Cowing is being stereotyped because of his size
We are officially two days removed from the completion of the 2024 NFL Draft, and fans are wondering what abilities their newest draft picks will add to their favorite team. The 49ers used pick 31 on WR Ricky Pearsall from Florida and doubled up on the position with Arizona’s Jacob Cowing at pick 135.
Here is what draft analysts have to say about Cowing and his skillset:
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein
The tape can be a fun watch when Cowing’s field vision and athleticism shine after the catch in Arizona’s quick game, but there are several boxes that go unchecked in the total evaluation. Cowing is a slightly built slot receiver who is more quick than he is fast, and he lacks big-time separation. He is made for option routes underneath and displays a nose for the end zone. He must learn to maintain additional space as a static pass-catcher because he won’t win very often when contested. Cowing needs to limit drops, improve as a route-runner, and display some punt-return talent to give himself the best chance of sticking on an NFL roster for a while.
Pro Football Network’s Derek Tate
Cowing’s route-running ability likely isn’t talked about as much as it should be entering the 2024 NFL Draft. He’s an instant separator off the line of scrimmage with turbo-charged foot quickness. His exceptional fluidity, tempo variation, and explosive burst at the breakpoint give him a handful of ways to create separation on all three levels of the football field.
Cowing also provides some extra value as a YAC threat who can be used as a moveable weapon all over the formation.
His physical profile does come with some obvious concerns with regard to his catch radius, play strength and length at the catch point, and ability to use his hands to fend off physical corners who land their initial punch in press coverage.
Cowing’s size will likely relegate him to a hefty amount of snaps in the slot or the Z-receiver in bunch sets to help him get a clean release at the line of scrimmage. However, his route-running savvy and explosive athleticism certainly give him a chance to be a big contributor to an NFL offense.
Bleacher Report’s Scouting Department
Jacob Cowing was asked to be two different receiver archetypes over his college career, with both revolving around his speed.
Cowing was a vertical receiver for his first three seasons at UTEP. He’s twitchy off the line of scrimmage and attacks defensive backs quickly. Though he isn’t an elite burner, Cowing brings threatening speed that forces defenses to respect him down the field. One free step of separation can become a touchdown.
At Arizona, however, Cowing was asked to be more of an underneath yards-after-the-catch earner. His quick feet and effortless change of direction made it an easy transition. Aside from screens and simple shallow crossers, Cowing showed flashes of impressive route-running ability on speedouts, curls, and slants. He really explodes and accelerates out of his breaks.
The catch with Cowing is that he’s limited to being sort of a gimmick receiver either way. Though Cowing’s speed and quickness are threatening, he lacks size, length, and strength.
Personally, Cowing’s biggest asset is his speed threat combined with his route running. Cowing can separate on his own, which seems to be the emphasis of his and Pearsall’s selection. Size can be a concern, but Tank Dell and Tyler Lockett are examples of what Cowing can be in the NFL.
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