2013 NFL Draft Profile: WR Cordarrelle Patterson

WR Cordarrelle Patterson may very well be my most favorite prospect in the upcoming 2013 NFL Draft. Patterson certainly has a few knocks against his game, which I’ll get into further down, but it’s his raw talent and size that are most enticing.

Patterson could very well be the first WR off the board, going anywhere from the 5th pick to the 20th. If a team isn’t looking for a WR to immediately step in and take over the reins, Patterson would be a good fit. He looks to have all the tools to be able to make a splash at the next level, but he does need some fine tuning. The things that scouts will hold against Patterson the most is the fact that he only has one year of experience playing in the SEC, as a Vol, and he doesn’t make the best use of his hands.

2012 Season Stats

Provided by Sports-Reference.com/CFB

Combine numbers

Strengths

• Fast – One of Patterson’s biggest strengths is his ability to slip behind coverage for a big gain.
• Vision – Patterson does a great job of working his way through defenders for extra yards. It’s something he utilized throughout the 2012 season on punt and kick returns, as well as the WR reverses he ran while racking up 308 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns on the ground.
• Size – Patterson has great size, standing at 6’2, 216 lbs. Paired with his vertical, which was one of the best at the combine, he gives QBs a big target to hit and gives CBs a tough matchup.
• Fight – He is always looking to milk each play for as many yards as he can get out of it.

August 31, 2012; Atlanta, GA, USA; Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson (84) runs the ball in the first quarter against the North Carolina State Wolfpack at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports

Weaknesses

• Raw – Patterson only has one year of experience at the SEC level and only two years of college football experience, one of which came at Hutchinson Community College in Kansas, though he did break multiple school records there.
• Catching – While Patterson does catch most everything that comes his way, he needs to learn to extend his arms toward the ball instead of using his body so much.
• Dances – While Patterson made people miss in Tennessee by doing the Harlem Shuffle, it won’t cut it in the NFL. He’ll need to reduce the cuts he makes and just go.

Patterson seems to be picking up momentum as the draft nears. Don’t be surprised to see him taken early in the first round. As Mel Kiper has said, if he stayed for his senior season, he could have been a top-5 pick in 2014. But who wants to risk injury or any of the other possible downfalls one could face in a year when they are likely a early 1st round pick anyway?

I can’t wait to see what this guy does at the next level.

You can find me on Twitter @JustinLStewart