Michael Gallup, Colorado State
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 205 pounds
40-yard dash: 4.51 seconds
Vertical: 36 inches
Broad Jump: 10’2″
When going through the prospects to watch my first round of tape, someone who came up in the 10-15 range on most lists was Gallup. After watching him over a span of three games, it was clear that he deserved to be much higher on lists. Gallup is kind of a do-it-all wide receiver who has some traits that’ll show up in the NFL right away, and one who could develop into a consistent fantasy producer.
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While at Colorado State, Gallup didn’t have what I’d call a good quarterback in Nick Stevens. He was a gunslinger for sure, but there were plenty of times while watching tape where I saw Gallup get a few yards of separation, only to be overthrown by Stevens. It wasn’t all bad, though, as Gallup finished 4-of-13 games with 10 or more receptions, as well as finished fifth among all college receivers in yards. His touchdown total was cut in half his senior year, but I’d argue that it was because he became a more well-rounded receiver, finishing with more receptions and more yards.
The one thing you should know is that Gallup only played two years at Colorado State, as he was forced to play at a junior college for two years due to poor testing on his SAT. He suffered an injury to his ankle in his sophomore season, which is what held him back from signing with a bigger school.
Size/Versatility: 3.5 out of 5 stars
He looks like a great size in college, but he’ll be an average size in the NFL. He’s not someone who’s physically imposing, and isn’t the greatest blocker, as he appears to be simply going through the motions at time. But one of the best attributes of Gallup is his versatility all over the field. He runs most of the route tree and can be lined up all over the field. Creative play-callers are great at creating and utilizing mismatches for wide receivers like him, so expect that to boost his stock in the draft.
Route Running/Ability to Separate: 4.0 out of 5 stars
While he did play at a smaller school than we’d hoped, Gallup is able to create separation at every level on the field. He possesses quick burst out of the hole, which puts defenders in a quandary on whether or not they press him. If he bursts past the press, he’s unlikely to be caught from behind. With that, he does seem to waste a lot of time getting tangled in press coverage, though there are times where he uses his hands to swipe away the press extremely well. Scouts have said he’s still learning the position, but that he shows promise in this area. He boasts quick, subtle movements in his routes gets defensive backs spun around. He also has the ability to stop on a dime, which is useful in his hitch routes, giving his quarterback a bit target to work with. Given his knowledge of the route tree, Gallup should have an easier time getting on the field.
Speed: 4.0 out of 5 stars
His play speed is phenomenal, as he’s got a turbo button that he can hit at any moment. Some wide receivers lack multiple gears, but not Gallup. The reason he’s able to create so much separation on his deep routes aren’t because of his long-speed (4.51-second 40-yard dash), but because of the way he uses those gears. Once he has the ball in his hands, his speed is solid, though not spectacular. He’s not someone who will get caught from behind, though, so it’s not going to be an issue.
Hands: 2.0 out of 5 stars
One area where Gallup can improve is his hands. There are too many times where I see him wait and let the ball come too far into his body before getting his hands on it. This typically means that a player isn’t a natural hands catcher. You’ll often see the best wide receivers pluck the ball out of the air, and this is something that Gallup doesn’t do very often. He also suffers from the drops at times, whether it be mental or simply a contested catch with defenders in the vicinity. This is a knock on his overall ceiling, but drops can often be fixed, like running back fumbles. Still, he leaves you wanting more with his hands.
Awareness: 3.5 out of 5 stars
He’s a mixed bag in this area, though high-pointing a ball may fall more under hands than awareness. It seems as if he mis-times his jumps on the ball a bit too often. His in-air ball adjustment isn’t great, either, as he will make his defender aware if a ball was over/underthrown, making it near a 50/50 ball when in actuality, the wide receiver should still have the edge. He needs to learn to wait until the last moment to make adjustments in order to not tip-off the defensive back. On the other hand, Gallup is really good at reading zone defense, knowing when and where to sit down in a soft spot of the coverage. This is football IQ at its finest, and something that will translate at any level. There was one play in particular where you could tell a safety came down from his position to cut off a route by Gallup, and in a split-second, Gallup changed his course to go directly over the top of the safety. The play resulted in a touchdown. It’s not just the deep ball, either, as it’s the reason he hauled in 100 receptions in 2017, the third-most in the country. Because of his lack of in-air adjustments, it hurts this grade, but there’s definitely positives to take away.
After the Catch: 2.5 out of 5 stars
As mentioned earlier, Gallup is a solid size for a college wide receiver, but he’s going to be considered very average size in the NFL. Knowing that he didn’t shrug off tacklers at Colorado State, that trait won’t suddenly show up at the next level, either. He’s got solid vision in the open-field, but nothing out of the ordinary. He does break ankle tackles very often, but that’s about all you’ll get from a physicality standpoint.
Potential Landing Spot
There are some who believe Gallup has first-round talent, while others believe he’ll fall until the third- or fourth-round. Because of that, there’s a wide range of scenarios for Gallup, though I believe he hears his name called on Day 2 of the draft. The one team who now has plenty of picks to take him in the draft is the Colts. After losing Donte Moncrief in free agency, they gave former-Redskins wide receiver Ryan Grant a one-year deal. This far from solidifies their wide receiver problem. They need a wide receiver who can get open underneath who’ll take some heat of T.Y. Hilton. Gallup would fit in very well there and could become fantasy relevant rather quickly, provided Andrew Luck‘s health is in good order.
NFL Comparison
Trying to find someone who resembles Gallup is relatively easy, as he’s a medium-sized receiver who isn’t a natural hands catcher, but someone who can get open at every level of the field. While some will dismiss him, Jeremy Maclin was really good for a long time in the NFL. Maclin showed the ability to be a possession receiver while totaling 86- and 87-catch seasons, but also showed the ability to get open downfield, averaging 15.5 yards per catch in Chip Kelly’s vertical offense. While Gallup may not have the ceiling of a true No. 1 wide receiver, I do think he’s going to be starting in this league for a long time.
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Royce Freeman (RB – Oregon)
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John Kelly (RB – Tennessee)
Kalen Ballage (RB – Arizona State)
Calvin Ridley (WR – Alabama)
James Washington (WR – Oklahoma State)
Courtland Sutton (WR – Southern Methodist)
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Mike Tagliere is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @MikeTagliereNFL.