2022 NFL Draft Prospect Profile: WR John Metchie III, Alabama

John Metchie III has a very attractive skill set. If his medicals check out, he could be a major steal for a team on Day 2.

John Metchie III, WR

Height: 5’11
Weight: 187 lbs.
Class: Junior
School: Alabama
Arm length: 30 ⅝”
Hand size: 9 ¼”

A former four-star recruit who attended St. James School in Hagerstown, Maryland, before transferring to Peddie School in Hightstown, New Jersey, Metchie III was the 40th ranked WR and the sixth from New Jersey (overall) during the 2019 recruiting cycle. 

He was born in Taiwan and lived in Ghana and Canada before moving to the United States to attend high school. Metchie III tore his left ACL in Alabama’s 41-24 SEC Championship victory.

Notables

Gary Cosby Jr. / USA TODAY NETWORK

Metchie III was the third receiver behind Devonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle in the Crimson Tide’s 2020 National Championship run. He earned the Jon Cornish Trophy in 2020 - an honor bestowed annually to the Canadian student-athlete who has been the most outstanding player in NCAA football.

Metchie III was hurt just before the college football playoff; he caught 96 of his 128 targets for 1,142-yards and eight touchdowns before his left knee injury. In his Alabama career, he recorded 156 catches on 212 targets for 2,078-yards and 14 touchdowns. Metchie aligned in the slot 33.4% of the time in 2021.

 

Strengths

• Exceptional athlete with great explosiveness and body control
• Has deep speed
• A balanced player who runs solid overall routes at all three levels of the field
• Fluid in his lower half to sell double moves, release around press, and get his hips flipped back towards the quarterback
• Has a good amount of variety in his release package - not easy to press, will be deceptive
• Creates ample separation with nuance and speed
• Does a good job throttling his routes down at the top of breaks
• Explodes out of tight breaks and flashes hands quickly
• Despite drops, possesses great big-play ability
• Tracks the football well when ball is in the air
• Shows great body control when he leaves his feet to locate
• Creates YAC with athletic ability in space, not easy to track down
• A smart overall player while running routes and following blocks
• Very competitive blocker

Weaknesses/Can Improve

Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Sports

• ACL injury in December could hinder his ability to get on the football field in week one
• Doesn’t have a huge frame; is lean
• Catch radius is sub-31” doesn’t have a huge catching web
• Not the most commanding in contested catch situations
• Has frustrating drops throughout his film
• Dropped 15 balls in college; eight in 2021- his game against Arkansas was full of concentration drops
• More of a body catcher than a pure hands guy

Summary

Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Overall, John Metchie III has the potential to be a dynamic weapon in the NFL. The unfortunate injury may result in a slight slide for Metchie III; if that happens, a team is a value player who is explosive, varies his release package, has downfield separation ability, and is difficult to track down when he possesses the football. 

He had concentration drops in college, and he’s not the most physically imposing player, but he can be an impact player on Sundays who could possibly slide late into Day 2.

GRADE: 6.41 M

“M” is a medical designation. 

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