20/20: J.J. Arcega-Whiteside
Welcome to the 20/20 series. As part of our continued Dynasty Scouts coverage and in preparation for the NFL Combine, we will be profiling 20 of the top incoming rookies of the class of 2019 by giving you 20 facts you must know.
1.) Player Name – J.J. Arcega-Whiteside
2.) College – Stanford Cardinal
3.) Height/Weight – 6’3’’, 222 lbs
4.) Birthdate – 12/31/1996
5.) Class – Senior
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6.) Basic college stats –
Courtesy of sports-reference.com.
7.) NFL Draft round projection – In a draft class that’s loaded with talented at the wide receiver position, Arcega-Whiteside is projected to be a day-two pick. He should easily be a top-100 pick and the odds are good that he doesn’t make it out of the second round.
8.) Current NFL comp – His play style reminds me of Marques Colston. Both players are not going to impress you with their long speed, but the nuance involved in their route running combined with their ability to read the ball while it’s in the air and make the catch while being contested make them very tough to cover.
Allen Robinson also has some of the same qualities. They are both about the same size and Robinson is a monster at the catch point. Their production profiles at the college level are two different stories, but if you look at their skill sets on the field, you can find some similarities.
9.) Best possible destination – Russell Wilson needs a wide receiver like Arcega-Whiteside. Throughout his entire career, Wilson has never had a big-bodied wide receiver who is a significant red zone threat. Arcega-Whiteside provides more than just size, he is very detail oriented and is efficient at all phases of the game. He will work in well with Tyler Lockett and Doug Baldwin. The only question is: will there be enough targets to go around?
Indianapolis is another interesting landing spot. Andrew Luck is one of the best quarterbacks in the league, and the Colts’ offense lives through the passing game. Luck could use another young talented pass catcher to play on the opposite side of T.Y. Hilton. Not only would he provide more stability to the offense, but he has enough talent to become one of Luck’s favorite targets.
10.) Worst possible destination – The Washington Redskins would be a disastrous fit for Arcega-Whiteside. The team is currently rebuilding, they don’t know their future at quarterback and it might be a few years before this team is serviceable again. It’s just not a good match, he doesn’t have the athleticism to overcome a bad situation. He will need a quarterback who will trust him and is willing to throw into tight windows. Right now, until we know who is under center for the long-term in Washington, Arcega-Whiteside is better off getting drafted by someone else.
11.) Best current skill – Ball skills. He does a really good job of reading the ball while it’s in the air and timing his jump at the right time to catch the ball at its highest point. His strong hands help him convert tough contested catches. Even though he’s covered, he’s still open and can still figure out a way to create just enough separation to make the catch. Even if there is no separation, he can outmuscle the defender for position to reel in the pass.
12.) Skill that needs to be improved – Speed and athleticism. The Combine is going to be very important to his draft stock. If he exceeds expectations, then his status could elevate on some draft boards. Nonetheless, he is more than likely going to test out as an average athlete. He doesn’t have the speed to burn defensive backs and his short-area quickness limits his ability to get in and out of his routes. However, his game doesn’t rely on speed and quickness. He operates with nuance and power at the catch point. Speed isn’t the only way to win on the field.
13.) Past/current rookie ADP –
🚨🚨🚨2019 DLF Dynasty Rookie ADP🚨🚨🚨
ROUND ONE:
1.01- Metcalf
1.02- Harry
1.03- Harmon
1.04- Jacobs
1.05- Butler
1.06- AJ Brown
1.07- Montgomery
1.08- Henderson
1.09- Harris
1.10- Anderson
1.11- M Brown
1.12- Arcega-Whiteside— Ryan McDowell (@RyanMc23) February 7, 2019
He’s currently being drafted at the tail end of the first round of rookie drafts. He’s on the fringe of falling into the second round but with a solid landing spot, he could solidify himself in the middle of the first. I can’t see him reaching the top five in drafts. On the other side, his stock isn’t going to bottom out to the third round unless something drastic happens.
14.) Projected dynasty value – Rookie wide receivers tend to hold their value well during the first couple of years of their career. We should see him get drafted anywhere between rounds five through eight in rookie drafts. Again, draft status and landing spot will dictate his early value, but his stock won’t tank unless he has a devasting injury or fails multiple drug tests. Draft capital should be on his side which should aid his value for the next couple of years.
15.) Advanced metrics –
Even though he has just one 1,000-yard season to his name, he has been very productive during his career. He caught 14 touchdowns during his senior season which boosted his Dominator Rating to 39.05 percent. Also, during his senior season, he saw a 24 percent target share while averaging 11.4 yards per target.
16.) Recruiting profile – He was a three-star prospect from Dorman High School which is located in Roebuck, South Carolina. 247Sports had him ranked as the 73rd wide receiver in the 2015 recruiting class. He wasn’t a highly-sought-after recruit but he did receive offer letters from Cincinnati, Michigan State, Pitt, and Maryland before he decided to sign his letter of intent with Stanford.
17.) High School Production – 2013 (junior): 1,500 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns. 2014 (senior): 108 receptions for 1,824 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns. Won South Carolina’s Gatorade Player of the Year Award during his senior season.
18.) Multi-Sport Athlete – He lettered in basketball and was a McDonald’s All-American nominee in 2014. In that year, he was also awarded all-state honors. Arcega-Whiteside led his team to three regional titles. He was also all-state in track and field in 2014. In track, he ran the 100m where he finished fourth at the state meet in 2014.
19.) Athletic Bloodline – Both his parents (Joaquin Arcega and Valorie Whiteside) played professional basketball in Spain. His mother was an All-American and set 26 school records at Appalachian State. Two of his uncles (Fernando and Jose Arcega) played basketball for Spain in the 1984 Olympics.
20.) Euro Trip – Arcega-Whiteside was born in Spain and also lived in Portugal and Italy before moving to South Carolina when he was six. He knows four different languages: Spanish, Portuguese, English and Italian.
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