Tag: slot receiver

Notre Dame football: Chris Tyree makes position change

A position change to start spring camp but is it for good?

For some that pay close attention, the biggest takeaway from Wednesday’s first spring practice of 2023 hardly comes as a surprise. Instead, it felt like a long time coming, especially with the amount of talent in Notre Dame’s backfield. But rising senior [autotag]Chris Tyree[/autotag]’s days in the backfield are limited if Wednesday was any indication.

Tyree, who will be a senior this fall and sports the No. 2 instead of 25, spent Wednesday working at slot receiver.  The 5-foot-9 speedster spent his first three seasons at Notre Dame in the backfield, rushing a career-high 100 times last year for 444 yards and three touchdowns.  He hauled in 24 receptions for 138 more yards and two more scores.

So will Tyree stay in the slot or will he be in the backfield? [autotag]Marcus Freeman[/autotag] offered the following after the first spring practice:

“He’s a guy that has multiple skill sets, and we know Chris Tyree is a guy we have to have on the football field. … The ability to put him at wideout, we know what he can do as a running back, to really be a guy that can do multiple different things.”

It seems Tyree’s days in the backfield aren’t entirely done, but the writing sure seems on the wall for him to be thrown to a lot more this year. [autotag]Audric Estime[/autotag] and [autotag]Logan Diggs[/autotag] breaking out last year adds to that, as do the additions of highly regarded incoming freshman [autotag]Jeremiyah Love[/autotag] and sophomore [autotag]Jadarian Price[/autotag], who missed last year due to injury.

It’s also a way to better a wide receiver group that lacks depth. It’s seemingly improving but has a way to go before it’s anywhere near a championship level. Tyree moving to receiver helps that but the gap remains.

It should be fun to see how Tyree’s tremendous speed is utilized in the slot. How defenses have to account for it will bring a compelling dynamic.

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Seahawks rookie receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba can be ‘big play guy too’

Although he’s slated for the slot, coach Pete Carroll believes rookie wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba has the flexibility to move around.

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The Seattle Seahawks added a new weapon to quarterback Geno Smith’s arsenal when they selected wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba with their second pick in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft.

Coming off of a hamstring injury, Smith-Njigba was limited over the weekend at the Seahawks rookie minicamp but coach Pete Carroll already has a good idea of what the first-year player has to offer.

“Yeah, we really see him as a slot back guy that we can really do a lot of things with,” Carroll told reporters. “He’s really instinctive, his sense and awareness inside. He’s the guy that you could throw the ball to a lot and count on him. He’s a great catcher, so that’s not the issue at all. But he’s got a real feel for in the small areas of getting open and spaces and stuff like that.”

“And he’s been a big play guy too,” Carroll continued. “He’s come through catching and running so we don’t have any question. That’s why we are so excited to get him. We don’t have any question about him fitting into what we want. He has enough flexibility to move around as well, but he’ll allow us to really move our other guys. Counting on that he can be in the slot when we want to and then we’ll move DK (Metcalf) and Tyler (Lockett) and other guys.

“And we think this could really allow us to max those guys out.”

Seahawks 90-man roster after rookie minicamp

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How will Packers address slot WR in 2023 NFL Draft?

Do the Packers want to target a designated slot receiver in the 2023 draft?

We know that, in general, the Green Bay Packers have to add to their wide receiver room during this year’s draft and do so somewhat early on. It also wouldn’t hurt spending multiple picks on the position either.

The Packers are in need of more consistent playmaking at this position, which, in part, should come from Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs each taking a step forward in their second seasons. On top of that, Green Bay simply needs more players. As of now, there are only five receivers on the roster, with just three of them having some sort of NFL experience. In fact, Doubs is currently the most experienced receiver on the team in terms of snaps played, with 529.

To take this one step further, Green Bay could benefit from adding another downfield target to this position group, which would help create better spacing underneath for Watson and Doubs as each takes on greater route-running responsibilities, something Matt LaFleur talked about recently. Another specific role that the Packers could look to fill is adding a slot presence to this offense as well.

