Tag: Jalen Reagor

Chargers 2020 NFL Draft Target: TCU WR Jalen Reagor

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez puts TCU wide receiver Jalen Reagor, a potential draft target, under the microscope.

Over the next couple of months, we are going to be taking a look at a handful of draft prospects leading up into the 2020 NFL Draft. With the Chargers having needs at various positions, we will do our best to evaluate the players that we feel fit the team precisely.

Today, we are taking a look at TCU wide receiver Jalen Reagor.

Honors and Awards

  • 2019 Second-Team All-Big 12
  • 2018 Second-Team All-Big 12
  • 2018 Pro Football Focus Second-Team All-Big 12
  • 2018 Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Honor Roll, vs. Oklahoma State
  • 2017 True Freshman All-America Team, 247Sports
  • 2017 Big 12 Co-Offensive Freshman of the Year

Stats

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Highlights

Strengths

  • One of the best playmakers in this year’s class.
  • Can go from 0-100 in a split second. Keeps defensive backs on toes and likely makes them think twice about playing press coverage.
  • Ability to get over the top of the defense requires the attention of a safety at all times.
  • Yards after catch king. Can turn a short throw into a long gain. Shows elusiveness, creativity, vision after the catch and suddenness, using head fakes and impressive lateral change of direction to make multiple defenders miss.
  • Light on his feet with terrific balance. Sinks his hips with ease and pops out of breaks to separate. Plant foot burst to gain spacing out of his breaks.
  • Unafraid to go up and get it. Tracks and adjusts, good concentration, leaping ability, body control and boundary awareness.
  • Excellent weight-room strength and ideal balance. Bounces off tacklers with ease.

Weaknesses

  • Limited route tree. Included slants, screens, stops, crossers, etc.
  • Could have difficulty beating physical, press coverage. Needs to develop hand technique at line of scrimmage.
  • Catch focus plummets at times, more focused on getting upfield before having the ball in his hands. Tends to cradle-catch even when he goes up for the ball and needs to improve attacking it with his hands.
  • Little effort as a blocker, looking careless in this aspect of the game.

Summary

Reagor is one of the fastest receivers in this year’s class, but it’s more than just his straight-line speed that makes him so dangerous. While many receivers have track-like speed, the former Horned Frog has the functional athleticism, burst and agility that makes him so lethal in the open field. TCU didn’t have the best quarterback play throughout the years and the offense limited him in terms of the route tree, so there’s still growth needed in that area to become a complete wideout at the next level.

Chargers Fit

Speed kills in today’s game and that’s something Los Angeles has been lacking at the wide receiver position. Reagor does offer some positional flexibility, but he would be the starting “z” receiver for the Bolts, where he would thrive as a vertical option to force defensive backs to hone in on him, opening things up for the other pass-catchers on the team. Given his blazing speed and elusiveness in the open field, he would be able to serve as a return specialist, too.

Projected Round: Late 1st-Early 2nd

Dueling 4-round Buffalo Bills 2020 mock drafts

Two four-round mock drafts for the Buffalo Bills at the 2020 NFL Draft.

The NFL offseason has been underway for the Buffalo Bills for some time now. The league year does not officially end under March, but Super Bowl LIV between the Chiefs and 49ers is one day away.

Once the final whistle blows and the confetti hits the turf in Miami on Sunday, that’s the unofficial start of the NFL offseason for everyone.

To celebrate, Bills Wire’s Kyle Silagyi and Nick Wojton pushed Bills Mafia into the offseason with two dueling four-round mock drafts for Buffalo.

Take your pick between both below:

Kyle’s pick:

22. RB Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin

Wisconsin Badgers running back Jonathan Taylor. Credit: Richard Wood/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel via USA TODAY Sports

Though unlikely, there is a scenario where the top four-or-five wide receivers are off the board when Buffalo goes on the clock at pick No. 22.

Should this situation occur, the team should take a long look at Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor.

Though his stock has fallen in recent weeks, Taylor is still widely looked at as a top-three ballcarrier in this year’s class. A well-rounded back with elite vision, Taylor rushed for 6,174 yards and 50 touchdowns throughout his three years at Wisconsin, winning the Doak Walker Award as college football’s best running back in 2018 and 2019.

