The 2023 NFL Draft is here! After months of waiting, we finally know where the 2023 NFL Draft class will land. This information shapes the outlook for rookies in 2023 and beyond. We’re going to have you covered throughout and following the 2023 NFL Draft to help you prepare for your fantasy football leagues. Next up for many will be dynasty rookie drafts. To help you prepare to make your dynasty rookie draft picks, let’s dive into Matthew Jones’s 2023 NFL Draft profile as well as Pat Fitzmaurice’s dynasty rookie draft outlook for A.T. Perry.
Dynasty Rookie Picks & Predictions: Saints Draft A.T. Perry
Let’s first see what NFL Draft expert Matthew Jones says about A.T. Perry.
Matthew Jones’s 2023 NFL Draft Outlook
Background:
Redshirted in 2018, then caught four passes on six targets the following year. Saw his role expand a little bit as a sophomore (16-218-1, 13.6 on 34 targets), then stepped into a major offensive role in 2021, with a monster line of 71-1,296-15 (18.3) on 125 targets (56.8%). Had a productive senior year line of 81-1,096-11 (13.5) to conclude his collegiate career.
Positives:
Massive split end who has carried the load offensively for the past two seasons. Ran routes to all three levels and is a good enough athlete to threaten defenses downfield, often on posts, sluggo posts, and go routes off of inside moves; average depth of target was 15.0 yards over his career. Releases well at the line of scrimmage against press coverage; does a good job of winning at the snap and keeping opposing corners in his hip pocket. Hides his hands when the corner’s back is to the ball. Size and length give him a massive radius, and has impressive flexibility to adjust to throws away from his frame. Able to climb the ladder and win over the top. Does a good job of drawing flags from opposing defensive backs down the field. Works back to the football when targeted on curls and other routes of that nature. Shows a good understanding of positioning as a blocker, working from a stable base and using his length.
Negatives:
On the thin side for a player his size. A good athlete but not a particularly explosive one; makes an effort to sink his hips but doesn’t get a ton of separation at the route stem, forcing him to win some contested catches. Route tree isn’t the most diversified, with a lot of outs and ins underneath. Dropped seventeen passes over the past two years. Doesn’t have a major element of physicality to his game. Knows how to block but doesn’t show much of a mean streak to dominate; can often be found looking for the ball instead of playing through the whistle.
Summary:
A productive two-year starter who plays with the attention to detail and craftiness teams look for and who has the size to win over the top and the ability to challenge defenses downfield by winning at the line with his release and stacking opposing defenders, but who will need to continue adding functional strength and show more nastiness in his game as a blocker upon reaching the next level.
2023 Dynasty Rookie Draft Outlook: A.T. Perry
New Orleans isn’t a bad landing spot for Perry. Chris Olave, Michael Thomas and Rasheed Shahid will be ahead of him on the depth chart, but Perry is talented enough to displace Tre’Quan Smith and the other receivers on the Saints’ roster. Thomas has been unable to stay healthy in recent years, so it’s not out of the question that Perry could end up seeing significant playing time as a rookie, even though he was only a sixth-round draft pick.
A big, rangy receiver with one of the biggest wingspans in this WR class, the 6-3, 195-pound Perry has the sort of length that NFL teams covet in an outside receiver. He was highly productive in Wake Forest’s wonky offense, topping the 1,000-yard mark and scoring double-digit touchdowns in each of his final two seasons. Perry has the potential to be a good route runner, although FantasyPros college football and NFL Draft analyst Thor Nystrom notes that he sometimes labors to quickly change direction.
With sixth-round NFL Draft capital, Perry is merely a late-round flyer in dynasty rookie drafts, but he’s a worthwhile flyer to take with your final pick.
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