a very good blocker.

Lee has great effort when he's blocking, but when he's running the decoy route, or a route he knows he's not getting the ball, the effort isn't the same. Here, Lee kind of loafs off the ball.



Grade

As always, the grading scale can be explained here.


Multiple Pro Bowl Player, Top 10  8.5 – 9.0
Highly Productive Starter, 1st Round  8.0 – 8.4
Very Good Starter, Early 2nd Round  7.8 – 7.9
Reliable Starter, 2nd Round  7.5 – 7.7
Potential Starter in Year 2, 3rd Round  7.0 – 7.4
Backup/Spot Starter, 4th Round  6.5 – 6.9
Productive Backup, 5th Round  6.0 – 6.4
Very Good Backup/STs, 6th Round  5.5 – 5.9
Quality Backup/Good STs, 7th Round  5.0 – 5.4
Backup/STs/Project Player, 7th Round  4.5 – 4.9
Priority Free Agent w/ Limitations  4.0 – 4.4
Non-Draftable    < 4.0

Trait WeightGrade
Route Running43.4
Speed2.52.5
Hands32
Ball Skills32.6
YAC Ability22
Effort21.7
Blocking22
Toughness21.7
Awareness2.52.3
Athleticism22

Lee's graded out at a 7.9, which tells me he's going to be a good player in the NFL. He should blow up the combine so I'd be surprised if he didn't go in the 1st round. At this point, the drops and durability issues are a concern. But you can't deny his big play ability. In an ideal situation Lee goes to a team that has a #1 WR so the coverage isn't dictated towards him.

My player comparison for Lee is Pierre Garcon. A very good player in his own right, who is great after the catch, a very fast receiver, who has the occasional drop. I think both players are fast, but not great at changing directions.

I watch all my videos on YouTube or at draftbreakdown.com



















Thursday, November 21, 2013

How Justin Gilbert's Skills Translate to the NFL

When scouting players it's hard for some to separate talent from competition. This year the best QB Justin Gilbert has played might not even be a camp body in the NFL. That said, you can clearly see the skills Gilbert possesses and how easily his game translates to the NFL.

Saturday, he takes on one of the best draft eligible quarterbacks, in Bryce Petty. I've seen nothing to this point to think Gilbert won't perform at a high level.

Let's see how his game translates to the NFL.

Long Speed

Without question Gilbert will blow up the combine. If he ran sub 4.4 I wouldn't be surprised at all. Over the summer, Gilbert raced an incoming freshman who reportedly ran a 4.32, and beat him. Gilbert is a great athlete. The eye test says a low 4.4. These Baylor receivers can really run, but Gilbert shouldn't have any issues keeping up.

Closing Speed/Acceleration

Another area that exposes Gilbert for his great athleticism. When the ball is in the air, he does a great job of closing.



You can also tell by his kick returns, he gets to top speed in a hurry.

At this end of this video, he's nearly even with oncoming defenders, and turns it on right at the end. Showing great acceleration.

Ball Skills

When I think ball skills it comes down to how the corner catches the ball, is he disruptive at the catch point, does he have strong hands to secure or break up catches. Also, how the corner plays the ball in the air. In the NFL today, DBs are terrible at getting their head around and finding the ball.

We know Gilbert is a great athlete, but he turns into a receiver when the ball is in the air, and that's what makes him special.





Gilbert has really good hands for a defensive back, like I said he's a receiver once the ball is in the air, so the catch point is his. Gilbert has excellent ball skills, and gets his head turned around in time to find the ball in the air. Something often overlooked, but a trait he excels at.

Eye Discipline

This is an area where Gilbert struggled last year. He had lapses, and had a tendency to bite on double moves. He's done a great job of recognizing it as a weakness, and cleaning it up. Through 10 games this year, I've only seen him fall asleep one time.





