DK Metcalf to declare for the NFL draft

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https://sports.yahoo.com/ole-miss-wide-receiver-d-k-metcalf-declare-nfl-draft-201116150.html

 

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Ole Miss wide receiver D.K. Metcalf to declare for NFL draft

One of the most intriguing wide receiver prospects in the country is leaving Ole Miss for the NFL draft. Redshirt sophomore D.K. Metcalf told Yahoo Sports in a telephone interview on Friday he’s declaring for the draft.

Metcalf had generated considerable buzz as a high-end prospect before a neck injury ended his season in October. He told Yahoo Sports that he’s recovered to where he’ll be cleared to fully participate in all football activities on Jan. 22 and will fully take part in the NFL draft process and team workouts.

“I had a month to weigh my options,” Metcalf said, referring to his October injury, in a phone interview on Friday. “I prayed to God and told Him to put the right decision in me. After meeting with Coach [Matt] Luke, they did everything they could to give me the right information, and I made my choice.”

Metcalf earned All-SEC Freshman honors in 2017 after catching seven touchdowns and averaging 16.6 yards per catch. (A broken foot cut short his true freshman season after just two games in 2016). He was on pace for a monster season in 2018, as he’d caught five touchdowns in seven games, before the injury occurred in the first quarter of Ole Miss’ game at Arkansas on Oct. 13. He finished this season with 569 receiving yards and an eye-popping 21.9 average yards per catch.

Metcalf will be a fascinating prospect. He’s 6-foot-4, 230 pounds and has tantalizing athleticism. He’s been timed at 4.46 in the 40-yard dash and has a vertical jump that’s been measured at more than 37 inches. He scored Ole Miss’s lone touchdown against Alabama this season on a 75-yarder that gave the Rebels a short-lived lead.

“He’s raw, but there’s a lot of upside because he’s so big and talented,” an NFL scout told Yahoo Sports on Friday. “He’ll probably go in the second round because he’s so talented. He’s going to kill workouts, and he’s a good kid and football is important to him. I’d be shocked if the health checks out if he lasts past the second round.”

Metcalf brings elite genetics, as his father, Terrence Metcalf, played nine seasons in the NFL on the offensive line, primarily for the Chicago Bears. He started 25 games and was part of the Chicago Bears Super Bowl team in 2006. Eric Metcalf is a cousin who also had a distinguished NFL career. Terrence Metcalf is the offensive coordinator at Pearl River Community College and told Yahoo Sports he’s overjoyed that his son is continuing the family tradition.

“I was very excited,” Terrence Metcalf said. “You know any dad wants to see their kid prosper in this sport, especially if it’s a road you traveled.”

D.K. Metcalf told Yahoo Sports that he wanted to thank his mom, Tonya, who he joked is the secretary of his life and rolled off a list of Ole Miss coaches – Luke, OC Phil Longo, WR coach Jacob Peeler, co-DC Jason Jones and former DC Wesley McGriff.

“When I think of Ole Miss I think of loyalty,” he said. “Going there wasn’t a moment decision, it was a lifetime decision in my eyes, being loyal to my school and city meant a lot to me.”

D.K. Metcalf said his father began training him in sixth grade to prepare him for this moment. (D.K. plans to go to EXOS in the Phoenix to do his pre-draft work.)

“There’s no fear in D.K. as far as the neck,” Terrence Metcalf said. “Being a former NFL and college player myself, I know he’ll do what he has to do to prepare himself for the NFL evaluation process.”

D.K. Metcalf looks forward to carrying on in the family business. “It means a lot,” he said, adding with a laugh. “I’m working to be better than my dad right now. I’m about to start talking trash about it.”

 

 

 

This is the WR that is most intriguing and has the best WR1 potential in this year's draft IMO. HIs injury puts an interesting wrinkle in his draft process. I've heard a ton of different things about his injury and I have no idea what I should believe - from the injury being career threatening to it being relatively minor... I guess we will know more as the draft process unfolds, but he's definitely one of my favorite receivers in this year's draft and would love to have him on the Colts. 

