2013 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Robert Woods

Career Recap: Woods was one of the top recruits in the nation coming out of high school, and thus far, he has shown by being extremely productive in the PAC-12 over his first two seasons. Woods caught 65 passes for 792 yards and six touchdowns as a freshman. He opened his sophomore season with a record-setting game against Minnesota, snagging 17 receptions for 177 yards and three touchdowns. Woods then broke his own record a few games later, against Arizona, hauling in 14 receptions for 255 yards and two touchdowns.

Woods totaled 1,292 yards on 111 receptions with 15 touchdowns in 2011. The 6-foot-1, 180-pound was the No.1 receiver for quarterback Matt Barkley, and Woods continued to produce even when defenses were sending bracket coverage his direction.



2012 Season Outlook: The expectations for Woods are extremely high, but there is no reason to believe that he won’t be able to meet them. Woods has Barkley coming back for his senior season, and that decision had to please Woods more than anybody else. It would be an absolute shock if a healthy Woods didn’t produce a big season.

The one big adjustment for the USC offense will be the loss of left tackle Matt Kalil. Barkley’s blind side should be well-protected given the kind of talent that USC recruits, but the new left tackle has big shoes to fill as Kalil was an elite pass protector and the fourth-overall pick in the 2012 draft. Kalil’s rock-solid pass protection definitely played a role in Barkley having the time to hit Woods for big plays downfield.

Skill-Set Summary: Woods looks NFL-ready right now. The 6-foot-1, 180-pound receiver has speed to burn. He easily gets separation from defensive backs as they struggle to turn and run with him. Woods is very quick in and out of his breaks, with well-developed route running. He has reliable hands and is a scoring threat on any play. Woods is fabulous as a run after the catch receiver.

While he has good height, Woods is not overly physical with cornerbacks. He seems to prefer to beat them with his speed and athleticism. For the NFL, it would help if Woods filled out his frame with another 10-20 pounds of muscle. If he can do that while maintaining his speed, it should help him to defeat jams at the line of scrimmage, and not allow himself to have play-timing disrupted by rerouting.



2013 Draft Expectations: Right now, Woods is the highest-rated draft-eligible receiver. If the junior stays healthy and productive, he could easily be a high first-round pick next April. Woods looks like a true No.1 receiver who could be a dynamic receiving threat at the next level. As a prospect, He looks to be at a similar level as Justin Blackmon was entering his junior season.





RELATED LINKS:


2013 NFL Mock Draft: Charlie’s | Walt’s


2013 NFL Draft Prospect Rankings


2013 NFL Draft Scouting Reports








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