Tag: Jahan Dotson NFL Draft

Cardinals NFL draft player preview: Penn State WR Jahan Dotson

The Cardinals continue to be linked to wide receiver prospects , one of the more recent being the former Nittany Lion Jahan Dotson

Despite re-signing wide receiver A.J. Green to a one-year deal late last week, the Arizona Cardinals are rightfully continuing to search for long-term help at the position.

A name many Cardinals fans may not have heard of a month ago has exponentially increased in draft stock. Jahan Dotson out of Penn State has seen his draft stock increase dramatically, projected by many to now be a late first-round pick.

The former Nittany Lion had 91 receptions for 1,182 yards and 12 touchdowns in his final season with the university. He emerged as one of the premier wideouts in the Big 10, earning an 87.5 grade from Pro Football Focus, which is the highest grade given to an offensive player from Penn St. since 2014.

While Dotson is projected by some to be an excellent slot receiver at the next level, he was primarily an outside threat during his time at Penn St. He did spend time at all three primary positions, those being the slot, the X and the Z. His positional flexibility would allow Kliff Kingsbury to create different packages week-by-week based on the weaknesses of opposing defenses.

Listed at 5-11, Dotson doesn’t possess the height the Cardinals have sought in the past few seasons, but his high separation rates make him an intriguing fit nonetheless. When DeAndre Hopkins went down with an injury, the offense struggled heavily to get separation against press coverage.

Given the recent hype about the top receiver prospects going earlier in the draft than originally anticipated, Dotson makes a lot of sense for the Cardinals.

Dotson has been heavily linked to the team, particularly by Good Morning Football’s Peter Schrager.

Schrager has been money in accurately predicting the Cardinals’ first round picks, based on his mock drafts. In his final mock draft over the past three seasons, he had the team selecting Kyler Murray, Isaiah Simmons and Zaven Collins. It’s always worth paying attention to his mock drafts, especially given his history and close relationship with Kingsbury.

An NFC executive sat down with FanSided a few months back and raved about Dotson’s ability.

“I saw him catch one of those smoke routes…and he made three guys miss, they couldn’t even touch him. He looked like Barry Sanders.”

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2022 NFL Draft Scouting Report: WR Jahan Dotson, Penn State

Where does this ascending talent figure to be drafted in the NFL?

Penn State wide receiver Jahan Dotson enters the 2022 NFL Draft and presents a big play in a small package. His versatility and explosive nature will endear him to several teams across various systems.

Height: 5-foot-10 1/2
Weight: 178 pounds
40 time: 4.43 seconds

The true senior improved each year at Penn State as his opportunities increased, concluding with second-team All-Big Ten and third-team Associated Press All-American honors. Dotson also generated third-team All-Big Ten recognition for his junior season.

Table: Jahan Dotson NCAA stats (2018-21)

Year School Class Pos Gm Receiving Rushing
Rec Yds Avg TD Att Yds Avg TD
*2018 Penn State FR WR 8 13 203 15.6 0 0 0 — 0
*2019 Penn State SO WR 13 27 488 18.1 5 2 0 0 0
2020 Penn State JR WR 9 52 884 17.0 8 0 0 — 0
*2021 Penn State SR WR 12 91 1182 13.0 12 6 18 3 1

*includes postseason/bowl games

In addition to showing growth each season in Happy Valley, Dotson also completed a couple of passes on trick plays and contributed in the return game, scoring once in 2020 on eight punt returns. He tacked on 104 yards on 14 returns in 2021.

Pros

  • Dangerous, productive and experienced from all three levels of the route tree
  • Unafraid to go over the middle of the field — especially useful for play-callers who emphasize mesh routes to send him crossing with a hint of added confusion
  • Can hit the gas pedal with the best of ’em — he tends to vary his routes to show multiple speeds, which can catch defenders napping
  • Fluidity in the open field makes for a difficult tackle
  • Experienced, successful punt returner
  • Excellent leaping ability and high-point skills for someone of his size
  • Works the boundary lines effectively, especially in the red zone
  • Tremendous hands — credited with only two drops over 138 targets in 2021
  • Fits into nearly any offensive scheme

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Cons

  • Physicality at the line can get him off of his route
  • Footwork could be crisper in and out of breaks
  • Below-average consistency in his blocking effort — size limitations also play a role, but he needs more coaching in this area
  • Size could make him more susceptible to injuries over the middle

Fantasy football outlook

As mentioned, system fit isn’t going to be an issue. Team fit will be more important based on existing personnel, but it shouldn’t take more than a year or two before Dotson establishes himself as an starting-caliber talent at the next level.

Some of the critiques thrown at him can be considered nitpicking, especially when it comes to immutable traits, such as size. Small receivers have been quite capable of producing fantasy-relevant stats in the right situations. Yes, size presents unique drawbacks, but he should not be written off because of it.

It will be rather surprising if he falls out of Round 1 in the upcoming draft. If this happens, it’s more of a product of a deep receiver class than an indictment of his talent. Likely landing spots include Green Bay, Tampa Bay, Kansas City, Arizona, New England and Detroit.

Dotson’s game reminds a little bit of 2021 first-rounder DeVonta Smith, whose size also drew similarly unfair criticisms. Seattle wideout Tyler Lockett might be the better comparison.

Either way, we’re talking about a likely No. 2 in real life. Dotson has comparable long-term value in fake football once he learns a starting role. As a rookie, depending upon where he ends up, we could see inconsistent utility, best reserved for daily fantasy action.