 

 

[MikeCurtis]

Looks good!

 

I have difficulty gaging where we take a WR in the upcoming draft

 

Another weapon for Luck at WR seems to be a good pickup

 

I wonder if this kid slides into the second round...... I would be tempted

 

But

 

I do believe we have some gaping holes on the defense that we need to consider

 

We need at least 2 DL, a SS, a CB before we get a WR

 

Maybe we fill some of these spots in FA, and we get the luxury of a WR

 

 

[Defjamz26]

I’d say he can go in the 1st round if he’s able to compete at the combine. The good news is that pushes all the other WRs down, meaning you can get good value in the other rounds.

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3 minutes ago, Defjamz26 said:

I’d say he can go in the 1st round if he’s able to compete at the combine. The good news is that pushes all the other WRs down, meaning you can get good value in the other rounds.

I kind of ... want him rather than the other WRs... 

[Cynjin]

5 hours ago, stitches said:

https://sports.yahoo.com/ole-miss-wide-receiver-d-k-metcalf-declare-nfl-draft-201116150.html

 

 

 

This is the WR that is most intriguing and has the best WR1 potential in this year's draft IMO. HIs injury puts an interesting wrinkle in his draft process. I've heard a ton of different things about his injury and I have no idea what I should believe - from the injury being career threatening to it being relatively minor... I guess we will know more as the draft process unfolds, but he's definitely one of my favorite receivers in this year's draft and would love to have him on the Colts. 

 

 

 

He is a very good looking WR, I also like his teammate Brown.  I am not sure if Brown is coming out though.

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17 minutes ago, Cynjin said:

 

He is a very good looking WR, I also like his teammate Brown.  I am not sure if Brown is coming out though.

He probably is coming out. All 3 of their receivers are round 1-round 2 level talent. And they have a talented  TE too. 

 

AJ Brown

 

 

Demarkus Lodge 

 

 

 

AJ Brown is great contested catch, big receiver and he has some YAC ability... better than his size/lack of good wiggle would indicate.  Lodge is the best route runner of them all, but he has inconsistent hands. He has some insane catches, but he also drops some easy ones. 

[MikeCurtis]

Deandre Hopkins is definitly a game changer......

 

A game changer at WR, (like Deandre) would make this offense a cut above

 

I just dont know if I want this defense to go without a DL pickup in round one

[Dark Superman]

He's my guy! Really hope he drops to us in the second round.

[Colts_Fan12]

On 11/24/2018 at 5:07 PM, MikeCurtis said:

Deandre Hopkins is definitly a game changer......

 

A game changer at WR, (like Deandre) would make this offense a cut above

 

I just dont know if I want this defense to go without a DL pickup in round one

DL is definitely more important we need to get consistent pressure from the interior of the DL

[Dark Superman]

I know he injured his neck and that's never good, but being a WR and hearing the positive vibes I think he will be just fine. I'm praying he slides to us in the second round and Ballard grabs him.

[Dark Superman]

6'4" 225 and runs around a 4.4

Please bring him to Indianapolis.

[BOTT]

Hasn't played long and had two season ending injuries.....meh.

[Defjamz26]

On 11/29/2018 at 6:46 AM, Savage56 said:

6'4" 225 and runs around a 4.4

Please bring him to Indianapolis.

He’s a projected 1st rounder just so you know.

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7 hours ago, Defjamz26 said:

He’s a projected 1st rounder just so you know.

It depends on how his medicals check out and how he works out. From what I've heard on the random draft podcasts I listen to he's an impressive young man in his interactions with media/teammates/fans so he probably will win the interview process... 

 

Just an example:

 

Thoughtful responses, engaged... deflects and dishes out credit and praise to teammates and coaches every chance he gets, while still projecting confidence in himself. Overall carries himself with maturity and gravitas that's not typical for most young stars entering the league. 

