Draft Profile: CeeDee Lamb

December 31, 2019 /
  • Height: 6’2″
  • Weight: 189lb
  • College: Oklahoma
  • Tape watched: Houston, Texas Tech, Texas, Iowa State, Kansas State, Alabama (2018)
  • NFL Comparison: DeAndre Hopkins

Pros

  • Hands
    No issues here. Lamb has strong, confident hands that don’t disappear with contact. He had a few concentration drops in college, most notably against Clemson in the College Football Playoff, but there is no real concern. Not a frequent body-catcher.
  • Body Position
    One of Lamb’s strongest traits, he positions himself to always have the upper hand. While he doesn’t have the strongest frame coming out of college, he still utilizes his long arms and positioning well on 50/50 balls. Lamb protects himself across the middle as well.
  • Combat Catches
    As mentioned above, Lamb has a good feel for contact. Makes the tough catches and doesn’t take big hits often.
  • Yards After Contact
    Simply put, CeeDee Lamb is a highlight waiting to happen. He shines in his ability to gain yards after the catch, and even still after contact. A big testament to Lamb in Oklahoma’s run heavy offense with Jalen Hurts in 2019, Lamb did most of his damage after the catch.
  • Route Running
    Lamb is very fluid and patient when setting up routes. He has a feel for defenses and how his plays are intended to develop. When he needs to get to the top of his route quickly, he explodes off the line and cuts through coverage. When his route needs to develop, he is great with his footwork and hesitation to set corners up for separation.
  • Athleticism
    While he isn’t quite the vertical threat DeAndre Hopkins was in college, he makes up for it with his abilities after the catch. With good lateral agility and quick start and stop speed, Lamb is one of the most versatile receivers in the class. He has shown enough long speed to create separation, although not necessarily a strength.

Cons

  • Route Running
    While this can also be a strength of his, he doesn’t break routes sharply. He can tend to round the tops of routes. He can help himself at the next level with more separation.
  • Physicality
    Not a great frame for a 6’2″ receiver, but he often shows his willingness (and at times desire) for contact and blocking. It will be exciting to see how an NFL strength and conditioning program might help him.

Overview

CeeDee Lamb has true number one receiver talent and play-making potential. A creative offense and a good receivers coach could turn him into a star. However, Lamb creates enough on his own to benefit even a bad fit in terms of potential. Lamb has good length, hands, and YAC ability that demands targets. His combine results will dictate where he goes in the first round.