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Jarvis Landry finished his senior season at LSU as one of the most productive wide receivers in school history, finishing with 137 career catches, 1,809 yards, and 15 touchdowns. (I should note that most of those numbers came in his junior season.) LSU quarterback Zach Mettenberger and fellow wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. gained more publicity, but Landry is solid prospect in his own right.
Where Jarvis Landry Wins
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Landry is size limited (6'0", 195 lbs) but he makes up for it with strong hands and exceptional hand/eye coordination. He is as sure handed of a wide receiver as you will find in the 2014 draft class, demonstrating natural hands and the ability to extend outside his frame for receptions, and extend and climb vertically. He is able to adjust to the ball with ease from any angle, and can track passes downfield.
Landry is also a very gifted route runner, in terms of precision and intelligence. He has very good footwork in his routes, demonstrating almost zero wasted movements. He can use head and chest fakes to get cornerbacks off balance, and does a good job using a "throttle down" move to find an advantage.
While not being extremely explosive, Landry is a good straight line athlete who can win in space. He anticipates defenders and can make them miss (by utilizing a good spin move) and he has just enough long speed. He plays much bigger than his size suggests, showing a physical mentality. More than anything, he demonstrates body control, spatial awareness, and instincts that are refreshing to see and hard to come by.
Where Jarvis Landry Needs To Improve
Landry plays much bigger than his size, but his size will be an issue nonetheless. He will likely be limited to the slot in the NFL, and I am unsure on how he will handle contact throughout the route in the NFL and if his ability to win at the catch point will translate. His hand strength, balance, and body control suggest it may not be an issue, but it should be noted nonetheless. Landry also has a very limited catch radius, due to short length and height.
Landry lacks ideal explosion from the position as well. He is a good straight line athlete, and he can quickly turn upfield, but he lacks suddenness and lateral quickness. Give him an alley and he is dangerous, but I think he is limited in how many yards after the catch he can create on his own.
Overall Impression
Almost everything Landry does translates well to the NFL. If he was 6'2", 205 lbs, he'd likely be a first rounder. The size/explosion issues are warranted, but he has the look of a player who can contribute quickly from the slot and can be a dependable chain mover throughout his career.
Grade: 6.8- Top 50.
