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Vince Mayle, Wide Receiver, Washington State
HEIGHT: 6'2"
ARM LENGTH: 31 3/4"
WEIGHT: 224 lbs.
HANDS: 9"
40-YARD DASH: 4.52
VERTICAL JUMP: 35.5 INCH
BROAD JUMP: 117.0 INCH
3-CONE DRILL: 6.93 SEC
20-YARD SHUTTLE: 4.13 SEC
You know the 2015 NFL draft is deep at wide receiver when a guy like Vince Mayle is projected to be a Day 3 pick.
Mayle was a monster for Washington this past season while being a Biletnikoff Award semifinalist, which recognizes the nation's top wide receiver. He tied for the Pac-12 lead with a school-record 106 catches to go with a school single-season record 1,483 receiving yards. He also had two games with more than 252 yards receiving against Arizona State and California.
Mayle did this after just one previous season at WSU, in which he caught 42 passes for 539 yards and seven scores. He spent the previous two season in junior college before committing to the Cougars in 2013.
Though that production came in a pass-happy offense, any receiver who puts those kinds of numbers up in a BCS conference should be able to contribute at the NFL level.
Mayle should be able to come in and contribute as a rookie for a team that's thin at receiver. He's also a willing tackler on kickoff coverage, where he was used throughout his senior year. That attribute is a must for any late-round receiver.
NFL.com's Lance Zierlein compared Mayle to current Patriots receiver Aaron Dobson:
STRENGTHS: Can win in space and has tremendous ability to track the ball over his shoulder on deep throws. Has learned to vary route speed to help with separation on slants. Outstanding physical traits for the position. Sinks hips and sits down on route quickly for a receiver his size. Better acceleration than cornerbacks expect on free release. Can get to top speed quickly and has touchdown catches of 72, 81 and 90 yards over last two seasons.
WEAKNESSES: Has limited playing experience. Needs to learn to use his hands more effectively against press coverage. Can be held up off release by smaller corners, despite size. Unsound fundamentals as a hands-catcher. Had 13 drops in 2014. Will trap ball against body and struggle with focus drops. Basic route runner at this stage. Below-average separation out of breaks.
DRAFT PROJECTION: Round 4
NFL COMPARISON: Aaron Dobson
BOTTOM LINE: Evaluators seem sure that Mayle is a moldable piece of clay who can become substantially better as a pro with more coaching and experience. Mayle clearly needs work with some of the basic fundamentals for the position, but with his size and an ability to win vertically, he has a high ceiling. He might need a redshirt year before he is ready to contribute consistently.
| Separation Skills | 4 | Raw athlete that needs a lot of polish in this area. Good size, strength and flashes quick feet/hands to get off of press. However, needs a lot of work within initial stem and doesn't always finish at the top of routes. Shows ability to roll into speed cuts but has some tightness and segmented with short-intermediate routes. Best quality at this point is as a vertical route runner where he can use his size and speed to his advantage. Also shows ability to weave through traffic and find open areas to separate from zone coverage. |
| Ball Skills | 3 | Inconsistent in this area. Average hand-eye coordination. Will often fight and allow the ball into frame, especially when working back to the quarterback (a handful of drops on his tape in these scenarios). Much more comfortable tracking and securing the ball while working away from the throw. Shows above-average body control adjusting and playing intermediate to deep throws. Flashes the ability to climb the ladder and use his frame to win in contested in jump ball situations. |
| Big play ability | 3 | Flashes the size, athleticism and enough top-end speed to be a factor in one-on-one battles vertically down the field. Strong and balanced runner to occasionally run through arm tackles. However, lacks ideal elusiveness and needs a seam to manufacture yards after the catch. |
| Competitiveness | 2 | Possesses the toughness to work the middle of the field. Flashes the focus to secure throws in traffic while absorbing a hit. Competitive runner that fights after the catch. Adequate field and sideline awareness. Gives solid effort as a run blocker and possesses the measureables to control defenders down field. |