Why I like the decision to draft wide receiver Luke McCaffrey

Taking a chance on a high floor, high ceiling prospect

If I’m being honest with you, dear reader, and I always am, the only things I knew about wide receiver Luke McCaffrey 48 hours ago were that he was part of the illustrious McCaffrey clan (father Ed, brother Christian), that he played for Rice University, and that I could reliably pick him up in the 5th round or so of various mock drafts, if I had wanted to, which I generally didn’t.

What I’ve learned about him since Washington took him at pick #100, the last pick in the 3rd round of this year’s draft, has me very, very excited.

Coming out of high school, McCaffrey was recruited at as a quarterback. With offers from Colorado, Michigan, Ohio State, UCLA, and several other schools, he ended up enrolling at the University of Nebraska in 2019.

McCaffrey started two total games in two years as a Cornhusker and transferred to Rice University, in Texas, in 2021. He started three games as QB for the Owls in 2021, but apparently recognized he wasn’t cut out to play quarterback, and switched to wide receiver during the spring practices in 2022. The following season, he would lead Rice in receiving, despite missing three games with an ankle injury.

During his final season, he would catch 16 TDs on 963 yards and get All-AAC Honors.

Physically, McCaffrey comps very similarly to Seahawks first round pick Jaxon Smith-Njigba, a slot WR taken in last year’s draft.

McCaffrey’s college tape is absolutely littered with circus-style catches like those below. The kid has some of the best hands you’ll ever see. It’s hard to believe he’s only been a wide receiver for a couple of years.

But that said, his game is still far from fully refined. From his draft profile:

From the slot position, McCaffrey appears to be a well-rounded player. McCaffrey understands how to uncover quickly and make himself available for the quarterback. McCaffrey is a consistent threat as a vertical seam runner, understanding how to get separation from man while also finding the hole in between the second-level and third-level defenders. McCaffrey also profiles as a tough player as he can consistently make catches across the middle of the field. High-traffic areas don’t appear to bother McCaffrey and he can also hold onto the ball after collisions. McCaffrey also has value as a run-after-the-catch option, showing good straight-line acceleration and the ability to run through arm tackles at times.

From the traditional X or Z alignment on the outside, McCaffrey does a good job of pressing vertical and tracking the ball. McCaffrey does a good job of locating the deep ball and has great concentration to bring the ball in and make difficult catches consistently.

The area of question for McCaffrey is his ability to separate and sustain that separation vertically. McCaffrey does a good job of stacking defensive backs quickly, but most of his vertical catches are contented because defenders can stay in phase with him.

One of the things that intrigues me most, and that I’ve already picked up on in just a couple of interviews with McCaffrey since he’s been drafted, is a pervasive humility and a recognition that he still has a long way to go in his development. From the interview below:

Interviewer: “What’s the thing you most have to work on? What could you do better.”

McCaffrey: “Honestly, I think I need to be better at everything. I look at ever rep and see so many different ways that I can improve, that I can grow. So I’m just going out there trying to learn on every rep. Trying to put things together, and that’s what the game is, you’re always pursuing perfection and you rarely get there, ever in life. You probably never get there, but it’s really fun to go through that process, to continue learning, continue growing, and refining your agility, refining your route running, and your ability to see the field.”

One of my favorite college-talent evaluation voices is the Senior Bowl’s Jim Nagy. His job is essentially to spend time watching tape of college kids to showcase in his All-Star game, and – while he’s rarely openly critical of players – I’ve found that when he’s heaping praise on someone, it’s a good idea to listen. And, oh my, did he heap praise on McCaffrey in the lead up to the draft this year.

Is McCaffrey the next Nacua? If I had to guess, he’s probably not going to put up 1,500 yards next year. But, I’d gladly settle for the next Jakobi Meyers, who has had over 700 yards receiving for four years in a row, first with the Patriots and then with the Raiders.

It’s very much my belief that McCaffrey is a player on the upswing of his career, with an aggressive commitment to improving his game and the athletic gifts to execute. I’m not sure what more you can look in a mid-round pick. Go kick some ass, kid.