Metcalf should be a reminder that not all receiver roles are the same. It's true that the vast majority of successful NFL receivers have a good three cone time (<7.0s) and so many consider it the most important combine drill for receivers.
However, there's a pretty solid list of star receivers (Calvin Johnson, Dez Bryant, Josh Gordon, Mike Evans) who never ran the 3 cone or ran it in more than seven seconds. They all happen to be very fast, very big, and don't need to rely on agility to create separation.
Here are the routes that Metcalf ran in weeks 1 and 2.
The reason why Pete has always described Metcalf as being so far ahead of the other rookie receivers is that the role they have envisioned for him is not that complicated. He can be dominant running in a straight line, particularly with a great deep ball passer throwing him the football.
