Russell Wilson: Seahawks WR DK Metcalf 'Best in the World at What He Does'
Coming off a spectacular rookie season in which he ranked in the top three among first-year players in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns, DK Metcalf entered his second NFL season with enormous expectations.
As one of the primary catalysts behind the Seahawks second 4-0 start in franchise history, with the exception of drop issues and an inexcusable fumble at the goal line two weeks ago, it's safe to say he's blown those expectations out of the water.
Entering Week 5 tied for the most receiving yards in the NFL (403) and averaging a preposterous 25.2 yards per reception, Metcalf has racked up at least 92 receiving yards in each of Seattle's first four games. All three of his touchdown receptions have gone for at least 29 yards, including a game-winning score against Dallas in Week 3.
It hasn't mattered who has tried to cover the 6-foot-4, 228-pound Metcalf, either. He's truly a unicorn with a rare combination of size, speed, and ball skills that creates an impossible one-on-one matchup for whoever defends him.
According to Pro Football Focus, the 22-year old Metcalf leads the NFL with 336 receiving yards against single coverage, nearly 100 yards more than Cowboys receiver Michael Gallup, who ranks a distant second on the list. A large chunk of those yards came on a 54-yard touchdown in Week 2 against Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore, the defending NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
Already nearly halfway to his yardage total from last season, Metcalf is on pace to record over 1,600 receiving yards on just 64 receptions, emerging as the NFL's most dangerous big play weapon. The man throwing him those passes, MVP front-runner Russell Wilson, gave his young receiver the highest of praise on Thursday.
“He’s the best in the world at what he does,” Wilson told reporters. “He’s continued to evolve into one of the best receivers in the game. Not to be shy about it, I think he is one of the top receivers in the game. He can do it all — he can run by you, he can jump over you, he can get physical with you... He just approaches the game the right way.”
Calling Metcalf one of his closest friends on the team, a tight bond between Wilson and the rising young phenom only grew stronger this spring. Even though the COVID-19 pandemic eliminated OTAs and minicamps, the tandem found a way to work out and train together in Mexico.
It's safe to say those additional reps, along with hours upon hours watching film and getting to know each other better on a personal level, have paid dividends early in the season as the duo has torched opposing secondaries each week.
"He just approaches the game the right way. He's a professional, he takes care of his body, he trains constantly," Wilson smiled. "If you guys could just see the amount of work that we were able to put in in Mexico when it's 102 degrees outside and its hot and how many reps we ran and how many times we just kept making sure that was just perfect."
It's still early in the season and Metcalf still has much room for improvement. Through four games, he's already dropped three passes and currently has a catch rate south of 60 percent. Add in his costly fumble two weeks ago and his numbers could be even better at this stage of the season.
But as Metcalf continues to prove his critics wrong week in and week out for the Seahawks, Wilson certainly believes he belongs in the upper echelon of NFL receivers. As long as the two keep performing as they have during the first month of the season, Metcalf will bolster Wilson's chances of winning his first MVP award while further solidifying his standing among the best wideouts in the game.
