Hands
Feb 21, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers wide receiver Kevin White catches a pass during the 2015 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Perhaps the most important trait for a WR….Hands. You can run a 4.30 40-yard dash all day long but if you can’t catch the ball, what good are you? (you know who I’m talking about)
Fortunately, both of these guys do well in this area, but whose hands are better?
Natural Hands: Simply put, this is the ability to make a hands-catch with ease. Some WR’s bobble the ball, catch it with their body or flat out drop the ball too often. Kevin White has natural hands, snatching up just about every ball within range. Almost no drops appear on film with him.
Amari Cooper on the other hand, had his fair share of concentration drops. It’s not a big issue, but compared to White, Cooper doesn’t catch the ball with his hands as effortlessly as White does. Advantage: White.
Catch In Traffic: Cooper does most of his work on the sidelines and over the top of defenses. White, because of his physical play style, boxes out would-be defenders to make catches. Or, you can find him high-pointing a football over the opposing cornerback. Advantage: White.
Next: Route Running: Amari Cooper vs. Kevin White