Devin Duvernay-WR-Texas

I'm fully on board. He has great speed to go along with RB size. Imagining him in a Shanahan offense is so exciting.

Just a freak with massive legs for a WR. You're not bringing him down with a one arm tackle.

https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/27815743/texas-longhorns-receiver-devin-duvernay-track-star-speed-best-hands-college-football

The rise of Devin Duvernay, the Texas WR with the best hands in football

More impressive is how sticky Duvernay's hands are. He hasn't dropped a pass in a game since stepping on campus, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. Since the start of 2018, no player has more receptions without a drop than Duvernay (86).

Last week, Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger was asked when he remembers seeing Duvernay drop a pass most recently.

"Never," Ehlinger said.

Duvernay was more modest, telling reporters he drops on occasional ball in practice. But Ehlinger said, "Don't let him fool you; he rarely drops them in practice."

But in a game? High school, maybe?

"Never," Henry Duvernay said.

"I honestly can't remember," Devin said.
Henry believes it's natural, but it also came from years of work in the family's backyard with Devin and Devin's twin brother, Donovan, who is a redshirt junior defensive back for the Longhorns. All the way back to their pee wee football days, Henry worked with them on how to hold the ball correctly and how to keep their hands strong.

"Basically, if the ball touches your hands, you should catch it," Henry said.

These days, Devin gets plenty of work on the Jugs machine, catching the ball from as many different angles as possible to increase difficulty.

"He's extremely sure-handed," Herman said. "If you get it close to him, [we] feel comfortable that he's going to reel it in."

If Jalen Hurd can make a full comeback and you add a guy like this, we are going to be some real bullies on offense. But it's different than under the Harbaugh era. We can bully you AND move the ball with consistency.

https://thedraftnetwork.com/player/devin-duvernay/4xqejV2VcJ

Route Running: Underdeveloped player. Has hip and ankle tightness that lead to a lack of fluidity and limit his ability to create sharp breaks. At his most effective eating up off coverage and making slight adjustments to stem to manipulate leverage and create room to release downfield. Struggles on hard-breaking routes to generate separation and often plays himself into contact that limits his ability to get into his route in time. Too reliant on manipulating speeds and stride length and subsequently has a high step frequency that delays his breaks and lengthens his routes. Little to no hip sink present.

Release: Rarely presented with press coverage from 2019 slot alignment; 2018 Z-alignment occasionally offered press. Has to win a race to the defender's shoulder to release upfield -- does not have the quickness, release moves, or length to win in any other way. Explosiveness is great but he has to get a straight line to win; bump and run coverage can stymie him. Better in off cover releases in which he can manipulate stem to generate advantageous leverage, but is again confounded by catch-man coverage which looks to collision him and forces him to work laterally instead of on a straight line. Cannot be put on line of scrimmage in Year 1.

Physicality: Bowling ball frame with bad intentions. Will lower his shoulder into would-be tacklers or oncoming defenders who have much more closing speed than he does. Regularly withstands the first and often the second contact given a low-riding frame with great lower-body mass and power in his thighs. Thickly wrapped around the trunk and hips and withstands body shots accordingly. Initiates contact nicely with natural leverage as both a blocker and runner and powers leg drive through tackles for hidden yardage.

Hands: Great mitts. I think he's got big hands, especially for a player of his size. Regularly addresses the ball outside of his frame and can make over the shoulder catches well, which is critical for his development as a deep threat. Can trap against his chest when necessary working across the middle of the field. Has a quick tuck but struggles at times to keep catches at extension when a closing hit is incoming, leading to PBUs -- that said, has shown hand strength away from frame for spectacular catches.

Functional Athleticism: Weird athlete. Shorter, squatty frame with a ton of muscle in the trunk and lower half. Explosive sprinting athlete with great acceleration but better long speed over distance -- not the immediate pick-up you'd expect for a 100m champ in high school. Hips are tight and force an upright style of play that limits lateral agility, which minimizes potential as a route-runner and ball-carrier. Has good length and great strength. Elevation ability is an unknown, but projects positively given his current athletic profile.

RAC: His best trait. Hard-nosed runner who's rarely brought down by the first defender if he faces him head on. Has some slipperiness to him in tight spaces and manipulates defenders into glancing blows, which he takes on with a wide base and a low center of gravity. Will drop his shoulders and deliver a shot to would be tacklers, though a lack of hip sink can leave him off-balance after big hits. Generally has a tight frame and struggles with agility and elusiveness accordingly -- requires gather steps to change direction and regularly falls forward instead of making defenders miss. Has great vision and the long speed to house underneath patterns, with good acceleration to break tackle angles.

Catch Radius: Has a large radius for a player of his size, though ability in contested situations is yet untested, and is a critical question mark in his evaluation. Has good length for his frame and can address the ball outside of his body and through contact -- struggles at times with contact through the catch point and must become better at protecting the ball through the catch process. Can dig low balls out of the turf and get to passes behind him.

Track/Adjust: Sees it well and regularly has enough juice to go get it down the field. Does not do well to position his body relative to defenders and win in jump-ball situations, though film of this context is limited and that's not where he'll win at the NFL level. Has a good instinct and reflex after snapping his head into a break and can catch inaccurate passes across the middle of the field that arrive with velocity. Between-the-numbers player for Texas who has limited film catching up against the sideline.

