Devy Profile: CeeDee Lamb, WR Oklahoma

Age: 20

NFL Draft Eligible: 2020

Devy Ranking: WR4

Recruiting Profile

CeeDee Lamb was four-star wide receiver prospect from the 2017 recruiting class. He was the 24th-ranked player at his position and 148th overall player, according to 247sports.com.

He had one of the most prolific seasons by a wide receiver in Texas high school football history when he recorded 98 receptions for 2,032 yards (fourth-most in state history) and 33 touchdowns (tied for second-most in state history).

His production landed him offers from just about every powerhouse program in the nation including Alabama, LSU, Texas A&M, and Texas just to name a few.

College Production Profile

Stats from sports-reference.com.

Few players will ever have the opportunity Lamb has had to start a collegiate career; he’s not only played with back-to-back Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks but back-to-back number one overall NFL Draft picks (Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray).

He stepped on the scene as a true freshman and made his presence felt immediately. Lamb scored a touchdown in his very first game collegiate game and didn’t look back. His true breakout came in week three of the 2017 season when he had four receptions for 131 yards and two touchdowns against Tulane. He went on to finish his true freshman campaign with 46 receptions for 807 yards and six touchdowns, averaging 17.5 yards per reception.

It should also be noted, he did this while sharing the field with fellow stud wide receiver – and future first-round draft pick of the Baltimore Ravens – Marquise Brown. He followed up his fantastic freshman season by catching 65 balls for 1,158 yards and 11 touchdowns on only 86 targets in 2018.

This past season, 52% of Lamb’s receptions (34) went between 8-20 yards. 25% (16) went 20 yards or longer, and he averaged 13.5 yards per target. Not only was he a big-play threat down the field, but he was able to show traits of a possession pass-catcher as well.

An advanced metric that I like to use in prospect evaluation is college dominator rating (DR); which, for a wide receiver, consists of their total percentage of the team’s receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. A dominator rating of 20% or higher is considered a breakout for the player. In 2018, Lamb’s DR was 25% which is fantastic considering his teammate Brown posted a 26% DR in his own right. He checks all the analytical boxes as a top-tier NFL prospect and as a future building block for dynasty owners.

Now let’s take a look at some of his top traits displayed on film.

College Film Analysis

Games watched: Oklahoma State 2018, Texas 2018, Georgia 2018, UCLA 2018, Kansas State 2018, Baylor 2018

Top Traits

Catch Radius – At 6’2”, 190 pounds and a plus athlete; there is no pass outside of his catch radius. Lamb is excellent at timing his jumps and extending to make difficult grabs in spectacular fashion. Consistency is key: he doesn’t just make one spectacular grab every couple of games, he demonstrates this ability on a weekly basis. He positions his body very well and is one of the best trackers of the football in the 2020 class.

Body Control – This is one of his best traits displayed on film. He consistently shows an ability to contort his body to make catches that look impossible possible. Not only does he do this on deep routes, but intermediate pass plays as well. This goes hand-in-hand with his outstanding catch radius.

Playmaking Ability – Getting the ball in Lamb’s hands early and often is a wise idea. In addition to his skill on the outside as a pass-catcher, he has also demonstrated an ability to be a weapon in the punt return game. We often talk about patience at the running back position, but he shows this after the catch, setting up defenders and blockers to pick up extra yards. This only expands his next-level portfolio, providing a coaching staff with multiple ways to get him on the field early and often.

Areas of Improvement

Strength – Although only listed at 189 pounds, he does not look thin on tape. He is a willing blocker in the running game, and has shown an ability to shed tacklers after the catch, but you can tell some added strength will serve him well at the next level. Wrapped in this is his toughness, he isn’t afraid to get in there and mix it up in the running game and that should be seen as a positive.

Explosion and Long Speed – Lamb is not what you would consider a burner. He is not a slow athlete by any stretch but you can see where that second gear is not elite. There were plays where a little more juice would have resulted in a touchdown for him. He is more of a long strider and takes a couple of steps to get going, but when he finally does hit max velocity, he can really pull away.

Devy and Dynasty Outlook

According to DLF Devy WR Rankings, Lamb currently sits at number four, and number two among 2020-eligible prospects behind Alabama wideout Jerry Jeudy. While he will undoubtedly go into the 2019 season as the number one option in the passing game, he will be faced with the most challenging quarterback situation in his collegiate career.

Alabama transfer quarterback Jalen Hurts is penciled in as the starter; and while he comes to Norman a two-time National Champion with tons of experience, it’s safe to say he is not on the same level as Baker Mayfield or Kyler Murray as a passer.

Lamb also has youth working against him as he will be joined by three talented incoming freshmen, but they are just that: freshman. This will allow defenses to focus more coverage towards his side of the field. While I fully expect those guys to make their presence felt, we cannot expect that to happen right away. Lamb should be the primary read and target for Hurts and or talented incoming freshman Spencer Rattler if he were to see action.

Lamb is comfortably in tier one of devy wide receiver prospects for me and I can see him pushing for the top spot for many dynasty owners. It’s still too early for me to give a player comparison, although I’ve seen a lot of comps to Houston Texan’s All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. Comparing a rising collegiate junior to arguably the best receiver in the NFL isn’t ideal. However, with a strong 2019 campaign, it’s not outside the realm of possibility that Lamb’s ceiling is Hopkins-like.