Round 5-> Denver Broncos select: Isaiah McKenzie, WR, Georgia

[Draft Crazy]

Another return and slot option.

Apparent Elway is looking at playmakers from the WR position.

 

[Duffman]

Overview
This Miami native is an electric receiver and return specialist. He's been known best as a special teams demon, scoring six times on returns: five times on punts (two in 2014, two in 2015, one in 2016) and once on a kickoff (2014). The 5-foot-8, 175-pound playmaker has given scouts something to think about, as he proved to be a valuable offensive weapon as a junior. McKenzie led the Bulldogs in receptions (44), receiving yards (633) and receiving touchdowns (seven). Those numbers were well over his totals as a freshman (6-67) and sophomore (10-123).

Analysis
Strengths
Specialized in hitting big plays. Scored a touchdown every seventh time he touched the football on offense this season and averaged 11.9 yards per offensive touch over three years at Georgia. Angular, downhill running still bolsters his home run kick return ability. Able to get instant acceleration off the line as a receiver or with the ball in his hands. Slippery in tight quarters, but will elude and go rather than trying to get miss after miss. Has vertical speed to win over the top of nickel cornerbacks on deep routes. Offers gadget touch option for creative offensive minds.

Weaknesses
Diminutive frame. Arm tackles can end his run immediately. Has small hands and a minimal catch radius. Body catcher allows the ball to bang against his frame. Shows below average hand-eye coordination and overall concentration on deep throws. Contested catches are an issue for him. Routes lack sharpness expected from smaller, quicker wideout. Takes time to gather into his breaks and is slow to accelerate out of them. Able to uncover vertically much better than horizontally and struggles to uncover in short area. Production bolstered by jet sweeps and swing screens.

Draft Projection
Round 6-7

Bottom Line
McKenzie's big play production is impressive on paper, but once you get into the tape, it becomes apparent that much of what he is able to accomplish is due to mismatched speed in space and packaged plays tailored towards his strengths. As a receiver, he is below the mark of what teams will expect from their slots in terms of route-running, but his explosive return ability could land him work right away.

-Lance Zierlein NFL.com

 

[Mingo]

The Broncos are determined to find a return guy. This guy is hyper fast.

 

[Draft Crazy]

Could Isaiah McKenzie be the next Antonio Brown? An ESPN analyst thinks so.

 

[Mingo]

That's a very tough comparison for a 5th rounder. I like that he has been called the "human joystick."

 

[SpringStein]

That's a very tough comparison for a 5th rounder. I like that he has been called the "human joystick."

Of course AB was a 6th rounder. So there's that.

 

[Draft Crazy]

That's a very tough comparison for a 5th rounder. I like that he has been called the "human joystick."

Same nickname Dante Hall had.