DK Metcalf is one of the most talked-about physical specimens to enter the NFL in recent years. Coming into the NFL draft Metcalf had only 26 passes and five touchdowns in his final year of college.
Despite these stats, this receiver’s size and speed were not something that could be ignored by NFL teams.
DK Metcalf ran a 40 yard dash time of 4.33 seconds. This was fourth fastest for wide receivers at the combine but noticeably faster than any wide receiver of his size.
In the history of the NFL combine teams had not seen a wide receiver with that much size and strength run the forty-yard dash that quickly.
Other Combine Results
On top of running a 4.33 forty yard dash, Metcalf also put up impressive numbers in some other activities.
He was able to bench 225 pounds for seventeen reps which placed him as number one of all the receivers at the combine.
Metcalf was the third-ranked receiver in the vertical jump with a height of 40.5. He also placed fifth in the broad jump with a distance of 134 inches.
These athletic accomplishments allowed the scouts at the combine to look past his production from college. Instead, these scouts were able to see what he could physically do assuming that his football abilities could be honed after he was selected.
Pre Draft Strengths And Weaknesses
Strengths
Great Height Weight And Speed Traits
One of the biggest factors that led to a high draft grade for DK Metcalf was his combination of size speed and strength.
The NFL is full of incredibly talented athletes many of who are incredibly strong or incredibly fast. Though the NFL had yet to see a receiver that had height weight and speed to this degree.
The combination of these three traits made this player incredibly hard to pass up on.
Loose Hips And Quick Twitch
Despite his larger size Metcalf also featured loose hips and quick-twitch movement. There are some larger players who have great straight-line speed but their inability to be agile hampers their game.
These players often end up playing the tight end position. Metcalf has the strength and size of these players yet also have the hips to quickly come in and out of cuts.
This allows him to run routes more effectively and generate separation.
Weaknesses
Injury Concerns
One of the biggest concerns about Metcalf was his injury history. In both the 2016 and 2018 seasons Metcalf was forced to end the season early due to injury.
This caused concern for terms, especially the neck injury then ended his final collegiate season short. These concerns ultimately allowed Metcalf to fall to the second round.
Limited Route Tree
Coming into the NFL Metcalf had quite a limited route tree. What he had in athleticism he lacked in polish.
Though Metcalf was solid on the field he was beating defenders with his physical ability.
Learning proper route running and technique was not something that he had been focusing on. This was seen as both a negative and positive as he was not quite ready for the NFL, yet had plenty of room to grow.
Check out Travis Etienne’s 40-yard dash or Elijah Moore’s 40 if you enjoyed reading about DK Metcalf’s 40.
