Many people have always wondered what LeBron James would’ve looked like on the football field. Hakeem Butler might be able to answer that question.
Living in Iowa and about an hour and a half from Kinnick Stadium has taught me one thing- Iowa Hawkeyes football rules the state. But, the 2018 Iowa State Cyclones made some serious noise within the state.
A huge reason why the team was able to finish 8-5 and appear in a bowl game was the emergence of wide receiver Hakeem Butler.
Coming into the season as a relative unknown to those outside of Ames, Iowa, Butler’s monstrous 2018 season was one more people should have seen coming. After redshirting his first year, Butler played in all 11 games as a freshman before really breaking out as a sophomore. Getting a chance to showcase his big-play ability, he averaged 17 yards per reception while reeling in seven touchdowns as an excellent build-up season to this one.
Butler is certainly an intriguing prospect, and he’s one who the Redskins could consider on the second day of the 2019 NFL Draft.
Hakeem Butler overview
Butler, a redshirt junior, had an outstanding season as he finished with 60 receptions for 1318 yards and nine touchdowns. Averaging 22 yards per catch, this was good enough for fourth in the nation and just ahead of fellow draftee D.K. Metcalf (though Metcalf only played seven games).
Arguably the most physically imposing wideout in the draft, Butler stands at 6-5 and weighs 227 pounds. He has massive hands (10 3/4 inches) that make for easy one-handed catches and long arms (35 1/4 inches) that make for a large catch radius.
Butler tested well at the combine as he had a 36 inch vertical, did 18 reps on the bench press, and ran a 4.48 in the 40-yard dash. He does not shy away from physicality as a big receiver and is extremely good after the catch. He has drawn comparisons to A.J. Green, Calvin Johnson, and Brandon Marshall as well.
More from Commanders Draft News
- What will Emmanuel Forbes bring to the Washington Commanders?
- Highlighting the best Commanders 2023 NFL Draft betting props
- 3 late Commanders rumors drawing buzz ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft
- 4 bold predictions for the Commanders 2023 NFL Draft
- Bet365 VA Bonus Code – Claim $200 Guaranteed With Sign-Up Bonus
Much like every prospect in the draft, he has strengths as well as weaknesses in his game. Butler has the potential to be a difference maker at the next level, but he is still extremely raw and will need time to develop more. He will also occasionally drop the easy pass, much like Josh Doctson has had a propensity to do since getting drafted. As with most big receivers, he is not the shiftiest individual, though he does have a little more elusiveness to his game than one would think for a man of his stature.
With that said, there is a lot to love about his game and the potential he can bring. Being almost 6-6, he is a legit red-zone target and a tough matchup for smaller defensive backs. As mentioned earlier, he is incredibly tough to bring down after he has the ball in his hands. And, he has shown the ability to make the circus catch and contested ones as well. He can adjust well to throws and shows a knack for the big play, the 22 yards per catch a good indicator of that.
How Butler fits with the Redskins
Currently, the Redskins are a team without a lot of answers or a bona fide star like Odell Beckham or Julio Jones at the receiver position. Last year, the team struggled mightily to push the ball downfield, lacked explosive plays in the passing game, and Washington couldn’t finish inside the red-zone. Butler can help out in all three of these areas in 2019 and make an impact early on while he develops.
Regardless of who the quarterback is next year (Colt McCoy, Case Keenum, or one they draft), the Redskins need to upgrade the talent at the receiver position. They have to have a real playmaker the quarterback can go to. This playmaker can be Hakeem Butler.
Butler can come in and provide the Redskins with a legit target to throw to on third down, be a true red-zone mismatch, as he thrives on contested catches coming from a basketball background. He can also be a vertical threat who should see significant action as a rookie because of the lack of talent on the roster.
As a physical receiver, another area of his game he excels at is as a blocker. This is an area of a receiver’s game that often gets overlooked and one that can help the Redskins’ offense, as they expect to rely heavily on the running game this coming season.
With a deep receiver class, it likely that Butler is not a first-round pick. He should go in the second-round however, and this is where the Redskins should be looking to take him. After trading away a fourth-round pick for HaHa Clinton-Dix, the Redskins could look to trade back a few picks in the second round to gain some extra draft capital to help address the offensive line, then take Butler with that pick.
As mentioned earlier, this draft is deep at receiver and the Redskins still have a lot of needs. Still, Butler has the playmaking ability that Washington desperately needs in their passing game.