Here, he just gets caught staring into the backfield, instead of reading his key, the tight end. These lapses are rare this year, he's much improved in this area. He's still aggressive, but he knows he has safety help over the top, so I applaud that.

Athleticism

Gilbert is 6" 200 pounds and can run with any receiver you line up next to him. You really get to see all of his athleticism on display when he's returning kicks. Once the combine comes around I expect him to be a top 5 performers in more than one category. I'm guessing the broad jump & Vertical.

Route Recognition/Instincts

This is understanding route concepts. Passing off players in zone, seeing a 3 step drop and knowing a quick route is coming. The upper echelon corners have great instincts and understand what routes are coming based on how tight of split the receiver has, or route combinations in general.

I saw Gilbert do a great job of staying on top of a double post route, that was impressive.

Here, he's in zone coverage, passes off the slant route, and comes back to the flat route. Just great route recognition & instincts.



Here he understands that the WR is outside the numbers, so his routes are limited, and uses it to his advantage.





Tackling/Blitz Ability

Occasionally Oklahoma State will bring Gilbert on a corner blitz, I've seen him make a tackle for loss, so he's capable.

This is far and away the worst trait for Gilbert. He doesn't seem to be very interested in tackling. When he's being blocked by a receiver, he doesn't put forth the effort you like to see as far as disengaging and making a play. Tackling is simply about effort & will, and to this point, it's pretty clear tackling isn't high on Gilbert's priority.

I compare it to Xavier Rhodes last year. Who when you watch him, looked like he was clearly protecting himself for the NFL, I wonder if this is the case with Gilbert, who goes all out in coverage, but is timid when it comes to tackling. I guess we'll find out next year, but as of now, his angles & pursuit is a problem. I will say that his game is Texas he showed his best effort I can remember.

Cover Skills

When in man coverage, I look for if the corner can stay in the receiver's hip pocket, if he's low in his backpedal and if he's feet are underneath him. In zone I want to see if the corner can read the quarterback, show good awareness as far as identifying routes, and bait the QB into throwing the ball knowing you can cover the ground to make it up.

Gilbert plays a good variety of coverage, which speaks to his versatility, he's not limited to any coverage. As I said, he's improved in his lapses and has turned into a play-maker this year. Opposing QB's have paid for throwing the ball his way.

Change of Direction/Feet

Gilbert is such a good athlete that he can get away with his feet not being underneath him all the time, specifically in his back pedal his feet get a little wide. His interception against Iowa State was a great example of what I'm talking about.






Again, his atheltic ability allows him to be much more fluid than most. Gilbert has no problem flipping his hips and changing direction whether it's turning and running deep with a receiver. Or like in this next example, on slant routes.





Finally, the grading scale, here's how it works. As always, you can find it here.

Multiple Pro Bowl Player, Top 10  8.5 – 9.0
Highly Productive Starter, 1st Round  8.0 – 8.4
Very Good Starter, Early 2nd Round  7.8 – 7.9
Reliable Starter, 2nd Round  7.5 – 7.7
Potential Starter in Year 2, 3rd Round  7.0 – 7.4
Backup/Spot Starter, 4th Round  6.5 – 6.9
Productive Backup, 5th Round  6.0 – 6.4
Very Good Backup/STs, 6th Round  5.5 – 5.9
Quality Backup/Good STs, 7th Round  5.0 – 5.4
Backup/STs/Project Player, 7th Round  4.5 – 4.9
Priority Free Agent w/ Limitations  4.0 – 4.4
Non-Draftable    < 4.0


SkillWeightGrade
Long Speed21.8
Closing Speed/Acceleration21.8
Ball Skills32.9
Eye Discipline21.6
Flexibility21.8
Athleticism21.9
Route Recognition/Instincts32.8
Tackling/Blitz Ability21.3
Cover Skills43.7
Change of direction/Feet32.7

My grade for Gilbert his high, higher than most. He's graded as an 8.03, making him a late 1st rounder. With the positional value, wouldn't be surprised to see him go earlier, especially after the Senior Bowl & Combine. Gilbert is a great athlete who has refined his skills this year and got rid of the lapses that hurt him last year.

