Scout Takes: Cordarrelle Patterson

32 ESPN The Magazine 04/15/2013 i l lustrat ion by BRYAN CHRISTIE DESIGN DANIEL SHIREY/USA TODAY SPORTS

PLAYBOOK NFL

SCOUTTAKES

WIDE OPENNever heard of WR Cordarrelle Patterson? Understandable. The ex-juco spent just one so-so year at Tennessee (46 catches, 778 yards, 5 TDs) before soaring up draft boards this spring because of his ridiculous physical gifts—gifts that may not translate to the NFL. We asked an anonymous scout for an unfiltered look at the 6'2", 216-pound Patterson, then gathered feedback from other experts, including the former Vol himself. The consensus? There is no consensus.

THE SCOUT Patterson is a wild card. He’s talented, but he was at UT for only two semesters after leaving Hutchinson Community College in Kansas, so he’s really raw as a person and as a player.1 I just don’t know if he can pick up the schemes that you have to as a pro receiver. He was at a juco2 for a reason.3 He played some running back at UT, and he might be a running back at our level when it’s all said and done.4 He has a lot of natural skills,5 but he has so much to learn about the nuances of the pro game.6 He’s got bust written all over him if he’s drafted high.7

2012 YARDS FROM SCRIMMAGE 2012 RETURN YARDAGE

0 100 200 300 600400 700500 800 900

2012 YARDS PER CATCH

0 5 10 15

16.9

772

11.3

5

12.1

212

14.8

978

HERE’S HOW PATTERSON STACKS UP AGAINST FELLOW FIRST-ROUND WR PROSPECTS TAVON AUSTIN (WVU), KEENAN ALLEN (CAL) AND JUSTIN HUNTER (TENNESSEE).

KEENAN ALLEN

JUSTIN HUNTER

CORDARRELLE PATTERSON

TAVON AUSTIN

3 PATTERSONIt’s true that I didn’t have to read coverages in juco; I just ran my routes. But I’m glad I went there. I had some academic problems in high school, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without Hutchinson.

2 KC JOYNER ESPN INSIDERHis juco footage on YouTube is sick, like watching Randy Moss at Marshall. He had a couple of plays where he cut across the field and into traffic, but his incredible speed allowed him to destroy the pursuit angles and bust loose.

1 TODD MCSHAYESPN DRAFT ANALYSTThat’s a good way to put it. He has never had to learn how to be a great receiver because he’s been so much better athletically than everyone else.

4 SAM MONSON PRO FOOTBALL FOCUSHis ceiling is huge. Even if he isn’t a polished receiver right away, worst-case scenario is that he can contribute some on day one, with added value as a kick-return threat.

6 PATTERSON I know I have a lot to learn. I can get lazy in and out of breaks. Like on a curl, when I get to 12 yards, my arms sometimes stop moving and I have a hard time coming back to 10 yards. I’ve been working hard on keeping my hands active.

7 MCSHAYHe’s so raw. But every time I start to give up on him, there’s a play that draws me back in. It’s one or two things on every tape—and he may disappear the rest of the game—but those things just blow your mind.

5 KYLE RICHARDSON NORTHWESTERN (S.C.) HIGH SCHOOL COACHHe will be fine in the NFL, and it’ll be at receiver. I coached [Rams TE] Jared Cook, who was the same kind of physical freak with some question marks. It’ll work out with CP too.

CORDARRELLE PATTERSON TENNESSEE WR

HEIGHT 6'2"

WEIGHT 216

BEST 40 TIME 4.42

PROJECTED DRAFT STATUS LIKELY TOP-25 PICK

1,086 1,932 776 1,083