Draft Analysis: Kadarius Toney

January 5, 2021 /
  • Height: 6’0″
  • Weight: 193lb
  • College: Florida
  • Tape watched: Alabama, Tennessee, Ole Miss, South Carolina
  • NFL Comparison: Curtis (and a big dose of Deebo) Samuel

Pros

  • Explosiveness
    Watch one play of Kadarius Toney and you won’t need to read the rest of this paragraph. Toney has game changing quickness and agility, able to stop and start on a dime. His footwork is lightning fast and he disappears from would-be-tackles regularly.
  • YAC/Balance
    Toney might be the hardest wide receiver to tackle in the 2020 draft class. Not only is he impossibly quick, he absorbs hits like Alvin Kamara. Kadarius Toney is a touchdown waiting to happen.
  • Hands
    Toney shows solid hands in almost all situations I witnessed. While he doesn’t profile as a dominant combat catch type, he made leaping, difficult catches. He utilizes his hands more than his body on catch and run opportunities, which is what you want from someone who is as dangerous as Toney with the ball.
  • Route Running
    Pair him with Kyle Shanahan or Matt LeFleur and reap the benefits. Toney runs some of the nastiest slants, digs, and whip routes you’ll find. An impossible matchup with safeties and linebackers from the slot, Toney demands defensive sub packages. His hesitations and deception at the top of his route stems are lethal.

    Toney ran enough diverse routes from the slot and bunch formations to earn NFL praise. He has a good feel for seam routes, and sitting down in zones.
You could create an entire highlight video of Toney and just his slant and whip routes.

Cons

  • Size/Role
    Toney could be limited in some matchups due to his height and weight. He has been heavily used as a gadget player when it comes to redzone opportunities, utilized with motion to open free releases. He has little evidence of opportunity as a 50/50 jump ball receiver, and barely saw any time at all as a boundary receiver.

    He lacks form and physical traits to be an impact blocker, but the will to block is evident.

Overview

Burst onto the scene in 2020, Toney finished just shy of 1,000 receiving yards and amassed 10 touchdown receptions. He is a spark plug for any offense, and can change a game with one play. His toughness and desire for contact are a pleasant surprise from a slot receiver of his stature.

He repeatedly searches for contact and lowers his shoulder to finish runs. He sheds tackles like a running back, and was used as such at Florida. A creative offensive coordinator will be pounding the table for him in April. If he gets stuck in a conventional pro style offense, he may have limited upside due to his height and play style. He seems more quick than fast, but should have no problem running in the 4.4s. Kadarius Toney is incredibly fun, and should develop into a true threat in the NFL.