Cooper is one of the best in the NFL at building up speed on the route stem as if hes going to go deep, then stopping on a dime and cutting in a different direction so suddenly that the DB is backing up several feet away before he realizes hes out of position. In his college tape, he almost always corralled balls into his body after getting several feet of separation from DBs. There doesnt seem to be just one reason he is so good at this, but rather a combination of factors that all work together. The NFC East in 2020 has been described as the most atrocious division in NFL history. And Lamb came out of the gate with a 74-catch rookie season. After the Giants signed Kenny Golladay, the NFC East is shaping up to be one of the most competitive divisions in 2021. Updated Jan 5, 2023 at 10:27pm. The breakout quarterbacks are among the Next Gen Stats analytics team's 10 players most likely to earn all-star accolades for the first time this season. Andrew is a self-taught film analyst with a pretty impressive resume. In an unusual season that, due to global pandemic, may turn out to be unlike any other, the wide receiver position seems to offer an interesting and potentially exciting year to fans of the NFC East. PanthersWire. Corey Coleman, Cody Lattimer and Russell Shepard all have a chance to make an impact, though 5th round draft pick Darius Slayton will possibly keep one of them off the roster this season. He will break down film of some of the top receivers in the division: Click here to read the 2019 review of wide receivers which includes Golden Tate, Alshon Jeffrey and J.J. Arcega-Whiteside as well as last years look at Cooper and McLaurin. Because you know what happens when a rookie receiver enters the league? Jalen Reagor became the focal point for TCUs offense in his freshman year (2017), leading the Horned Frogs in receptions (33) and receiving yards (576). [9:18] Tate lines up outside this time, fakes an out route, but then redirects to run deep and accelerate quickly while CB Anthony Browns head is turned to the QB, allowing him to get yards of separation and an easy catch that he turns into a TD. I also think hes not especially physical and will have trouble against press coverage. [2:08] Here is another example of using excellent body-positioning to box an opponent out, but this time against a much better opponent: Julian Love (taken by the Giants in the 4th round of the 2019 draft). Jose Joaquin (JJ) Arcega-Whiteside was born in Spain, the child of two professional basketball players. Slay held Cooper to 3 catches on 8 attempts for 38 yards (a 38% catch rate). I expect him to have just as much utility in the screen game as he does stretching the field. Wide receiver Kenny Golladay's time with the Giants is reportedly coming to an end.Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that the Giants will cut Golladay when the new league year begins on March 15. A touch under $40 million was fully guaranteed at signing, with another $17.221 million becoming guaranteed at the start of the 2023 league year. Gallup had 59 for 843 and 5 as third option. NFL Wide Receivers 2021 : For a division that is considered one of the weakest in the history of the NFL, the NFC East boasts one of the best receiving groups in the whole league. The 2018 version of this article focused on players like Odell . CBS Sports Draft Analyst Chris Trapasso joined One Bills Live from the NFL Combine. One major reason for that success has been Lambs consistency, as the third-year wideout has posted 70-plus receiving yards in five of those seven games. His only obvious weakness is as a blocker in run support, where he doesnt quite have the strength and physicality to excel. He still doesnt have the short-area-quickness or suddenness to juke DBs out of their shoes, but he showed better ability to get open in tight spaces using fakes and body positioning. Also, Im not sure how much this will translate to the NFL, but I literally saw Reagor yelling at his QB after some plays where he expected a different read or better ball placement. As Slayton makes the reception, he stops on a dime and cuts so hard back outside that the CB whiffs on the tackle. His lack of deep speed often shows up after that, as opposing CBs will close that distance fast. Of the players I reviewed last year for the Ranking the NFCE series, my opinion on Cooper is that he is among the least changed. [1:53] Tate lines up in the slot, but maintains outside leverage on the CB Jourdan Lewis (stays on Lewiss outside shoulder) so that he can break outside uncovered on a comeback route to get open for the catch. Richardson plays his role very well here, and I think it shows not just his intelligence and attention to detail in getting the timing and nuance of a play like this down right, but also his selflessness in working hard to execute a play that ultimately benefits another pass catcher. Its really impressive. Slayton had success early in this game when he was matched up on other CBs, but got completely shut down once Gilmore moved to shadow him starting with this play. It depends on whether you favor production or efficiency on who wins out. SB Nation CFB. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features NFL Sunday Ticket Press Copyright . He is also a much tougher and higher-effort player than I had previously realized, able to hang on to make contested catches, and often reaching forward after contact to gain a few extra yards. However, Richardson is also a good route runner and is quick and nuanced enough to operate well on all routes in the route tree. Darius Slayton was not only an All-Region receiver out of high school, but also a state sprint champion in the 100- and 200-meter dashes. Also, Coopers ability to keep both feet inbounds as he secures a catch right on the edge of the sideline showcases his body positioning and control. Tate also does a good job maintaining awareness of the QB and tracking the ball almost the entire time its in the air. As we enter 2019, the Eagles may feature the most recognizable names with fans across the NFL with 32-year-old Desean Jackson, coming back for a second run in Philly, Alshon Jeffrey, who first built his reputation in Chicago, and Nelson Aghlor, who experienced a breakout season a year ago being joined by 2nd round pick J.J. Arcega-Whiteside. One of the first things a receiver needs to do at the NFL level is to win against outstanding press man coverage. He can still run past many opponents, is more physical than many DBs (hes surprisingly strong for his size), and shows a lot of effort in run blocking. [10:15] Richardson absolutely blows past his CB running deep. Overall, he is big, strong, has good hands, and is nuanced at many aspects of playing WR, but shows a lack of deep speed on film. Tate only has good speed, but has elite quickness, and plays like this highlight his ability to get separation quickly when in tight coverage if the DB doesnt maintain constant eyes and leverage