Efficient route-runner that creates impressive separation with sharp cuts coming out of breaks.

NFL Player Comp(s): Eddie Royal

Best Scheme Fit: Possession and/or slot receiver in a West Coast offense.

Strengths

• Efficient route-runner that creates impressive separation with sharp cuts coming out of breaks (appears to love running the “whip” or “pivot” route).
  
• Smooth and sudden receiver who does a good job of winning the route before the break by varying his tempo and through the use of head-and-shoulder fakes.
  
• Surprises defenders with initial burst (did this on a number of wide receiver screens in 2014) and probably offers the quickest transition from catch to run of any of the top receiver prospects in this class.
  
• Will suffer a focus drop from time to time, but usually flashes quick and strong hands to easily pluck the ball anywhere near his frame; willing to pay the price in traffic.
  
• Should be an immediate contributor on special teams – returned four of 37 punts for touchdowns in college; that same spatial awareness and vision shows up as a receiver, especially against zone coverage.
  
• Strong character shows up in preparation and attention to detail; recognized as a team leader in college.
  

Weaknesses

• Thin-framed receiver that needs to add at least 7-10 pounds of muscle; while he is more advanced than most receivers in this draft class as a route-runner, he lacks the strength to consistently maintain his path against physical coverage.
  
• Shows good field awareness near sideline and can high-point as well as track the ball over his shoulder, but isn’t ever likely to win more than his fair share of 50-50 balls.
  
• Quicker than fast and does not always play to his timed speed; struggled in 2014 against the best cornerback prospect on the schedule (likely Day 2 pick Steven Nelson of Oregon State).
  
• Willing blocker, but ends up walling off defender simply because he lacks the strength to hold up for more than a couple of seconds.
  
• Durability did not prove to be a problem in college and toughness is not in question, but the lack of thick muscle throughout body raises concerns about his ability to hold up in NFL.
  

Bottom Line
Agholor is a fun prospect to watch given his unique running style and obvious attention to detail, but does it carry over to fantasy superstardom? Unless he lands in a situation in which he is the clear No. 2 receiver with a dominant No. 1 in a high-volume passing offense, I don’t foresee him evolving into the kind of top-flight producer that teams want when they spend a first-round pick at the position. What he does offer is versatility; he should thrive in the slot at some point early in his rookie season and it wouldn’t surprise me much if he regularly finishes with 60-70 receptions as one of the league’s better chain-moving possession receivers down the road. What I don’t see is the one redeeming quality that will allow him to dominate stretches of games for any length of time or become a red-zone fiend. Almost by definition, that means Agholor’s NFL ceiling is as a No. 2 option that has the ability to move inside in three-wide packages. There is no shame in that role, but it does call into question if he belongs in the first-round conversation. (I do think he is more than worthy of a second-round selection, however.) Then again, more than one draft analyst has suggested there are only about 15 players in this draft with first-round grades. If that is the case, then it really doesn’t matter if Agholor is the No. 20 or No. 40 overall prospect because everything after the midpoint of the first round will be the second round in the eyes of the talent evaluators anyway.