Summer talk : Amara Darboh's potential and issues

STRENGTHS:
Good NFL size with above-average arm length. Experience in Michigan's pro-style passing attack. Saw increase in targets and responded with improved production. In 2016, had at least one catch of at least 30 yards in eight of first nine games, outplaying highly regarded teammate Jehu Chesson. Fluid working two-way releases from slot. Smooth transitions in his routes. Won't give away plant-and-go cuts to the post, allowing him to stay ahead of the cornerback. Heady player. Adjusts routes to create better throwing opportunities for quarterbacks. Accepts responsibility as blocker climbing up to cornerbacks with some urgency of engagement. Able to sustain his block when run play flows his way. Locks up back-side safety blocks.

WEAKNESSES;
Build-up runner who is slow to eat up cornerback cushion. Play speed appears to be average. Missing suddenness and twitch. Inconsistent release quickness against press. Could struggle to uncover against aggressive man coverage. Gradual sink into breaks alerts cornerbacks to slam on breaks and challenge the throw. Body catcher. Ball will beat him up and he suffers from focus drops. Needs to improve positioning against defensive backs. Rarely escapes a spirited tackle attempt. Not very dynamic after the catch.

BOTTOM LINE;
Darboh caught the attention of scouts from very early on in his final season at Michigan. Darboh's outstanding size will have some teams excited, but he needs to run well at the combine in order to be targeted as a "size/speed" prospect. He lacks the quickness and hands to make a living underneath, but has the physical traits and willingness to help as a blocker that could get teams to bite on the second day of the draft (Rounds 2-3). Scheme fit could determine whether he becomes a WR2 or just a guy fighting for snaps off the bench.

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2017/profiles/ ... id=2557905

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vin.couve12":3tdmov33 said:

See, I see a strong hands receiver that plucks with no ball movement even in contested catches. Good body to play X in our system. Plenty of speed at that size and I think he's a bit smoother of an athlete than Kearse as well as being more explosive and sudden.

You kind of waste Baldwin at X and you really don't even attempt to put Lockett there. It would be foolish. The starting position is going to come down to Darboh and Brown. Brown actually has had a decent, sort of start up NFL season so you'd think that he has the leg up, but Darboh has been with us and in JS's words, fought through that rookie wall mid-season and started to get himself on the field by the end of the season. He should take some big steps forward here. Again, he's got all the traits for a legit X receiver. Brown does as well though so it's going to be a battle. It would be silly to write Darboh off though even if he doesn't get the nod. He'll be 4th string at worst and should still get on the field even without injury and it will only be his 2nd season.

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hawknation2018":1v2oc333 said:

vin.couve12":1v2oc333 said:

See, I see a strong hands receiver that plucks with no ball movement even in contested catches. Good body to play X in our system. Plenty of speed at that size and I think he's a bit smoother of an athlete than Kearse as well as being more explosive and sudden.

You kind of waste Baldwin at X and you really don't even attempt to put Lockett there. It would be foolish. The starting position is going to come down to Darboh and Brown. Brown actually has had a decent, sort of start up NFL season so you'd think that he has the leg up, but Darboh has been with us and in JS's words, fought through that rookie wall mid-season and started to get himself on the field by the end of the season. He should take some big steps forward here. Again, he's got all the traits for a legit X receiver. Brown does as well though so it's going to be a battle. It would be silly to write Darboh off though even if he doesn't get the nod. He'll be 4th string at worst and should still get on the field even without injury and it will only be his 2nd season.

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Great post.

Darboh would have to the favorite for the 'X' position. Good size and speed for the position, great blocker, and dependable. Re-watching some plays from last season, Darboh ran some tight routes and got open quite a bit, even if he wasn't getting the ball much. Darboh is bigger than Brown, but maybe with less explosive playmaking potential.

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vin.couve12":2ilhou5j said:

hawknation2018":2ilhou5j said:

vin.couve12":2ilhou5j said:

See, I see a strong hands receiver that plucks with no ball movement even in contested catches. Good body to play X in our system. Plenty of speed at that size and I think he's a bit smoother of an athlete than Kearse as well as being more explosive and sudden.

You kind of waste Baldwin at X and you really don't even attempt to put Lockett there. It would be foolish. The starting position is going to come down to Darboh and Brown. Brown actually has had a decent, sort of start up NFL season so you'd think that he has the leg up, but Darboh has been with us and in JS's words, fought through that rookie wall mid-season and started to get himself on the field by the end of the season. He should take some big steps forward here. Again, he's got all the traits for a legit X receiver. Brown does as well though so it's going to be a battle. It would be silly to write Darboh off though even if he doesn't get the nod. He'll be 4th string at worst and should still get on the field even without injury and it will only be his 2nd season.

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Great post.

Darboh would have to the favorite for the 'X' position. Good size and speed for the position, great blocker, and dependable. Re-watching some plays from last season, Darboh ran some tight routes and got open quite a bit, even if he wasn't getting the ball much. Darboh is bigger than Brown, but maybe with less explosive playmaking potential.

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I can agree with that. Brown's 40 at the combine was just a hair faster than Richardson's so it's safe to say that he's more explosive, but not by much.

One thing that stuck out to me in watching vids of Darboh last year was that his QB had almost a peewee league arm. He underthrew nearly every single ball he ever threw and so Darboh only got so many chances at catches with arm extension. Many he had to come back for and thus you see quite a few box out body catches, but that's not because it's what he does, per se. It's because that ball was just that underthrown. I do think Brown will give him a run for his money though.

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toffee":3nyql5vc said:

Love to be surprise, love to be proven wrong, sure hope he will be our next young Kearse. All the WRs we are signing lately got me worried was all.

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hawknation2018":3phyrdtj said:

Even though they have similar straight-line speed, I actually think Brown looks quicker and more agile than Richardson.

Compare their Pro Days agility times.

Richardson's short shuttle: 4.23
Brown's short shuttle: 4.07

Richardson's 3-cone: 6.98
Brown's 3-cone: 6.82

Brown's shuttle/3-cone times would have put him in the Top 10 of WRs at the combine. Interestingly, neither Brown nor Richardson had an especially impressive 10-yard split: 1.57 vs. 1.56. Both are probably better served as 'Z' deep route receivers. Lockett and Brown could be fighting each other for playing time.

Darboh gives them that bigger bodied, line of scrimmage blocking, possession receiver.

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