Ladd McConkey, WR, Georgia
Size:
Height: 6’0”
Weight: 186 pounds
Arm Length: 30 1/4"
Hand Size: 8 5/8"
Accomplishments:
Wuerffel Trophy Winner (2023) • Coaches' All-SEC Second Team (2022) • Coaches’ Freshman All-SEC Team (2021)
“Ladd McConkey blends speed, route running, and yards-after-catch ability to be a consistent threat in an NFL passing attack.”
Strengths:
Leverage winner
Manipulative route-runner
Run-after-catch threat
Punt return value
Alignment fluid
Concerns:
Defeating hard press coverage
Frame/build
Winning contested catches
Film Analysis:
Ladd McConkey is a quick, versatile wide receiver with good speed. He has a good short-area burst and quickness after the catch. He can pull away from defenders once the ball is in his possession. He has the long speed to stack DBs down the field.
McConkey shows a good understanding of coverages to locate vulnerable spaces within it. He uses this to win quickly as an underneath catch-and-run option for the quarterback. He thrives against spacing and zone coverages. His experience as a punt returner can be seen when he becomes a runner after the catch. McConkey will weave in and out of traffic to evade would-be tacklers.
McConkey is a talented route-runner and man coverage beater. He sells routes to generate natural separation as quickly as possible. He has good hips to sink and explode in/out of breaks. He sells double moves well with his strong stop/start ability.
His process versus soft/off-man coverage is great to watch. He uses varied tempos and releases to manipulate the DB. He identifies coverages quickly and attacks them well. I appreciate his release package at the line of scrimmage. McConkey uses quick jab steps to cross the DB’s face, foot fire, and speed releases to win the rep early. He uses all of this to win the leverage battle out DBs in compromising positions to stay in phase with him.
McConkey does not have the best or quickest first step at the line of scrimmage. He is not going to strike fear into athletic DBs in tight-man alignment. I would like to see improvement with his hand usage facing hard press and bump-run coverage. Handling hard/physical press in the NFL will take some adjusting for him. He does not have a big frame with a great wingspan to dominate at the catch point. Contested catches will be more difficult against NFL defensive backs. Despite his punt return experience, McConkey is not the elusive, put-a-defender-on-skates-in-space type of receiver.
McConkey projects as an outside, Z-receiver who should thrive as a run-after-catch threat. He can run multiple route concepts with a nice release package. He is a movement-style receiver with inside/outside versatility. He has a toughness that NFL coaches will love and appreciate. His run blocking is solid with good effort. He will add a winning mentality to a locker room.
Prospect Projection: Day 2 — Winning Starter
Written By: Damian Parson
Exposures: Florida (2023), Alabama (2023), Missouri (2023), Ole Miss (2023)