2020 NFL Draft Prospect – Laviska Shenault, WR Colorado
Our NFL rookie profile series continues with this analysis of 2020 NFL Draft Prospect Laviska Shenault, WR from Colorado. We will continue to provide you with these in-depth rookie profiles and a ton of other fantasy football rookie analysis right up through the NFL Draft. Stay tuned, and stay ahead of your league!
The 2020 rookie class has long been touted as exceptional. The wide receiver group features top talents earmarked as first-round dynasty rookie picks along with an intriguing second tier of players. Laviska Shenault is squarely in the second group of receivers possessing attractive upside. His mix of production and athleticism checks boxes in several categories and suggests he can find success in the NFL.
THE STATS
Statistics from sports-reference.com.
Shenault was a three-star prospect and overall top-500 recruit in the 2017 recruiting class. Despite his relatively low ranking, he earned scholarship offers from Alabama and LSU before signing with Colorado. He made a modest impact as a true freshman in 2017 before bursting on the devy and dynasty scene as a sophomore, producing more than 1,100 yards from scrimmage in just nine games. He battled injuries in his junior season and appeared in 11 games.
His statistics support his case as a quality prospect. His team adjusted share of production and breakout age (19.9 years old) both place him in the top third of historical NFL wide receiver prospects.
THE FILM
The film reinforces Shenault’s potential as a legitimate NFL wide receiver. He looks every ounce of his listed 6’1” and 227 pounds and his strength is evident. Shenault routinely plows through tackles to create yards after the catch. But he is not simply strong. He manufactures yards with elusiveness, short-area burst and finishing speed. At times, he resembles AJ Brown given his physical makeup and yards-after-catch ability.
https://youtu.be/KXWYfPOCqwA
We also see the versatility that prompted Colorado to give Shenault 42 career rushing attempts. He takes handoffs and lines up as a wildcat quarterback. He is targeted behind the line of scrimmage, on intermediate routes and as a deep threat. His versatility and YAC ability are well suited to today’s NFL.
Additional videos can be found on Shenault’s DLF videos player page.
MEASURABLES
Shenault had a subpar NFL Scouting Combine. He only participated in the 40-yard dash, turning in a disappointing 4.58-second time. A nagging core and pubic bone injury limited his participation, and leads us to wonder if we have ever seen him fully healthy. After the 2018 season, he had surgery to repair a right turf toe injury as well as a torn left shoulder labrum. The core injury that limited his combine participation will also prevent him from working out before the NFL Draft.
His Mock Draftable profile is therefore incomplete. However, a solid bench press reinforces the strength he exhibits on tape.
His player comparisons include Chauncey Stovall, Noah Brown, Eric Decker, Maurice Brown and Rod Gardner. It is an underwhelming peer group that includes a few relevant dynasty assets.
Shenault’s limited measurables do little to either reinforce or refute the idea he has the tools to succeed in the NFL.
DYNASTY VALUE
According to DLF’s April 2020 Rookie ADP, Shenault currently sits as the rookie 2.01 with an ADP of 13. If you look at March startup ADP, he sits at WR50 with an ADP of 111. This is around wide receivers Will Fuller, Sterling Shepard, John Brown and Jamison Crowder.
He sits at 12 in the DLF staff rookie rankings between Justin Jefferson and Denzel Mims and implying a late first-round rookie pick value in line with ADP.
The DLF Dynasty Trade Analyzer, which determines values based on actual MFL trades, ADP data and DLF rankings, places Shenault’s value around the rookie 2.08 pick, suggesting actual MFL trades are significantly depressing his value relative to the Trade Analyzer’s other inputs. This suggests he may be much less expensive in real leagues relative to rankings and ADP.
CONCLUSION
Laviska Shenault has been a quality devy asset since his 2018 sophomore year in which he produced an 86-1,011-6 receiving line in just nine games. His devy value has already experienced volatility since that point, mainly due to questions around injuries. Unfortunately, those concerns have persisted as injuries are limiting his ability to participate in workouts leading up to the NFL Draft. NFL teams and dynasty owners will have to rely on limited information as they assess his value.
That said, Shenault has produced when on the field. His production metrics support his case as a legitimate prospect. His overall dynasty ADP of 111 puts him among receivers who have never shown themselves to be more than WR3 dynasty options. He possesses superior upside to those players and is a tantalizing high-risk, high-reward option in the late first round of rookie drafts.
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