It’s officially draft season at The Star, and with the abundance of needs the Dallas Cowboys have to fill, it’s hard to narrow down their first-round targets to just one position. If you were to do so, however, wide receiver might be the spot to choose.
From my early viewings, this appears to be a good wide receiver class.
From first-round locks like Alabama’s Calvin Ridley, to under the radar studs like Maryland’s DJ Moore, this wide-out class is rather impressive. One player in particular has caught my eye recently, and has jumped toward the top of my draft wish-list for the Dallas Cowboys.
Colorado State Wide Receiver Michael Gallup
I recently wrote up a scouting report on Gallup for Slant Sports in which I detailed what makes him such an intriguing prospect.
The 21-year-old Gallup caught 100 balls last season for Colorado State, finishing with 1,413 receiving yards and 7 touchdowns. At 6’1″ and about 200-pounds, Michael Gallup is the perfect productive Z receiver that any NFL offense would want.
Michael Gallup’s Toughness is Constantly on Display
He has no fear of going over the middle, and with strong and consistent hands he often brings in balls in traffic. Gallup creates easy separation against defensive backs, utilizing his speed, footwork and smarts to win in the secondary.
He is also dangerous after the catch, and possesses the ability to take any ball he catches the distance.
“Against Toledo here, Gallup adjusts his slant route to find the soft spot in the zone. Once he gets behind the backers and underneath the safeties, Gallup turns his head and looks for the ball. He smoothly brings the ball into his hands, and then does the rest with his legs.” ~ SlantSports.com
Gallup is a smooth route runner, but it is his understanding of how to exploit particular coverages that is most impressive.
In the clip below, Gallup uses his football IQ to beat Idaho’s zone coverage and come away with an easy touchdown.
Gallup was originally supposed to run a drag route, but as soon as he sees there’s no safety in the middle, and that the linebackers are too shallow to beat with the drag, he breaks off his route and gets behind the coverage.
His ability to read the defense on the fly and adjust his route is very valuable.
I currently have Michael Gallup graded as a top-3 receiver in this class. He’s a physical Z receiver with strong hands who creates easy separation with his efficient route running. He is exactly what the doctor ordered for Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys’ passing offense.
For more on Gallup, be sure to check out my full scouting report over at Slant Sports.