 

If we draft around the 20s... and his medicals are OK... and he's still there at the place we pick... I'd be more than happy to have him on the Colts.. .even if it takes a 1st round pick. 

 

[Defjamz26]

1 hour ago, stitches said:

It depends on how his medicals check out and how he works out. From what I've heard on the random draft podcasts I listen to he's an impressive young man in his interactions with media/teammates/fans so he probably will win the interview process... 

 

Just an example:

 

Thoughtful responses, engaged... deflects and dishes out credit and praise to teammates and coaches every chance he gets, while still projecting confidence in himself. Overall carries himself with maturity and gravitas that's not typical for most young stars entering the league. 

 

If we draft around the 20s... and his medicals are OK... and he's still there at the place we pick... I'd be more than happy to have him on the Colts.. .even if it takes a 1st round pick. 

 

So I see you also like watching interviews with potential prospects. I do as well. Like to get a feel of who a guy is. But I agree about taking him in the 1st. I know everyone is scared off of the idea since Dorsett, but that was just a Grigson blunder. Metcalf with Luck would be deadly. It would free up Hilton too.

[Defjamz26]

Looking at the current draft order, even if he were to fall out the 1st, it’d be hard for us to grab him without trading up. Even with the Jets pick in the 2nd, the teams ahead of us are the Raiders, Cardinals, and 49ers. All teams  who could use a big outside receiver.

[Matthew Gilbert]

35 minutes ago, Defjamz26 said:

Looking at the current draft order, even if he were to fall out the 1st, it’d be hard for us to grab him without trading up. Even with the Jets pick in the 2nd, the teams ahead of us are the Raiders, Cardinals, and 49ers. All teams  who could use a big outside receiver.

Not that I don't like Metcalf but I'd much rather have Lodge later in the draft. 

[Defjamz26]

37 minutes ago, Matthew Gilbert said:

Not that I don't like Metcalf but I'd much rather have Lodge later in the draft. 

Lodge has questionable hands which we already have enough of on this team. Plus we need a “special” receiver. Someone the opposing D has to account for. I think that’s Metcalf more than Lodge.

[Matthew Gilbert]

4 hours ago, Defjamz26 said:

Lodge has questionable hands which we already have enough of on this team. Plus we need a “special” receiver. Someone the opposing D has to account for. I think that’s Metcalf more than Lodge.

I think Lodge might be "special". If you watched the LSU tape (easily his worst game) maybe you could say he has "questionable hands" But I don't think that's the case with Lodge at all. I think he can pluck the ball with the best of them in this class. He has excellent body control, ball skills, and I love his play in traffic. If he develops like I think he can, opposing defenses will be game planning for him week in week out in the league.

[BOTT]

On 12/4/2018 at 9:51 AM, Defjamz26 said:

So I see you also like watching interviews with potential prospects. I do as well. Like to get a feel of who a guy is. But I agree about taking him in the 1st. I know everyone is scared off of the idea since Dorsett, but that was just a Grigson blunder. Metcalf with Luck would be deadly. It would free up Hilton too.

I'm never that high on drafting a WR in the first, especially in the top 15ish, but 6'4 230 > 5'10 185.

[Dark Superman]

DK Metcalf in this offense would take our offense to a whole new level.

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Metcalf has been fully medically cleared to play football by his doctors. 

 

This sounds good. I hope he kills the combine. 

[HectorRoberts]

I for some reason think he’s going to end up here

[SouthernIndianaNDFan]

He is hands down the best WR in this draft, and if he has a good combine, will likely be long gone before we pick. Wouldn't wanna spend our first couple on a WR either way.

[twfish]

6 hours ago, SouthernIndianaNDFan said:

He is hands down the best WR in this draft, and if he has a good combine, will likely be long gone before we pick. Wouldn't wanna spend our first couple on a WR either way.

