Receiver DK Metcalf nearly slid all the way to round three for two reasons. First, he’s believed to be injury prone. Second, he’s regarded as a guy who has a limited route tree.
The large, fast, and ripped Metcalf specializes in running in a straight line down the field. He’s trying to persuade the doubters that he can do more than that.
Via USA Today, Metcalf posted a video of the Seahawks rookie running a 10-yard “out” as evidence that he can do something other than execute a “go” route. And while the video shows that Metcalf is indeed capable of changing directions while he runs, the route really isn’t as crisp as it could be.
Watch the video. He starts to make his break short of the 10-yard mark, and then Metcalf loops at the top of the route, ending up several more yards down the field before he reaches the spot where the ball is delivered.
The classic “out” route looks like an upside down L, and the best route runners make the cut quickly and cleanly, chopping their feet to slow their momentum and then exploding to the outside, avoiding a situation where the speed generated in the first 10 yards carries them farther down the field while they try to get toward the sideline.
I’m personally rooting for Metcalf. He’s an incredible physical specimen, and he seems like a great guy. But the video he posted shows that he’s got some work to do if he wants to execute the “out” route as well as we already know he can run a “go”.