When you glance at Georgia Wide Receiver Ladd McConkey, your initial thought isn’t “top 40 pick.”  However, when you dive into the tape, that thought changes quickly.  A 5’11 185 lb. underrecruited redshirt junior, McConkey may not wow you with the measurables, but the pure skill he possesses at his position is extremely impressive.  Let’s dive into what makes Ladd McConkey such an intriguing prospect.

Strengths:

McConkey’s route running jumps off the screen, he’s the best route runner in the class outside of Marvin Harrison and I’d venture to say the gap between Ladd and the Biletnikoff-winning, consensus top 5 pick Marvin Harrison Jr.’s route running is pretty narrow. McConkey uses his route-running prowess to separate in the short, intermediate, and deep passing game. Adding onto that, the Bulldogs used McConkey in every position and spot you can use an offensive player, he was used inside, outside, and was given jet sweeps and free-release motion screens.

I view McConkey as a guy who can come in and play multiple roles as an NFL receiver.  McConkey has great initial foot speed which allows him to have an exceptionally quick release package, this ability allows him to win quickly on short routes and move the chains. On that note, the awareness McConkey has of where his defender is and where the chains are, will allow a QB to instantly trust him, especially on third downs. McConkey doesn’t drop the football compiling just 2 drops this season.

The most impressive trait McConkey possesses in my view is his ability to go and win. In a high-leverage situation, this guy is going to find a way to get open. McConkey has an innate ability to get open, that’s what makes this prospect special.

Weaknesses:

I don’t view McConkey as an overly flawed prospect. There are only a few concerns I have with this specific player. The frame is a bit of a concern, McConkey weighed in at 184 at the senior bowl and as a 4-year prospect at a top-notch strength and conditioning program like Georgia, you can’t help but wonder how much more functional weight McConkey can put on. McConkey missed 5 games this past season. I don’t think injuries will be an ongoing issue with McConkey, as he played all in 15 games in both seasons before this one.

My final concerns with McConkey are his play strength and contested catch reps. There were times that McConkey had trouble getting off a bigger more physical corner. However, with McConkey projected to be a primary slot player at the next level I don’t believe the play strength to be some major red flag. McConkey showed the ability to make contested catches with the Bulldogs, I don’t know how you grade that trait based on the film as the number of contested catch opportunities was limited for McConkey. I don’t view it as a dealbreaker, but I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s an area McConkey struggles with early on as a rookie.

Projection:

I view McConkey as a top-of-the-second-round player. I love his fit with the Carolina Panthers, as Bryce Young needs as much help as he can get. However, I like McConkey’s fit with all the teams picking in the 30’s. McConkey will end up being in the low 30’s on my big board and currently sits as my WR5 pre-combine.