Draft Daily: Indiana WR Latimer a Fit?
Chip Kelly has made it clear that when the Eagles are scouting wide receivers in this year’s draft class, they’ll be looking at one factor above all else: Can they get open against man coverage?
Kelly explained that there are different ways to accomplish that.
“It can come in a lot of different ways,” he said last month. “It can be the speed element of it. It can be the power and size element of it. There’s a lot of different ways to cut it. There’s certain guys in our league that have both and that’s why they’re elite. They have the size element of it, they also have the speed element of it. There’s a lot of different ways to do it.”
Indiana wide receiver Cody Latimer has the size element. At 6-2, 215, he possesses the physicality to out-muscle defensive backs and make plays on the football. And while Latimer didn’t run at the combine because he was recovering from foot surgery, he reportedly posted a 4.44 at his Pro Day.
Latimer has been generating some buzz during the pre-draft process and was in town to visit with the Eagles on Monday:
Great day with the Eagles they showed a lot of love great program. Thanks for having me http://t.co/sfmdJR5vJX
— Cody Latimer (@CodyLatimer3) April 7, 2014
Can’t leave philly without having a Philly cheesesteak @jimssouthstreet http://t.co/XE8LMeFmSc
— Cody Latimer (@CodyLatimer3) April 7, 2014
Latimer is entering the draft after a junior season in which he caught 72 balls for 1,096 yards and nine touchdowns.
Below are a few clips from Latimer’s days at Indiana. He possesses certain qualities that Kelly is sure to like. Most notably, Latimer uses his size to make plays on the football even when he’s not necessarily open. Take a look at this TD catch against projected first-round pick Darqueze Dennard (Michigan State).
Note: It looks like the site (DraftBreakdown.com) that posts the videos is having some technical issues. If they’re not showing up for you, please try again later.
Latimer gets Dennard on his back and makes a play on the football for the score.
Here, against Penn State, he shows excellent body control and strong hands for a nice grab near the sideline.
In the games I watched, Latimer lined up exclusively on the outside. But he appears to have the skill set to be moved inside as well.
And Latimer is a willing blocker:
Given the depth at the position, it’s tough to project where wide receivers will fall. But if Latimer is on the board in the second or third rounds, he could be an option for the Eagles.