2018 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Simmie Cobbs

2018 NFL Draft Scouting Reports - Choose Player 2018 NFL Draft Scouting Reports - Home Adonis Alexander, CB, Virginia Tech Jaire Alexander, CB, Louisville Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming Mark Andrews, TE, Oklahoma Dorance Armstrong, DE, Kansas Marcel Ateman, WR, Oklahoma State Anthony Averett, CB, Alabama Kalen Ballage, RB, Arizona State Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State Sam Beal, CB, Western Michigan Andrew Brown, DE, Virginia Orlando Brown, OT, Oklahoma Taven Bryan, DT, Florida Lorenzo Carter, LB, Georgia D.J. Chark, WR, LSU Geron Christian, OT, Louisville Bradley Chubb, DE, N.C. State Nick Chubb, RB, Georgia Simmie Cobbs, WR, Indiana Tyrell Crosby, OT, Oregon James Daniels, C, Iowa Sam Darnold, QB, USC Marcus Davenport, DE, UTSA Carlton Davis, CB, Auburn Duke Dawson, CB, Florida Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Virginia Tech Duke Ejiofor, DE, Wake Forest Rashaan Evans, LB, Alabama Luke Falk, QB, Washington State Minkah Fitzpatrick, S, Alabama Mike Gesicki, TE, Penn State Dallas Goedert, TE, South Dakota State Rasheem Green, DT, USC Derrius Guice, RB, LSU DaeSean Hamilton, WR, Penn State Da'Shawn Hand, DE, Alabama Ronnie Harrison, S, Alabama Will Hernandez, G, UTEP Sam Hubbard, DE, Ohio State Mike Hughes, CB, Central Florida Hayden Hurst, TE, South Carolina Maurice Hurst, DT, Michigan Donte Jackson, CB, LSU Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville Joshua Jackson, CB, Iowa Derwin James, S, Florida State Malik Jefferson, LB, Texas Kerryon Johnson, RB, Auburn Ronald Jones, RB, USC Arden Key, DE, LSU Christian Kirk, WR, Texas A&M Micah Kiser, LB, Virginia Harold Landry, DE, Boston College Darius Leonard, LB, South Carolina State Iman Marshall, CB, USC Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma Tarvarus McFadden, CB, Florida State Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame Sony Michel, RB, Georgia Anthony Miller, WR, Memphis Kolton Miller, OT, UCLA D.J. Moore, WR, Maryland Nick Nelson, CB, Wisconsin Quenton Nelson, G, Notre Dame Isaiah Oliver, CB, Colorado Brian O'Neill, OT, Pittsburgh Da'Ron Payne, DT, Alabama Rashaad Penny, RB, San Diego State Harrison Phillips, DT, Stanford Billy Price, C, Ohio State Frank Ragnow, C, Arkansas Martinas Rankin, OT, Mississippi State Justin Reid, S, Stanford Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA Mason Rudolph, QB, Oklahoma State Jaylen Samuels, RB, N.C. State Tim Settle, DT, Virginia Tech Braden Smith, G, Auburn Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia Equanimeous St. Brown, WR, Notre Dame Courtland Sutton, WR, SMU Chad Thomas, DE, Miami Trenton Thompson, DT, Georgia Leighton Vander Esch, LB, Boise State Vita Vea, DT, Washington Akrum Wadley, RB, Iowa Denzel Ward, CB, Ohio State James Washington, WR, Oklahoma State Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson Connor Williams, OT, Texas Isaiah Wynn, G, Georgia

Simmie Cobbs Jr., 6-3/220 Wide Receiver Indiana

Simmie Cobbs Jr. Scouting Report
By Charlie Campbell

Strengths:

Mismatch size

Strong hands

Route running

Red-zone weapon

Back-shoulder play-maker

Length

Large catch radius

Body control

High points the football

Good height

Sideline weapon

Boxes out defensive backs

Outfights defenders for the ball

Excelled against good competition

Weaknesses:

Missed the 2016 season with an ankle injury

Has speed limitations

Will struggle to separate from NFL cornerbacks

Possession receiver

Summary: In Week 1 of the 2017 college football season, Cobbs proceeded to eat up a future NFL secondary in Ohio State, and constantly got the better of the top cornerback for the 2018 NFL Draft in Denzel Ward. Cobbs had his way with Ward and the Buckeyes to the tune of 11 receptions for 149 yards and a touchdown. It was a statement game for Cobbs who showed he is a dangerous receiver with mismatch size that is very difficult to defend.

Unfortunately, Indiana had a revolving set of quarterbacks and was unable to get the most out of Cobbs. In his final collegiate season, he totaled 72 receptions for 841 yards and eight touchdowns in 2017. Cobbs missed the 2016 season with an ankle injury, but he showed some big-play ability in 2015 when he caught 60 passes for 1,035 yards -a 17.3-yard average – and four touchdowns.



As a pro, Cobbs projects as a big possession receiver. He is very adept at making contested catches over defensive backs. Cobbs uses his big frame to box out defensive backs and make receptions in front of them. Cobbs has strong hands and a large catch radius, plus strongly outmuscles defenders for position. He has good body control with late hands to make him very difficult to defend on back-shoulder throws. In the end zone, Cobbs is a real weapon on fade routes and jump balls. He is a possession receiver who is physical and gritty.

Cobbs does not have great speed and is not a receiver who generates separation. In the NFL, corners won’t have a problem running with Cobbs, and he will be a receiver who lives and dies on contested catches. Cobbs won’t be a big yards-after-the-catch receiver or take the top off a defense. His alarming combine 40-yard dash time of 4.64 seconds illustrates that. Thus, Cobbs projects as more of a No. 2 or 3 receiver in the NFL rather than being a No. 1.