Taylor was a high-usage player in Madison; there was nothing creative about the way the Badgers got the ball into his hands. The majority of his runs went up the middle or off-tackle, and this suited the 21-year-old, as he was often able to identify holes with his first-class vision and make the most of them with his strong footwork.

Taylor has solid speed and power, and he projects to be an impactful running back at the next level straight away. He would immediately make Buffalo’s backfield one of the league’s brightest, as his downhill-style of running would effectively complement the open-field shiftiness of Devin Singletary.

Though wide receiver is undoubtedly a bigger need for the Bills, selecting Taylor would perhaps unintentionally help address that positional deficiency. With Taylor and Singletary manning the backfield, Buffalo would become a ground-oriented team, relying on the two backs to consistently move the ball. This would open up opportunities in the play-action passing game, creating more chances for wide receivers to get open on called passes through a commitment to the ground game.

Nick’s pick:

22. WR Tee Higgins, Clemson

Clemson Tigers wide receiver Tee Higgins. Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

The writing on the wall just seems too apparent ahead of April’s draft. The Bills needing a wide receiver isn’t anything new. The last time the Bills had a premium No. 1 wideout was back in Sammy Watkins’ days with the team.

While John Brown and Cole Beasley had profitable seasons with the Bills in 2019, Buffalo needs a top, young prospect in that group. Tee Higgins would be exactly that.

That writing has been there because for about a season or two, many draft pundits predicted the 2020 draft will be one of the deepest classes for the position, The Bills knew that too, so they’re going to take their swing and that’s why they didn’t last season.

In Higgins, Buffalo would get exactly what they need. That big-bodied target that quarterback Josh Allen has lacked. While the Bills would be smart to not just pin-point a guy that’s tall, realistically, Higgins’ pre-draft selection in mock drafts has been right around where the Bills pick. It wouldn’t be a reach and early outlooks appear the Bills choosing between Higgins and Colorado’s Laviska Shenault here, both talented receivers the Bills could use.

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Jalen Reagor scouting report, potential fit with the Eagles

Here is a scouting report of former TCU wide receiver Jalen Reagor and his potential fit with the Philadelphia Eagles.

A name that has been heating up among Eagles Draft Twitter is former TCU wide receiver, Jalen Reagor. The former Horned Frog stands at 5’11” and weighs in at 195 lbs. He ended the 2019 season with 43 receptions, 611 yards, and 5 scores. Reagor also added a punt return touchdown.

Reagor is known as a burner who can make a defense pay with the ball in his hands. It is well known that the Eagles need playmakers at the receiver position, which would make sense as to why so many Eagles fans are getting excited about Reagor joining their favorite team.

Here is a scouting report and breakdown of Jalen Reagor’s strengths and weaknesses and potential fit with the Eagles:

Strengths: Reagor is a burner, which is evident on film. He can fly and he may give Henry Ruggs III a run for his money at the NFL Combine for the fastest 40-yard dash. If he gets the ball in his hands and has a crease, he can take it to the house. He made some “wow” plays with the ball in his hands.

He runs solid routes but was not asked to run a diverse route tree. He uses his speed and acceleration to make defenders pay on go routes. He can be a deep threat in the NFL, but I like the idea of getting him the ball on quick screen passes and letting him pick up chunk plays as well.

He definitely has punt and kick return potential in the NFL. Reagor reminds me of the Kansas City Cheifs’ receiver, Mecole Hardman.

He made the most of being at a disadvantage with his quarterback.

Weaknesses: As a true wide receiver, Reagor leaves a lot to be desired. He can run fast and make highlight plays, but it remains to be seen if he will be able to consistently get open by running good routes. His hands are in question, dropping some easy passes and letting a lot of balls into his body.

Reagor has highlight plays but disappears other than the highlights. He had some really bad games against poor competition. He took a step back in 2019 and was not as good as he was in 2018. His collegiate production is worrisome. Reagor has a high ceiling but is one of those players with a low floor as well.

