2018 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Marcel Ateman

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

Marcell Ateman, 6-4/216 Wide Receiver Oklahoma State

Marcell Ateman Scouting Report
By Charlie Campbell

Strengths:

Mismatch size

Catching radius

Boxes out cornerbacks

Presents a big target

Red-zone weapon

High points the football

Long arms

Height

Length

Thick build

Tracks the ball well

Weaknesses:

Lacks elite speed

Not very sudden out of breaks

Not twitchy

Lacks first-step explosion

Ran limited routes in college

Body catches too many passes

Lacks elite speed

Will get caught from behind

Had a foot injury

One-year wonder

Summary: Over the past few seasons, James Washington was the star receiver for Oklahoma State, but there are some NFL scouts who like Ateman more and believe he has more likelihood of success as a pro. Ateman brings mismatch potential to the NFL and could end up being a higher pick than anticipated.

Ateman contributed some as a backup during his underclassmen years. He missed the 2016 season after suffering a foot injury in the summer before fall camp. In 2017, Ateman recorded 59 catches for 1,156 yards with eight touchdowns. He averaged 19.4 yards per catch and made some clutch plays for the Cowboys.



Ateman will give his NFL offense a mismatch with big size that makes him difficult to defend. Given his height and length, Ateman is able to make receptions over cornerbacks, even when he is covered. He uses his thick size to box out defenders and present a big target for his quarterback. Ateman is skilled at walling off coverage to give his signal-caller a larger window for completing passes. With Ateman’s height and long arms, he has a large catch radius to create completions when passes aren’t thrown accurately. Ateman tracks the ball well downfield, and with his size, he is dangerous for back-shoulder throws or working the deep sideline. In the red zone, Ateman is a real weapon and an asset for his offense because he can beat cornerbacks with his size on fade passes.

Ateman lacks elite speed as he will get caught from behind by NFL defensive backs. He is not very twitchy or sudden in and out of breaks. He ran limited routes in college, so he will need to learn the larger route tree. After being a backup in the early going and then missing his junior year, Ateman is somewhat raw and will need development. Because of those limitations, he will probably never be a No. 1 receiver in the NFL, but he could be a solid No. 2 or 3.

In the 2018 NFL Draft, Ateman could get third-round consideration. He may slip to the third day of the 2018 NFL Draft, but would be a nice value in the fourth or fifth round. Ateman could provide a nice impact as size mismatch receiver who presents red-zone problems in the NFL.





Player Comparison: Malcom Floyd. Floyd had a solid 12-year career for the Chargers as a size-mismatch weapon. Floyd (6-5, 225) was a large target and produced some seasons with impressive yardage and yards per catch – 19.4 in 2010, 19.9 in 2011-, despite being a No. 2 receiver for most of his career. If Ateman pans out in the NFL, I could see him being a receiver similar to Floyd.

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

There are a lot of teams that could be in the market for a wide receiver upgrade in the 2018 NFL Draft. The Browns need more receiving talent for their offense. They can’t count on Josh Gordon to stay on the field, and Corey Coleman hasn’t panned out for them yet. The Browns could consider a receiver like Ateman on Day 2 or in the mid-rounds.

The Bears and 49ers both could use more pass-catching weapons for their offenses. Chicago badly needs more weapons for Mitch Trubisky, while Ateman would be a nice fit for Kyle Shanahan across from Marquise Goodwin.

The Broncos, Redskins and Cardinals all could be in the market for a receiver upgrade. Denver could look for some young receiving talent. Washington signed Terrelle Pryor, but he is entering free agency after underwhelming with the Redskins. Arizona has to consider life after Larry Fitzgerald and could use more receiving talent around the future Hall of Famer.

In Florida, the Jaguars could target a receiver like Ateman if Allen Robinson and Marqise Lee aren’t re-signed.

New Orleans could use a vertical receiver and a solid No. 2 across from Michael Thomas. Ateman would be a nice fit for the Saints in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft.

The Bills and Ravens also are in the market for receiver help. Buffalo has two first-round picks and two second-round picks in the 2018 NFL Draft, allowing the team to pursue multiple needs. The Bills could make a move to form a diverse trio with Ateman, Kelvin Benjamin and Zay Jones. Baltimore badly needs more receiving talent for its offense. Ateman would make a lot of sense for the Ravens on Day 2 of the 2018 NFL Draft.

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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