By Jay Skurski
Cordarrelle Patterson
Position: Wide receiver
School: Tennessee
Measurements: 6-foot-2, 216 pounds.
40 time: 4.42 seconds. Vertical: 37 inches. Broad jump: 128 inches.
2012 stats: 46 catches, 778 yards, 5 TDs; 25 carries, 308 yards, 3 TDs
Draft projection: First round
Lowdown: Patterson was expected to be the third receiving option behind Justin Hunter and Da'Rick Rogers for the Vols in 2012, but he jumped into the stating lineup after Rogers left the program. In his lone season at the major college level, he became the first NCAA player in four years to score a touchdown four different ways (rushing, receiving, punt return, kick return). ... Elite combination of size and speed makes him one of the best playmakers available in the draft. Shows excellent vision in the open field with the ball in his hands, as shown by the 25 carries the Vols gave him. ... Has strong hands and the ability to make plays in traffic. ... Smooth in and out of breaks
Natural "one-year wonder" concerns are present after he spent just one season in the SEC. ... Known as a "body catcher," which led to some drops. ... Will need to do a better job of getting off jams at the line of scrimmage in the NFL. ... Russ Lande of the National Football Post reported after the NFL Scouting Combine that Patterson was "unimpressive" in team interviews.
Hometown is Rock Hill, S.C., same as Bills 2012 first-round pick Stephon Gilmore, whom Patterson played against in high school.
They said it: "Patterson is just enormous talent. He's got incredible athletic ability, he flashed out in a lot of games. Obviously a little raw coming in, and I thought he showed he's deserving of being in the first-round discussion during the year. He gets pushed up because of where he can be two or three years from now." -- ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr.
The Buffalo News is profiling 50 prospects in 50 days leading up to next month's NFL Draft.
tagged
2013 draft | Cordarrelle Patterson | Road to the Draft
