Courtland Sutton, SMU: 2018 NFL Draft Scouting Report
By Jon Dove
SMU’s Courtland Sutton is a big-bodied wide receiver prospect who also has the speed to stretch the field.
Courtland Sutton has had a very productive college career and has the skill set to carry that on into the NFL. His size is the first thing that jumps out as he has excellent length, bulk and arm length. He is able to either box out or outreach most defensive backs.
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Sutton’s size isn’t his only asset as he also features good speed. He has the quickness and burst needed to outpace defensive angles. This combined with his size makes him a major big-play threat. He is someone capable of both winning in contested situations and stretching the field.
His game also comes with solid route-running skills and experience running a wide variety of routes. This is something that will help ease his transition to the NFL.
Sutton is a physical player who will fight for yards after the catch and contribute as a blocker. He plays with a chip on his shoulder which gets him in trouble at times. There are situations where he will have some after the play dustups with defensive backs.
The biggest negative in Sutton’s game is the consistency of his hands. He will fight the ball at times and drop some catchable passes. Some of this has to do with the fact that he doesn’t always pluck the ball away from his frame. Too often he lets the ball get into his body or pads.
Sutton will also have a few focus drops where he takes his eyes off the ball. He needs to do a better job being a more consistent pass catcher in order to maximize his potential.
Overall, this is a very talented wide receiver prospect with huge upside. He has the size and speed evaluators look for in a big-play threat. Sutton does need to polish his game and avoid drops.