MOBILE, Ala. — Ladd McConkey’s days as an “underdog” are officially over.
McConkey showed up and showed out on the first day of Senior Bowl practice on Tuesday, to the extent he crashed into the Top 50 prospects of the upcoming NFL Draft, per NFL.com.
ESPN scout Matt Miller agreed.
“Whether it was against press or soft coverage, McConkey was open on every rep,” Miller noted on ESPN.com. “A top-50 prospect on my board, there’s still room for McConkey to creep into the back end of Round 1.”
Truth is, there’s not much more for McConkey to prove at the Senior Bowl, and if his ankle is still on the mend one wonders if it’s worth pushing it.
McConkey’s appearance at the NFL Combine, at the beginning of March, is just around the corner, and the UGA receiver’s measurables and physical will be closely scrutinized.
The football ability is in the books.
Forget the Hunter Renfrow comparisons, Senior Bowl director and former Super Bowl NFL Scout Jim Nagy compares McConkey to a former NFL Offensive Player of the Year and Super Bowl MVP.
“I think he’s faster than Cooper Kupp, but in terms of a route runner getting out of breaks, just stemming guys and setting guys up and having a feel for getting in open space, he can do that,” Nagy told DawgNation.
“And Ladd can run after the catch, and those are things Cooper has been ridiculous at.”
McConkey made his share of incredible runs and catches at Georgia, stepping up against Florida with six catches for 135 yards and a TD with teammate Brock Bowers sidelined by an ankle injury.
Not bad for a 3-star prospect from Chatsworth who many fans didn’t feel was worthy of a Power 5 scholarship, much less to powerhouse Georgia.
Read more at DawgNation.com