Davante Adams NFL Draft 2014: Scouting Report Breakdown for Green Bay Packers WR
May 5, 2014
Davante Adams, WR, Fresno State (HT: 6'0⅞", WT: 212 lbs.)
Second Round: 53rd Pick
Highlights
Overall Strengths
+ Shows strong concentration and makes some acrobatic catches.
+ Reliable hands.
+ Redshirt sophomore with plenty of room for development, making him a high-upside prospect.
Overall Weaknesses
- Limited route-running experience.
- Plays sloppily at times and is still refining the fundamentals of his game.
- Modest speed limits his effectiveness as a deep threat.
| Combine Weigh-In | |||
| Height | Weight | Arms | Hands |
| 6007 | 212 | 32 5/8" | 9" |
| NFL.com | |||
| Combine Workout | |||||
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yd Split | Vertical | Broad Jump | 3-Cone Drill | Shuttle |
| 4.56 | 1.53 | 39.5" | 10'3" | 6.82 | 4.30 |
| NFL.com | |||||
Experience
Adams is only a redshirt sophomore and has very little experience against elite competition. Additionally, he ran only a portion of the route tree at Fresno State, running a high percentage of go routes, comebacks and screens—routes which require relatively little timing and explosiveness.
Route Running
When Adams is asked to run more complex routes, he's often sloppy. He frequently rounds off his routes and doesn't consistently display the sharp cuts that can create separation.
The sloppiness of his play raises some concerns that he's willing to play down to the level of his competition, because on occasion he did show the necessary explosiveness to win against NFL-caliber defensive backs.
Hands
Adams consistently extends his arms to snatch the ball away from his body. He displays impressive concentration and was rarely the victim of drops due to a lack of focus.
He's also shown a knack for the acrobatic catch and has come down with multiple one-handed grabs during his college career.
Contested Catches
Adams has a fairly large frame and a wide catch radius, which makes him a dangerous weapon. However, he's inconsistent in his ability to adjust to the ball and position himself to box out the defensive back.
He's certainly not lacking in the ability to excel in this area, but he needs to do a better job locating the ball quickly and reacting to its position before the defensive back can adjust.
After the Catch
Adams has the speed to pick up chunks of yardage in the open field, but he lacks the agility to make guys miss. His start-and-stop ability is modest, and his acceleration from a dead stop is average at best.
Considering his size, Adams should also be more physical as a runner but rarely looks for contact and doesn't break many tackles. This is an area of his game that Adams could improve upon to help compensate for his lack of elite explosiveness.
