CHECK OUT THE REST OF THE ZONE COVERAGE DRAFT GUIDE:
EXPLORING VIKINGS DRAFT TRENDS
A HISTORY OF RICK SPIELMAN'S DRAFT TRADES
K.J. HAMLER
HEIGHT/WEIGHT/AGE
5-foot-9
180 pounds
20 years old
BIG PICTURE
K.J. Hamler shook off a torn ACL late in his high school career to excel at Penn State as a slot receiver for two seasons. Hamler found the end zone 13 times over two seasons while going for over 900 yards in 2019. The former three-star recruit also worked as a kickoff and punt returner. His hands were a little suspect with the Nittany Lions, but his speed and separation are not. Had he run at the combine, some project he might've been able to break 4.3 in the 40-yard dash.
COMBINE NOTABLES
15 bench reps
VIKINGS COMPATIBILITY RANKING
3.5 out of 5. If the Vikings are dubious about Chad Beebe's ability to stay healthy and perform from the slot, they can target a true slot like Hamler that might have more downfield capability.
HIGHLIGHTS
WHAT DRAFT EXPERTS SAY
Lance Zierlein, NFL.com: "Explosive slot target who hits the scales as a lightweight but could have heavyweight impact on games. Hamler's blazing speed is used solo and in route combinations to stress secondaries and create big plays. He had an alarming number of drops in 2019 and the routes are ragged, but his athleticism and separation burst on all three levels helps mitigate those concerns. He's a smallish slot who isn't built for the tough yardage and could have durability concerns if he's run into too many collisions. However, speed kills and his game-breaking potential on all three levels will be enticing as a high-risk, high-reward draft pick."
Kyle Crabbs, Draft Network: "KJ Hamler projects as a dynamic complementary WR in the NFL. Hamler's lack of physicality likely pegs him as a primary slot receiver, but there's never been a better time to be a slot in the NFL. Hamler has the route running and run after catch skills to command a high percentage of targets in an NFL offense and his short area quickness will make him a handful to account for on routes run near the sticks. Still young and can afford to add a bit of mass but he's got a clear path to impact."
WHAT PFF SAYS
64% separation rate on targets of 10+ yards
41 explosive plays since 2018 (4th)
80.7% catch rate on catchable passes since 2018 (last in Power 5)
CHECK OUT THE REST OF THE ZONE COVERAGE DRAFT GUIDE:
EXPLORING VIKINGS DRAFT TRENDS
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