Draft Profile: Donovan Peoples-Jones

February 15, 2020 /
  • Height: 6’2″
  • Weight: 208lb
  • College: Michigan
  • Tape watched: Indiana, Florida (2018), Ohio State (2018), Wisconsin (2018)
  • NFL Comparison: Jericho Cotchery

Pros

  • Hands
    Donovan Peoples-Jones makes some spectacular catches. He has great body control around defenders and the sideline, and is exceptional at making plays on the football. For someone that doesn’t create a lot of separation, DPJ makes up for it with his hands.
  • Combat Catches
    Capitalizing on his hand strength, Peoples-Jones makes some absurd contested catches. When he has 50/50 chances against a defender, his body positioning and ability to fight for the football makes it more 70/30 in his favor, at least.
This catch is bananas. The body control and complete focus on the football is DPJ at his best.
  • Versatility
    While the Michigan offense deserves little credit for success, one positive in Peoples-Jones’ game is his versatility and experience in a variety of roles. DPJ lined up at both outside receiver spots, and was heavily utilized in the slot. Peoples-Jones can find work in any offensive scheme at the next level.

Cons

  • Separation
    Donovan Peoples-Jones struggles with speed and lateral agility. He wins with his football IQ and tenacity at the catch point. The combine will give a clearer picture into what kind of athlete DPJ is, but his tape shows a receiver that will thrive as a matchup-beater, rather than a plug and play kind of guy.
  • Route Running
    Peoples-Jones’ lack of burst really shows up in and out of route breaks. He runs routes well, but there are serious separation concerns. For a stronger receiver, using his hands to fight off contact and force corners out of their stance more often would help him create space to work.
This is textbook route running. Outside release, gets on the toes of the corner before his break and wins the hand fight.

Overview

Donovan Peoples-Jones is a hard receiver to project. His time at Michigan was flooded with poor quarterback play and a scheme that failed to maximize his potential. Within that construct, he made some impressive plays that should spark the interest of NFL teams looking for a playmaking receiver. His strong hands, versatility, and football intelligence plays well into a role with NFL offenses. A great combine could jettison him up draft boards.