JJ Arcega-Whiteside – WR (Stanford)
The Vikings don’t really have a receiver on the roster with the frame of Arcega-Whiteside. This former Stanford Cardinal has long rangy limbs and strong, stout upper body that he can use to out-muscle the ball from defenders.
Arcega-Whiteside is going to make his living in the NFL on jump balls and he will be an excellent red zone target right out of the gate. He is a former basketball player so he knows how and when to go up and get the ball. He also uses his big body to box out defenders in order to give him the best position to catch the football.
There are definitely some knocks on this big-bodied pass catcher though. He is by no means a burner and he isn’t going to blow by many defenders in the NFL.
He also wasn’t asked to run the most complex routes in college. Though his overall speed can’t really be improved, the route running is something he will need to work on at the next level.
Arcega-Whiteside would be a great value for the Vikings in round three. The battle for Minnesota’s third wide receiver spot is wide open and if they ended up with the former Stanford pass catcher this year, he’d be the front runner for it.
This guy can be a big target for Kirk Cousins and one that is much more reliable than Laquon Treadwell.