Courtland Sutton

smooth accelerator off the line of scrimmage with enough build-up speed to be a vertical threat. surprisingly agile for a receiver of his size with good lateral agility and a stop-start move. shows good vision to set up blocks, weaving through traffic and using his natural size and strength advantage to bully his way and create additional yardage after the catch. showed improved savviness as a route-runner in 2017, varying his gait to create separation and using shoulder fakes to leave defenders guessing and recognizing the potential for big gains on "free plays" when the defense was clearly offside... experienced playing inside and out, theoretically easing his transition to the nfl. the clear-cut top option at smu and might blossom with a greater supporting cast... - rob rang 12/14/2017

WEAKNESSES

strengths

Possesses the build of a prototypical No. 1 NFL receiver with broad shoulders, long arms and a tapered, athletic frame with good overall musculature. Natural hands receiver who collects passes easily, showing very good concentration and hand strength to secure the contested grab. Can track the ball over his shoulder, as well as come back towards the ball and pluck before taking the big hit. Is not afraid to use his size and strength to box out defenders for the ball, showing good timing and body control to win 50-50 throws and adjust to poorly thrown balls. Can contort in the air to adjust, making him a natural red zone threat.

compares to

Hall of Famer Art Monk, Washington Redskins. The elite size-speed matchup in recent NFL history is Randy Moss, a 2018 Canton finalist. Sutton's blend of height, agility, underrated straight-line speed and reliable hands is a closer comparison to Monk, a 6-3, 210 pounder who earned a yellow jacket based on consistency, including in the red zone with 68 career touchdowns.

lacks elite suddenness off the snap to frighten nfl defensive backs, showing smooth but not sudden acceleration to create separation. does not explode out of his breaks and throttles down on comebacks and stop routes which could lead to interceptions against the elite cornerbacks he will face in the nfl.

Can be too physical, resorting to pushing off defensive backs to create separation and drawing offensive pass interference penalties (TCU, Houston 2017). Could improve in his ability to recognize and improvise, failing to adjust his routes when his quarterback is in trouble. Did not face much press coverage in college and will need time to adjust in this area. Despite playing multiple receiver positions at SMU, ran a fairly limited route tree... Gets in the way as a blocker but is not the dominator that his build and hype suggest... -- Rob Rang 12/14/2017

in our view

Today's NFL passing attacks feature physical mismatches and perhaps no one in the 2018 draft class boasts a more intriguing combination of size, athleticism and ball-skills than Sutton, who recorded 31 touchdowns over the past three seasons, building upon his production each year after tying current Denver Broncos' standout Emmanuel Sanders' SMU freshman record with nine touchdowns.

Brehham High School, Brenham Texas. A three-star Rivals.com, Scout.com and 247sport.com and ESPN.com recruit

As a senior, named first-team All-District as a tight end and second team as a safety

Named first-team All-District as a safety during his junior campaign

Chose SMU over offers from BYU, Colorado and Rice.

Parents are Phelicia and Ryian Marshall.