There are really two ways that Green Bay can go about filling this need. They can either take the best receiver available, regardless of the amount of slot experience that prospect has and rotate slot duties with Doubs and Watson based on the matchup or play design. In 2022, Doubs played about 22% of his snaps from the slot, while Watson lined up inside 32% of the time and was one of the more efficient slot targets in football. According to PFF, his 2.29 yards per route run from the slot ranked 15th among all receivers last season.

However, the other alternative is that the Packers could have a more defined role for the slot target and draft someone who has experience lining up inside. This is how they’ve approached the position the last few seasons, by trading for Randall Cobb and trading up for Amari Rodgers in the 2021 NFL Draft.

One of the more challenging aspects for the Packers when trying to fill this role is that Green Bay has been fairly strict with the height and weight thresholds that they look for at receiver. Going back to when Ted Thompson was GM, the Packers have often coveted receivers who are at least 6’0″ and weigh 195-plus pounds, and oftentimes, slot receivers are smaller in frame. Now, as always, there have been exceptions, but for the most part, this rule has held true.

So as you can imagine, this shrinks the pool of players that the Packers have to choose from if they are going to adhere to those thresholds, and many of the top slot options in this draft class may not rank highly on Green Bay’s big board.

Brennen Rupp of Packers Wire provided several slot options for the Packers, and we can break them up into two categories. Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Parker Washington are the two prospects with ample slot experience who also meet the Packers’ heigh-weight thresholds. Rakim Jarrett is another who falls just outside the 195-pound weight mark.

The other category of prospects are receivers who meet the measurement thresholds but have more boundary experience, although they could still end up as effective slot targets. This group includes Xavier Hutchinson, Rashee Rice, and Puka Nacua. Two other prospects that Rupp mentioned could be on Green Bay’s radar are Jayden Reed and Jalin Hyatt – both below those height and weight marks.

Having a “true” slot receiver in the Matt LaFleur offense isn’t considered a must, where versatility and the ability to move around the formation are coveted at the receiver position. With that said, a dynamic slot presence can create mismatches and can help spread out the defense, generating opportunities for others within the offense. The Packers will want this element in 2023, but how they go about trying to fill it remains to be seen.

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Chiefs’ Tyreek Hill named NFL’s top slot receiver

#Chiefs WR Tyreek Hill is the No. 1 slot receiver in the NFL per @NFL_DougFarrar

Gone are the days when Kansas City Chiefs WR Tyreek Hill was referred to as a “gadget player” or “return specialist.” He’s now regarded as one of the NFL’s best receivers, with his most recent praise coming for his play in the slot.

So where does Hill rank among the NFL’s best slot receivers heading into the 2021 NFL season? Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar recently sought to answer that question, ranking the 11 slot receivers in the league. Hill is the first offensive player for the Chiefs to take the top spot at his respective position thus far. Keep in mind that Touchdown Wire hasn’t ranked quarterbacks yet and Travis Kelce came in No. 2 behind George Kittle.

Farrar believes that Hill is at his best when working from the slot and he’s got the data to back it up.

“Defending Hill anywhere on the field has been a royal pain in the posterior for opposing defenders since Hill came into the league in 2016, but he’s especially dangerous as a slot receiver, and just about uncoverable when the Chiefs place him as the inside slot man to the dominant side of the field and run tight end Travis Kelce as the Y-iso receiver to the other side. No fun, that.

Hill’s combination of blazing speed, elusiveness, and route acumen (which he doesn’t get enough credit for) makes him the toughest inside receiver in the NFL.

In 2020, including the postseason, Hill caught 59 passes from the slot on 88 targets for 831 yards, and seven touchdowns. Six of those touchdowns came on passes of 20 or more air yards, and three of those touchdowns came on passes of 30 or more air yards. What does it all mean? From receiver screens to deep overs, once Hill is tracking the ball from the slot, your defensive back is about to have a very bad rep.”