Blocking: Brings the desired physicality, but is an all-or-nothing player. Drops his shoulder and delivers a shot; rarely if ever recruits his hands and squares his hips to engage and sustain. Has the requisite power and lower-body explosiveness to seal off linebackers and safeties from the slot, but must learn how to engage his hands to become a consistent player and not just a violent crackback blocker.

Round Grade: Incomplete

Best Trait: RAC

Worst Trait: Releases

Pro Comparison: ArDarius Stewart

Summary: Devin Duvernay is a role-specific late Day 2/early Day 3 target for teams in need of a deep threat. Duvernay is a compact and yoked up athlete with the explosiveness and long speed to challenge off coverage and dictate safety deployment on the boundary; with strong ball tracking skills and a good catch radius, he is a candidate for winning downfield despite having a smaller frame and limited film in contested catch situations. Duvernay is also a candidate for schemed RAC touches because of his runaway speed and tackle-breaking ability -- but as a route-runner and a returner, Duvernay is not nearly as elusive or agile as you'd like to see, and he's accordingly a limited player. Duvernay will never be a high-target or three-level player, but there's a role for him in an NFL desperate for big plays.

Don't like the Stewart comparison at all. He wasn't anywhere near as explosive as a player nor as productive in college. Duvernay went into the season with all eyes on his teammate Collin Johnson and he ended outplaying him by a wide margin when they were both out on the field.


Most of the deficiencies that I see in his game are largely technique related and things that can be coached up.

Originally posted by LifelongNiner:
If Jalen Hurd can make a full comeback and you add a guy like this, we are going to be some real bullies on offense. But it's different than under the Harbaugh era. We can bully you AND move the ball with consistency.

Because there is a coach now that understands the modern passing game.

Originally posted by LifelongNiner:

If Jalen Hurd can make a full comeback and you add a guy like this, we are going to be some real bullies on offense. But it's different than under the Harbaugh era. We can bully you AND move the ball with consistency.

Duvernay like Hurd and Deebo is a WR in a RB's body. Throw in Kittle and Juice and you've got ferocious blockers at every spot which only further boosts the run game but also gives you a group that can stretch the field in every direction, forcing defenses into situations with a lot of one on one open field matchups against YAC monsters.

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:
Don't like the Stewart comparison at all. He wasn't anywhere near as explosive as a player nor as productive in college. Duvernay went into the season with all eyes on his teammate Collin Johnson and he ended outplaying him by a wide margin when they were both out on the field.

Most of the deficiencies that I see in his game are largely technique related and things that can be coached up.

I haven't watched much of him...love the clips you posted. Not sure how nuanced he is with route-running? Seems like he's got similar speed to Deebo.

I know you mentioned how we need some speed as well at WR. We are lacking that

Duvernay came to catch passes and chew bubblegum and he's all out of gum.

Originally posted by NYniner85:

I haven't watched much of him...love the clips you posted. Not sure how nuanced he is with route-running? Seems like he's got similar speed to Deebo.

I know you mentioned how we need some speed as well at WR. We are lacking that

He's been one of my guys for a while... He is a slot weapon and is fast fast...10.27 100m as a junior in high school..hard to compare times without knowing wind, but for reference, Goodwin ran a 10.24. Duvernays average 100m was 10.59 across 13 races. I'm seeing Tyreek Hill's PR in highschool as 10.32 in highschool, tho I don't think he aimed or trained to be a track star.

I'm not suggesting that Duvernay will be faster than Goodwin, but he should have the speed to stretch the field, either opening up things underneath, or making the big play. I'd expect a 40 time of 4.34-4.44. his hands and thick lower half make him all the more enticing.

I think he will be this drafts Terry McLaurin, not in player comparison, but in a late day two early day three pick that comes in and produces at a much higher level than the draft position would have indicated.

Originally posted by adrianlesnar:

Originally posted by NYniner85:

I haven't watched much of him...love the clips you posted. Not sure how nuanced he is with route-running? Seems like he's got similar speed to Deebo.

I know you mentioned how we need some speed as well at WR. We are lacking that

He's been one of my guys for a while... He is a slot weapon and is fast fast...10.27 100m as a junior in high school..hard to compare times without knowing wind, but for reference, Goodwin ran a 10.24. Duvernays average 100m was 10.59 across 13 races. I'm seeing Tyreek Hill's PR in highschool as 10.32 in highschool, tho I don't think he aimed or trained to be a track star.

I'm not suggesting that Duvernay will be faster than Goodwin, but he should have the speed to stretch the field, either opening up things underneath, or making the big play. I'd expect a 40 time of 4.34-4.44. his hands and thick lower half make him all the more enticing.

I think he will be this drafts Terry McLaurin, not in player comparison, but in a late day two early day three pick that comes in and produces at a much higher level than the draft position would have indicated.

Sign me up! He will be at the senior bowl which could boost his stock.

Just from the clips I've seen he kinda reminds me of DJ moore. Maybe not as sudden in his routes. If he runs low 4.4s that might push him up even more.

Utah got all that smoke.

Phoenix....would you just take him with our first rounder...or if Jefferson was there, him? Or a trade down?