He wasnt even the best WR on his team... A.J Brown is better than he is. He just has great measurables.

[SouthernIndianaNDFan]

1 hour ago, twfish said:

He wasnt even the best WR on his team... A.J Brown is better than he is. He just has great measurables.

 

Well, that's like your opinion and stuff man. 

 

No, but seriously if he doesn't get injured this year he has a better season. AJ Brown is my 1B option so I'm not gonna argue with you. I'd even be happy with DeMarkus Lodge in the middle rounds. However you feel about the various "A-level" WRs, they shouldn't draft one until their 2nd round picks, imo.

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9 hours ago, twfish said:

He wasnt even the best WR on his team... A.J Brown is better than he is. He just has great measurables.

AJ Brown played almost exclusively at the slot. Metcalf was lining up as their X-receiver. IMO if he had stayed healthy he would have been clearcut Ole Miss' best receiver by the end of the season. I admit Metcalf is more of a projection but IMO he's a better prospect than AJ Brown. 

[twfish]

1 hour ago, stitches said:

AJ Brown played almost exclusively at the slot. Metcalf was lining up as their X-receiver. IMO if he had stayed healthy he would have been clearcut Ole Miss' best receiver by the end of the season. I admit Metcalf is more of a projection but IMO he's a better prospect than AJ Brown. 

That is a complete and total misconception that Brown is a exclusive slot player. As soon as Metcalf goes down Brown goes out side. In the same game stretch D.K had 569 yards and 5 touch downs 26 receptions. A.J had 650 yards and 4 TDs and 50 receptions.Then in the final 5 games where he was playing majority X he went for 650 yards, and had 35 yards. A.J led the SEC in yards and 2nd in receptions as well as back to back 1,200+ yard seasons where as Metcalf in his 2 years has 1,200. 6'1 220 with speed is absolutely nothing to scoff at and he easily gets more seperation than Metcalf, which is why is receptions is so high. Metcalf is your prototypical X with is size. Stats dont tell you everything but if you take a couple inches of metcalfs height i dont think we are talking first round for him.

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1 hour ago, twfish said:

That is a complete and total misconception that Brown is a exclusive slot player. As soon as Metcalf goes down Brown goes out side. 

 

I was about to show you evidence that Brown continued playing the slot, because I remembered him playing the slot after Metcalf went down, but I kind of lost interest in Ole Miss after Metcalf went down. So I got the first game after Metcalf's injury(vs Auburn) and Brown played grand total of ONE snap at X receiver. Everything else was slot and trick plays(in motion or screens). I was feeling pretty good about my statement above and went on to the next game I found(Texas A&M) and to my surprise Brown was indeed playing outside. Now sure, it wasn't always X, there were plenty of Z reps, but nonetheless very useful reps for scouting purposes to see how he plays on the outside. And then I went to the next one(Vanterbilt) and again he was playing outside. 

 

So yeah. I have to thank you for pointing those games out. By draft time I will go through them and update my view on Brown's ability to play outside. 

 

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Worth pointing out that Metcalf got injured early in his last game.

 

 

 

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Then in the final 5 games where he was playing majority X he went for 650 yards, and had 35 yards. A.J led the SEC in yards and 2nd in receptions as well as back to back 1,200+ yard seasons where as Metcalf in his 2 years has 1,200. 6'1 220 with speed is absolutely nothing to scoff at and he easily gets more seperation than Metcalf, which is why is receptions is so high. Metcalf is your prototypical X with is size. Stats dont tell you everything but if you take a couple inches of metcalfs height i dont think we are talking first round for him.

 

I mean, I don't think that's a fair way to evaluate prospects. You evaluate what the player has, not what he would be if he wasn't what he is. That's meaningless and useless. If Metcalf wasn't 6'4" explosive athlete he will not be what he is. If Brown didn't run routes well or have good hands, what would he be? And what does it matter what he would be? We are not evaluating AJ Brown with bad hands and we are not evaluating 6'0" Metcalf. 

