2020 NFL Draft: Why CeeDee Lamb Is a Logical Fit for the Jaguars in April

As the 2020 offseason progresses, JaguarReport is going to be taking extended looks of some NFL draft prospects who could theoretically make sense for the Jacksonville Jaguars at some point in April.

In this version, we examine Oklahoma wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, who is widely considered to be one of the top offensive players in the entire 2020 draft class. With the Jaguars needing to surround Gardner Minshew II with as many weapons as possible, is Lamb a logical pick for the team at No. 9 overall?

Overview

Whether the signal-caller was Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, or Jalen Hurts, Lamb was a top producer for any quarterback the Sooners and head coach Lincoln Reily deployed. As a true freshman in 2017, Lamb started 13 games and recorded 46 receptions for 807 yards and seven touchdowns, breaking the school's freshman record for receiving yards.

In 2018, Lamb furthered his ascension to the top of the college football world. As a sophomore, the versatile wide receiver caught 65 passes for 1,158 yards and 11 touchdowns, helping lead Oklahoma to a College Football Playoff appearance and a second-team All-Big 12 honor.

As a junior in 2019, Lamb finished his collegiate career with yet another elite season of production, catching 62 passes for 1,327 yards and 14 touchdowns. Lamb was a consensus All-American and first-team All-Big 12 player, while also being a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award, given each year to the best college football receiver.

What CeeDee Lamb does well

Realistically, there is not much that Lamb can't do on the football field. He performed in a myriad of roles for the Sooners' offense, playing each wide receiver spot and becoming a focal point in the team's run-pass option offense.

Lamb (6-foot-2, 198-pounds) is at his best in space. Whether it was Riley scheming Lamb into space with motions or Lamb finding soft zones in poor Big 12 defenses, Lamb frequently found himself open before the catch. His releases off of the line were often unchallenged, but they were as smooth and fluid as one could imagine. He often wins on the first step, putting defensive backs on their heels and in react mode right off of the snap.

As a route runner, Lamb has the agility, change of direction skills, and ability to sink his hips and explode in and out of his breaks to wreak havoc at each level of the field. He wins by gaining the upper hand in terms of leverage early in the route, and then used a variety of head fakes, cuts, and double moves to continue to force cornerbacks to play him tentatively.

Where Lamb shines the most, however, is when he has the ball in his hand. As impressive as he is without the ball thanks to his quickness and his fluid movements, he is even more impressive when he catches the pass and can attack defenders' tackling angles.

Lamb's instincts, vision, and surprising strength as a ball-carrier all make him a lethal yards after the catch threat. Smoothly transitioning from receiver to ball-carrier, Lamb uses his quickness and feel for space to eat up yards with ease and forced missed tackles over and over. Whether it is following a crossing route over the middle of the field or a deep post down the field, Lamb is able to convert to a ball-carrier instantly and pick up extra yards.

As for Lamb's ability as a hands-catcher, there is little doubt that Lamb can be a security blanket at the next level. He attacks the ball in the air with ferocity, timing his jumps well and displaying body control that is often unmatched. While he doesn't have elite size or a frame to post up cornerbacks consistently in the red-zone, his quarterback will feel more than comfortable enough targetting him in contested situations.

What CeeDee Lamb needs to improve at

With Lamb's list of strengths running long, his list of weaknesses isn't nearly as large. This isn't surprising due to his dominance at the college level, though it should be noted that Lamb will still have to make adjustments at the next level.

Big 12 secondaries are notorious for playing soft coverage, so Lamb will have to adjust his plan of attack at the next level. More often than not, college cornerbacks would give Lamb a cushion that would prove to be their downfall, as his quickness off the line forced them off balance and into lose-lose situations. This won't happen at the next level, and Lamb will be given significantly fewer free releases.

Because of this, Lamb will have to adjust to how defenses play him at the next level. He has the tools to play any wide receiver spot, but when lined up on the line he will have to prove he can beat press coverage at the next level. Similarly, Lamb will be tasked with working in more contested situations due to the restricted space at the NFL-level compared to college.

Lamb's long speed also isn't anything to fawn over. He ran a 4.5 40-yard dash at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine and his lack of elite speed will show up on the field. Despite this, he does have more than enough athleticism to beat defenders at the next level regardless of the coverage, but he won't be a pure deep threat like other highly-coveted wide receivers.

Overall

Lamb is a safe, high-ceiling prospect who can excel in a variety of roles regardless of the offense he is. Due to his inside/out versatility, ability as a runner after the catch, and strong catching ability, it makes sense why so many consider Lamb to be the top wide receiver prospect in this year's class.

For the Jaguars specifically, Lamb is a perfect fit. With DJ Chark, Dede Westbrook, Keelan Cole, and Chris Conley all in the picture already, the Jaguars have a versatile wide receiver room. Because of this, the Jaguars could realistically use Lamb in a variety of roles in the offense, moving him around the scheme to create mismatches at each level of the field.

Need Chark at the X but Lamb in the slot? It would work. Chark in the slot and Lamb and Conley on the outside? That trio would fit. Lamb and Chark on the outside and Westbrook in the slot? This is another scenario that would work. With Lamb in the fold, the possibilities would be endless.

For a Jaguars team that needs an immediate impact out of their first pick, they would be hard-pressed to find a player who would be more equipped to come in and make plays from day one. Lamb would give Minshew a reliable target underneath, in the middle of the field, and vertically, while also giving him a solid target in the red-zone who can find zones with ease.

The question of the value of a wide receiver at No. 9 overall is certainly up in the air, but the talent of Lamb is far from one. He would make the Jaguars' offense more dangerous from the second he steps on the field, something that may be hard for the Jaguars to pass up.

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