ESPN Scout Kevin Weidl: Ohio WR Lavon Brazill Brings Great Value

ESPN scout Kevin Weidl recently put together a list of prospects he thinks could bring great value in this year’s draft. One player he included on that list is a guy I really like in Ohio wide receiver Lavon Brazill, who to my knowledge has a visit with the Denver Broncos coming up. Here is what Weidl had to say about Brazill as a potential value pick in this year’s draft:

I like what Brazill (5-foot-10⅝, 192 pounds) brings as a route-runner. He can work outside or in the slot, tempos his routes well to get up defenders within his stem, and uses subtle head and shoulder fakes to create separation out of breaks. Brazill lacks elite suddenness, but he does show some burst out of his cuts and has impressive ability to read coverage and adjust on the fly. He also has quick enough feet to get a good release against press coverage.

Brazill also has solid hands and elite overall body control. He makes catches outside his frame look easy and tracks the ball naturally over his shoulder. His tape against Rutgers is particularly impressive, showing Brazill running a fade to the back left corner of the end zone, then opening up fully on a ball thrown behind him and snagging it with one hand while falling to the ground. Later in that game he did a nice job beating press coverage out of the slot and tracked a fade route nicely over his shoulder.

Finally, his toughness is outstanding. Brazill not only works the middle of the field and makes tough catches in traffic, but he plays hurt. Brazill suffered a torn meniscus in the MAC title game but showed the toughness to come back and play in the bowl game against Utah State, a game in which he caught the game-winning touchdown in the fourth quarter. Throw in his added value as a returner, and Brazill could offer great return on investment as early as the fifth round.

If Brazill gets to a team like a Denver, Green Bay, or really any team with an elite quarterback, he could be an early contributor. I think Weidl’s analysis is spot on from what I’ve seen of Brazill, and he’s the type of guy who provides great value and was an excellent addition to that particular post. Here is my scouting report of Brazill from earlier this year:

Brazill is a guy who has been competing for five years as an Ohio Bobcat, one of which was spent getting over knee and hand injuries. He bounced back in 2011 to become the leading receiver in Ohio history and has been a fantastic target in the passing game, leading the team with 64 receptions for 1,042 yards and 10 touchdowns. Capable of making big plays in the passing game, averaging over 16 yards per reception for the season. I really like what I see from him in terms of being able to get open, but can he do it against top competition? Taylor Price had elite speed and really struggled to adjust to the NFL game. Capable of returning punts and kicks at the next level as well. I really like his upside and versatility because pretty much no one is talking about him or looking at him right now, and I think he has a chance to make a name for himself on a national stage. He doesn’t have elite size but he has a good build for his height and is capable of playing physical and making plays after the catch. Capable of being a change-of-pace player as well with a rushing touchdown this season and 73 yards on just five carries. You can see why he was voted to some All-American teams in 2009 with three punt return touchdowns in just 33 returns overall, hitting paydirt once every 11 returns.

Pros:

Experienced, productive, return ability, not an elite athlete (a good one though), doesn’t have great size, catches the ball well

Cons:

Not an elite athlete, more of a slot guy/return man than a starter, doesn’t have great height, hasn’t played great competition

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