 

Also I wanted to point out that it's difficult to compare the stats of different players at the same position when they are accumulated against different opponents AND with different teammates on the field. When you have 2 potential high pick talents they will more or less split the load. When one of those two gets injured and gets replaced by less talented players, it's only normal for more of the load to get redirected to the other one. Still... Brown's stats in those games are impressive so I will go through those games and evaluate him as an outside receiver too. So yah... again, thanks for point that out. 

[SouthernIndianaNDFan]

It's hard to say AJ Brown is better, because Metcalf went down and Brown got showcased. Before the season, the trajectories of both guys were that Metcalf was the man, and he was the better WR, then he got injured. Had Brown gotten injured, and Metcalf been featured, we'd probably undoubtedly be talking about him as a Top 10 selection in the upcoming draft.

 

His measurables are ridiculous, 11'01" broad jump, 37.5 vert jump, power cleans 350, and benches 330 while running a 4.4 40 and top speed of 22.6 mph (would be among the fastest in the league...and he's a 6'4 230 lb monster. It's not like he's Courtland Sutton or other big sluggish dudes either, the kid is insanely fast and quick with a catch radius that is reminiscent of Julio and Nuk Hopkins. At that height/weight you wouldn't expect him to be a great YAC guy, but he is. He's not only a guy that can win basically every time downfield, but can also take a slant 75 yds to the house.

 

All of this is kinda for not, because after he destroys it at the combine, he's gonna be the first WR off the board. That was the only thing holding him back, that he was injured and may not have been able to workout for teams...that is no longer an issue. 

[twfish]

On 1/26/2019 at 1:10 PM, stitches said:

I was about to show you evidence that Brown continued playing the slot, because I remembered him playing the slot after Metcalf went down, but I kind of lost interest in Ole Miss after Metcalf went down. So I got the first game after Metcalf's injury(vs Auburn) and Brown played grand total of ONE snap at X receiver. Everything else was slot and trick plays(in motion or screens). I was feeling pretty good about my statement above and went on to the next game I found(Texas A&M) and to my surprise Brown was indeed playing outside. Now sure, it wasn't always X, there were plenty of Z reps, but nonetheless very useful reps for scouting purposes to see how he plays on the outside. And then I went to the next one(Vanterbilt) and again he was playing outside. 

 

So yeah. I have to thank you for pointing those games out. By draft time I will go through them and update my view on Brown's ability to play outside. 

 

Worth pointing out that Metcalf got injured early in his last game.

 

 

 

 

I mean, I don't think that's a fair way to evaluate prospects. You evaluate what the player has, not what he would be if he wasn't what he is. That's meaningless and useless. If Metcalf wasn't 6'4" explosive athlete he will not be what he is. If Brown didn't run routes well or have good hands, what would he be? And what does it matter what he would be? We are not evaluating AJ Brown with bad hands and we are not evaluating 6'0" Metcalf. 

 

Also I wanted to point out that it's difficult to compare the stats of different players at the same position when they are accumulated against different opponents AND with different teammates on the field. When you have 2 potential high pick talents they will more or less split the load. When one of those two gets injured and gets replaced by less talented players, it's only normal for more of the load to get redirected to the other one. Still... Brown's stats in those games are impressive so I will go through those games and evaluate him as an outside receiver too. So yah... again, thanks for point that out. 

He had I believe 80 yards on the game he got injured. So I don't think that is much of a factor in the info I posted. I get what you're saying but it happens with a lot of prospects, people fall in love with intangibles and what i wrote may not have as much to do with the post it was just more of a subtle rant on my end that brought no useful aspect to the post. To the last part of your post I believe it is 100% fair to compare 2 players who are playing the same position at the same time against the same opponent with the same QB. The stats I posted where all from the same games so there really inst a better way to compare IMO. At the end of the day props to Ole Miss on their WR's. Having potential first rounders and Lodge isn't bad either.