2020 NFL Draft: Antonio Gandy-Golden begins to emerge

Liberty wide receiver Antonio Gandy-Golden put together an impressive showing Saturday, and he’s emerging as a potential sleeper in the 2020 NFL Draft.

The 6-foot-4, 220-pound senior is one of the most productive receivers in the nation, and he put together another strong showing against Maine. He hauled in nine catches for 149 yards and currently sits 3rd in the nation in receiving yards.

He has a large catch radius and fits the physical profile of a big X receiver.

Gandy-Golden has questionable straight-line speed and relies on stride length going vertical. He attacks the ball with his hands and knows how to effectively use his frame to box out defensive backs at the catch point.

He has room to improve as a route runner. Gandy-Golden tends to round off his routes, although he runs most of the route tree; he isn’t really asked to run intermediate outs and digs. He struggles to get separation going vertical and relies on his size to find success downfield.

After the catch, Gandy-Golden is tough to bring down and he has a physical play style. He flashes agility with the ball in his hands, although he might not have the speed to break open big plays consistently at the next level.

He’s a willing blocker and flashes adequate ability, but he needs to continue to refine his hand usage and body positioning.

Gandy-Golden played well against the best team he’s faced so far this year in Syracuse in the season-opener, and he’ll see another jump in competition over the next few games.

Liberty faces Rutgers next week (although it might not be THAT much of an improvement over Maine) and cornerback Damon Hayes is a long, intriguing prospect that should give him a competitive matchup.

Gandy-Golden and Liberty also have BYU and Virginia remaining on the schedule, so he has plenty of time to prove himself and push his name into draft conversations.

Big receivers with questionable speed sometimes struggle to translate to the next level, but he’s been productive throughout his career and has the skill-set to potentially find success.

He’s an intriguing prospect that might end up a mid-to-late round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, but he has the potential to make a role for himself at the next level.