D.K. Metcalf, Ole Miss, Wide Receiver
There was no doubting Metcalf would appear on a Combine “Standouts” article with his astonishing 40 yard dash, bench press, and vertical jump. But his porous numbers on the 3 cone drill and 20 yard shuttle propose a concern in his agility in contrast to his other fantastic times and numbers.
By no means do I am I an “Anti-fan” of Metcalf. I think he’s an unreal prospect and I along with many on social media are amused by his ridiculously ripped physique and straight line speed. His production at Ole Miss showed he was a BIG deep threat receiver and that was apparent at the combine.
Perhaps the biggest question regarding his physique was his flexibility. For a guy that ripped and broad, his upper body flexibility was always in question and the concern of his hip flexibility and change of direction appeared.
The 20 yard shuttle is intended to test one’s flexibility, burst, and balance; Metcalf has the burst but his flexibility lead to his slow time. The 3 cone drill is all about agility and change of direction. For a body that big, he is slower in his change of direction and while that shouldn’t come as a surprise, it’s something worth noting for route running purposes.
His time on the 3 cone drill was 7.38 seconds and his 20 yard shuttle time was 4.5 seconds.
What do these ultimately mean? The biggest concern would be his route running. He can obviously beat anyone deep with his speed and he can make contest catches with his 40.5″ vertical jump, but when having to make cuts in his routes, he’s going to have a harder time even with his burst and body.
In the long run, this might not mean anything especially if he’s taken early in the draft and goes on to have a successful career, but there are concerns with the prospect himself that teams should be wary of before they choose to make the investment on him. But that argument’s for another day, right?