I watch all my videos via YouTube or draftbreakdown.com





Friday, November 15, 2013

Devonta Freeman Finally Getting the Respect he Deserves

This is the time of year where people who cover the draft become enamored with these athletic freaks who are bigger, faster, and more explosive than anyone else at the position. That's why the Zac Stacy's of the world get pushed down draft. This is the same boat Devonta Freeman has fell into. You don't have to look far to see why.

Freeman shares a backfield with a running back that is 6'2, 230 lbs, that breaks tackles routinely. As well as with a running back who is 6'1, 223 lbs that can outrun anyone on the field. Sharing a backfield with a pair of ridiculous athletes, it's easy to see why Freeman is often overlooked.        

All Freeman, who at 5'9, 203 lbs has done is produce. Based on his 2013 tape, don't be surprised to see Freeman named as one of the top 5 backs in this class.

Feet

Freeman has very quick, active feet. Freeman takes short, choppy steps as he approaches the line. This allows him to get to and through the hole quickly. Runs with his feet underneath him, allowing very good balance. He also has very good footwork in pass protection.

Elusiveness 

Freeman has somewhat surprising elusiveness. He's not going to make hit you with a "make you fall" type move in the open field. But he's very slippery to tackle. Not to switch sports, but he has this hesitation move, like a crossover in basketball, that really helps him elude tacklers.

Durability/Toughness

Yes. He has both. About as durable as they come. If he was on about 97% of other teams, he wouldn't come off the field. He can be counted on for all three downs.

For a guy his size, you can't help but appreciate how tough he runs. He doesn't leave any yards on the field. As cliche as it sounds, he really runs like every carry is his last. He runs with such desire that even at his size, he can be an every down back at the next level.

Speed

As we saw on his 48 yard touchdown run after he caught a screen pass, he can run a little bit. Freeman likely won't run sub 4.47, but he is faster than I anticipated after getting a chance to re-watch him.

The common misconception is you have to be fast to break off long runs in the NFL. False. 7 of the longest 13 runs in the NFL this year have come from guys who ran slower than 4.5

Pass Protection

Unlike most running backs, Freeman is asked to do a lot when it comes to protecting the quarterback. He's not just good, he's great at it. I haven't seen a back in sometime understand where blitzers are coming from, and completely stoning them.

This is one of the main reasons rookie running backs don't get on the field early on in their career, but this won't be a problem for Freeman. It might be his greatest asset.

Agility

Freeman has no problem cutting without losing speed.



Here he makes anywhere between 4-6 cuts and doesn't lose any speed. This is the difference between a 4 yard gain, and an 11 yard touchdown. Freeman is a shifty back, like I said not a scat type back, but still very shifty.

Receiving Ability

Much like his pass protection ability, this should help Freeman stay on the field on 3rd downs. He catches the ball with his hands and very naturally. He catches everything. He also has good vision once he gets in the open field. Freeman does a good job of settling down on check down routes in zone coverage.

Vision

The most important trait for a back, period. With NFL teams going with more and more zone blocking schemes, patience and vision are a must in today's game.



Freeman is excellent in pressing the hole, and finding the proper cutback lane, or bouncing it outside. He presses the hole quickly, but is patient enough to let the hole develop.

Another strong trait of Freeman's that will only help him excel at the next level.

Power

This is where I can see people who look at his size and just think, "Okay, he's a scat back." He's not. At all. In my opinion he resembles more of a power back, who just happens to have solid speed.



Freeman runs very low to the ground, and does a very nice job of keeping his pad level down. I was impressed with Freeman's ability to get those 2-3 yards after contact. Which he usually does, save an unblocked lineman.



This run kind of puts Freeman's season in a nutshell. Runs so hard, and determined, with a nose for the end zone.

