DK Metcalf - 21

[Maulbert]

Another thing I've noticed, not stat or performance related, but I have seen other team's players get in his face trying to bait him into a personal foul, and he has absolutely handled it like a ten year vet every time. The guy does not let people shake him mentally. I love that.

That is a good trait. DK is coming along, they have tried to bring him along slowly and that has helped. There is going to be a lot more pressure put on him with Dissly gone. We'll see how that pans out.

It sucks losing Dissly, but I feel better with Luke Willson back. He's at least comfortable with Russ.

 

[sutz]

Another thing I've noticed, not stat or performance related, but I have seen other team's players get in his face trying to bait him into a personal foul, and he has absolutely handled it like a ten year vet every time. The guy does not let people shake him mentally. I love that.

I think he fell for that a couple of times in game 1 IIRC. His team mates and coaches must have been telling him how the league works. Everybody knows that they throw the flag on the 2d guy who reacts far more often than on the instigator.

 

[Attyla the Hawk]

Another thing I've noticed, not stat or performance related, but I have seen other team's players get in his face trying to bait him into a personal foul, and he has absolutely handled it like a ten year vet every time. The guy does not let people shake him mentally. I love that.

I think he fell for that a couple of times in game 1 IIRC. His team mates and coaches must have been telling him how the league works. Everybody knows that they throw the flag on the 2d guy who reacts far more often than on the instigator.

I recall this as well.

It's just a piece of evidence among a lot of other pieces that DK is developing extremely quickly. And that is mental. Something you often can't quantify on college tape.

What we're seeing from him, whether it's learning how to be poised, or learning the intricacies of route running, to rapidly developing and improving the nuances of various release techniques, to spatial awareness in staying inbounds and using his frame to create separation when covered tightly. To recognizing and excelling at breaking off routes in scramble drill plays. He is really rapidly expanding his mastery of the tradecraft of receiving.

Usually, you see receivers in this league take upwards of 20+ games to start to make strides in this respect. DK has been doing this demonstrably since week one. And by admittedly biased homer accounts from coaches and teammates, this has been described during OTAs and TC. Normally, I'd be pretty dismissive of such accounts on their face, but the evidence we've seen in games has really confirmed this opinion for me as genuine.

DK isn't even as good as he's going to be by Thanksgiving. He really seems on the cusp of having one of those Randy Moss kind of 'Welcome to the NFL' kind of games. With the loss of Dissly, I kind of think that might come in the next handful of games where he's in the 8 catch, 130 yd, multiple TD kinds of performances. The combination of trust from his QB, and opportunity given loss of Dissly as a seam/blitz beating option, leaves a distinct situation where DK could fill the void, in addition to the targets he's already been consuming.

 

[vtxretro02]

Love the pacifier mouthpiece... a humble MONSTER

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Hell yes, he's a good kid and he's having some fun. If he produces on the field, I don't care if he wears a kilt.
Do you DK

 

[ImTheScientist]

Where the haters now? Bye bye haters. Was on this guy all along. :irishdrinkers:

 

[Rat]

Where the haters now? Bye bye haters. Was on this guy all along. :irishdrinkers:

Hey, it's early. Let's not call him the next Eddie Lacy quite yet.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Yep, I bought his jersey immediately when they became available. I've never done that for a rook. I'm liking that decision.

 

[scutterhawk]

Hell yes, he's a good kid and he's having some fun. If he produces on the field, I don't care if he wears a kilt.
Do you DK

LOL, Just so long as it's a "Kilt" & not a 'Poodle Skirt' :mrgreen:
The kid is coming along a LOT faster than I expected :irishdrinkers:

 

[SoulfishHawk]

No doubt, a lot more than one route. If he stays healthy, he's gonna' be one hell of a player. One of the steals of the draft.

 

[toffee]

What impressed me is his work ethic, eagerness to learn, knows who to buddy up, and keeping his mouth shut.

He buddies up Russ, and wore Largent’s jersey to his first game.

We could have done worse with that pick.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[hawksfansinceday1]

Where the haters now? Bye bye haters. Was on this guy all along. :irishdrinkers:

Hey, it's early. Let's not call him the next Eddie Lacy quite yet.

Or the next "P-Rich for life"

 

[DomeHawk]

Where the haters now? Bye bye haters. Was on this guy all along. :irishdrinkers:

Was never a "hater" per se but when I pointed out his draft report deficiencies I was accused of being one. And, IIRC there weren't any actual haters here but that's this board, if you don't get on the hype train you're a hater.

He is the 87th ranked receiver in terms of receptions. He catches the ball 50% of the time. His "bad hands" rep has shown up a few times recently but it's going to have to take a whole season to know enough about him.

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... eiving.htm

 

[TwistedHusky]

It looks to me that he has trouble catching the ball in the rain.

I don't agree it means he isn't great otherwise.

 

[DomeHawk]

It looks to me that he has trouble catching the ball in the rain.

I don't agree it means he isn't great otherwise.

He is a work in progress and has a ton of potential but he is nowhere near great.

 

[sutz]

It looks to me that he has trouble catching the ball in the rain.

I don't agree it means he isn't great otherwise.

He is a work in progress and has a ton of potential but he is nowhere near great.

Not yet. We've seen he is capable of some great catches, and he does have an ability to run after catch and bounce off DBs.

However, he does have things to work on. It remains to be seen how close he can get to the peak performances he's shown so far on a regular basis. I think we all want him to continue to improve.

 

[ZorntoLargent]

Baldwin caught 60% of his passes in his rookie year. DK is at 66%.
Baldwin had 4 TDS. DK 2 through 7 games.
Baldwin had 788 yards. DK has 389 yards through 7 games.
He’s a rookie, Settle down w the Hawksplaining.