Nathan Leacock's Downfield Skills Make Him a QB's Best Friend

The wide receiver room in head coach Josh Heupel's offense must be different to get the desired outcome. Each type of player brings something different, but they all have jobs.

Wide receiver Nathan Leacock brings the downfield element to the offense. Leacock should make the Tennessee quarterbacks very happy with his ability to win one-on-one and generate explosive plays.

The North Carolina native was one of the top wideouts in high school, amassing nearly 2,000 all-purpose yards in his senior year. The Volunteers need him to make an impact early, as he could provide the downfield presence they need.

Long Frame

Leacock is the biggest wide receiver signee that Tennessee took in the 2023 class. He stands 6-3 and 200 lbs. with long arms, enough to compensate when he can't generate separation.

While his length can sometimes allow defensive backs to catch on and close space, his arms and height can counteract that. Leacock routinely wins tight window battles downfield over corners with his size.

If he can add weight in college, he should be able to become an elite blocker on the outside. Leacock is willing to engage with corners, but the dominant strength would give him a massive advantage.

Big Catch Radius

While the size and length assist in a good catch radius, how you catch the ball goes a long way. Leacock has an advanced skillset at the catch point, fully extending his arms before securing it.

His fingertip strength is impressive. Leacock doesn't need to get his palms on the football to secure the catch; he can grab it and bring it into his chest while keeping defenders an arm's length away.

Some may assume that every one his size has a good catch radius, but he has honed his abilities over the years.

Excellent Speed

Leacock may not have elite breakaway speed, but he runs a sub-4.4-second forty-yard dash. That is more than enough to create plays in space collegiately, especially with his size after the catch.

Defensive backs are often caught off guard by how well Leacock can win off the ball. He immediately gets into a quick release and accelerates downfield. It isn't enough to dust defenders, but receivers rarely do after high school.

Creating one to two steps of separation is all you can ask for, and he consistently does that. Speed is just one tool in his arsenal, and he has a good amount of it.

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