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When D.K. Metcalf entered the 2019 NFL Draft, there were many doubts if he was going to be as effective as he was in college. Yes, he had speed, size, and made some truly spectacular catches, but his lack of agility as showcased in his 3-cone time and the fact that he primarily ran three routes - slants, hitches, and fades - deterred teams from taking him in the first round. With the 64th pick in the draft, the Seattle Seahawks traded up with the New England Patriots giving up a third and fourth round pick to draft him.
On the Seahawks, Metcalf is still mainly running those three routes. While the competition is getting harder, he earned over 8 yards per target on those routes as a rookie. In my latest video breakdown, I wanted to explore his season and see where he excelled and where he still needs to improve. Based on my tracking, I expect big things from him as he enters his second year with Russell Wilson. In my opinion, if the Seahawks’ offensive coordinator, Brian Schottenheimer, continues to game plan towards his skill set and also give him opportunities on over routes and drags to cross the field using his speed or catch balls underneath on screens, Metcalf will continue to prove doubters wrong.
This video is almost 11 minutes long, so sit back and enjoy the show!