PSO Scouting Report: WR Laviska Shenault Jr. (Colorado)

PSO’s original Scouting Reports strive to be uniquely valuable in evaluating a player’s future outlook by focusing on the four main subjects that summarize a player’s likelihood of succeeding at the next level including: natural Physical Tools, College Game Film, proven Production, and overall Risk that each individual player presents to a team drafting him. For a full breakdown of PSO’s Scouting Reports, click here.

Bio

Pos: WR

Hometown: DeSoto, TX

School: Colorado

Class: Junior

Age: 21

Height: 6’1″ | Weight: 227 lbs.

Hands: 9″ | Arms: 31.88”

Bench: 17 reps | 40 Time: 4.58s

Facts to Know

1st-Team All-Pac 12 (2018), 2nd-Team All-Pac 12 (2019)
10 career receiving TDs, 7 rushing TDs
Regularly lined up in the slot, outside WR, RB, H-back, and Wildcat QB
7.5 YAC per reception (T-47th)
3rd-best PFF short receiving grade in FBS (86.8)

Physical Tools

Pros

Tremendously explosive & quick
Built like a RB (94th percentile for weight at WR)
Adequate length (31.88” arms)
17 bench reps (72nd percentile for WRs)

Cons

Injury ruined 40 time (4.58s)
Smaller hand size than 80% of WR’s (9″)

Grade: A-

Game Film

Pros

Versatile offensive weapon — outside, slot, H-back, RB, QB
Strength and quickness at release
Dynamic ball carrier — bigger, stronger than most DBs
Comfortable catching with his hands rather than body
Fights through contact on 50/50 balls
Plays much faster than his 40 time (4.58s)

Cons

Mediocre route runner but could improve dramatically considering his elite traits
Zone awareness is subpar
Produced better when split evenly between slot and wide snaps in 2018

Grade: A-

Production

Pros

1st-Team All-Pac 12 (2018), 2nd-Team All-Pac 12 (2019)
Versatile scoring production — 10 receiving TDs, 7 rushing TDs
14/22 on contested catches (64%)
3rd-best PFF short receiving grade in FBS (86.8)
Just a 4.8% drop rate, 3 total drops in 2019
Never received an overall PFF grade below 86.9 (2019)

Cons

Lots of scheme-based production — screens, sweeps, Wildcat runs
Relatively disappointing 2019 after dominating as a sophomore
Short average target depth (10.1 yards)
Limited production due to injuries (20 GP last 2 seasons)

Grade: B+

Risk

Pros

Great size and athleticism for a WR
Not limited to any specific role, extreme versatility
Instant-impact YAC ability with lots of potential on the outside
A playmaker that shines on tape with the ball in his hands

Cons

Likely won’t be a true #1 WR immediately but has the tools to grow
Relied on creative usage at Colorado to be fully maximized
Still developing as a route runner, but possesses elite traits

Several recent injuries — core, pubic bone, labrum, toe, since 2018

Grade: B

Overall

An incredibly unique talent at WR, it’s difficult to not get excited by Laviska Shenault’s potential. Built more like a RB (Jordan Howard specifically) than any normal WR, he’s a natural hands-catcher and an explosive threat on the boundary. Virtually impossible for any Pac-12 DB to bring down on their own, “Viska” was a big play waiting to happen from any alignment.

His truly special YAC ability will play immediately in the NFL, but he’s currently a work in progress outside of that. However, after splitting snaps between the slot and outside pretty evenly in 2018 (204 – 231), Shenault played almost exclusively out wide when lined up as a WR in 2019. While he didn’t produce quite the same, that experience will help his transition to the NFL tremendously.

Pro Comp: WR Sammy Watkins (Kansas City Chiefs)

Projected Round: Mid-late 1st round

Prime Destinations: LVR, JAX, PHI, BAL, GB, SF

OVERALL Grade: B+