Con: Never facing press coverage
Lamb, as a prospect, doesn’t have many issues that would, for sure, be a knock on his skill set. Could Lamb be faster? Of course, but so could A.J. Brown, who ran over a 4.5, then went into the NFL and accumulated 462 yards of YAC, which was sixth in the NFL. The main issue you could find when looking and Lamb’s game is we have no idea how he truly is against press coverage.
Playing in the Big 12, there isn’t a team that presses at the line. Even LSU didn’t press Lamb and gave him free releases, which you could say is because of skill set, but he’s never been tested. This means when Lamb enters the NFL, we don’t know whether he can handle press coverage or not, and it is pure projection.
Lamb release ability the few times he did face press was good and allows the thought that he could handle it in the NFL. But there is just not enough tape of him winning against press coverage for you to be for sure he can win at the NFL against the press. It’s nitpicky for sure, but it is still a question that needs to be answered.
How would CeeDee Lamb fit with the Raiders?
After the combine, I just don’t see the Raiders even having a chance at Lamb. He is just too dynamic to fall all the way to 12, where the Raiders would be able to select him. Lamb YAC ability and separation at the top of his routes would make him the ultimate X receiver in Gruden’s offense.
He would be able to deploy him like he intended for Antonio Brown by at least year two of his young career. If you are a Raiders fan, you are praying Lamb hits a 4.6, but the reality is he’s one of the best wide receiver prospects we have seen, and that caliber of player doesn’t get out of the top ten.
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