Draft Prospect Profile | WR Chase Claypool, Notre Dame

The Giants are almost certain to add some new faces to the bottom of their receiver depth. So let's take a look at why Notre Dame's Chase Claypool might be worth considering.

CHASE CLAYPOOL

Height: 6-foot 4
Weight: 229 pounds
Class Senior
School: Notre Dame

After trading away Odell Beckham Jr last March, the Giants tried a by-committee appraoch among their receivers corps.

The experiment had mixed results. Injuries and suspensions aside, which cost the group lost games, the Giants receiving group not only struggled to break tackles (no one receiver had more than seven avoided tackles, that being Sterling Shepard. Other than for Darius Slayton, the dynamic rookie "steal" of the fifth round, no one consistently separated down the field.  

If that's not enough to convince you the Giants need to add to this group, consider how much they've missed having a big, physical target in the passing game. Ther'es something to be said for having a big guy out there running routes and powering over smaller defensive backs and the Giants just haven't had that.

So that brings us to this historically deep receivers group, a class so deep that guys who might have ended up being drafted higher in other years could still find themselves waiting for their name to be called on Day 3. 

One potential prospect who could find himself in that boat is Chase Claypool out of Notre Dame, a big-bodied and physical receiver whom Pro Football Focus, in its draft guide, has compared to Devin Funchess.  

Claypool, a British Colombia (Canada) native, was a four-star recruit for the Irish. Claypool got better in each season. his career totals are 150 catches for 2,159 yards and 19 touchdowns, but 13 of his scores came in 2019, his senior season in which he not only led the Independent League in receiving touchdowns scored but in touchdowns scored in general.  

Speaking of his senior season, Claypool topped the 1,000-yard mark with a career-high 66 receptions. But he's not just a sure-handed receiver; Claypool seems to relish the downfield blocking aspect of the game, which is just as important when it comes to the game.

Claypool uses his size well to box out defenders, giving himself the best possible chance at coming down with the ball. He's a perfect threat in the red zone, where he can use his size and physicality to push smaller defenders around in a shorter space.  

If there is a drawback to Claypool's game, it's his knowledge of the entire route tree, which he didn't run at Notre Dame. Some scouting reports have also questioned whether he has enough quickness to separate at the next level, but there's too much to like about this big receiving target and what he can bring to a team. 

Why He's a Fit

Giants' head coach Joe Judge has spoken of his desire to build a physical team that hits opponents in the mouth for 60 minutes, and a player such as Claypool, with his size and strength, would appear to fit that description.

With the Giants likely to incorporate more vertical concepts into their passing game, they're going to need receivers who can win battles deep down the field. Claypool's tape suggests that he can offer that, and his catch radius 

While some believe Claypool will rise up the draft charts, questions about his ability to build up speed, and his struggles to stay clean against contact along his route will be issues teams will need to consider. 

Still, Claypool has a lot of upside for a team willing to work with him and help shape him into a viable receiver.