College: South Carolina
Height: 5’9”
Weight: 197 pounds
Positives
Concentration/Awareness: Too often receiver prospects, and even established professionals, drop more passes than they should have simply because they refuse to see the ball in until it is fully in their possession. Ellington does not have this issue. Whether it be a quick slant or a deep fade, Ellington watches the ball come into his hands before focusing on yards after the catch. He makes sure to secure the given yardage as opposed to focusing on yards he may not be able to get. Similarly, on plays in which Ellington has to make some sort of adjustment to the ball, he does so fluidly. He finds the ball, contorts his body into a proper position, and proceeds to attack the ball. When forced to do so on the sideline, Ellington shows wonderful awareness of the boundary and often gets two feet down, just as he will have to do in the NFL.
Route Running: Considering his size, Ellington will likely play a majority of his NFL career in the slot, much like he did at South Carolina. Ellington already showed solid route running ability and fluidity in his breaks, but he still has room to grow, which is terrifying. He flashes stunning foot quickness and that alone allows for more work to be done. If Ellington improved at not tipping his routes and being more physical at route breaks, he may be able to propel himself into the upper echelon of route runners. As of now, Ellington will still be able to beat a fair amount of the league’s nickel cornerbacks.
Negatives
Size: Size, more specifically height, is not a definitive trait, but when one fails to compensate for it, then it becomes an issue. Defensive backs with length, such as Richard Sherman or Dwayne Gratz, will be able to have way their way with him if they come together at a contested catch point. Not being able to win high contested catch points limits what Ellington can do as a receiver. It restricts him from being able to work outside of the slot, especially against teams with those lengthy cornerbacks that will press him into the ground. That being said, Ellington can still function in the slot, but being such a limited player lowers his value.
NFL Comparison
Golden Tate, Seattle Seahawks
Athletically, the two are quite similar and both play with a scrappy, violent mentality. Both have the speed and quickness to separate and give the quarterback a comfortable window to throw into. Ellington should thrive in a similar role, especially with a quarterback that can throw accurately beyond 20 yards, much like Tate had with Russell Wilson.
Draft Outlook
There are a handful of players in this class with near identical skillsets to Ellington, so the order in which those players get drafted will be more preference based than one being much better than the others. That being said, Ellington fits within the late-second to late-third round range. It is likely that he will be expected to produce immediately and he certainly has the ability to do so. It is also likely that teams view him as a Reggie Bush/Darren Sproles type player that will add an extra dynamic to the offense. That factor may get him drafted over the others similar to him.
Best Fits
The New York Jets may be looking to add more receivers. Although he does not fit their need for a true No.1 receiver, but if they add one earlier in the draft, Ellington can be taken and be an immediate weapon for Geno Smith.
If the Houston Texans are intent on finding a slot receiver to compliment Andre Johnson and DeAndre Hopkins, Ellington could be their guy. He would add a unique dynamic to their offense that they are currently missing.