Brandon LaFell: NFL Draft Profile
Posted on 17. Apr, 2010 by Brandon LaClair in NFL Draft Player Profiles, Wide Receiver
We will take a look at LSU wide receiver Brandon LaFell as he enters the 2010 NFL Draft. We’ll examine his strengths/weaknesses, college career and our expectations for an upcoming NFL career.
Strengths
• Hands: His great leaping ability allows him to go up and pluck the ball out of the air at its peak, catch the ball fluently in traffic as well as go over the middle to make the reception while absorbing the hard hits
• Blocking: LaFell is 6’3, 210 lbs; he has the size and the willingness to be a physical blocker, which effectively makes him a running back’s best friend
• Route Running: Normally, large receivers such as LaFell have a difficult time running precise routes, but he has managed to defy the odds in his career at LSU. While he tends to round off his routes, the normalcy he has been able to display in this area of his game will make him a welcomed addition to any franchise in the league
Weaknesses
• Work Ethic: Throughout his college career at LSU, he had the reputation of a gifted athlete who never fulfilled his potential based on a lack of work ethic, particularly staying in shape in the off-season.
• Speed: Possesses pedestrian speed in the 40-yard dash at 4.58 seconds. Lafell will surely be a great possession receiver in the league, but the likelihood of him developing a vertical attacking style against an NFL secondary is highly improbable
(All statistical information obtained from ESPN.com & Draftcountdown.com)
After deciding to forgo the 2009 NFL Draft, Brandon LaFell returned to LSU for his senior season and caught 57 balls for 792 yards and 11 touchdowns. For his career, he caught 175 balls for 2,517 yards and 25 touchdowns.
LaFell has the proper skill-set to be a quality possession receiver in the league. His physical style along with the ability to corral the ball in traffic will make him an attractive option for most teams. It is unlikely that Lafell will be on the board past the first 40 selections in this draft.
LaFell will be a great target in the red zone because of his size. Despite poor quarterback play at LSU; LaFell scored six red zone touchdowns in 2009.
While LaFell did not put together the senior campaign that he had hoped for after forgoing the NFL draft in 2009, he has shown continuous improvement in many facets of his game which officially makes him an NFL ready prospect entering this year’s draft.
LaFell’s game mirrors that of former LSU star Dwayne Bowe of Kansas City. Bowe came out of school with questions regarding his speed and playmaking ability. The same questions surround LaFell, but like Bowe, will become a quality receiver in the league
Lafell does not possess the ability to become a #1 option in the pro game. If he is used in the right scheme, he will be a lock for 50-60 catches per year and worthy of a second round selection.
Related posts:
Subscription Options:
Trackbacks/Pingbacks
[...] Brandon LaFell, WR – LSU [...]
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Bryan Fontaine, Bryan Fontaine. Bryan Fontaine said: New blog posting, Brandon LaFell: NFL Draft Profile – http://tinyurl.com/y65v4lr [...]
[...] Brandon LaFell is now a member of the Carolina Panthers after being selected 78th overall (3rd Round) in the 2010 NFL Draft. [...]