One of the most fun aspects of every NFL Draft as a writer is scouting prospects and trying to identify those hidden gems….the diamonds in the rough, if you will…guys who might not be Day 1 or Day 2 picks, but sure as hell seem to have what it takes to make it in the NFL. Over the course of the next couple months, I’ll be highlighting some guys from this year’s draft class that I believe will be a steal for someone come April. Up next, we diving into the game of Charlotte wide receiver Grant DuBose.
You guys are probably tired of hearing me say it by now, but I’ll say it once more for the folks in the back: this wide receiver class is deeper than it’s being given credit for. Now, that’s not to say that this crop of talent is destined to Canton by any means. But, I feel like like it’s loaded from Round 1 to the UDFA pool with guys who are going to make rosters and push veterans this summer. DuBose is one of those guys. He initially caught my eye back at the Reese’s Senior Bowl in February. He flashed some real potential in the 1:1 drills – a good release off the line of scrimmage, route speed variance, acceleration, and perhaps more than anything else, solid ball tracking.
Late throw causes a much harder catch, but this route is filthy from @CharlotteFTBL WR Grant DuBose at the Senior Bowl pic.twitter.com/zz6OyhgVxv
— Cam Mellor (@CamMellor) February 1, 2023
But, he was simultaneously frustrating to watch because, as smooth as he was, it felt like he had way too many drops in contested catch situations during practice. Or, it felt like the tight press coverage he faced in the 1:1s sometimes wrestled him out of position to make the catch. You wanted to see him go win those battles consistently, and he didn’t. Ultimately, I didn’t hear too many writers or podcasters talking about him, so my inclination was that he was getting lost in the shuffle. But, I felt there was enough potential there to warrant a deeper look. And, when you start poking around on the Grant DuBose story, you find something worth latching onto.
He was working three jobs after Miles College canceled its 2020 season due to covid. Ultimately, Charlotte quarterback James Foster convinced him to try out for the 49ers. He landed a spot and here we are talking about a guy that posted 787 yards, nine touchdowns, and earned second-team All-C-USA honors in 2022. That’s an oversimplified version of it, admittedly, but I’m not trying to take up your entire Tuesday lunch break here. Point is…DuBose’s is a story you can root for. Maybe that’s part of why he’s such an intriguing prospect. But, it shouldn’t take away from the skill set he possesses and how it translates to the NFL.
Another slippery display and awesome route from @CharlotteFTBL WR Grant DuBose at the Senior Bowl pic.twitter.com/O2705W8tRN
— Cam Mellor (@CamMellor) February 1, 2023
DuBose has put some acrobatic catches on his tape, showing immense concentration, ball tracking skills, and a level of extension that gives him a large catch radius. What we learned about him at the Reese’s Senior Bowl was that he was a much more savvy route runner than the scouting reports give him credit for. He showed an ability to vary his acceleration and for lack of a better term, “stop-start” defensive backs out of the play. His college action shows what a willing and impactful run blocker he is, too. Matt Waldman, who always does good work, did a video on this too.
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Safe to say @CharlotteFTBL WR Grant DuBose (@grantdubose) likes to block! pic.twitter.com/KdROUECnCj
— Justin M (@JustinM_NFL) February 2, 2023
Pros
- Ball tracking and concentration
- Smooth release
- Underrated athlete
- Willing and impact run blocker
Cons
- Downfield speed
- Contested catches
All in all, DuBose adds value as a run blocker. But, he has an overall skill set that looks NFL-ready. He’s going to make the receiving room more competitive, and there’s a smooth quality to his game that makes me think that if he sees the field, he’s capable of delivering. DuBose looks like a strong WR4 candidate with some real upside to be more of a factor in any offense that drafts him.
2023 NFL DRAFT HIDDEN GEMS
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD, #BeBetter, and ‘Minds right, asses tight.’ “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, Yankee Candle, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley.
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