2022 NFL Draft Profile: WR Jahan Dotson

As we make our way through draft season, there are several notable players from Penn State that will be making the jump to the next level.

Many of the Nittany Lions prospects come on the defensive side. However, there is one player that has been one of the main talks of Penn State football over the course of the past two seasons. That is wide receiver Jahan Dotson.

Dotson has made one of the biggest leaps out of all of Penn State’s draft prospects. How will his game translate in the NFL? Let’s take a more in-depth look and break down his talent.

Strengths

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Dotson has one trait that separates him from perhaps almost every wide receiver prospect in this draft class, and that is his route running. Dotson has developed his route tree for the past two seasons. The 2020 season was when he made a massive leap after the departure of KJ Hamler to the 2020 draft.

Another trait that should also be notable to watch at the combine is Dotson’s speed. He has become a threat in the short routes by using his elite speed to extend plays down the field. Dotson can be a deep ball threat but teams will fall in love with his speed and yards after catch ability.

Dotson also has very impressive hands. At one point in the season, he was leading the nation with the least amount of dropped passes out of any receiver in college football. In 2021, he earned a PFF grade of 87.5 after just two dropped passes out of his 138 targets.

Weaknesses

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Now, let’s take a look at some weaknesses. Dotson doesn’t really have any major red flags, but there are some minor weaknesses that should be fairly coachable at the next level.

First, Dotson isn’t necessarily your big-bodied receiver. He stands 5-foot-11 and 184 pounds.

One might remember Alabama wide receiver and 2020 Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith, who has the height but weighs just 170 pounds. People knocked on him for his size, but after just one season, he has started to prove several doubters wrong. Smith finished the regular season with 916 receiving yards, the most by a rookie in franchise history.

It is only one season, but Smith accomplished quite a bit as the Eagles’ leading target. Size doesn’t always matter as an NFL receiver but it is certainly an advantage to say the least.

Dotson has become a more physical receiver this season, but there are times where he does rely too much on his speed. You don’t see much of the stiff arm or full physicality after every catch. This is coachable, but something Dotson will have keep developing at the next level.

Dotson has the talent to be a number one option. However, he will really flourish playing with a productive veteran like Devante Adams with the Green Bay Packers or Keenan Allen with the Los Angeles Chargers.

Draft Projection

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Dotson is projected to go anywhere from the late first round to the early second. After the season he just had, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him soar his way up into the first round.

Penn State has not had a wide receiver drafted in the first round of an NFL draft since 2003. Bryant Johnson was selected with the 17th overall pick by the Arizona Cardinals, the third of four Nittany Lions to go in the first round that year (Jimmy Kennedy went No. 12 to the Rams, Michael Haynes went No. 14 to the Bears, and Larry Johnson went No. 27 to the Chiefs).

Dotson would be just the second wide receiver to be drafted in the first round since Penn State joined the Big Ten in football in 1993 (O.J. McDuffie was selected in the first round of the 1993 NFL draft, just prior to Penn State’s first game as a Big Ten member later that year).

NFL Comparison

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When it comes to NFL comparison, there are a few that come to mind. In terms of size and skills, Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett comes to mind. Lockett is an underrated weapon for Russell Wilson and his talent sometimes goes unnoticed. They are similar in size and Lockett’s hands have become more impressive as his career continues.

There is another comparison that NFL analyst Dan Orlovsky mentioned that sparked the attention of fans across Twitter. Cincinnati Bengals receiver Tyler Boyd.

Boyd’s talent definitely goes unnoticed at times, especially with J’Marr Chase now there. Boyd and Dotson are both similar in size and Boyd has developed into an extremely productive wide receiver that is a top target on several other NFL teams.

Dotson had a sensational season with the Nittany Lions. He has a chance to be selected in the first round the way his draft stock has soared. If he falls, an NFL team will be getting a reliable and talented receiver who is capable of producing at a high level.

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