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D.K. Metcalf

Metcalf tears up combine

I will be very interested to see where D.K. Metcalf goes in the draft. He wasn’t all that productive in college, but with the kind of measurables he put up at the combine, I think he’ll be a top-15 pick.

Metcalf ran a 4.33 in Indianapolis, and he’s a huge, chiseled specimen – 6-foot-3 and 228 pounds. So physically, we’re talking about a guy who’s like Calvin Johnson, Julio Jones, Josh Gordon and Andre Johnson. Metcalf is actually a little bigger and faster than Julio.

Great genes, of course, run in that family. His grandfather was a standout running back with the Cardinals. I remember a game at Dallas in the ‘70s where Terry Metcalf hurdled a would-be tackler. And his uncle was even more athletic; Eric Metcalf at one point ranked as one of the top 10 all-time in the long jump (as in all-time – including Bob Beamon, Carl Lewis and all the rest).

D.K. Metcalf has some of that athletic stuff in him, and he’s also flashed some big-time production, coming up with high throws and getting behind defenses for long touchdowns. That’s enough, I think, that he’ll be gone before the middle of the first round.

But Metcalf is also still very much a work in progress. He didn’t play that much at Mississippi. He caught only 2 passes as a freshman (both touchdowns) before a broken foot sidelined him for the season. In 2017, he caught 39 passes for 646 yards and 7 TDs. Last year he caught 26 passes for 569 yards and 5 TDs in seven games before a neck injury sidelined him for the remainder of the season.

Metcalf will need time to develop in terms of his hands, route running and learning an NFL offense. Some chance, I think, that he’ll be a DeVante Parker type, where his on-field production doesn’t measure up to his talent (especially early in his career). In his first year or two, he may be used in a simplified, limited role.

But the size and speed are insane, and I expect that will prompt some team to call his name early.

I believe there have been only 18 wide receivers who have run faster than 4.40 at Indianapolis who have been selected in the first round. (This is ignoring receivers who chose not to run at the combine and then ran fast at pro days). All 18 of those previous first-rounders caught at least 10 more passes than Metcalf in their final season in college.

Only four of those 18 other fast receivers finished with fewer than 900 receiving yards in their final year of college, and all four failed to meet expectations – Phillip Dorsett, Darrius Heyward-Bey, R. Jay Soward and Troy Williamson.

FIRST-ROUND RECEIVERS RUNNING FASTER THAN 4.40
YearPlayerHtWtTimeNoYardsAvgTD
1996Marvin Harrison, Ind.6.011814.38561,13120.210
2000R. Jay Soward, Jac.5.101774.345565511.95
2002Javon Walker, G.B.6.032104.354594421.07
2004Lee Evans, Buff.5.111974.39751,54520.69
2004Roy Williams, Det.6.022124.36701,07915.49
2005Troy Williamson, Minn.6.022034.384383519.47
2007Calvin Johnson, Det.6.052394.35761,20215.815
2009Darrius Heyward-Bey, Oak.6.022104.304260914.55
2011Julio Jones, Atl.6.032204.39781,13314.57
2012A.J. Jenkins, S.F.6.002004.37901,27614.28
2013Tavon Austin, St.L.5.081764.281141,28911.312
2014Brandin Cooks, N.O.5.101894.331281,73013.518
2014Sammy Watkins, Buff.6.012114.391011,46414.512
2014Odell Beckham, NYG5.111984.38591,15219.59
2015Kevin White, Chi.6.032154.351091,44713.310
2015Phillip Dorsett, Ind.5.101854.333687124.210
2016Will Fuller, Hou.6.001864.32621,25820.314
2017John Ross, Cin.5.111884.22811,15014.219
2018D.K. Metcalf6.032284.332656921.95

—Ian Allan

Fantasy Index