The Seattle Seahawks selected D.K. Metcalf with the 64th overall pick in the of the 2019 NFL Draft, ending the two-day long wait that saw Metcalf fall from a first round projection to the early third round.
Metcalf became an internet sensation with his chiseled physique and his 4.33 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. But the knock on Metcalf was his laterally quickness and a history of injuries, the most recent of which cost him the last five games of his redshirt sophomore season in 2018. Metcalf underwent neck fusion surgery that briefly threatened to end his football career. Metcalf’s true freshman season was limited to two games after suffering a broken foot.
Metcalf’s lack of lateral quickness was highlighted by posting a slow time in the three-cone and 20-yard shuttle drills, in which he tested 2nd and 3rd percentile. He is undoubtedly a gifted athlete and a deep threat, but his route running and lateral quickness caused teams to balk, presumably along with the injuries that plagued his college career. Metcalf will join a receiving corps that includes Doug Balwdin and Tyler Lockett. Newly-extended quarterback Russell Wilson will have another receiver to throw to and Wilson’s tendacy to improvise and throw downfield on the run could serve as a good fit for Metcalf’s skillset.
