CARR’S PROSPECT CORNER (#1)
By: Brandon Carr
Twitter: @bcarr_13
Welcome to the first installment of “Carr’s Prospect Corner.” Today we will be taking a look at LSU wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase
Ja’Marr Chase (WR-LSU)
Age: 20 (DOB: 3/1/00)
Class: Junior (Opted Out)
Height: 6’0”
Weight: 207 lbs
BMI: 28.1
Breakout Age: 19 Y/O
24/7 Sports Composite Rating: 0.9589 (4 STAR)
Injury History: Had a season ending knee ligament injury his senior year of high school
Awards/Records:
2019 Biletnikoff Award Winner (Nation’s Best WR)
2019 Unanimous All-American
2019 First Team All-SEC Selection
Broke the SEC record for most receiving yards and receiving touchdowns in a single season in 2019
Before Ja’Marr Chase was dominating SEC corners as a true sophomore, Chase was dominating the Louisiana high school scene. Chase earned himself a 4 star recruiting rating from 24/7 Sports composite and was listed as the 15th best WR in the nation. Chase was coming off of a 61 catch, 1,011 yard and 15 touchdown senior season for Archbishop Rummel High School before he suffered a season ending injury to his knee. His career totals were 115 receptions for 2,152 receiving yards and 30 touchdowns. Chase had a rocky recruiting stage, he initially had verbally committed to play for the Kansas Jayhawks at first then opened back up his recruiting. It was then when Chase committed to the Florida Gators before opening his recruiting again. Chase then took visits to LSU, Auburn, Michigan, and TCU and after a long recruiting process, Chase ultimately decided to commit to his home state school, LSU.
As a true freshman, Chase was not that effective only compiling 313 yards and 3 touchdowns on 23 receptions but as a sophomore, Chase’s dominance in the SEC had begun. The 2019 LSU Tigers might have had the greatest offense in the history of college football. This team dominated every team they went up against with Joe Burrow quarterbacking the team along with his weapons in Chase, Justin Jefferson, Terrace Marshall Jr, and Clyde Edwards-Helaire. Chase playing with all these weapons as a sophomore not only led the team in receiving yards and in receiving touchdowns, but Chase also broke the SEC single season record for yards which was held by former LSU WR Josh Reed and receiving touchdowns which was held by former Florida Gator, Reidel Anthony. Chase’s final stat line in his Biletnikoff award winning season saw him catch 84 passes for 1,780 yards and 20 touchdowns.
Chase, after dominating college football as a sophomore, breaking multiple records along his way, and helping LSU secure a national championship victory, decided to opt out of his junior season to focus on the NFL draft. Chase projects to be one of the first two wide receivers drafted in this year's draft class by many draft analysts.
Chase I believe has more than earned this type of buzz attached to his name. What he did as a true sophomore is very impressive when you think about all of the SEC wide receivers to come before him. Guys like Julio Jones, A.J. Green, Amari Cooper, and Odell Beckham Jr. all had great college careers that made them into the prospects they were coming out, but none had a better season than Chase did. The numbers back up his hype but I wanted to dive more into his film. After watching his film, I saw that he had the skill set to translate to a very good NFL wide receiver, potentially into something special. There weren’t many weaknesses that I saw from Chase on film. Here are some plays I thought best highlighted Chase’s skillset as a wide receiver.
AWARENESS:
Video taken from ESPN/SEC Network
These are the types of traits you want to see from a wide receiver at the next level. Anytime a receiver is not afraid of contact that’s a plus, but what’s even more impressive is Chase tucking the ball away insuring that he maintains possession. You will usually see receivers take big hits and are unable to maintain possession but Chase’s awareness to know that he has an incoming defender looking to make a play on him and insure he makes that catch without trying to do too much is such an advanced trait for someone in college.
TECHNIQUE:
Chase has had this false narrative attached to him that he can’t separate. This is completely false, he can beat off press coverage. These two clips I showed highlight that, his hand fighting at the line of scrimmage is something that he does very well. You see it with these plays here, his strength and technique is something that you notice time and time again when watching him play.
RAC:
Video taken from ESPN/SEC Network
Video taken from ESPN
Chase isn’t the shiftiest guy when it comes to his after the catch ability, but where his YAC ability really shows is his tackle breaking ability. He has incredible play strength for a guy who isn’t the biggest guy on the field. Chase according to PFF was ranked 6th in YAC yards with 684 yards coming after the catch and was ranked 11th in YAC/REC with an average of 8.1 in 2019.
JUMP BALL SAVANT:
Video taken from ESPN/SEC Network
This is easily Chase’s most elite trait. His ability to win at the catch point for a guy his size is something special. Can pluck the ball out of the air with ease despite being contested. He plays like he is 6’3” when in reality he’s 6’0”-6’1”. I’m excited to see what his vertical jump ends up being at the NFL combine because he looks like he will end up having a high score.
If there was anything that I would knock Chase on is I noticed that he takes plays off when he is asked to run block but that’s something that’s a minor issue moving forward. Another thing is Chase may not be the most elite athlete, but I think he makes up for it with his power at the position, he’s a smart route runner not a refined route runner but he knows where he needs to be in order to provide his quarterback with an easy completion. Chase did run a 4.4 according to Bleacher Report this offseason which is a testament to his work ethic considering he ran a 4.66 coming out of high school. If Chase runs around there at the combine, that’s just going to make him even scarier than he already was.
While watching the tape, I couldn’t help but notice that Chase was seeing a lot of stiff competition. Chase had games where he was going up against NFL cornerbacks. In the Alabama game, Chase dominated a now 2nd round NFL cornerback in Trevon Diggs. Chase, according to PFF when lined up against Diggs, had 4 receptions for 88 yards and a touchdown. That was the only game all season Diggs had given up a touchdown. This wasn’t the only time Chase has succeeded against NFL corners in this special season. When Chase played Florida and lined up against C.J. Henderson, who was made the 9th overall pick in the draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars, Chase had 4 receptions for 89 yards and two touchdowns. Who can forget Chase’s historic national championship performance against Clemson. Chase in that game had 9 receptions for 221 yards and 2 touchdowns. 4 of those receptions, 137 of those yards, and both of his touchdowns in that game came against A.J. Terrell who was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons 16th overall.
These corners could end up being busts in the NFL or average guys, but these were corners that played at a high level in college, and were viewed highly by NFL scouts for them to have the draft capital that they had. Chase caused all of them to have easily their worst games of the season when he played them.
VERDICT: Chase is an elite wide receiver prospect, his numbers as a true sophomore in the SEC speak for itself, he has an ideal BMI for a guy at his position, he has that dog in him where he’s a true alpha on the football field lining up at the X position for most of his time at LSU, the work ethic that you want to see, and gis tape was very good with not a lot of glaring weaknesses. Chase opting out of his junior year really shows how NFL ready he is and I won’t be surprised when I put out my rankings, Chase is at the very top of my list.