2021 NFL Draft: Six sleeper wide receivers to watch
By John Blair
Jaelon Darden, North Texas
One of the most productive receivers in football last season was Jaelon Darden out of North Texas. Darden finished second in touchdowns with 19 and third in receiving yards with 1,190. He also averaged an impressive 16.1 yards per reception which was one of the highest marks in the NCAA for someone with his amount of touches.
What makes Darden such an offensive weapon is his excellent ability to make yards after the catch. He is one of the most agile receivers in the 2021 NFL Draft, and in this area reminds me a little of Jaylen Waddle. He displays excellent quickness as well and definitely has the ability to go from 0 to 60 in seconds.
While Darden is an excellent playmaker he is going to have to go to the right situation in the NFL in order to be successful. The perfect situation for Darden would be a system similar to what the Kansas City Chiefs run. This is the ideal spot for him as this offense allows him to catch the short pass and pick up yards after contact. He would likely struggle in an offense that requires more physical receivers who can win the jump ball.