University of Georgia wide receiver Ladd McConkey is likely a projected first-round pick in this month’s NFL Draft. The Kansas City Chiefs are in need of an injection of talent at wide receiver, and with the tools possessed by McConkey, he could be an excellent fit for the team.
Intangibles
McConkey will never impress with his size and stature, but his speed and quickness are off the charts.
While only standing 5’11” and weighing 186 lbs, McConkey combines great straight-line speed with the ability to stop on a dime and make the quick cuts necessary to play in the NFL. Running a sub-4.40 time, combined with a 3.92 second shuttle time and a 6.27 three-cone drill, shows that his footwork and ability to reach top speed make him an NFL-caliber talent and a potential first-round draft pick.
When going to the film, it is easy to see where these athletic traits show up, especially in the route-running department.
Route running
At Georgia, McConkey perfectly utilized his ability to make quick cuts and smooth change of direction transitions with his route running.
One of the best pure route runners in the class, he feasted on both man and zone coverage, taking advantage of defenders’ techniques and the way that they are asked to play coverage.
Ladd McConkey’s ability to stop and start back up again is impressive. He does a good job of taking advantage of the CB’s technique and using it against him. A better ball would have resulted in a touchdown. pic.twitter.com/MiCpfLj0dd
— Caleb James (@CJScoobs) March 27, 2024
The cornerback over McConkey presnap is playing a “bail” technique, which means he will be facing the field with his back to the sideline. McConkey comes out of his stance at a moderate pace and quickly looks to plant like he is setting up for a dig or a curl route.
The corner reacts and turns to face McConkey, but he takes off upfield, showing the burst.
McConkey runs the stop-and-go, but the quarterback delivers the football short, forcing him to turn back and locate the ball. It is still a great play for McConkey, but it should have been a touchdown.
McConkey’s feet are as quick as they come, and he uses them to eat up defensive back leverage and find the creases in defenses.
UGA running the bootleg. The DB’s are expecting McConkey to clear out space, but he quickly shuts it down and breaks to the outside to make the catch. pic.twitter.com/5zAVObQn4s
— Caleb James (@CJScoobs) March 27, 2024
Georgia runs a simple play-action bootleg play, and McConkey takes the dig route to the sideline. The Alabama defensive backs are in a cover three look and giving plenty of cushion on McConkey, making sure he doesn’t go deep. Exploding out of his stance, McConkey heads straight upfield, but the second the defensive back turns to run, he plants his feet, turns back on a dig route, and catches the ball in plenty of space.
Being a quality NFL wide receiver is about more than just route running; it is about finishing plays and coming up with balls that are difficult to track.
Hands
McConkey doesn’t have the frame or vertical ability to ever be a great “jump ball” wide receiver, but that doesn’t mean he can’t make contested or hard to get to catches.
He thrives in going down low, scooping up hard-to-reach balls and making difficult catches in traffic.
I like McConkey’s ability to haul in passes in traffic. Good initial acceleration off the ball and he positions himself well between the corner and safety. Good job slowing down just a hair and hauling in the pass with the safety headed right at him. pic.twitter.com/94ZJuiGjps
— Caleb James (@CJScoobs) March 27, 2024
McConkey runs a vertical route up the seam off of a play-action look. The pass from the quarterback is slightly behind McConkey, but this is to prevent him from being hit hard over the middle by the safety.
As McConkey turns and slows down his route, the defensive backs start to close in, but he is able to crouch and come up with the pass for a touchdown.
The ability to go down low and scoop up passes is often overlooked, but McConkey is natural and uses elite concentration to pick balls that would otherwise be incomplete.
Pressure on the QB forces the throw to come out a little bit low. McConkey does a great job of turning back to scoop up the ball before it hits the ground. pic.twitter.com/Fd2mGaEf9P
— Caleb James (@CJScoobs) March 27, 2024
With pressure in the pocket, the quarterback has no choice but to get rid of the football quickly. Georgia is running a modified flood look, with the motion player on a vertical route, McConkey on an out route, and the running back hitting the flat.
This play is designed to attack South Carolina’s zone coverage. By the play’s design, McConkey ends up wide open, but this will not be a routine play.
On the run, the quarterback delivers the pass, but it is offline, and McConkey has to slow up to locate where it will be.
Reaching back behind him, McConkey is able to drop down and make the catch before it hits the turf.
Being able to snag passes that will land below the waist or being able to concentrate on passes in traffic can be overlooked in an era with towering jump ball wideouts, but this is what could make McConkey a good fit with the Chiefs.
Fit with Kansas City
The Chiefs have been searching for a receiver who can play the slot for a few years but have not had much luck finding a consistent option.
The team has rotated through Skyy Moore, Kadarius Toney, Richie James and Mecole Hardman but has not had much luck in finding anyone who sticks.
Patrick Mahomes thrives off of being able to scramble and deliver passes where only his guys can catch them, and this is where McConkey thrives.
It would also help the Chiefs to have a solid slot option to partner up with Travie Kelce and Rashee Rice. With the attention that Kelce draws on a play-to-play basis, and with Rice starting to bud into an “X” receiver, McConkey would have plenty of options to run routes where he is not the main focal point of the defense and will have a chance to make plays because of the creativity of Mahomes.
The Chiefs do have Marquis “Hollywood” Brown on a one-year deal, but it is likely he will be more of a deep ball threat.
McConkey may never be a star in the NFL, but his hands and route running will make him a solid contributor for a long time.