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Let me introduce you to running back / receiver Dri Archer of Kent State, a 2014 NFL Draft prospect who has similar measurables and Combine numbers to the ones Chiefs' Dexter McCluster posted four years ago.
Check out the comparison between the two:
- Nearly the same height (5'9 for DMC, 5'8 for Archer)
- Nearly the same weight (173 for Archer, 172 for DMC)
- Nearly the same vertical (38'' for Archer, 37.5 for DMC)
- Both did 20 reps on the bench press
- Both did the 20-yard shuttle in 4.06 seconds
The biggest difference between the two seems to be that Archer ran a 4.26 40-yard dash while McCluster ran a 4.58. That's notable, of course, but to use your speed you have to get into the open field, and often that requires breaking a tackle. Archer's scouting report on NFL.com wonders if he can break tackles, just like the scouting report on McCluster wondered as well.
NFL Network's Mike Mayock spoke to reporters at the NFL Combine this weekend and the question of where to take a guy like this came up.
"Whenever you get those [small] guys, that 170-plus pounds, the question is how do you use them? Where do you line them up? That's where the value situation is," Mayock said. "How many touches can I get him per game? And the more you think you can get him, then the more money you can pay him and the higher you can draft him. The less you think you can get him touches, then his value starts to drop.
"So you look at a kid like that and you go, ‘Is he a fourth-round guy where he's going to be a situation guy, slot [receiver], motion, hand him the ball?' You look at McCluster, you look at [St. Louis Rams receiver] Tavon Austin, and they're still trying to figure out how to get those guys the ball consistently. So most of those guys typically go around plus or minus the fourth round."
The Chiefs, as you know, took McCluster in the second round. NFL Draft Scout projects Archer in the seventh.
By the way, here's a video of NFL Network's Rich Eisen's 40-yard dash vs. Dri Archer.
.@richeisen vs. Dri Archer and more #NFLCombine prospects. SIMULCAM RACE! WATCH: http://t.co/hxvKTaMztc #RichEisenSpeed
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) February 25, 2014