Former LSU wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase left no doubt about who the top wide receiver in the 2021 NFL draft is after his performance at the school’s pro day on Wednesday.
Chase ran the 40-yard dash in 4.38 seconds while also posting a 41″ vertical and 11′ broad jump.
The numbers solidified Chase as the complete package. Not only has Chase dominated on the field during his career at LSU, his film shows a player who also runs precise routes, has strong hands and is a legitimate deep threat.
Now, it’s time to discuss how long Chase will last in this month’s 2021 NFL draft.
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Three quarterbacks are expected to go in the first three picks, with Jacksonville, the New York Jets and San Francisco holding the top three selections.
The fun begins at No. 4 with the Atlanta Falcons. Atlanta could go in several directions, but with Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley already on the roster, don’t expect a wide receiver.
It wouldn’t shock anyone if Florida tight end Kyle Pitts is the pick for the Falcons or they trade the pick.
That leaves the Cincinnati Bengals at No. 5, where Chase’s former college quarterback, Joe Burrow, resides.
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While many analysts originally saw Cincinnati going with an offensive tackle, recent chatter has the Bengals zeroing in on Chase. And his former quarterback put in a glowing recommendation.
After his performance at LSU’s pro day, our own Crissy Froyd asked Chase if he has had a chance to study Cincinnati’s offense — and he had an interesting answer.
#LSU WR Ja’Marr Chase told me he hasn’t spent a ton of time studying the Bengals offense, but has watched some.
“I do think they run a little bit of our old offense.”
— Crissy Froyd (@crissy_froyd) March 31, 2021
That should be music to the ears of Cincinnati fans. In 2019, Chase finished with 84 receptions for 1,780 yards and 20 touchdowns with Burrow as his quarterback.
With the NFL draft now just four weeks away, it’s becoming clearer that Chase will not make it out of the top five.
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