Former Maryland wide receiver Jacob Copeland was one of the 14 undrafted free agents the Tennessee Titans signed following the 2023 NFL draft, and he made his debut this past weekend at the team’s rookie minicamp.
Assuming he can stick through OTAs and mandatory minicamp, Copeland will have a golden opportunity to crack the Titans’ roster in training camp thanks to wide receiver being the team’s biggest weakness.
So, what does the 5-foot-11, 201-pound wide receiver bring to the table?
Let’s try to get a better idea by taking a look at various scouting reports on Copeland from before the 2023 NFL draft.
Dane Brugler, The Athletic
STRENGTHS: Looks the part with his broad-shouldered, muscular frame … naturally explosive athlete … his tape shows the run-by speed to create vertical separation on his terms … more than a straight-line runner, and his routes show ease of movement … has strong hands and doesn’t fight the football short or deep … tracks well over his shoulder with natural hand-eye coordination to make late adjustments … open-field burst forces off-balanced tackle attempts … throws iron around in the weight room and loves to train … has the traits to be a productive gunner on punt coverage (see 2022 Penn State tape).
WEAKNESSES: Below-average career production and struggled to find a meaningful role at Maryland … needs to add branches to his route tree and sharpen the angles out of his breaks … occasionally slow to return his eyes to the line of scrimmage and forced to throttle down to find the football … can be caught in low gear by the net of physical press corners … needs to be a better hand fighter to free himself for targets … effort wavers from snap to snap and must adopt a more locked-in approach if he wants to eat at the NFL table … returned kicks as a senior, but it wasn’t a glowing part of his game.
SUMMARY: A part-time player at Maryland, Copeland was the backup X receiver in head coach Mike Locksley’s spread offense. A former top high school recruit, he showed steady improvements in his four seasons at Florida but found himself buried on the talented wide receiver depth chart in his one season with the Terps. Copeland moves with impressive muscle twitch and upfield athleticism that was represented in his testing numbers at the combine. He shows the ability to track the football but must become more quarterback-friendly and tighten up his routes to keep corners from getting the jump on him. Overall, Copeland is a physically impressive athlete who can beat man coverage with pure speed, but his undeveloped instincts and lack of attention to detail have kept him from becoming a complete pass catcher. An NFL team might have something if the coaching staff can get him to buy in and harness his explosive traits.
GRADE: 7th Round
Lance Zierlein, NFL.com
Overview
Explosive athlete with NFL size and traits but lacking an NFL skill set at the position. Copeland clearly has the athletic profile of an NFL wideout and that will make him worthy of attention. His production has been average, though, and his tape does not always inspire. Copeland is missing the instincts and route acumen to set up his breaks and elude coverage. The physical profile gives him a shot, but he will need to impress in camp to garner a roster opportunity.
Strengths
Expected to be an explosive tester.
Well-built with lower body like a running back.
Hip bend allows him to snap off intermediate routes.
Gives physical responses to physical coverage.
Runs with build-up speed to get deep.
Athletic in the air and has foot awareness near sideline.
Weaknesses
Instincts sorely lacking as a route runner.
Struggles to manipulate coverage with footwork.
Gets hung up on route traffic underneath.
Drifts into coverage on slants.
Doesn’t give it enough gas getting through routes.
Below average tracking and adjusting on deep throws.
The NFL Draft Bible, Sports Illustrated
Evaluation:
A brawny wideout really fills out his pads. Played as a boundary X and Flanker Z. Obvious utility in the screen game. Mainly due to his physical nature and yards-after-the-catch ability. Exciting lower body juice considering his size. Will fight through arm tackles and take ankles in the open field. Has the suddenness to snap into hinge and curl routes, creating separation out of his break. Can bully corners at the catch point, boxing them out on 50-50 balls. Physicality shows up in the run game. He won’t play favorites and makes sure to drive corners off the ball. Has returned punts and kicks. Not a nuanced route runner and tends to play into the DB’s hand in terms of leverage. Not a natural pass catcher. Has some concentration drops and losses in contested catch situations. Copeland is a big-bodied pass catcher with dynamic traits. His main issue is use and catching, two things he will need to sure up to ensure his draft positioning.
Grade:
5th Round
Cole Topham, Chargers Wire
Strengths: Thick, physical football player who isn’t afraid to use his big pads offensively. Experience at all three receiver spots. Dodges press contact with firm arm wipes and subtle dodges. Has demonstrated knowledge of the right releases to use when he predicts the cornerback’s strategy. Sells the vertical route well off the line. Straight-line speed can get behind the secondary quickly. Change of direction skills are impressive for his build. Showcases good positioning working back to the football. Quick transition from catch to ball carrier. Keeps feet moving when hit. Makes tackling a chore for single defenders, usually requiring an assist to bring him down.
Weaknesses: Lacks the countermeasures to ensnare himself from downfield contact. Difficult to get going in short spaces. YAC production is slim and one-dimensional. Would rather lower his head into contact than try to avoid it. Inconsistent attacking the ball on deep throws.
Final Word: A consistent starter at Florida who fought for targets in a stacked Maryland receiving corps, Jacob Copeland is an intriguing mixture of size and speed whose explosive plays suggest qualities of a dynamic flanker receiver. He already has the body of an NFL wideout, and there are raw traits that can be refined. Copeland is best when he can win the route at the line, but he has a ways to go in creating regular separation when he’s hip-to-hip.
Grade: 6-7th round
Ben Hall, Draft Kings
Copeland is a strong receiver who is not afraid of contact. He takes it on and looks to push through defenders. You won’t find many receivers like that nowadays. He is also great in press coverage as his strength takes him a long way. He is a good blocker as well which is something that scouts will praise him for and could get him drafted higher than other receivers who could be more skilled.
He’s not the fastest receiver but has some quickness. He doesn’t have a ton of yards after the catch as he isn’t a wide receiver who can outrun the defensive backs. His toughness will be challenged in the NFL as these defensive backs are stronger than at the college level and it won’t be as easy to break tackles. He’s a quiet receiver, so it’s hard to tell where he is at during times in terms of effort. He will also have to improve on his deep-ball playmaking.
Pre-draft scouting reports for other Titans rookies
