NFL Draft Profile: Wide Receiver Ladd McConkey, Georgia
Strengths, weaknesses and a summary of wide receiver Ladd McConkey.
Ladd McConkey
Position: Wide Receiver
School: Georgia
Play Style: Versatile Wideout
Age: 22
DOB: 11/11/2001
Height: 6'0
Weight: 186 lbs
40-Time: 4.39
FantasySP Position Ranking: 7
Round Projected: 2
NFL Comp: Diontae Johnson
Summary
McConkey is a case of impressive measurables and a guy who should translate well to the NFL, but simply wasn't overly productive in college because he wasn't as big of a part of the offense as you would assume he would be based on his skillset and draft buzz.
Injuries have also slowed him down while at Georgia, however, they aren't the type of serious injuries that would throw up serious red flags and cause NFL teams to take pause before drafting them. This is a player who could far outperform his draft stock or could also fall flat on his face at the next level.
Strengths
- Excellent route runner
- High football IQ
- Impressive acceleration and burst
- Good speed both in short areas and to get downfield
- Works well in traffic both finding the ball and finding the open space in the defense
- Strong ability to manipulate and fool defensive backs
- Breaks off routes on an NFL level
- Quick natural hands that snatch the ball out of the air
- Contributes on special teams
- Shows good technique and want-to as a run blocker
Weaknesses
- Skinny frame for an NFL player
- Lacks strength to deal with physical corners while running routes or fighting through press coverage
- Not a huge factor in the offense at Georgia
- Dealt with nagging injury issues at times in college
- Doesn't track the ball well downfield on deep balls
- He doesn't come down with many 50/50 balls or balls he has to fight for
Our Take
This is a player that we don't have a strong feeling about either positively or negatively, which is a rare occurrence. We recently dropped his position ranking from sixth to seventh because we just don't feel particularly strong about him.
The upside is there for him to become a good NFL receiver, but he could also fade into obscurity at the next level. He will have to fall into the right system in the NFL where the scheme allows him to get open quickly and run free due to his lack of physical strength.
What gives us the most hope, is everything you hear about McConkey is that he is a hard worker and an avid film watcher. If he is capable of evolving into an NFL star, he has the mindset to do so. This is a player to track throughout training camp and throughout his rookie year. Odds are he won't come close to reaching his full potential as a rookie.
#2024-nfl-draft #2024-nfl-draft-profile