Quickness/Burst

This is what really matters. You can have the 40 times. Does the back have a good burst through the hole? Does he have short area quickness? Some of the previous GIFs have already illustrated Freeman's short area quickness.

Freeman certainly has a great burst, as evidenced by this clip. He explodes through the hole. As impressive as his pass pro, and vision may be, his burst is excellent. Time and time again he's leaving lineman, and linebackers in the dust with his burst through the line of scrimmage. This is why he's having so much success this year.



Grade

My methodology can be best explained here.

Multiple Pro Bowl Player, Top 10  8.5 – 9.0
Highly Productive Starter, 1st Round  8.0 – 8.4
Very Good Starter, Early 2nd Round  7.8 – 7.9
Reliable Starter, 2nd Round  7.5 – 7.7
Potential Starter in Year 2, 3rd Round  7.0 – 7.4
Backup/Spot Starter, 4th Round  6.5 – 6.9
Productive Backup, 5th Round  6.0 – 6.4
Very Good Backup/STs, 6th Round  5.5 – 5.9
Quality Backup/Good STs, 7th Round  5.0 – 5.4
Backup/STs/Project Player, 7th Round  4.5 – 4.9
Priority Free Agent w/ Limitations  4.0 – 4.4
Non-Draftable    < 4.0

Feet21.7
Elusiveness32.5
Durability/Toughness21.7
Speed21.5
Pass Pro21.9
Agility21.6
Receiving Ability21.7
Vision43.6
Power21.6
Quickness/Burst43.7
CategoryWeight7.74

The final grade I have for Devonta Freeman is a 7.7. So right around the middle of the 2nd round. This doesn't mean he'll go there. Like I said the NFL values these explosive players earlier on in the draft. This just means any team who selects Freeman later in the draft is getting great value for a back who can offer a lot to a team.

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Why Odell Beckham Jr. is a 1st round pick

Wide Receiver is without question my favorite position to scout leading up to the NFL draft. Having previously played the position helped me gain a better understanding of all the nuances of the position. So I can appreciate the subtle things like receivers not taking a false step off the line of scrimmage, or not taking those extra steps out of a break. 
There are several qualities of a wide receiver that can tell you how well he’ll translate to the next level. A 40 time is certainly not one of them. 
I’m going to go through every trait a wide receiver needs to be successful at the next level, and tell you why Odell Beckham Jr. is better than you think, and just might sneak into the first round. 
Route Running 
The absolute most important trait for a wide receiver. Can you get off press coverage with no wasted movements? Can you make every route look the same? Whether it’s a 10 yard out route, a 3 step slant, or a deep post. The best receivers sell every route as it it’s the same, and don’t take 3-4 steps to get out of their break. That’s the difference between creating separation at the next level, crisp routes with no wasted movement.
Here is an example of Beckham working out of the slot.
Image

He does a good job of pressing the corner, and getting in and out of his break here. Nothing flashy, but very effective.
This next route Beckham is matched up on the outside, and runs a comeback. When you run a comeback, you want to sell the vertical route, and as soon as you get the corner to “bail” and turn and run, is when you chop your feet and comeback to the ball.
Image

Again, nothing flashy, but an all-around good play by Beckham. 
Okay, so I can hear you now going “that was against Kent State, let’s see him do it against better competition.”
Fair enough, how about against arguably the most physical and best cornerback in the country, TCU’s Jason Verrett.
I mentioned you have to be able to beat press coverage if you want to make it at the next level. Well, Beckham could’ve had a touchdown if Zach Mettenberger throws him the ball early in the 1st quarter. He hits Verrett with an inside-outside jab step and leaves Verrett grabbing air. But no throw, so there’s no stats. 
Same route as above, a comeback, against Verrett. 
Image
Same result, and Verrett is actually closer now that the ball has been caught. Beckham does a great job of utilizing his speed to create separation. This can be a problem for faster receivers as they rely too much on their athleticism and not enough on their technique.
Route running is also recognizing coverages. Knowing the difference between man and zone. In zone, you have to find the holes in the defense, know when to sit down. This next one if a good example of Beckham understanding zone coverages.
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Hands
Sounds simple, but catch the ball. Catch the ball in traffic with a defender draped all over you, catch the ball away from your body, and catch the ball at it’s highest point. Show strong hands, don’t let the DB knock the ball away from you. Show good concentration, watch the ball all the way in. Win the catch point and give your QB a big catch radius.
This a strength of Beckham’s. He doesn’t have the smallest hands.
Image


