Clayton: Seahawks’ DK Metcalf adds to his legend with track appearance
May 10, 2021, 1:12 PM
(AP)
How did Seahawks receiver DK Metcalf slip to the last spot in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft?
Heaps: DK Metcalf will solidify himself as superstar WR in 2021
He’s a freak. He proved it in his rookie season when he learned the Seahawks offense and caught 58 passes for 900 yards and seven touchdowns. Metcalf proved he was a freak last year when he voted into the Pro Bowl after catching 83 passes for 1,303 yards and scoring 10 touchdowns.
What he did Sunday added to his legend. With no track experience he completed for a spot in the Olympics. Though he finished ninth in his group of nine potential Olympians, Metcalf ran a 10.37-second 100-meter dash.
Watch: DK Metcalf runs 100M at USATF Golden Games
He finished 15 out of the 17 completing sprinters. Still, he stunned everyone by getting the 10.37 when many thought he would do a 10.5 or a 10.6.
Metcalf wowed everyone at the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine when he ran a 4.33-second 40-yard dash, had a 40.5-inch vertical jump and a 11.2-foot broad jump. He’s 6-foot-4, 229 pounds. Those are incredible number for a player of that size. In high school he did participate in track and field. In his senior year, he finished second in the state of Mississippi in the high hurdles and the triple jump. What he didn’t do was the sprints. He had no track experience in college.
What’s good for the Seahawks is that he isn’t going to go to the Olympics and he said he’s getting ready for the mandatory minicamp in mid-June. His track career is over for now.
From Bob Hayes to Willie Gault to former Seahawk Michael Bates to former Los Angeles Ram Ron Brown to Jim Hines to James Jett, the NFL has had Olympic sprinters who had great NFL careers. There haven’t been many of late, but Metcalf proved he is one the most unique athletes in the NFL.
It’s still amazing to think teams let him slip to the 64th pick because he didn’t do well in the cone drills and the shuttle. What a mistake.
Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network came out Monday with an interesting note. He noted in the last 10 years, there have been more Pro Bowl receivers taken in the second round than in the first. He counted 12 second-rounders who made the Pro Bowl. He noted former Seahawks Josh Gordon made it once. He counted seven Pro Bowl wide receivers taken in the first round and four in the third round. He didn’t include receivers who made the Pro Bowl on special teams. Tyler Lockett made it as a return specialist.
The previous administration of the Green Bay Packers drafted Randall Cobb and Davante Adams in the second round. Five-time Pro Bowler Jarvis Landry was a second round pick. And then there’s DK Metcalf. He’s been to one. He will go to more. Eventually, he’ll end up as one of the highest-paid wide receivers in the league.