The Coach’s Eye: Wide Receiver

When you watch and scout a wide receiver, it’s easy to look at the stat line. Nine catches, 150 yards, two touchdowns.

Great game, right?

Well, maybe.

But that’s not necessarily what a coach or scout is looking at. When I’m watching a wide receiver, I’m watching a whole lot more than how many times he catches the football. I’m watching what he does on every single snap—especially the snaps when he knows he’s not getting the ball. Because that’s where you find out what kind of football player you really have.

It Starts With Effort

The first thing I want to see from a prospect receiver is effort on running plays. Is he taking the play off because he knows the ball isn’t coming his way? Or is he blocking? Is he carrying out his assignment the way he’s supposed to?

There is nothing a wide receiver’s coach loves more than seeing a running back break one down the field and a wide receiver blocking his butt off. Especially when you’re out on the edge. A lazy receiver can be the difference between a 10- or 15-yard run and a run the running back takes to the house.

That’s why I always say you must play every play like it matters—because it does.

Show Me Your Route

When I’m scouting a receiver, I want to see how he runs his routes. Is he running a strong route? Does he get off the ball at 100 miles an hour and get into the route? How is his technique? And when the ball comes, is he catching it with his hands, or is he letting the ball get into his body?

Those things matter.

Let’s say he’s running an out route. How does he come out of his break? Is he running the right depth? Or let’s say he’s running a 12-yard route, and he’s supposed to get back to 10. Does he actually turn around and get back to 10? Or does he get lazy, stop at 12, and figure that’s close enough?

That’s not close enough for a coach. You want that receiver running his route 100 miles an hour. And that doesn’t change just because it’s a running play. If his job is to run a defender off, is he doing it? Or is he being lazy because he knows it’s not a pass?

That’s the stuff coaches see.

Blocking Is Part of Playing Receiver

There is a misconception that wide receivers are all about catching passes. They’re not. Receivers have to be physical, especially when they’re facing press coverage, but also when they’re blocking on the perimeter.

When that running back breaks a long run, I want to see my receivers down the field blocking. I want them finishing the play. You don’t get to decide that a running play isn’t important because you’re not getting the football. Your job is still your job. And sometimes that block is the difference between a good run and a touchdown.

Catch the Football With Your Hands

When the ball gets to a receiver, I want to see those hands come up and catch it. Don’t let the football get into your body. With younger players, that’s something coached typically have to correct. If that ball hits your shoulder pads, it can bounce straight up in the air. Now you’ve got a ball that should have been an easy completion turning into a potential turnover.

If it’s a 50/50 ball, I want my receiver going up and catching that football at its highest point with his hands. If you’re running a route across the middle, I want to see those hands out there. 

And you have to accept the fact that you’re going to get hit. Is the receiver mentally tough to handle “going over the middle,” or do they develop alligator arms? All coached want to see speed, technique and running after the catch, but is the receiver willing to go into a hit and maintain possession of the ball. 

And of course, you’ve got to catch the football. But what happens to your mindset if you drop one?

Scouts want to see short memories. Move on.

Obviously, as a coach, you want your receivers to catch every ball. But I’m also watching the body language after the drop. Don’t drop your head. Don’t pout. Don’t let one bad play turn into two bad plays. Because the next play might be a running play coming your way, and now I need you to block.

That’s part of being a receiver, too.

Get Off the Ball

For prospects, getting off the ball is extremely important. If you’re running a go route against press coverage, you’ve got to be able to get off that defender. Dip that shoulder. Get separation. Get past him.

If that corner is in press coverage, his job is to not let you off the ball. Your job is to beat him. Who wins? And that’s where being physical comes in.

A lot of people think receivers don’t have to be physical. They absolutely do. If you’re running a slant, that first step inside has to be hard. Get into your route immediately. Clear that defender and get big on that slant route. Give your quarterback a good target. Don’t make him throw the ball into a postage stamp.

Put the Team Before Yourself

One of the biggest things I look for is assignment discipline. If you’re supposed to run a defender off on a running play, run him off. If you’re supposed to block somebody on the perimeter, block him. If you’re supposed to clear space for somebody else, do your job. That’s putting the name on the front of the jersey ahead of the name on the back. You’re doing whatever it takes for your team to be successful, whether you’re getting the football or not.

It’s easy to go 100 miles an hour when you know you’re getting the football. It’s easy when you know the ball might be coming your way. The test is doing it when you know it isn’t. You have to do the little things every single play, regardless of what play is called.

I know this position tends to house more prima donnas than most. But for prospects earning a shot, do the dirty work and team first attitudes will get you scouted and selected.

Coachability Matters

This goes for every position, not just receivers. When a coach corrects something, I want to see the player take the steps to fix the mistake he just made. If you keep doing the same thing because it’s easier for you, you’re either being lazy, you’re not coachable, or it’s a combination of the two.

Every coach wants that kid who’s going to listen and make the changes necessary to get better. Again, it goes back to doing what’s best for the team, not what’s best for you.

Mental Toughness

All football players are physically tough. That’s part of the job description. But there’s also mental toughness. What happens when you’re having a rough game? Maybe you’ve got a corner who’s shutting you down, and you’re not getting the football.

How are you going to react? Are you going to accept it and disappear? Or are you going to keep working your butt off, run a more physical route, and find a way to get open?

Being able to stay “up” and not let a bad play, bad quarter, bad game dictate your style of play is important. And that’s what scouts and coaches are scrutinizing.

Separate Yourself Before Game Day

Being a good receiver starts long before game night. It starts in the offseason.

Be there every single day. Work on your hands. Do fingertip push-ups. Get stronger. Run your drills 110 miles an hour because 100 isn’t enough. 

You’ve got to be the guy who stands out. And that doesn’t mean just catching the most footballs. It means finishing every drill, finishing every catch. If you’re doing a pre-practice drill against air and you’re running a route, catch the ball and turn upfield 100 miles an hour just like a defender is standing there. Don’t catch it and jog back.

Catch it. Turn up. Go. Finish the play.

The Coach’s Eye

Here’s the thing about evaluating a wide receiver: a receiver doesn’t automatically have a great game because he has nine catches for 150 yards and two touchdowns. A receiver can have a great game with one catch for seven yards.

Yes, everybody wants the stats. Of course we do. I want my receiver catching every ball and getting into the end zone with it.

But coaches are watching the other things, too. How are his routes? Is he getting off the ball? Is he being physical? Is he running the right depth? Is he blocking downfield? Is he doing his assignment on every single play? Is he finishing? Is he coachable? And when something goes wrong, how does he respond?

That’s the difference between watching a wide receiver and coaching a wide receiver. The box score tells you what happened when the ball came his way. The coach is watching everything else. And a lot of times, those are the things that tell you what kind of player you’ve really got.