Here, against Verrett. Beckham does a great job of extending for the ball, catching it away from his body and at the highest point, and controlling it to the ground.




Image

This is picture perfect by Beckham.
Against Mississippi State this year, Beckham put on a clinic on how to catch the ball in traffic and how to high point the ball. It was really fun to watch. I could GIF you to death, but you’d be here all day. 6″ receivers aren’t supposed to make the catches he does. They’re usually nowhere near as good as adjusting to the ball in the air as Beckham is. That’s why I think he is a special player and is being sold short of how good he really is.
Playmaking Ability
Finally, what can you do once the ball is in your hands? This is how you shoot up draft boards. This is what separates the Demaryius Thomas’ from the Stephen Hill’s. The Keenan Allen’s from the Nuk Hopkins. Once you have the ball in your hands, can you make a play?
In Beckham’s case. Absolutely. 
Beckham averages 11.9 yards per punt return and has come “this close” about 5 times this season to returning a kickoff. He’s a threat to score each time when the ball is in his hands. He shows incredible acceleration and an ability to get to top end speed in a matter of steps. He’s also not all straight line speed as he’s shown more than enough wiggle to make defenders miss.
Image
Why Beckham Will Sneak into the 1st Round
I don’t know where, but I think he will. Beckham has the versatility to fit into any offense. Whether it’s a west coast offense that requires good agility and the WR to create separation on quicker routes, or the deep passing Norv Turner/Bruce Arians type offense that require you to beat your man deep and be better at intermediate routes. Beckham fits the bill. He isn’t limited to where he can line up, and should be able to excel whether in the slot, split end, or flanker. 
Beckham’s value on special teams just adds value to  his stock.
I mentioned how 40 times don’t mean much(at least in my opinion) when scouting a receiver. When Beckham gets a chance to run for scouts, he should wow them. I won’t be surprised if he runs a sub 4.43 40, a good pro agility, and I expect him to jump out the gym based on his tape. Vertical should be high 30′s.  This will all push shoot him up draft boards. There aren’t many draft eligible receivers better than Beckham that offer as much as he does. This is why I think there’s a good chance he’s a first round pick.

Grade

Multiple Pro Bowl Player, Top 10  8.5 – 9.0
Highly Productive Starter, 1st Round  8.0 – 8.4
Very Good Starter, Early 2nd Round  7.8 – 7.9
Reliable Starter, 2nd Round  7.5 – 7.7
Potential Starter in Year 2, 3rd Round  7.0 – 7.4
Backup/Spot Starter, 4th Round  6.5 – 6.9
Productive Backup, 5th Round  6.0 – 6.4
Very Good Backup/STs, 6th Round  5.5 – 5.9
Quality Backup/Good STs, 7th Round  5.0 – 5.4
Backup/STs/Project Player, 7th Round  4.5 – 4.9
Priority Free Agent w/ Limitations  4.0 – 4.4
Non-Draftable    < 4.0





Trait WeightGrade
Route Running43.7
Speed2.52.4
Hands32.6
Ball Skills32.9
YAC Ability21.7
Effort21.8
Blocking21.6
Toughness22
Awareness2.52.4
Athleticism22
Beckham grades out to an  8.3. I'm probably the highest on him, but I think he can have a really good NFL career.