Written by Christian Lysek
When it comes to Oklahoma State wide receivers, James Washington is all people talk about, and his excellent play does deserve the buzz. However, the James Washington talk has overshadowed the fact that there is another potential star Cowboy receiver in the form of Marcell Ateman. Over the course of his college career, Ateman has shown the potential to be a premier possession receiver in the NFL. Here's why:
Measurables: 6’4-1/2’’,
216 lbs, 32-7/8’’ arms, 9’’ hands
Year (Age): Five
Year Senior (23)
Career stats by
year:
Receiving
|
Rushing
|
Scrimmage
|
|||||||||||||||
Year
|
School
|
Conf
|
Class
|
Pos
|
G
|
Rec
|
Yds
|
Avg
|
TD
|
Att
|
Yds
|
Avg
|
TD
|
Plays
|
Yds
|
Avg
|
TD
|
*2013
|
FR
|
WR
|
10
|
22
|
276
|
12.5
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
22
|
276
|
12.5
|
0
|
|||
*2014
|
SO
|
WR
|
8
|
20
|
268
|
13.4
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
20
|
268
|
13.4
|
0
|
|||
*2015
|
JR
|
WR
|
12
|
45
|
766
|
17.0
|
5
|
1
|
1
|
1.0
|
0
|
46
|
767
|
16.7
|
5
|
||
*2017
|
SR
|
WR
|
13
|
59
|
1156
|
19.6
|
8
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
59
|
1156
|
19.6
|
8
|
|||
Career
|
146
|
2466
|
16.9
|
13
|
1
|
1
|
1.0
|
0
|
147
|
2467
|
16.8
|
13
|
Drop Rate: 3.3%
Pro Day:
40-yard Dash: 4.62
seconds
Vertical Jump: 34
inches
Broad Jump: 121
inches
3-cone Drill: 7.07
seconds
20-yard Shuttle: 4.25
seconds
60-yard Shuttle: 11.94
seconds
Bench Press: 13
reps
Tape Evaluation:
Strengths: Marcell
Ateman has the build of a WR1. Standing at over 6’4’’and weighing 216 pounds,
Ateman has a big, strong frame built for winning contested catches. Ateman has
good hands and great concentration, as he almost never has drops where nobody
contacts him. His hands and athleticism shine when balls are poorly thrown, as
he can climb the ladder to grab high balls and get low to the ground to catch
ugly ducklings. Ateman is tough to bring down after the catch due to his strong
frame and good enough speed. Ateman is
also a very good blocker who gives effort and displays good technique.
Weaknesses: Ateman
is not fast enough to consistently get vertical separation. He can catch deep
passes, but only against bigger slow corners, because otherwise it is easy to
keep up with him. Because he lacks speed, Ateman has to rely on strength and
route running to get open. Unfortunately, Ateman isn’t a good route runner. He
isn’t deceptive at all in his intentions, he is slow in and out of his breaks,
and he rounds off routes all the time. Because of this, it is easy for quick
thinking defenders to jump routes and make plays on the ball. While Ateman does
have good hands, he does struggle when a defender throws his hands into the
mix. He often lacks the strength to hold onto the ball against the defenders.
Pro Comparison: Cameron Meredith
Cameron
Meredith broke out for the Chicago Bears in 2015 thanks to his good hands and
athleticism. He may not be all that fast on film, but his route running,
strength, and hands lead him to success. If Ateman improves his route running,
he will find himself enjoying a productive career like Meredith.
Teams that Fit: The Bills need lots of
help at the wide receiver position and having another big-bodied wide receiver
to develop alongside Kelvin Benjamin would be a wise move, especially with
Benjamin’s injury history. The Brandon Marshall signing was a major flop for
the Giants, so replacing him with a younger option like Ateman should be a
priority. With Allen Robinson leaving, the Jaguars lost their red-zone threat,
and a late round option like Ateman could fill the hole.
Where he should go: 4th Round
Where he (probably)
will go: 4th Round
Conclusion:
Marcell
Ateman has WR1 potential, but his lack of speed and poor route running is
holding him back. With a good wide receiver coach, Ateman could be a steal in
this draft.
If you enjoyed this article, be sure to follow me @4DownScouting on Twitter for more great content!
Combine Results courtesy of MockDraftable.com, Drop Percentage courtesy of Pro Football Focus, Career Statistics courtesy of sports-reference.com/cfb, Date of Birth courtesy of Scout Hub
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