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Pro Days are just one part of a larger overall lead assessment process and are often used to check what Boy Scouts are seeing in a player’s play movie. That being said, when the top-rated players meet or exceed physical expectations, they can solidify their place at the top of the draft.
This week provided two such cases.
LSU held their pro day on Wednesday morning and the superstar everyone was watching was elite wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase. Chase has long been considered one of the best receivers in this draft class, if not the best, because he wins in so many ways. The speed, explosion, and power are all evident in the movie, and he uses all three skills to gain separation and secure captures.
Based on his movie, Chase walked into his pro day with hopes he would run in the 4.4s in the 40-yard dash (speed), while also testing near the top of the class in vertical and wide jumps (explosion). It exceeded expectations:
Jaylen Waddle and DeVonta Smith are the closest challengers to Chase’s place atop the mountain in this year’s class, but no Alabama catcher has taken part in the field tests on their professional days, which makes it difficult to confirm the ratings. This calculated step shouldn’t hurt their chances of being selected in the top 10, but if a team had similar scores on any of the three receivers, Chase just gave himself a slight advantage today.
Florida’s Kyle Pitts also checked all the proverbial boxes on Wednesday, illustrating why boxing in a simple “tight end” label is a dangerous assessment. At nearly 6ft 6in and 245 pounds, with 33.5in arms and 83in 3/8in wingspan, Pitts shouldn’t be able to run a 4.44m dash. 40, but that’s exactly what he did (unofficially).
Pitts is a modern era offensive skills player and his ability to create mismatches makes him a potentially valuable asset, which is why he could be selected in the top five picks in this draft.
The Jacksonville Jaguars will select quarterback Trevor Lawrence (Clemson) with the No. 1 pick in the draft, with the New York Jets likely grabbing quarterback Zach Wilson (BYU). The San Francisco 49ers just traded for the No.3, surely indicating that they are also catching a quarterback, with most believing it will be Trey Lance (North Dakota State).
The Atlanta Falcons own the No.4 and they are the first real players for an offensive player. Pitts makes a lot of sense to them as their offense hasn’t been the same since losing Austin Hooper, and Pitts immediately corrects the problem.
The Cincinnati Bengals hold the No.5 pick, and if an offensive tackle makes sense, so does quarterback Joe Burrow with his favorite college target, Chase. If Chase gets past Cincinnati, the Miami Dolphins own the No.6 and they could also use a dominant WR1 like Chase.
Now nothing is set in stone, but with Chase and Pitts confirming that they are indeed incredible athletes, there’s a good chance the Detroit Lions won’t have options when they are in the game either. counter with choice n ° 7.
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