Each and every passing day brings us closer and closer to the most exciting event of the offseason… the 2019 NFL Draft. The time will surely pass slowly between now and then, which is why diving into the draft process and all that it encompasses could be the only thing to occupy our minds during this downtime.
In order to try and help all of us pass the time, I've decided to share with you some of the prospects the Dallas Cowboys could target in this year's draft class. Today, I want to focus on the focus on the wide receiver position.
The East-West Shrine game and the 2019 Senior Bowl have provided a few potential draft targets the Cowboys could be interested in, and they've reportedly met with quite a few wide receivers already. With Cole Beasley's potential departure via free agency it makes sense, so finding his replacement could be a top priority.
Enter Jakobi Meyers, former North Carolina State wide receiver.
Below, I've provided a brief scouting report on Jakobi Meyers' strengths and weaknesses as a WR and his potential fit with the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys met with him at the Senior Bowl, meaning he is at least on their radar.
2019 Senior Bowl Weigh-in
Jakobi Meyers, WR, NC State | HT: 6-1 3/4 | WT: 196 | Age: 22
Measurements – Arm: 32 1/8 | Hand: 9 5/8 | Wing Spin: 76 1/2
Strengths
Jakobi Meyers played the majority of his snaps at NC State out of the slot. He has tremendous size for a slot WR, but could make the transition to the outside in the NFL.
No red flags that I could find.
He is a solid route runner and shows pretty good separation quickness on tape. He uses his quick feet and varies his pace to lull defenders asleep. Will get even better in this area once he improves his footwork a little with better coaching in the NFL.
Route-running/Separation:
The play above was an easy pitch and catch between QB Ryan Finley and WR Jakobi Meyers and shows some of the separation he can create because of his route running ability.
Meyers executes the out route – probably the route he runs best – perfectly for an easy completion. With the CB playing in off coverage he effectively sells the go route, then sticks his outside foot in the ground squaring off his route to the outside.
His best trait though as a WR might be his ball skills. He shows tremendous concentration when the ball is thrown his way. In fact, I didn't see him drop any passes in the games I studied. He also possesses a wide catching radius with the flexibility to adjust and high-point the ball as a down the field receiver, although he wasn't utilized much in this manner in college.
Concentration/Ball Skills:
On this play you can see why I believe Meyers can play on the outside as well as in the slot in the NFL.
He shows tremendous concentration and athletic ability to go up and catch this ball at the highest point. This isn't an easy catch to make. Despite there being a little hand fighting going on with the CB, he was able to use his vice grip like hands to catch the ball and secure it all the way to the ground. It's somewhat surprising he wasn't utilized more down the field at NC State.
Meyers is also unafraid to carry his routes across the middle and shows really good competitive toughness. Doesn't give up on plays. Quickly goes from receiver to blocker when necessary.
Has a really good football IQ. He sees the field really well and quickly finds the open space against zone coverage. Does a really good job of using his big body to shield defenders. Smart blocker as well. Stalk blocks and gets his hands inside on the defenders chest. His size definitely helps him in this area.
Weaknesses
Most of the weaknesses in Jakobi Meyers' game are due to the fact he is still learning the intricacies it takes to play the wide receiver position. He has only three seasons under his belt at WR after making the transition from quarterback.
The one thing he probably needs to improve the most in his game is his footwork. He has decent quickness, but his footwork isn't where needs to be yet. He often times takes too many steps to try to set up his routes. Wish there was a little more juice when he makes his cuts in order to create max separation.
Footwork:
https://streamable.com/0pdk5
Despite scoring a touchdown, the play above is a good example of why Jakobi Meyers needs to improve his footwork. He has a habit of taking too many choppy steps to try to confuse the defender, but lacks the explosion and quickness to create max separation out of his break. Improved footwork will improve his route running.
Not the most explosive athlete. This hurts his ability to pick up yards after the catch, something I didn't see a lot of on tape at NC State. This also means he's not going to be the burner-type WR in the NFL. He has decent long speed, but needs time to build up to hit top gear.
Having played mostly out of the slot at NC State, he will more than likely struggle against press coverage in the NFL. He has the size to do it, just wasn't asked to in college.
Needs to do a better job sinking his hips when coming in and out of his routes. He's never going to be a shifty/change of direction WR due to his size, but learning to sink his hips when getting in and out of his route will help in that area. Also needs to learn to sell his routes vertically better in order to be more efficient with those underneath routes.
Summary
Overall, Jakobi Meyers is an intriguing draft target for the Dallas Cowboys. Despite just having three years under his belt at wide receiver after transitioning from quarterback, you can see he possesses the skill set required to play the position. He's just an unfinished product, but the natural ability is there. His ball skills and natural hands are easily the most impressive part of his game.
He would still likely remain in the slot with the Cowboys. No one's going to confuse him with Cole Beasley, but he could be an adequate replacement nonetheless. His ability to play in the slot and on the outside in time could make the offense more diverse, because he does have the ability to be a down the field receiver.