He reminds me of Indianapolis Colts’ receiver Parris Campbell, in the sense that you have to hope more than you know if he will reach his potential.

In the run game, Reagor is really bad, and at times; he has no interest in even trying to block. TCU’s receivers’ coach should be ashamed of some of the plays Reagor produced on film in the run game.

Overall Impression: Reagor is obviously going to be a player people like and want because of the speed. He has flashes of greatness in his game, but far too many times he has flashes of a player that is nothing more than a gadget player. He is not even close to a finished product and his development will be crucial for his success in the NFL. He can make an impact in Year 1 as a return guy. Reagor can also be a solid deep threat in the NFL, but isn’t going to be a No. 1 receiver in the league. You need to hope you can develop him into a solid No. 2 wideout.

Grade: 2nd round (Picks 40-48)

Fit with the Eagles: Obviously the Eagles would love to add a player with speed to their offense, but the hype of Reagor at 21 is craziness. He isn’t a first-round wide receiver, especially with some of the guys you can get in the first round in the 2020 NFL Draft. If the Eagles decide to use their second-round pick on him, fans need to know he isn’t going to be their No. 1 receiver. Doug Pederson would be able to get him the ball on designed plays and have him take the top off the defense, but Reagor isn’t going to be Carson Wentz’s No. 1 target. I mentioned Hardman earlier, but I see Reagor taking on the role that Hardman had for the Chiefs in his rookie season.

2020 NFL draft: Bills defense re-stocks in 3-round mock

Buffalo Bills 2020 NFL mock draft via the Draft Wire.

The Bills have plenty of needs on offense. Their defense under head coach Sean McDermott has remained one of the NFL’s best.

Despite that, in Draft Wire’s recent three-round mock draft following Wild Card weekend, the Bills go with two defensive players with those three picks, starting with their first rounder.

Here’s Draft Wire’s breakdown:

LSU Tigers linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson. Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
22. Buffalo Bills
K’Lavon Chaisson | EDGE | LSU
K’Lavon Chaisson, who will be getting after the Clemson Tigers in the national title game soon, sports a wide-range of moves as a pass rusher which could be intriguing to McDermott. Plus, the Bills really could stand to improve along their defensive end position.
Sure, Jordan Phillips was great while leading the Bills with 9.5 sacks, but it’s usually the pass rushers on the outside doing that. Shaq Lawson had 6.5 sacks there to lead the Bills. It’s a good step in the right direction for him, but he’s currently slated to be a free agent. Along with Lawson, Trent Murphy could be a cap-casualty for the Bills, too. The Bills could realistically have a nice spot for Chaisson next season.
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Saints stand to benefit as loaded 2020 wide receiver draft class gets deeper

The 2020 NFL Draft class may feature the best group of wide receiver prospects ever assembled, which is big news for the New Orleans Saints.

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The New Orleans Saints are putting up points and winning games in spite of a very shallow depth chart at wide receiver, thanks to Herculean efforts from All-Pro Michael Thomas and creative play-calling from Saints coach Sean Payton. Thomas has proven he can put the world on his shoulders for New Orleans’ passing game.

However, the lack of production from the group as a whole can’t be ignored: in the four games since their bye week, all of the non-Thomas receivers have combined for 8 receptions and 90 receiving yards (with two touchdown catches) on 21 total targets. Those stats all came from Tre’Quan Smith and Ted Ginn Jr. Practice squad call-up Krishawn Hogan has logged 37 snaps in that time, but has yet to receive his first target with the Saints.

Fortunately, the situation shouldn’t remain this grim forever. The 2020 NFL Draft class is shaping up like one of the best groups in recent memory, rivaling the 2014 class that put Odell Beckham Jr., Mike Evans, Brandin Cooks, John Brown, Sammy Watkins, and Allen Robinson into the pros.