Hill posted a combined 1,631 yards during the regular season and playoffs last year, meaning over 50% of his production came from the slot. His ability to get open and make plays from that spot has become a huge strength of his game over the past few years. Even with NFL teams paying slot defenders a premium, he’s been able to work over some of the best in the business.

Be sure to check out Farrar’s article for a primer on the evolution of the NFL slot receiver and a good example of Hill’s expertise in the slot against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (the regular season and not Super Bowl LV). Chiefs players like Travis Kelce, Joe Thuney, Chris Jones and Tyrann Mathieu have already appeared in this series from Touchdown Wire, covering the best 11 players at each position heading into the 2021 NFL season.

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Texas HC Tom Herman provides update on Jordan Whittington’s injury

Texas head coach Tom Herman provided more details on Jordan Whittington’s hip flexor injury when speaking to the media Monday.

Texas wide receiver Jordan Whittington hasn’t had the best of luck with injuries since he’s arrived in Austin. Continue reading “Texas HC Tom Herman provides update on Jordan Whittington’s injury”

Texas Longhorns Football: Team notes before Texas Tech

Tom Herman met with the media on Tuesday afternoon ahead of the Big 12 opener against Texas Tech. Here are team notes before the matchup.

Tom Herman met with the media on Tuesday afternoon ahead of the conference opener against Texas Tech. The head coach provided injury updates, how Texas will line up from a personnel standpoint, and how the Longhorns are dealing with COVID-19 and traveling for the first time this season.

Who starts at running back?

Going into the season, Keaontay Ingram and Roschon Johnson were seen as running back 1A and 1B with true freshman Bijan Robinson closely behind. In the season opener against UTEP, Johnson got the official start instead of Ingram.

However, Ingram was the team’s leading rusher, having nine touches for 44 yards. Johnson ended with eight carries for 38 yards and a touchdown.

When head coach Tom Herman was asked about the decision, he said there is nothing to read into. Offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich still wants to make sure all three running backs get an equal amount of carries.

Going into Texas Tech, all three backs are going to be healthy and ready to go. Robinson will be getting his first Big 12 conference play action, while Johnson will be remembering his three-touchdown day against the Red Raiders last season. Ingram will be hoping to remain Texas’ leading rusher.

The beauty of having three capable running backs is the ability to keep everyone fresh when needed. Watching how often Ingram, Johnson, and Robinson are used down the stretch will show who Herman has the most faith in.

Slot receiver injuries

A one-two punch of Jake Smith and Jordan Whittington in the slot was supposed to be the most exciting dynamic of the wide receiver group. Now, both are dealing with injuries and could be out for multiple weeks.

For the redshirt freshman Whittington, he had surgery on a torn lateral meniscus suffered against UTEP. He had surgery this week and it “went well”. Whittington will be out three to four weeks, coming back as late as the Oct. 31 matchup against Oklahoma State.

Smith did not play against the Miners, dealing with a hamstring injury in practice. Herman said the sophomore is still rehabbing and is going to be in practice on Wednesday. His availability for Texas Tech is still unknown but he is listed as the starter on the depth chart.

Use of 12 personnel

With Smith and Whittington dealing with injuries, Herman acknowledges it will change up the offensive gameplan. If healthy, Sam Ehlinger would love have to have three wide receivers on the field at once but that may not be the case against Texas Tech.

12 personnel, one running back and two tight ends, will be used a lot more on Saturday. All four tight ends in Cade Brewer, Jared Wiley, Malcolm Epps, and Brayden Liebrock got snaps against UTEP and will be doing the same in Lubbock.

Brewer is seen as the biggest threat in the pass game and the starter. The senior caught a wide-open 20-yard touchdown in the season opener. He also added two more catches for a total of 40 yards.

Epps would prove to be an interesting option as a former wide receiver. He spent the 2019 season as an outside receiver but moved to tight end thanks to his 6-6 244 pounds frame. He could provide a downfield threat if called upon by Ehlinger.

