Raiders Draft 2024: Ladd McConkey can bring much-needed speed and suddenness

Georgia wide receiver is polished route runner and smart

Hunter Renfrow with homerun speed. That’s an apt description of Georgia wide receiver Ladd McConkey.

A very polished route runner who uses a dizzying array of head fakes and footwork, McConkey is a supremely quarterback-friendly target who can separate quickly, catch the ball, and gain valuable yards after catch (YAC) with his creativity and vision with the ball in his hand. The Bulldogs wide receiver stands 6-feet and 186 pounds, which makes him profile even more as a Renfrow type reliable receiver.

While wide receiver isn’t atop the Las Vegas Raiders needs list, a prospect who brings savvy route running, reliable hands, and top-end speed checks off several boxes that the Silver & Black need at the position.

Tale of the Tape: Ladd McConkey

• School: Georgia
• Position: Wide receiver
• Height: 6-feet
• Weight: 186 pounds
• 2023 Stats: 30 catches, 478 yards, 2 touchdowns; 2 carries, 38 yards, 1 touchdown
• Career Stats: 119 catches, 1,687 yards, 14 touchdowns; 13 carries, 216 yards, 4 touchdowns; 21 punt returns, 279 yards; 1 kickoff return, 15 yards

While starters Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers also offer supreme route-running ability that leaves defenders look foolish, McConkey brings the speed factor that may be even more lightning quick than second-year fleet-footed wideout Tre Tucker. The Raiders lack another speed option that can stretch defenses deep with pure speed and McConkey brings that along with the ability to manipulate defenders with precise route running.

The top-end speed and suddenness McConkey excels at makes him the type of receiver that would make life easier on whomever starts at quarterback in Las Vegas. Throws don’t have to be perfect to him as he strongly makes a play on the ball and uses his quickness to get to a spot in rapid fashion. It’s that suddenness from McConkey that will endear him to quarterbacks at the pro level as he can separate from defenders quickly to become an ample target. And he offers the ability to play on the perimeter or inside in the slot — although about 70 percent of his career snaps at Georgia were as an outside receiver.

Having a highly instinctive young receiver who can crisply run routes and line up at multiple spots in formations would be a boon for new Raiders offensive coordinator Luke Getsy. A wideout with McConkey’s attributes would also make it less obvious what Tucker is going to do on the field as the latter is the only speedy option at the position group.

But Getsy wouldn’t be the only Raiders coach that’d make use of the multi-faced McConkey. Special teams boss Tom McMahon is in need of a return specialist and gunner and McConkey has experience doing both at Georgia.

Projected as a fringe first-round and/or Day 2 prospect, McConkey does bring inherent concerns — which will likely dictate where he ends up getting selected.

His build is the most concerning as it’s sleight and how he handles eventual NFL hits will be intriguing. While he does have the agility and speed to make defenders miss, the pro level is littered with tacklers who offer similar skillset to make it rough for McConkey. As such his frame doesn’t offer him the ability to beat the jam or press coverage and physical cornerbacks can bully and stall McConkey. His arm length is smallish for a wide receiver, too, as are his hands (30 ¹⁄₄ inch arms and 8 5/8 inch hands). This limits McConkey’s catch radius. And last, but not least, he also missed five games this past season for Georgia with back and ankle injuries.

Photo by Steve Limentani/ISI Photos/Getty Images

All that said, if a defensive back or defender makes one misstep — such not jamming McConkey at the line of scrimmage or early in the route tree — the receiver’s quickness and ability to get to top speed rapidly is a dire mistake. If the pass protection holds up and a quarterback sees that, an offense can take major advantage by getting McConkey the ball. And the receiver has the ability to gain YAC or take it to the house with his vision and ability to find the crease and sprint through it.

Again, wideout is one of the Raiders least areas of concern, however, with Renfrow gone and Adams, Myers, and Tucker as the top three on the depth chart, adding McConkey elevates the group and — more importantly — gives Las Vegas offense another homerun threat at the position group.

Head coach Antonio Pierce and general manager Tom Telesco spoke of the Raiders’ old-school mentality of throwing deep.

And there’s not better indication that wasn’t mere lip service but adding another wide receiver that can leave opposing defenders as burnt toast.