While the top draft prospects in this year’s draft are underclassmen who or may not leave early for the NFL — names like Alabama stars Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs, Oklahoma big-play threat CeeDee Lamb, and Clemson’s clutch performer Tee Higgins — there are plenty of options generating excitement around the league. Four talented juniors have already declared, at least two of whom are popular picks in the conversation of who might be a first-round pick:

  • Laviska Shenault Jr., Colorado
  • Jalen Reagor, TCU
  • Isaiah Hodgins, Oregon State
  • Gabriel Davis, UCF

Shenault has a reputation as one of the most versatile players in the draft class, having lined up everywhere from slot receiver to tight end and fullback, and still found ways to make plays. Think of him as a Swiss army knife in the mold of Taysom Hill, but with more aptitude as a receiver (which is saying something, given Hill’s four touchdown catches this season).

Reagor is another hot name in draft circles, given his game-breaking speed and ability to track the ball in flight deep downfield. He’s averaged over 15 yards per catch in his career despite the Horned Frogs’ instability at quarterback (half a dozen different passers have targeted Reagor over the last three years), drawing comparisons to Cooks, the Saints’ own former first-round pick.

Something has to be said for both of the two big men who have declared early, as Hodgins (6-foot-4) and Davis (6-foot-3) have each caught 70-plus receptions and scored double-digit touchdowns this season. There’s room in the NFL (and in New Orleans) for either of them to contribute.

And this doesn’t even include the numerous talented seniors in this year’s draft class, ranging from Minnesota graduate Tyler Johnson to Arizona State product Brandon Aiyuk, as well as Texas Longhorns fixtures Devin Duvernay and Collin Johnson. Keep an eye on Ohio State alum K.J. Hill and experienced South Carolina receiver Bryan Edwards.

Of that group, four have already accepted invitations to participate in the 2020 Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., taking the opportunity to practice in front of NFL scouts ahead of the annual all-star game. Those participants include Aiyuk, Edwards, as well as Longhorns prospects Duvernay and Johnson. They’ll be joined by receivers not previously mentioned such as Kalija Lipscomb (Vanderbilt), Antonio Gandy-Golden (Liberty), Michael Pittman Jr. (USC), and Chase Claypool (Notre Dame), all of whom will have a good shot at improving their draft stock.

So all of this was said to say: the Saints do not lack for options at addressing the wide receiver position during the offseason. They’ve thrown resources at the problem before, it just hasn’t worked out — Smith hasn’t consistently helped the offense after being drafted in the third round last year, while the Saints lost their wager that Cameron Meredith would be a better free agent addition than what it would have cost to keep Willie Snead. Here’s hoping the players New Orleans already has to work with can continue doing enough to compete for Super Bowl LIV.

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The 3 biggest storylines ahead of Oklahoma-TCU

No. 9 Oklahoma (9-1, 5-1) and TCU (5-5, 3-4) face off for the last time at the Palace on the Prairie in 2019.

No. 9 Oklahoma (9-1, 5-1) and TCU (5-5, 3-4) face off for the last time at the Palace on the Prairie in 2019. The Sooners still have College Playoff hopes, needing quite a few dominos to fall for Oklahoma to sneak into the top-four.

Here are the three biggest storylines ahead the Sooners’ matchup against the Horned Frogs.

CAN OKLAHOMA PLAY A COMPLETE GAME?

The Sooners have had quite the struggle in gaining grasp of the ever so important “game-control” that the CFP committee is looking for.

Over the past three games, Oklahoma has had a hard time offensively and/or defensively at some point of the game against Kansas State, Iowa State and Baylor.

With the Sooners coming off the most complete 30 minutes of football they have played in a long time, can they build off of it?

WHO WILL COVER JALEN REAGOR?

Although he has had a subpar season to his standards, Reagor deserves to have his named mentioned among some of the best receivers in the nation.

The former Oklahoma commit has been an absolute weapon offensively for the  Horned Frogs since he has stepped on campus in 2017.

Who in the secondary can line up against Reagor and go snap for snap with TCU’s No. 1 wideout?

IS THIS THE LAST HOME GAME FOR CEEDEE LAMB?

Being held out with a head injury in the comeback win over Baylor, Lamb’s availability has yet to be made public by Lincoln Riley.

After two fantastic seasons lining up opposite of Marquise ‘Hollywood’ Brown and having another great season as the solo act, Lamb will be draft eligible at the end of the season.

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