There are hundreds of stories being told during the planning and anticipation of the 2017 NFL Draft. Today we will be looking at a scouting report for junior wide out Chris Godwin Penn State Nittany Lions.
WR-Chris Godwin, Penn State 6’1” 209 lbs.
The former Nittany Lion receiver certainly made a huge splash with his 2017 Rose Bowl performance totaling nine receptions for 187 yards and two touchdowns to help the Nittany Lions keep pace with the high scoring Trojans. That game put him on the radar of many draft pundits like myself. His entire 2016 season was one of the best any wide out from Penn State had ever experienced with 59 receptions for 982 yards and eleven touchdowns.
Because I’m a high school football coach and educator by trade, I decided to break down what I saw in the four games I reviewed of the junior playmaker: 2016 contests versus Michigan, USC, and Indiana along with his 2015 game against heated rival Michigan State. All of these videos are available via draftbreakdown.com. Here are my thoughts:
Cons: Godwin will not win many foot races with defensive backs as he is more of a long strider than a quick twitch athlete. He sometimes unnecessarily allows the ball into his body instead of catching it cleanly away from him. The wide out does not appear to have strong hands as the ball seems to get ripped out of his grasp by defensive backs more than it should. Then there is his habit of leaping to catch the pigskin when the height of the pass does not need him leaving his feet. Doing that subjects himself to additional trauma.
Pros: The young playmaker is more physical than most receivers as he takes pride in his run blocking acumen (ran with Saquan Barkley 80 yards down the field taking out three defenders). Godwin seems to enjoy being gang tackled instead of going down easily after the catch with leg drive and balance. Unlike most wideouts, he is willing to snare the ball in the middle of the field and can box out most defenders or fight them away with his hands. Godwin tracks the ball well, contorts his body to be in the best position to snare the pigskin, and attacks it at its highest point catching in stride.
The former Nittany Lion receiver has the strength and foot speed to get off the line of scrimmage when faced with press coverage. He has a good catch radius, can impress with a one-handed grabs when the ball gets thrown behind him or when he needs to tip the ball to himself all while not losing concentration. This junior wideout is a red zone threat with his ability to make a bucket catch at the back of the end zone. Godwin had a good Combine running a 4.42 40 yard dash, a 7.01 second three cone, and a 4.00 second 20 yard shuttle, which shoots him up draft boards even more.
Overall impressions: I have this uniquely talented wideout, who plays with a sense of physicality that is usually reserved for the 6’3”+ 225 lbs.+ specimens, in my top ten rookie receivers. His run blocking will get him on the field early and if he can strengthen his ability to grasp the pigskin tightly after the ball hits his hands, Godwin may never leave the field of the team that drafts him. He should be available in the third round in most rookie drafts.
Thanks for reading. I will continue to discuss my scouting reports with you throughout the next several months, so keep checking the site for more content. Please check out my other content as well. You can also follow me on Twitter @AndrewMiley.
