Deon Cain, Clemson: 2018 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Clemson’s Deon Cain is an explosive wide receiver who is excels at taking the top off a defense and stretching the field.

Deon Cain is an exciting wide receiver prospect thanks to his speed. He’s someone who easily outpaces defenders and gets behind the defense. His ability to track the football helps make him an even more effective deep threat.

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Cain’s speed starts with an explosive first step and ability to get to full speed in a hurry. He’s often able to run right by the defender. Cain shows enough body control to be able to adjust to poorly thrown passes and still make the catch.

While his biggest contribution is as a deep threat, he has the size and hands to develop into much more. Cain features a solid frame with good length. He flashes the ability to high point the football and win in contested situations.

However, Cain does need to work on timing his jumps in order to maximize his reach.

Clemson didn’t ask Cain to run a wide route tree. This is something he will need to develop when he makes the jump to the NFL. At this point, he spends most of his time streaking down the side line or running a deep in.

Cain’s speed will become even more of a weapon when he learns to read a defense and run crisper intermediate routes.

He brings some added value as a blocker where he shows solid technique and effort. His size should allow him to handle a large majority of defensive backs. However, it will take an adjustment coming from Clemson’s spread-option attack.

Overall, Cain’s speed is something every NFL team covets. He has that special trait that makes him a threat to score every time he’s on the field. How high he is drafted will depend on how he develops as a route runner.