Next Gen Stats “Can’t Miss Prospects”

[*ochocincos*]

(04-19-2021, 11:53 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: Chase and Pitts both making the list (in fact they’re tied for 1st).

T-1
Ja'Marr Chase
Ja'Marr Chase
LSU · WR · 21 years old
Production Score: 89
Athleticism Score: 99
OVERALL DRAFT SCORE: 99
PRO BOWL PROBABILITY: 24%

Who will be the first non-quarterback selected in the 2021 NFL Draft? It very well might come down to Kyle Pitts vs. Ja'Marr Chase -- and the numbers support the hype. Driven by elite athleticism and record-breaking statistics, Chase enters the draft with the highest probability of making a Pro Bowl within his first three seasons (24%) of any wide receiver over the last four draft classes. Among 52 wide receivers invited to this year's combine, Chase posted top-three numbers at LSU's pro day in the 40-yard dash (4.34), broad jump (11 feet even), vertical jump (41 inches) and short shuttle (3.99), making him the first wide receiver (invited to the combine) to break four seconds in the short shuttle since Amari Cooper did it in 2015 (3.98 seconds). The 2019 Biletnikoff Award winner -- the award is given to the nation's top wide receiver -- led the FBS in receiving yards (1,780) and receiving touchdowns (20) as a true sophomore in a receiving corps that also featured eventual first-round pick and rookie Pro Bowler Justin Jefferson. Despite opting out of the 2020 season to prepare for the draft -- which did affect his production score -- Chase grades out as one of the most complete wide receivers to enter the NFL in some time.


Rank
T-1
Kyle Pitts
Kyle Pitts
Florida · TE · 20 years old
Production Score: 99
Athleticism Score: 98
OVERALL DRAFT SCORE: 99
PRO BOWL PROBABILITY: 19%

When it comes to the quantifiable, Pitts has one of the cleanest analytical profiles in recent memory. Measuring in at 6-foot-5 5/8 and 245 pounds, with a wingspan of 83 3/8 inches, Pitts ran a 4.40 40-yard dash at Florida's pro day and posted a 10-foot-9 broad jump -- all numbers that would have ranked in the top 10 among 52 wide receivers invited to this year's abbreviated NFL Scouting Combine. With elite athletic traits and a history of big plays in the air game (770 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns in just eight games last season), Pitts offers everything you want in an impact pass catcher. Expect the Florida prospect to play a role similar to that of Travis Kelce, who lined up detached on 62 percent of his offensive plays in 2020. Pitts is only the 12th prospect in our data set (2003-2021) to enter the draft with a production, athleticism and overall draft score of 98 or higher. Ten of the previous 11 have made the Pro Bowl: Mario Williams, Eric Berry, Ndamukong Suh, Dont'a Hightower, Luke Kuechly, Aaron Donald, Derwin James, Denzel Ward, Saquon Barkley and Kyler Murray. The only omission from the list? Super Bowl LV champion Devin White.


https://www.nfl.com/news/2021-nfl-draft-kyle-pitts-ja-marr-chase-headline-next-gen-stats-can-t-miss-prosp

I have viewed both Pitts and Chase as can't-miss, but here are some reasons to consider Pitts over Chase.
1) Game changing WRs seem to come along more often than game-changing TEs.
2) If Pitts plays a majority of his snaps at TE, the TE franchise tag is cheaper than the WR tag ($9.6 mill TE vs $16 mill WR this year).
3) The Bengals have better talent at WR than at TE right now.

If the Bengals have the vision of keeping a guy longer, always nice to have a cheaper tag.

But as psych said, we'd have to trust Taylor would know how to utilize Pitts properly, which I don't know if I do.
Pitts is the perfect weapon to use as both a WR and TE, as he can be the third WR in 3-WR sets, but also can be very useful in 2-TE sets as the 2nd TE. Heck, you could go crazy and put him, Uzomah, and Sample out there, with Pitts outside opposite of Higgins and then Uzomah and Sample inline.