For the NFL, Cobbs could fit well as a X – split end – receiver who works on the outside and challenges teams along the sideline. He also has the size to be a Z – flanker – receiver and do the dirty work on underneath routes running slants, digs and crosses. In the 2018 NFL Draft, Cobbs looks like a second-day pick. There is a chance that he could slide into the mid-rounds.





Player Comparison: Donte Moncrief. Cobbs reminds me some of Moncrief at Ole Miss. Moncrief was a little faster, while Cobbs is more physical. During his best season in 2015, Moncrief contributed as a possession receiver across from T.Y. Hilton, and Cobbs could be a similar possession receiver as a pro. Moncrief was a third-round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, and Cobbs could go in the same area in 2018. In the NFL, I think Cobbs could be a better version of Moncrief if Cobbs lands with a good quarterback.

NFL Matches: Cleveland, San Francisco, New Orleans, Denver, Washington, Arizona, Buffalo, Baltimore and Jacksonville

There are a lot of teams that could be in the market for a wide receiver upgrade on the second day of the 2018 NFL Draft. The Browns need more receiving talent for their offense even though Jarvis Landry signed a long-term deal. They can’t count on Josh Gordon to stay on the field, and Corey Coleman hasn’t panned out for them yet. With their second-round picks and third-rounder, the Browns could consider a receiver like Cobbs on Day 2.

The Saints and 49ers could use more pass-catching weapons for their offenses. New Orleans could use more weapons for Drew Brees, while Cobbs would be a nice fit for Kyle Shanahan across from Marquise Goodwin. Cobbs could be in play for both teams in the third round.

The Broncos, Redskins and Cardinals all could be in the market for a receiver upgrade. Denver might look for some young receiving talent since both Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders are both over 30. The Redskins signed Paul Richardson, but they could consider adding more young receiver talent. Arizona has to consider life after Larry Fitzgerald and could use more receiving talent around the future Hall of Famer.

The Bills and Ravens also are in the market for receiver help. Buffalo has a plethora second-day picks in the 2018 NFL Draft and could have a trio of big wideouts with Cobbs, Kelvin Benjamin and Zay Jones. Baltimore badly needs more receiving talent for its offense. Cobbs could make sense for the Ravens in the third round.

In Florida, the Jaguars could target a big receiver like Cobbs considering Allen Robinson wasn’t re-signed.

2018 NFL Draft Scouting Reports - Choose Player 2018 NFL Draft Scouting Reports - Home Adonis Alexander, CB, Virginia Tech Jaire Alexander, CB, Louisville Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming Mark Andrews, TE, Oklahoma Dorance Armstrong, DE, Kansas Marcel Ateman, WR, Oklahoma State Anthony Averett, CB, Alabama Kalen Ballage, RB, Arizona State Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State Sam Beal, CB, Western Michigan Andrew Brown, DE, Virginia Orlando Brown, OT, Oklahoma Taven Bryan, DT, Florida Lorenzo Carter, LB, Georgia D.J. Chark, WR, LSU Geron Christian, OT, Louisville Bradley Chubb, DE, N.C. State Nick Chubb, RB, Georgia Simmie Cobbs, WR, Indiana Tyrell Crosby, OT, Oregon James Daniels, C, Iowa Sam Darnold, QB, USC Marcus Davenport, DE, UTSA Carlton Davis, CB, Auburn Duke Dawson, CB, Florida Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Virginia Tech Duke Ejiofor, DE, Wake Forest Rashaan Evans, LB, Alabama Luke Falk, QB, Washington State Minkah Fitzpatrick, S, Alabama Mike Gesicki, TE, Penn State Dallas Goedert, TE, South Dakota State Rasheem Green, DT, USC Derrius Guice, RB, LSU DaeSean Hamilton, WR, Penn State Da'Shawn Hand, DE, Alabama Ronnie Harrison, S, Alabama Will Hernandez, G, UTEP Sam Hubbard, DE, Ohio State Mike Hughes, CB, Central Florida Hayden Hurst, TE, South Carolina Maurice Hurst, DT, Michigan Donte Jackson, CB, LSU Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville Joshua Jackson, CB, Iowa Derwin James, S, Florida State Malik Jefferson, LB, Texas Kerryon Johnson, RB, Auburn Ronald Jones, RB, USC Arden Key, DE, LSU Christian Kirk, WR, Texas A&M Micah Kiser, LB, Virginia Harold Landry, DE, Boston College Darius Leonard, LB, South Carolina State Iman Marshall, CB, USC Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma Tarvarus McFadden, CB, Florida State Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame Sony Michel, RB, Georgia Anthony Miller, WR, Memphis Kolton Miller, OT, UCLA D.J. Moore, WR, Maryland Nick Nelson, CB, Wisconsin Quenton Nelson, G, Notre Dame Isaiah Oliver, CB, Colorado Brian O'Neill, OT, Pittsburgh Da'Ron Payne, DT, Alabama Rashaad Penny, RB, San Diego State Harrison Phillips, DT, Stanford Billy Price, C, Ohio State Frank Ragnow, C, Arkansas Martinas Rankin, OT, Mississippi State Justin Reid, S, Stanford Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA Mason Rudolph, QB, Oklahoma State Jaylen Samuels, RB, N.C. State Tim Settle, DT, Virginia Tech Braden Smith, G, Auburn Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia Equanimeous St. Brown, WR, Notre Dame Courtland Sutton, WR, SMU Chad Thomas, DE, Miami Trenton Thompson, DT, Georgia Leighton Vander Esch, LB, Boise State Vita Vea, DT, Washington Akrum Wadley, RB, Iowa Denzel Ward, CB, Ohio State James Washington, WR, Oklahoma State Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson Connor Williams, OT, Texas Isaiah Wynn, G, Georgia

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