At No. 15, the Redskins need to search for the best mix of need and best player available. Does D.K. Metcalf fit the bill?
Before we get started, I would like to present a simple equation pertaining to the Washington Redskins draft needs, in worded form:
(Any first-round wide receiver 6-foot-3 or taller) does not equal (Josh Doctson).
I would encourage you not to revert to this cliche. Each draft prospect is vastly different from the next, and that goes for wide receivers as well. Learn what there is to know about these players, and you’ll find that the range of possibilities is very broad.
Speaking of possibilities, such things are endless when theorizing what D.K. Metcalf might become at the NFL level. Will his truly generational combination of physical talents propel him to the top? Or will fine tuning inconsistencies in his game limit his development? It was a long time coming, but here we are, with a scouting report for one of the 2019 NFL Draft’s most polarizing prospects.
Scouting D.K. Metcalf
Some say D.K. Metcalf is the next Calvin Johnson. Others say he’s Ramses Barden. The truth, as it happens, is neither. D.K. Metcalf is D.K. Metcalf: An enticing 2019 NFL Draft prospect with otherworldly potential.
There are some concerns with Metcalf up front. He missed games in both 2017 and 2018 due to injury, and his 2018 injury was a neck issue. He lacks the composite production some would seek from a No. 1 wide receiver, although injuries played a large hand in molding his production. There are also other issues that show up on tape, issues we’ll get to later. First, we need to go over the strengths.
It’s become commonplace to call Metcalf a bust after his NFL Combine performance (He may have slipped during his three-cone drill). In fact, it’s become the popular thing to do in some circles. But that dangerous label steers the observer away from so many of Metcalf’s redeeming qualities. And he does, in fact, have many.
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The best thing about Metcalf, on tape, is his prowess against press coverage. The 6-foot-4, 230-pound receiver uses a diverse set of hand technique and footwork to beat press coverage. His lateral quickness shows up in the form of diligent foot movement at the line, and he has a brutal strong arm, which he uses to pry away from press coverage and accelerate into open field.
Metcalf has an innate understanding of how to gain leverage at the line of scrimmage, and create separation. He knows when he’s attained that leverage, and he has the flexibility to bend around cornerbacks and peel off into open space from there. Metcalf dishes out physicality to cornerbacks of similar fire, but he’s not all strength; he’s very coordinated with his movements, and the tape does not show the stiff athlete that many convinced themselves to see at the combine.
Metcalf’s physical traits, including his 4.33 speed, show up on tape, and it’s good to see. His long arms allow him to extend for balls outside the preferred catch radius. His strong hands can win in contested catch situations, even if his consistency wanes when he’s off-balance. He has the ability to high point the ball in tight situations, and he’s very fluid when navigating loose coverage and finding seams in his area. This fluidness bodes well for his NFL career, as does his ball tracking ability. He rarely loses sight of the ball, even in congested situations. And after he catch, Metcalf is tough and explosive, with the traits to develop more skills.
Development is needed more for Metcalf’s route running, however. You may have heard that Metcalf has a fairly thin route tree, and that is correct. Over the four games I watched, he only ran three routes consistently: Go routes, hitch routes, and a few bubble screens.
Metcalf will need to diversify his route tree at the next level, but his underdeveloped state is hardly his own fault. Ole Miss’ offense was criminally simplistic in 2017 and 2018, and with an NFL coach, Metcalf could learn quickly. He’s already shown, in flashes, that he’s fairly abrupt when breaking at the route stem, and he doesn’t have trouble gaining separation with his speed and quickness. It’s not that he necessarily can’t do it; it’s just that he wasn’t asked to.
There’s a saying in draft season: Draft the player for what they can be, not what they are. Yes, there’s not a lot of tape there. But the tape that is there shows an NFL wide receiver, and a very, very good one at that.
Tape Watched
D.K. Metcalf vs. Alabama (2018)
D.K. Metcalf vs. Texas Tech (2018)
D.K. Metcalf vs. UL Monroe (2018)
D.K. Metcalf vs. Kentucky (2017)
How Metcalf fits with the Redskins
As with many first-round prospects, it’s fairly obvious how Metcalf fits the Redskins. The Redskins have a need for dynamic talent on offense; a need that was not filled in the first wave of free agency. If you count Brian Quick as that dynamic talent, more power to you. But I’m going to respectfully disagree.
Dynamic talent isn’t something that you bank on. It has to show up, and it has to be clearly distinguishable, hence the nature of the very word “dynamic”. Some prospects show it in flashes. Other prospects boast it as a staple of their game.
Metcalf, in that regard, is the latter. It’s clear from the start of his tape that he’s a dynamic threat, with the speed, quickness, strength, and focus to make the most out of every opportunity. His traits allow him to continue his development as a route runner, and in a Jay Gruden offense with plenty of diverse route concepts, Metcalf’s ability could pay off in earnest, once he learns how to harness his talent with each route.
As of now, the Redskins current receiving core is uninspiring. Josh Doctson is a developing, but albeit underachieving receiver seemingly destined to leave next offseason. Paul Richardson has speed and route running savvy, but he can’t stay healthy yet. Trey Quinn has potential as a slot receiver, but nothing more at this point.
Even if the Redskins don’t get a franchise quarterback in 2019, they’d do well to add a dynamic weapon on a cheap rookie deal, in order to lock him down in the system until a franchise quarterback arrives. In this sense, Metcalf fits the Redskins better than most. He’s a dynamic talent who could elevate the offense right away, and he could also become a go-to receiver for an eventual franchise passer.
Should the Redskins draft D.K. Metcalf?
If Metcalf is the best player available, which there’s a fair chance he could be at pick No. 15, then the Redskins should take him.
The list of players I personally would take over Metcalf is a short one. Brian Burns is an obvious choice, but past him, subjectivity enters the equation. It ultimately comes down to how high Metcalf is on your draft board. On the tape, he makes a case to be in the top ten.
If you have reservations toward picking Metcalf, that’s understandable. While injuries are very hard to project, even for prospects who appeared injury prone in college, Metcalf’s recurrence of injuries in college is notable. He has a sturdy frame that suggests he should hold up, but every player is different.
Furthermore, Metcalf’s route tree is very limited. And if you were hesitant to expect Ike Hilliard to develop Metcalf into a more refined route runner, then I don’t blame you.
In the end, however, it comes down to this: The Redskins need a dynamic talent. Metcalf has the potential to be the most dominant, dynamic receiver out of the draft in a long time. Do you bank on the question marks to add that kind of player to your offense, an offense in dire need of a heartbeat?
I think I might.