COVID-19 protocols on the road

Texas will be dealing with its first road game of the season on Saturday. With that comes rules and regulations surrounding the coronavirus pandemic. The Longhorns have been one of the few teams in the country to not have any complications with the virus.

Herman talked about steps the team will make the ensure all the players remain healthy and are able to play against Texas Tech.

First, Texas will have to strategically place people on the airplane to Lubbock. According to Herman, if someone tests positive for COVID-19 after the flight, everyone within two rows, in front of and behind, will not be able to play against the Red Raiders.

Next, nobody will have a roommate the night before the game. Every player will be by themselves to make sure people are as distanced as possible. This is nothing new for Texas players and staff, as the same occurred at home on Sept. 11.

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Jordan Whittington out for game after knee injury

Another season, another injury in the season opener for Jordan Whittington. He suffered a right knee injury late in the first half vs UTEP.

Another season, another injury in the season opener for Jordan Whittington. The redshirt freshman suffered a right knee injury late in the first half against UTEP. According to Texas officials, he will miss the entire second half.

After being targeted on a pass from quarterback Sam Ehlinger, Whittington limped off to the sideline. He never re-entered the game and will now miss the rest of the season opener.

Before exiting, Whittington managed two receptions for 45 yards plus one carry for 15 yards. With Jake Smith dealing with a hamstring injury, Whittington was Texas’ main slot receiver.

Last year, the former five-star prospect was dealing with a sports hernia in the season opener against Louisiana Tech. It caused him to miss the entire 2019 season.

Going forward, Texas could be thin at the slot receiver position. Smith is expected to be back for the Big 12 opener against Texas Tech but with a hamstring, you never know. Third-string Dajon Harrison opted out of the 2020 season.

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Report: Texas WR Jake Smith suffers injury prior to Saturday’s opener

Report from Horns247 states that Jake Smith has suffered an injury ahead of the Texas Longhorns season opener. Jordan Whittington is next up

The hits just keep on coming to the wide receiver group. According to a report from Horns247, sophomore wide receiver Jake Smith has suffered a hamstring injury. The severity of the injury is not yet known but now his availability for Saturday is in question.

The Longhorns recently released their two-deep depth chart in which Smith was listed as the starter in the slot. His backup Jordan Whittington, who has had his own injury woes, is listed as his primary backup. According to the report from 247Sports, Smith suffered the injury during one on one drills. It was speculated that it was his hamstring.

Given the importance of Smith to the offense, they will likely hold him out for precautionary reasons. The Longhorns are heavy favorites in the upcoming game according to BetMGM’s odds. Whittington missed all of last season with a sports hernia, is finally looking healthy again. DaJon Harrison was another receiver who could have seen playing time behind Whitt, but he opted out of the 2020 college football season.

The Longhorns and Miners will kickoff the game at 7 pm CST at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. You can watch the game on the Longhorns Network. This game should give fans an early look at the younger players by the time this game ends.

Contact/Follow us @LonghornsWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas news, notes and opinions.

We have a forum and message board now. Get in on the conversation about Texas Longhorns athletics by joining the Longhorns Wire Forum.

Texas Football: Jordan Whittington looks healthy, ready to contribute

This particular clip of Texas wide receiver Jordan Whittington during fall camp appears to show that he’s healthy and poised for a big year.

Will Texas finally have wide receiver Jordan Whittington at their disposal this season? Continue reading “Texas Football: Jordan Whittington looks healthy, ready to contribute”

First glimpse of former Texas WR Devin Duvernay in Ravens uniform

Former Texas wide receiver Devin Duvernay showed off a picture of himself in the full Ravens uniform on Instagram.

The Baltimore Ravens made a tremendous decision when they chose to select former Texas wide receiver Devin Duvernay with the No. 92 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Continue reading “First glimpse of former Texas WR Devin Duvernay in Ravens uniform”