Rookie SWOT: Leonte Carroo

Brian Malone Posted On May 27, 2016

Save To Favorites

Name: Leonte Carroo

Position: Wide Receiver

Pro Team: Miami Dolphins

College Team: Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Draft Status: Round Three, Pick No. 86 overall

Combine Review

Height: 6’0’’

Weight: 211 Pounds

Hands: 9.625”

Arm Length: 31.375’’

Bench Press (225 LBS): 14 Reps

40-Yard-Dash: 4.50 seconds

Vertical Jump: 35.5”

Broad Jump: 120”

Video Highlights

[youtube id=”4r4dtKIefwg”]

Strengths

Film geeks and metrics nerds unite around Carroo. He dominated the receiving production in his final two seasons at Rutgers (a very low-volume pass offense). Carroo produced 37 percent of the team’s receiving yards and 45 percent of their receiving touchdowns in 2014. In 2015, he produced 33 percent of the team’s receiving yards and 53 percent of their touchdowns — despite missing a third of the season.
Carroo fared well against all types of coverage, and he was a yard-after-catch specialist. He’s also good in contested catch situations, and he rarely dropped passes in college.

Weaknesses

Carroo isn’t an athletic specimen. He’s solidly built and fast enough, but no one will mistake him for a burner.

Perhaps Carroo’s biggest concern is off the field. In September 2015, Carroo was arrested and charged with assault for allegedly slamming a woman down onto a concrete sidewalk. Charges were dropped in October, and the incident apparently was part of a larger altercation involving Carroo’s girlfriend. We can only speculate about the actual facts of the incident. However, any allegation of violence against a woman rightly raises a red flag.

Opportunity

Carroo is a curious fit for Miami, who already has two young, highly drafted, promising receivers in DeVante Parker and Jarvis Landry. But the depth chart isn’t overflowing. Rishard Matthews, the Dolphins’ second-highest-targeted player in 2015, is now a Titan. And Landry’s targets should take a dip, as his 166 targets were the sixth-most in the league in 2015. Carroo figures to earn a starting role as early as Week 1. From there, the targets will flow to the open man.

Threats
Kenny Stills didn’t live up to expectations in 2015, but he’s only 24, and he’s a viable deep threat. Carroo won’t simply be handed a featured role. But the real question is whether Ryan Tannehill can support three fantasy- viable wide receivers. And, if not, who will be the odd man out among Parker, Landry, and Carroo?

Short-term Expectations

Any fantasy-relevant production from Carroo in 2016 will be a bonus. Between Landry, Parker, and the Dolphins’ other receiving options, I don’t see room for Carroo to flourish unless he is truly a special talent. If Parker’s foot causes further lower-body injuries, however, Carroo could post WR2 numbers as the 1-B to Landry’s 1-A.

Long-term Expectations

Carroo is the darling of my PALs analysis, which highlights players whom the NFL draft appears to have undervalued. I think he can be a strong starting NFL wide receiver, and perhaps even the number one option on a team’s offense.

Still, if the prices were equal, I would bet on Parker over Carroo. But they’re not equal. Not even close. At Carroo’s price, I’m bullish on his dynasty prospects.

Rookie Draft Advice

Per DLF’s rookie ADP, Carroo slots in at the end of the first round of rookie drafts. However, I’ve seen him fall to the middle of the second round in real drafts. In the DLF staff league, I traded back to 1.12 to grab Carroo. I’m happy grabbing him anywhere after 1.10, and I would trade up like mad to get him if he falls to 2.03 or later.