John Metchie is a Junior wide receiver from the University of Alabama. He is from Hightstown, New Jersey, where he was a four-star prospect and New Jersey’s sixth-ranked player in the 247Sports composite rankings. He committed to Nick Saban’s Alabama program over his much closer to home second choice, Penn State. Reaching into New Jersey for the Nation’s 40th ranked WR was unexpected as the Crimson Tide’s roster was littered with top-10 players at the position, but that speaks to how much Alabama loved Metchie.

John Metchie Draft Profile

 
* Recruit stars via 247Sports

Metchie didn’t do much in his Freshman season, but no one would have in his defense. Alabama’s 2019 wide receiver corps was a historical group that would all be first-round NFL Draft selections. This group included Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs, Jaylen Waddle, and future Heisman winner DeVonta Smith.

Jeudy and Ruggs’ departures after 2019 left Metchie as the No. 3 guy entering his sophomore season, but that role would proliferate when Waddle was lost to injury early in the 2020 season. Waddle going down kick-started Smith’s Heisman campaign, but Metchie was quietly carving out an NFL future as his sidekick. Metchie’s 55-916-6 line, along with Smith and Waddle moving on to the NFL, meant that it was time for him to be the Crimson Tide’s No. 1 in 2021. Metchie’s 96-1142-8 line was enough to help Alabama reach the SEC Championship Game again, but Metchie’s season and Alabama career ended there when he tore his ACL.

John Metchie Career Receiving Statistics

 
*Stats referenced via PFF

John Metchie Dynasty Fantasy Analysis

John Metchie, in some ways, is your prototypical Alabama wide receiver, but in some ways, he is not. Alabama wide receivers have come to be known for flawless fundamentals, elite route running and the ability to create separation quickly. Metchie can do all of those things and do them well. Where he is not your prototypical Alabama wide receiver lies with his athleticism, where he is average across the board.

Metchie will never be a No. 1 in the NFL, but he can be a team’s No. 2 for a decade. The NFL prioritizes route-running and the ability to separate over other traits more now than ever, and Metchie provides that. The “Bama Bump” is also a real thing; coaches covet these players developed in Saban’s system. In an exceedingly strong wide receiver class that saw six drafted in the first round, Metchie will come at an affordable price for Dynasty managers.

Player Comp – Eddie Royal

Both under six feet tall and two hundred pounds, Royal and Metchie saw nearly identical draft capital going 43rd and 44th overall, respectively. Royal is faster than Metchie, but these guys win in similar ways outside of that. Royal’s career was productive but not great, and that should be the expectation with Metchie.

Landing Spot and Outlook

• Team Drafted: Houston Texans
• Pick Selected: Round 2, Pick 12 (44th Overall)

Coming off a torn ACL and lacking elite prospect pedigree would stop a prospect from seeing top-50 NFL Draft capital more times than not. However, that wasn’t the case for Metchie in the 2022 NFL Draft, as the Houston Texans selected the Alabama wide receiver 44th overall. In addition to the impressive draft capital, he landed in a spot with a tremendous opportunity to be the Texan’s second target after Brandin Cooks. Second-year Nico Collins will be Metchie’s primary competition, but Metchie’s college production and NFL Draft equity are superior. Metchie should be the favorite to secure that No. 2 position in Houston and is worthy of a second-round dynasty rookie pick.

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