NFL groups are at all times in search of the large, athletic, downfield receiver, and Elic Ayomanor matches that description in addition to anybody on this draft. He burst into the general public eye after his jaw-dropping 300 yard efficiency towards Travis Hunter and Colorado – sadly, the acrobatic catches he made in that sport are the exception somewhat than the rule.
Measurements
Peak: 6’2’’, Weight: 206, Arm Size: 32.4’’, Arms: 10’’
Testing – Mix
40-Yard Sprint: 4.44, 10-Yard Cut up: 1.58, Vertical: 38.5’’, Broad: 10’7’’
Scouting Overview
As a route runner, Ayomanor has a few of the most promising expertise on this total draft. He has all kinds of footwork strategies on the line of scrimmage, and executes them with precision. He combines endurance with suddenness to realize fast separation even towards savvier cornerbacks. He additionally makes use of violent hand-counters to forestall defenders from entering into his chest and slowing him down. These expertise make him very efficient on layup routes like slants. After he makes the catch, he has the capability to show up area, creating large performs from simple completions.
As soon as he’s off the road of scrimmage, Ayomanor has the velocity to proceed pulling away from his defender. Typically he fails to stack cornerbacks on go routes, permitting them again into the play, however he’s a significant issue for anybody to cope with on posts and corners. His breaks are sudden and explosive, significantly on in-breaking routes. He additionally makes use of physicality on the high of routes, the place he can bully defenders to create further separation.
Ayomanor might want to refine his footwork on sure routes nonetheless. His weight drops on curl routes are extraordinarily inconsistent. He typically lunges ahead somewhat than dropping down, inflicting him to want further steps earlier than turning again to the quarterbacks. Ayomanor additionally tends to float in direction of defenders when going through zone protection.
Ayomanor does so many good issues as a route runner, however leaves far too many performs on the sector due to his points as soon as the ball has been thrown. He has main lapses with monitoring the soccer over his shoulder, and there are quite a few events the place fails to get his fingers on catchable throws due to this. When he does observe the ball, he typically makes use of incorrect hand positioning for sure targets. That is significantly evident when he’s in tight protection, a situation that he’ll face much more typically within the NFL. Even when he avoids each of those lapses, defenders are capable of knock the ball out his fingers extra typically than you’d count on. Ayomanor additionally tends to clap onto the soccer, somewhat than attacking it together with his thumbs and index fingers collectively.
Regardless of all of these negatives, Ayomanor continues to be able to making some improbable contested catches. He’s bodily and aggressive on the catch level, however these technical lapses will solely turn into a much bigger downside on the subsequent stage. If Ayomanor had important points with only one or two components of the cross catching course of, I might be extra bullish about his probabilities to grow to be a extremely good participant. Sadly, a majority of these gamers so typically find yourself teasing groups with moments of brilliance, however are finally too inconsistent to be closely relied upon.
It is also price that mentioning that Ayomanor is fingers down the perfect blocker on this extensive receiver class. He actually likes to hit folks and offers full effort on each play. This won’t be vital to most followers, however extensive receiver blocking is a vital a part of any working sport. Even when Ayomanor has up’s and down’s within the passing sport, his blocking will doubtless hold in on the sector.
Participant Comparability
It’s exhausting to observe Elic Ayomanor and never be barely reminded of Quentin Johnston. Not precisely the comparisons you’d wish to hear, however each of those gamers confirmed actually promising expertise towards man and press protection, whereas struggling to complete performs on the catch level. The issue with this archetype of participant, is irrespective of how good of a route runner you might be, it’s virtually not possible to ship large manufacturing as an X-receiver should you can’t constantly make performs in tight protection. Whereas he has a a lot totally different construct, one other nice instance of that is Diontae Johnson. Johnson legitimately was, and nonetheless could be, probably the greatest route runners within the NFL. However he may by no means recover from the hump and turn into a really nice receiver due to this weak spot. If Ayomanor can reasonably enhance each as a route runner and cross catcher, he may give a workforce comparable manufacturing to what Johnson gave the Steelers.
Closing Grade: Mid/Late third Spherical
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