VIDEO: Chase Claypool Talks Future NFL Position
Former Notre Dame wide receiver Chase Claypool weighed 238 pounds when he checked in to the NFL Scouting Combine.
That weight sparked a good deal of speculation about his future position in the NFL. Claypool has already been mentioned by some as a possible tight end down the road, and that speculation was only fueled on day one of the combine when he weighed in.
Jim Nagy, the executive director of the Reese's Senior Bowl, said he spoke with scouts who mentioned Claypool was open to the idea of moving positions.
During the first day of interviews at the combine, Claypool spoke with the media about a number of topics, including his future position and how he views his future in the NFL.
To begin, here is Claypool addressing why his weight was so high:
Claypool talks about the response to his weigh in numbers:
Claypool discussed whether or not teams have actually talked to him about playing tight end:
Although it has yet to be brought up, Claypool was adamant that being big doesn't mean he can't play wide receiver:
Claypool is focused on wide receiver, but he also embraced the versatility he has, including playing tight end. He also mentions in this clip his goal for his 40-yard dash time.
Here's more on Claypool embracing the notion of being used many ways:
REACTION: I felt Claypool handled this discussion perfectly. He was adamant about being good enough to play wide receiver, and both he and Cole Kmet made comments that made it seem that some of the tight end discussion will be silenced once he runs the 40-yard dash time at the Combine.
By embracing the possibility of being moved around, and by focusing on his versatility, he also showed himself to be a guy willing to do whatever it takes to be successful.
This type of attitude only opens up new doors for Claypool. A team that might not view him as their kind of wide receiver might be more prone to look at him now. A team that wants a big receiver also doesn't need to scratch him off the board by thinking he's going to keep putting on weight as he transitions to tight end.
This was a savvy move by Claypool. At the end of the day, how he tests on Thursday with the 40-yard dash and other agility drills will determine if he can stay on the wide receiver board for teams. If he does in fact run in the 4.4s it will make for a great week for Claypool on and off the field.
