What the Broncos need to look for when evaluating pass catchers

We are in my favorite part of the year; draft season! This is the time of year that I travel around the country to see some of the best talent coming into the NFL at all-star games and pro days. It’s also at this time when I get to reach out to my contacts in the scouting community directly. Texting or phone calls during the year are fine, but meeting in person and chopping it up over dinner and drinks is much, much better.

I am also in the film room. This year, I’m going to take you inside my process here on Denver Sports. I will be fully prepared for the NFL Draft once again, and I promise to give you the most insight into the draft of anyone in the Denver media. I’m not going to hit on every player, and I learn more from my misses than my hits, but I promise that nobody is going to work harder to find out as much as possible about this draft class.

Before we get to the individual player reports, I am first going to go over some of the most important skills I’m looking for at each position. This comes from studying this game professionally for nearly 20 years, film breakdown, and talking with scouts and GMs around the league.

So, what am I looking for when watching wide receivers and tight ends? Here are my top three attributes for the position.

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“My Ball” Mentality

The main thing I look for when scouting wide receivers and tight ends is one of my favorite scouting terms; “my ball” mentality. Simply put, when the ball is in the air – they own it. They’ll go and grab it out of the air, snatching it violently in a strong grip. Any defender who gets his hand on the ball is not going to take it away from them. When the pass is thrown, the receiver thinks “my ball!”

It comes down to desire and strength. You don’t have to be a big receiver to have “my ball” mentality, but it certainly helps. What’s most important is that you believe every pass that is thrown your way belongs to you. Mechanically, a receiver needs to be in proper position in order to get the ball. Having “my ball” mentality means a player knows how to pluck a pass out of the air at the highest point. It also means a receiver naturally catches the ball with his arms away from his body.

Mechanics need to be strong in order to maximize “my ball” mentality, but sometimes it merely comes down to outmuscling your opponent. You can use your body to knock a defender out of the way, or you can just go rip a pass out of the air. Former Panthers WR Steve Smith was not a big guy, but he might have had the best “my ball” mentality in NFL history. Colts WR Michael Pittman, highlighted below, has size, strength, length, and he plays with great “my ball” mentality.

MICHAEL PITTMAN JR. MOSSED HIM
pic.twitter.com/qpVfNEG21L

— PFF (@PFF) October 12, 2021

I like guys who own the ball when it’s in the air. It helps a quarterback to know that when he’s under duress or the team is in crunch time and needs to make a play, a receiver with “my ball” mentality should be a favorite one to target.

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Nice RAC

It’s not just catching the ball, but it’s what you do with the rock after you secure the pass. That’s why I’m always looking for nice run-after-the-catch ability. Wide receivers who essentially turn into running backs after the catch are the best ones to find. Getting open is great, but creating space is something you should do at the pro level with nuance (more on that in a bit). Those receivers who can threaten a defense after the catch – along with getting open – are the best (see Jerry Rice).

It’s not just strength or speed after the catch, a receiver needs to anticipate where a defender is going to be to have the best RAC. He needs to adjust the speed of his route to hit the hole in the defense at the right time before the catch. Then after the catch, he needs to be able to see the field and set up tacklers who are incoming with bad intentions.

Speed makes for great RAC, but patience might be the most important key to this part of the game. A receiver who outruns his blockers doesn’t make the most of a play. A receiver that lets his blockers build up in front of him has the best chance of making a big play. Add in great cutback vision, and you can have a dangerous receiving weapon at wide receiver or tight end.

I absolutely love seeing 49ers Christian McCaffrey selling out to be the lead blocker for Deebo Samuel pic.twitter.com/4R4znOXNNl

— Brad (@Graham_SFN) January 16, 2023

Tight ends are weapons in today’s game. The best tight ends are those with great RAC because they usually have lesser athletes covering them. Wide receivers go up against cornerbacks, who are some of the most athletic players on the field. Tight ends get to take advantage of linebackers who might be big and/or lumbering, or safeties who may be fast but lack the size to match up with a bigger bodied tight end. No matter if you’re a receiver or a tight end, having nice RAC makes you a more dangerous player.

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Little Things Mean A Lot

There are small nuances to the game that many overlook. These nuances are evident to the trained eye, but many just watching a receiver or tight end may miss them. Let’s first highlight coming back to the ball. Running a route doesn’t mean going to a spot necessarily. It means maintaining proper timing through the play, but if your quarterback is in trouble you need to come back to the ball. Even if your quarterback is not in trouble, but you’re running a hook/comeback route – then come back to the ball! This helps create more separation between you and the defender, and the pass gets to you just a bit quicker.

One of my favorite nuances to look for is late hands. Plenty of receivers run down the field and try to haul in deep passes. Many would say ball-tracking ability is most important – and that’s not untrue – but on those deep shots I want to see late hands on my receiver. Late hands means that as you’re watching the pass come in (when the defender has his back to you), you don’t tip off that the pass is coming your way by putting your hands up too early. If you do that, a defender will be keyed into the incoming target. Late hands make you dangerous because you’re just running and looking for the ball in the air when suddenly, your hands dart out for the catch.

The best receivers understand leverage. You can tell by the way a defender is lining up with his feet whether it’s inside coverage or outside coverage. A great receiver will then know how to mix that defender’s feet up and create space with savvy. It’s a more technical skill, but there are times receivers come out of college with that ability. It’s certainly something that is taught – but not always learned – once you get to the NFL.

Had a lot of fun with this — chatted with Justin Jefferson, CeeDee Lamb, Tyreek Hill, Adam Thielen and DeVonta Smith about how they run their routes, and they gave very detailed, step-by-step answers on how they try to create space: https://t.co/mu3LRMefsX<;/a> pic.twitter.com/WctH0OXSN3

— Emmanuel Morgan (@_EmmanuelMorgan) January 15, 2023

I always get excited when I see a college player who already does all the little things correctly. It’s a rare skill because college receivers can usually just “out athlete” the opponent trying to cover them. Find me a player who understands the nuance required as a pass-catcher in the NFL, and that’s a player who can contribute right away.

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Summary

Wide receivers are making a quicker impact in the NFL than they used to. In years past – and with some of the greatest in the league – it would take a receiver or tight end three years to make a full impact. With more emphasis on the passing game in college, receivers are coming to the league more ready than ever.
Running routes, having strong hands and concentration, and having speed are all important assets…but remember, physical skills are easy to see. Watch for “my ball” mentality, run-after-the-catch vision, and nuance to find the best receivers and tight ends coming to the NFL.

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