D.J. Chark, LSU: 2018 NFL Draft Scouting Report
By Jon Dove
LSU’s D.J. Chark is an explosive wide receiver who is one of the better deep threats available for the 2018 NFL Draft.
D.J. Chark features a long and athletic frame. His height and overall arm length help him pluck the ball away from his frame. Chark has good hands showing the ability to make the tough catch in traffic. However, it’s his explosiveness that makes him such an intriguing prospect.
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He has easy speed that allows him to get up to full speed in a hurry. This is a quick-twitch athlete capable of outpacing defensive angles. Chark excels at stretching the defense and getting behind the coverage.
His ability to track the football in the air helps him run underneath those deep throws. He would be a great fit in a vertical offense featuring a quarterback with a big arm.
LSU’s offensive attack hasn’t done Chark many favors as far as his development is concerned. They typically ask him to streak down the field, run a stop route or handle the ball on a reverse. He has very little experience running a pro-style route tree.
So far in his career, he has a total of 33 receptions. This shows how limited his overall experience is at this point in his development.
Chark is also a bit of a one-tick pony who really relies on his speed. He isn’t someone who will attack the ball at its highest point or win in contested situations. This limits his overall potential and negates some of his size advantage.
He will continue to garner NFL attention thanks to that elite speed. It’s something that every NFL team covets. Most will see Chark as a big-play threat who could develop as a route runner once in the league. He represents a high risk-high reward type prospect at this point.