"Bonafide freak, size/speed receiver with quick feet and soft hands but doesn't play as strong as he looks and isn't there yet as a route runner"
Strengths:
Eye popping size/speed receiver with quick feet, long arms and soft hands. Explodes into 9 routes. Better short area quickness than expected for a rocked up 230 lb WR.
Good ball skills and can extend, dig out and catch over his head with ease. Catches in traffic well. Takes pride in blocking. Physical after the catch and will exploit missed tackles. Homerun threat anywhere on the field and doesn't get caught from behind.
Weaknesses:
Not a deceptive route runner and telegraphs where he wants to go. Occasionally too much wasted movement off the snap. Doesn't play as strong as he looks and gets held up vs a physical press guy. Very little career production at Ole Miss.
Overall:
Metcalf is a true physical freak at WR. His physical makeup is elite and literally record setting. Size, speed, ball skills and short area quickness ought to make him unstoppable in the mold of a Julio Jones or Calvin Johnson.
But there's significant risk/reward factors in his projection. He's doesn't always play as strong as he looks, isn't great vs press, and isn't an especially deceptive route runner at this point. He's explicitly a high upside project that didn't do a whole lot for the Rebels despite that monstrous skill set.
He could follow along the likes of a Demaryious Thomas or Javon Walker as college projects that completely broke out as pros or he could very well be another Stephen Hill or Jonathan Baldwin.
NFL Comp: Jerry Porter