Jahan Dotson
WR Penn State 5-11 178 SR #5
GRADE: 88 OVR RANK: TBC POS RANK: TBC
ARM LENGTH: 30 3/4″ // HAND SIZE: 9 1/2″
40YD: 4.43 (90%) // 10YD: 1.56 (80%)
VJ: 36″ (73%) // BJ: 10’01” (64%) // BP: 15 (69%) // SS: ( %)// 3C: 7.28 (20%)
Projection: Starting Z who you can win with in a vertical passing scheme, with heavy pre-snap motion – get him moving across formation to avoid press. Draft Projection: Mid-Round 2 ~ Chad Reuter, NFL.com
Ravens Fit: Dotson is a skilled WR in both his hands and the technical and mental aspects of gaining separation at the top of his routes. The Ravens face a lot of zone coverage and so he would fit well in terms of finding the soft spot in the zone but he has a play strength deficiency that would limit him in the Ravens offense. He has many of the things they have recently looked for including good speed and outstanding hands but he is too similar to the WRs they currently have for the Ravens to consider dipping into a WR draft pool again with Jahan Dotson, they need a different, more complementary piece.
Overall Fit 
3/5
Context
Plays mostly outside and at X but also at Z and in the slot.
Before the Catch
Has a solid and varied release package against off, soft press and press with a jam. He accelerates off the line and attacks leverage. He has a good plan in his press release effectively incorporating speed releases with single and double moves. He is able to get the defender displaced with his footwork and release through him to maintain the integrity of his stem and get his hips upfield. He has a solid space release able to close the space to the defender. When facing a jam at the line of scrimmage is when his LOS skills come into question. He is a good processor overall so he often has a good plan to defeat the jam, and he has good hand placement. But against more physical DBs he doesn’t have the play strength to disengage and clear his hands. Against defenders with very good play strength, he can pushed way off his route and kept close to the LOS. He can win at the LOS if he isn’t jammed with his speed and footwork but not when a defender with solid play strength gets their hands on him.
Can get separation at the top of his routes through a combination of technique, processing and athletic ability. He reads coverages well and finds the soft spots in zone effectively. His stem is consistent and he can manipulate the DB’s hips thanks to his body fluidity. On hard-angle breaks he can snap out of his break after decelerating quickly, though there can be a little too much foot fire on curls and comebacks. There is very little rise on his other breaks, easily making a speed cut in two yards. On bam steps he will attack vertically with lean and use his body mechanics to more efficiently gain separation using an elbow jam to turn his hips. He has a rocker step and pressure step and while his horizontal explosion is more than adequate, he is better when he wins with processing and fluidity to his routes. He does not win with play strength through the route and can be kept from making his break physically if it is coming off press coverage with a jam and hands have stayed on.
The Catch and after the Catch
You cannot say enough about his hands which are outstanding. He plucks everything out of the air. He has the manual dexterity to make subtle adjustments to his hand positioning on different types of ball thrown to him. He can adjust around his frame and make catches at full extension. He’s particularly good at contorting his body to get into the optimum position to make catches. Although he won’t make contested catches consistently, he does know how to use his body to shield the ball from defenders breaking on him. Catches when stationary or on the move and is good at adjusting to underthrown balls. He will gain YAC with speed but isn’t particularly elusive or physical in the open field.
SUMMARY
Outstanding hands and body control to adjust to the ball. Technically good in separating at the top of his routes. Play strength deficiency shows up at LOS and through the route
PRODUCTION
SR: 138 Tgts, 91 Recs, 1182 Rec Yards (13.0 Ave), 12 Rec TDs
JR: 84 Tgts, 52 Recs, 884 Rec Yards (17.0 Ave), 8 Rec TDs
INJURY: Compound Leg Fracture in High School
RAVENS FIT
Athleticism 4
Intelligence 5
Versatility 4
Grit 3
Scheme 3
