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Evaluating Redskins draft picks: How Antonio Gandy-Golden fits into WR corps

By Jacob Camenker

MOBILE, AL - JANUARY 25: Wide Receiver Antonio Gandy-Golden #11 from Liberty of the North Team during the 2020 Resse's Senior Bowl at Ladd-Peebles Stadium on January 25, 2020 in Mobile, Alabama. The North Team defeated the South Team 34 to 17. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images)
MOBILE, AL - JANUARY 25: Wide Receiver Antonio Gandy-Golden #11 from Liberty of the North Team during the 2020 Resse's Senior Bowl at Ladd-Peebles Stadium on January 25, 2020 in Mobile, Alabama. The North Team defeated the South Team 34 to 17. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images) /
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CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – NOVEMBER 23: Antonio Gandy-Golden #11 of the Liberty Flames looks on in the second half during a game against the Virginia Cavaliers at Scott Stadium on November 23, 2019 in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Photo by Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – NOVEMBER 23: Antonio Gandy-Golden #11 of the Liberty Flames looks on in the second half during a game against the Virginia Cavaliers at Scott Stadium on November 23, 2019 in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Photo by Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images) /

What Gandy-Golden needs to improve

The biggest issue when watching Gandy-Golden is his lack of top-tier speed. At the 2020 NFL Combine, he clocked a 4.6 in the 40-yard dash. That’s not a deal-breaker by any means, but it just about matches the speed that Gandy-Golden put on tape at Liberty.

Gandy-Golden was able to run past some players during his college days. And he does have good agility and excellent size. But he’ll not be mistaken for a speed threat against the faster players at the NFL level. The deep balls he’ll catch at the next level will mostly have to be of the contested variety.

The concern with Gandy-Golden’s lacking speed relates directly to his ability to separate. He doesn’t have a great release at the line of scrimmage. And save for his success on slants and curls, his route-running ability is merely decent at best.

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If Gandy-Golden can’t improve his route running at the next level, it will be hard for him to be much more than a jump-ball threat. The Redskins would still value that, especially in the red-zone, but it would obviously be better if he could be more of a multi-faceted weapon. Fortunately, route running can be coached, so Gandy-Golden will have time to make strides in that area.

Elsewhere, the other main concern for Gandy-Golden is that he played mostly lower-level competition during his college career. Liberty was an FCS team the first two seasons he spent there before making the jump to the FBS. He had some issues against Power 5 programs Virginia and Auburn as a junior, so it’s worth wondering if it will take him some time to be ready to take on NFL-level competition.

That said, Gandy-Golden did play well against Syracuse, BYU, and Virginia as a senior. He combined to post 22 catches for 341 yards and two touchdowns against those teams. So, perhaps he will be able to make the leap quicker than expected.

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