Scouting the 2020 NFL Draft: Donovan Peoples-Jones, WR, Michigan

Donovan Peoples-Jones is seen as the pick of a trio of talented Michigan receivers and could be in the first-round conversation in 2020.

Michigan has not produced much in the way of top-tier receiving talent in recent years, with defense being the Wolverines’ primary calling card since Jim Harbaugh took charge of his alma mater in Ann Arbor.

The likes of Jehu Chesson and Amara Darboh have struggled to make an impact after making the leap from Michigan to the NFL but, heading into the 2019 season, there is the real prospect the Maize and Blue could have three early-round receiving prospects on their hands, with Donovan Peoples-Jones the pick of the bunch in the eyes of many.

Nico Collins and Tarik Black are also worthy of significant attention but, despite appearing to lack top-end speed, Peoples-Jones is regarded as the cream of Michigan’s crop for good reason.

At 6’2″ and 208 pounds Peoples-Jones has the prototypical frame for a starting boundary receiver and, with 47 catches for 612 yards and eight touchdowns in 2018, has displayed the ability to use that frame and his hands to extremely impressive effect.

Peoples-Jones is a hands catcher who does a superb job of tracking the football and finding it in the air, showing the flexibility and balance to adjust to low throws and bring in tough catches on the sideline while demonstrating the awareness and body control to get both feet in bounds when he does so.

Always looking to make the most of the size advantage he has against defensive backs, Peoples-Jones is consistently physical at the catch point and will cleverly use his hands to swipe away those of defenders and gain leverage to put him in position to box out in jump-ball situations.

The same agility Peoples-Jones uses to adjust to the ball in the air is evident in the return game, where he has been consistently impressive due to a blend of elusiveness and power in the open field that many receivers of his physical makeup do not possess.

His dominance at the catch point and abilities with the ball in his hands should put Peoples-Jones in the conversation as one of the best receivers in the 2020 class and the first Michigan wideout to go in the opening round since Braylon Edwards in 2005.

To achieve that goal, however, NFL teams may want to see some development in his route-running. Peoples-Jones has shown an ability to use his footwork to get cornerbacks to open their hips, yet to this point he does not appear to have run a very complex route tree at Michigan.

That maybe beyond his control but if the former five-star recruit is able to put together some 2019 tape on which he displays evident growth as a route-runner, then he would enter the 2020 draft as one of the best all-round receivers of what looks set to be an excellent class.