NFL Draft Profile: Wide Receiver Phillip Dorsett
By Keith Myers
ESPN Draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. turned some heads last week when he mocked Miami wide receiver Phillip Dorsett to the Seattle Seahawks. At 5’10” and 183 pounds, Dorsett hardly looks like the part of a first-round receiver. He also isn’t the big receiver that the Seahawks need.
Still, Kiper is fairly plugged in to front office types around the league, so if he’s projecting Dorsett in the first round it is because he’s being told that teams think Dorsett is a potential top player.
Unfortunately, the tape doesn’t completely agree. There is a lot to like when watching Dorsett’s tape, but he’s too similar to Tavon Austin. Austin has been a complete dud in St. Louis because his considerable talents can’t overshadow his deficiencies.
Dorsett is slightly taller and stronger than Austin, so it is more likely that Dorsett can break through and be productive in the NFL. He’s similar to Santana Moss, who has been great at times, but also hasn’t been able to stay healthy in part because of his small size.
Where he wins
Dorsett is great once the ball is in his hands. His ability to make people miss and then run away from defenders is uncanny. He can take a five-yard slant, make two people miss, and then outrun everyone to the end zone.
Dorsett’s combination of long speed and elite lateral agility will make him very difficult to cover at the next level. This will be especially true as he learns to set up defenders better before his breaks.
He also has great hands, and shows a tremendous catch radius for someone who lacks ideal size. Dorsett is great at catching balls that are thrown low or slightly behind him, allowing him to clean up small accuracy mistakes by his quarterback.
Where he fits
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Dorsett is a difficult guy to place. He has the speed to do well on the outside, but doesn’t have the strength to beat press coverage with regularity. Moving him to the slot and asking him to play in a confined space doesn’t take full advantage of his explosive lateral agility.
His NFL team will have to be creative to help him get off the line, taking advantage of motion, stacked set and bunch formations. If they do that though, then Dorsett can be a definite playmaker in the NFL.
While Dorsett has the speed to be a legit deep threat, he lacks ideal size for that role. Instead, his speed and elusiveness project more for yards after catch than true deep passing.
Dorsett’s skills make him a natural punt and kick returner. He has the agility to make people miss, and the speed to turn a small opening into a huge gain.
NFL Comparison: Santana Moss
Overall Grade: Early Round 3
Actual game film (not highlights)
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