The Lions Wire staff has identified which wide receivers Detroit Lions fans should be watching at the 2020 NFL Combine.
The 2020 NFL Combine on-field workouts begin Thursday, February 27th in Indianapolis and the wide receivers will be among the first groups to take the field.
This is the latest in a series of articles leading up to this year’s NFL Combine, where the Lions Wire team has identified players they will be tracking in order to determine potential fits within the organization.
If you missed the previous articles in this series, be sure to check out our quarterbacks, and running backs previews.
Wide receiver traits to evaluate
There are several on-field drills that emphasize a player’s abilities and the main areas Lions’ scouts will likely be focusing for receivers are:
- Natural hands: Do they fight the ball or allow it to land softly in their grasp?
- Acceleration in and out of breaks: Do they throttle down, or can they maintain speed?
- Quickness versus long speed: where do they gain separation?
- Body control: Being fast is great but it means nothing unless they can maintain balance and focus.
- Ball tracking: Do they have the patience to look late and still locate? Do they maximize their speed by not reaching early?
Jerry Jeudy, Alabama
Suggested by: Ty Finch
With rare skills, Jeudy can line up everywhere on the field, run every route, and should be in the conversation for the Lions 1st round draft pick, regardless of it’s at No. 3 or slightly further back after a trade.
Every route Jeudy runs looks the same, which allows him to disguise his intentions, making it hard for defenders to anticipate if his route is short, intermediate or deep. Defenders are forced to respect his speed, while also struggling to stay with him during his breaks, as he doesn’t need to throttle down when making cuts — which he executes with pinpoint accuracy and elite quickness — making him an extraordinarily difficult player to match up with.
Henry Ruggs III, Alabama
Suggested by: Bryce Rossler
If the Lions acquire a mid-to-late first-round pick in a trade up or trade back, Ruggs will be very appealing because of his game-changing speed. Like Jeudy, Alabama moved him all over the field and asked him to operate at all three levels, forcing the defensive to account for him. An offense won’t need Ruggs to be a high volume target, as his presence on the field will make defenses uncomfortable because when he is targeted there is always the potential for fireworks.
Laviska Shenault, Colorado
Suggested by: Scott Bischoff
Like with Ruggs, if the Lions want Shenault, they may need to make a move into the first round to get him. Shenault is very instinctive, almost sensing where the defenders are without seeing them, and he leans on this skill to create separation in his routes. Once the ball is in his hands, his true talent shines through, as his physicality and natural athleticism allow him to bully defenders.
Brandon Aiyuk, Arizona State
Suggested by: Jeff Risdon and Erik Schlitt
If Aiyuk is there at pick No. 35, he should get consideration because he’ll check a lot of boxes for the Lions. A threat to take it to the house on every play, Aiyuk routinely takes simple five-step slants and houses them. He is still polishing his game — he was a JUCO transfer — but the fact that he is already where he is, and still isn’t near his ceiling, makes him a very appealing prospect.
K.J. Hamler, Penn State
Suggested by: Sonja Greenfield
Hamler’s size (est. 5-9, 174) will scare away some teams, but for those in the market for a pure slot receiver, like the Lions, the Pontiac native will be near the top of the list. Explosive in and out of his routes, Hamler overwhelms man-coverage with his quickness and separation. Drops are a real concern, but for a high-volume target, it often comes with the territory.
Van Jefferson, Florida
Suggested by: Scott Warheit
Growing up with an NFL receiver turned NFL receivers coach for a father — former Lion Shawn Jefferson — has paid off for Jefferson, as he has turned into an absolute technician as a route runner. While Jefferson is expected to run an average 40-yard dash time at the Combine, he will likely find success in the NFL as a “big slot” because of his ability to manipulate coverages.
Chase Claypool, Notre Dame
Suggested by: Derek Okrie
The Lions got a long look at Claypool at the Senior Bowl — he was on the Lions coached North roster — and checked in at over 6-4 and 229-pounds, making him one of the biggest receivers in this draft cycle. He uses his size to his advantage by boxing out smaller defenders and presenting a large target for his quarterback. But, what makes Claypool unique is his work on special teams, as he is an elite gunner who looks to bury people.
Quartney Davis, TAMU
Suggested by: Zack Moran
Like Claypool, Davis also joined the Lions coaches at the Senior Bowl, and like Jefferson, his NFL success will likely come from the big slot position. Davis doesn’t possess elite speed or quickness but he isn’t afraid of going over the middle and will often attack the ball with physicality when it’s thrown in his direction.
Marquez Callaway, Tennessee
Suggested by: Matt Urben
Callaway is a vertical threat on offense and above-average returner on special teams, which could be enough to earn one of the final spots on a team’s 53-man roster. The speed is there — it will likely show up at the Combine — and he can win the 50/50 ball deep, due to his proven tracking skills.
Cody White, Michigan State
Suggested by: Max Gerber
Another locally grown player with connections to the Lions, White’s father is former Lions front office executive Sheldon White. With NFL size (est. 6-3, 215) and pedigree, White will get some looks from NFL teams but in my opinion, he should have stayed in East Lansing for his final season of eligibility. Being from the area, he will get an extra “local” workout with the Lions this offseason, which he could potentially use to get a priority free agent offer.
