When it comes to wide receivers in the NFL draft and the Arizona Cardinals, the conversations have centered around five players — Drake London, Jameson Williams, Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave and Treylon Burks.
Perhaps a sixth player should be part of the conversation — Penn State’s Jahan Dotson.
London and Wilson are mostly overlooked because they are believed to be long gone by the time the Cardinals make their selection with the 23rd overall pick.
Williams is believed to be the best prospect of the group but his ACL tear in January perhaps make it possible for him to drop in the first round.
Olave and Burks both come up the most.
Olave isn’t expected to be available, while there is some debate as to whether Burks is a good fit because he almost never played on the perimeter, lining up in the slot the most and even getting work out of the backfield.
He has the size and playmaking skills, but is less athletic than the others.
Dotson has been overlooked until NFL Network’s Peter Schrager had him landing with the Cardinals with the 23rd pick.
Schrager is close with Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury, so when he brings up a name, you have to pay attention. It doesn’t mean Dotson is guaranteed to be the pick, but you have to go back and look at what there is to like.
Dotson played on the perimeter for the Nittany Lions and won consistently. Even with less than ideal quarterback play, he put up 91 receptions for 1,182 yards and 12 touchdowns.
He doesn’t have the ideal size to play outside, but at 5-11 and 178 lbs, he is not unlike Antonio Brown (5-10, 185 lbs), who has won a lot on the perimeter in his career.
He has great speed, having run the 40 at the combine in 4.43 seconds. He has a 36-inch vertical leap and will fight for the ball.
He was a leader in the Penn State locker room.
He can return punts.
He can win at every level of the field.
Since the Schrager mock draft, a few people have suggested that the Cardinals’ interest in him is real. Whether he earned a first-round grade from the Cardinals is uncertain right now.
But based on what we know, any conversation about receiver target for the Cardinals should probably include Dotson, too.
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