Now that the 2023 NFL draft has come to a close, some players that weren’t fortunate enough to have their names called in Kansas City will begin to sign with teams as undrafted free agents. One of those players is former Oregon Ducks wide receiver, Chase Cota, who is now a Detroit Lion.
Chase Cota surprised a lot of Oregon Ducks fans in 2022. After coming from UCLA as a 3-star transfer there wasn’t much expectation that he would have a large role in the team’s offense.
Last year Cota caught 36 passes for 497 yards receiving, which were the best marks of his career. In the fourth game last year against Washington State, Cota broke onto the scene as a high-caliber Ducks receiver. He caught 7 passes that game for 84 yards. His best game, however, came against Oregon State — something not a lot of players from last year’s team can say — grabbing nine passes for 136 yards and a touchdown.
Hopefully, Cota will be able to translate those big games to the NFL and break into the Lions’ roster. While he doesn’t have the usual athletic traits to be a top WR, Cota still has speed to offer on the outside, and is 6’3″. At Oregon’s Pro Day back in March, Cota ran a 4.50 40-yard dash, making him the fastest Duck of the day.
The Lions and Jared Goff are in desperate need of depth at their offensive skill positions. Besides Amon-Ra St. Brown and D’Andre Swift, their offense lacks talent, which could give Cota a chance to break into an NFL lineup.
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