Draft Profile: Devin Duvernay

February 19, 2020 /
  • Height: 5’11”
  • Weight: 210lb
  • College: Texas
  • Tape watched: LSU, Oklahoma State, West Virginia, Utah
  • NFL Comparison: Deebo Samuel

Pros

  • Physicality
    Devin Duvernay is a delight to watch on tape. His goal is to hit someone, with or without the ball. A smaller receiver, but he has a monstrous upper body and manipulates pad level well. He is a developed blocker and will overpower cornerbacks with his leverage and strength.
There shouldn’t be an NFL team that passes up the chance to add this kind of player to their wide receiver room.
  • Contested Catches/Hands
    While Duvernay doesn’t have size or length, and appears to have short arms, he gives quarterbacks a significant target in most situations. He excels in the middle of the field, but he showed high level technique in stacking cornerbacks and protecting plays on the ball. Duvernay has the body size to take hits, and he has good focus with soft hands.
Not only does Duvernay show his ability to make catches in all situations, he shows his ability to stack the cornerback and keep him on his outside hip, leaving himself with the only play on the ball.
  • YAC
    Returning to his physicality, Duvernay picks up bonus yards frequently after the catch. While he lacks above average lateral movement, he has quick feet and a desire for contact. Duvernay will pick up the tough yards and conversions, but also will make the splash plays with his burst.
  • Route Running
    An innate feeling for defensive zones, Duvernay eats up targets under safeties. He accelerates well and finds his spots quickly. Duvernay has quick cuts and manipulates his speed well through his route. One of the more developed receivers when the ball is thrown, Duvernay hand fights and stacks defenders so well.

Cons

  • Release
    Confined primarily to the slot, Duvernay avoided most press coverage at Texas. He struggles to get clean from contact in his route stem, and doesn’t have the lateral agility for quality double-moves. Duvernay has the footwork to improve at the next level, however.
  • Speed
    Long speed doesn’t show up on tape for Duvernay. He was best when used on routes that kept his momentum forward like slants, posts, and corner routes.
  • Route Tree
    As mentioned earlier, Duvernay wasn’t used on many breaking routes. He had a lot of schemed plays to get the ball in his hands, and primarily won across the middle of the field, underneath the defense.

Overview

Devin Duvernay is near the top of the list of the most enjoyable tape I’ve watched in 2019. With no disrespect, teams may find a bargain version of Deebo Samuel with Devin Duvernay. Though lacking the route running skills and lateral agility of Samuel, Duvernay possesses the same physicality and balls skills Samuel showed in college. Duvernay has a willingness to do the dirty work of wide receivers, and may end up being a successful slot receiver in the NFL as a result of his physicality and ability to make plays with the football.

Combine Update
Duvernay only improved his draft stock running a 4.39 second 40-yard dash.