on Tate. Even better, he displayed strong hands, winning quite a few contested catches. This season, the division is up for grabs yet again. His time with the Raiders was productive, but wildly inconsistent. His only real weakness to me is that he depends on physicality to get open quickly, as he lacks the short area quickness to get open purely based on acceleration. To say a wide receiver is a great Route Runner means a lot of different things and there are a wide variety of routes that are run, some of which accentuate different skill sets. Still, he forces teams to respect the deep game, and I often saw him get an easy completion on a crossing or out route because the DB gave him a lot of cushion in order to defend the deep routes. Sims caught 32 passes last year and Harmon had a promising rookie season in 2019 before an ACL tear forced him to miss last year. As it pertains to this season specifically, Diggs has not slowed down, leading the league with 10 receiving TDs when aligned wide. I still think New York should target the position, even if the team has to reach a . The New Orleans Saints have . Building on his success earlier in the game, Cooper fakes another deep route down the sideline, then stutter-steps inside on a slant route. His most impressive area of improvement was in his catching ability. See where they land in the Next Gen Stats analytics team's ranking of the top 10 most explosive rushers right now. The starting QB for the 2019 season was inexperienced freshman Max Duggan, causing Reagor to statistically regress to 43 receptions for 611 yards, which still lead the team. Up next in the divisional depth chart review is the NFC East wide receivers. The NFC West has some very good wide receivers in the division. Richardsons injury history served as prologue to his time in the NFL. In particular, Lamb has been lethal when going in a shift or motion, leading the NFL with both 337 receiving yards and 4 receiving TDs on such snaps this season. Andre Dillard is a clear successor to Jason Peters. Being able to abuse coverage with slants and out routes over and over is more valuable than a receiver that can occasionally win deep downfield. This steep drop-off is no surprise, but it does influence the total number of age 30+ wide receivers who hit 100 targets in a season. Last off-season, Hogs Haven published articles that focused on ranking position groups in an effort to identify what the division would look like in 2019. This time his QB delivers a well placed ball and Reagor makes an easy catch outside, with good separation from any defenders due to his good route running and ability to recognize and attack the weaknesses of the coverage. Each week of the 2022 NFL season, the Next Gen Stats analytics team will present a different Position Power Ranking meant to spotlight the top performances among a specific group of players. Opposing defenses either shadowed him with their best CB or shaded coverage in his direction to account for him. This year, were going to do it again. AZ, CO, CT, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, (select parishes), MD, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY, CA-ONT only.Eligibility restrictions apply. Richardson is prone to being jammed at the line of scrimmage, and I often saw him positioned behind the line to avoid getting jammed. He is a very good runner, his routes are crisp and he does a very good job breaking them deep enough to ensure a first down if he makes the reception on most plays. CD Lamb is the best Wide Receiver in the NFC East . A: NAME: TEAM: COLLEGE: . 6 year vet Logan Thomas is having a career year. Kupp averaged nine receptions and 101.6 receiving yards per game in the eight contests he started and finished this season, providing a bright spot for a Rams offense that has struggled all year. 3. It also highlights his ability to get open on crossing and out routes because CBs have to guard against the deeper routes so diligently. Dorrell was most recently the head coach at the University of Colorado. Playing well through injury is one way scouts measure football character. McLaurin does a good job turning around and locating the ball in the air, but the ball is again underthrown, so he has to slow down, allowing the CB and an assisting safety to catch up. Both are big, strong, physical WRs who are great at making contested catches, highpointing the ball, and serving as their teams WR1. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. Golden Tate has consistently been one of the NFLs most underrated WRs. Goedert like the rest of the Eagles offense has been up and down but with rookie QB Jalen Hurts finally being ushered in as the starter expect the young QB to look for Goedert as a safety blanket when things are not going his way. Coopers ability to sell a fake will still get him open against younger DBs, which is why it really takes an experienced and fast DB playing press man to shut him down. Getty The Cowboys could be the perfect landing spot for Giants WR Richie James. I thought he wasnt as shifty as one might expect for a player so fast, he was a body-catcher rather than a hands-catcher, and he relied too much on out-athleting his opponents using speed or physicality to get open, which wouldnt necessarily work at the next level. Instead of taking a step back, Hill has elevated an entire offense and been the key to third-year quarterback Tua Tagovailoa's breakout season. Once hes free, nobody in the secondary can catch him. In the video I reviewed of Cooper (all after the trade to the Cowboys), he looked like a very good WR, just one step down from elite (not quite a Julio Jones or Antonio Brown). PFF's George Chahrouri said on a July episode of the "PFF Forecast" podcast that McLaurin was the most valuable receiver in the division based on his 0.6 Win Above Replacement (WAR), which is the best among all NFC East receivers. Check out the NFC West's top 10 receivers. This home run ability forces defenses to guard the deep field against Cooper and sometimes causes CBs to give up short crossing and out routes to him because they are afraid of him running deep. Philadelphia Eagles. [0:01] Reagor shifts from the left slot to right boundary, helping his QB to diagnose zone coverage because the slot CB doesnt travel with him. Expect the QB play to dramatically improve next year as teams either move onto new starters or double down on weapons for their existing starters. . This ability combined with the fact that less athletic DBs give him plenty of cushion to guard against deep routes makes Cooper very good at getting open on high-completion crossing, out, and curl routes. Jeffery is just a bit less gifted in each of these areas than an elite player like Julio Jones, and isnt really elite in any area. This ends up being a running play for Adrian Peterson, who breaks his run to McLaurins side of the field. Where does Jets rookie Sauce Gardner land? 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