Arizona Cardinals NFL Draft Preview: Juju Smith-Schuster
By Jeremy Meek
Juju Smith-Schuster has a combination of size and athleticism that could make him a steal in the draft
The Arizona Cardinals need a wide receiver. There isn’t a single proven commodity at the position other than Larry Fitzgerald, and he seems likely to retire after this season. They have needs at other spots too, but picking a receiver early on would be a wise decision.
One option would be to wait until round two to target a pass catcher. If so, there are some nice options available. One of those options is former USC Trojan Juju Smith-Schuster.
Smith Schuster is, first of all, a solidly put together player, standing 6’1″ and is a solid 215 pounds. He also had great production in college. He started all three years on campus, totaling over 3,000 yards and 25 touchdowns in his three seasons at USC. Overall, he proved to be another great Trojan receiver.
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There are plenty of reasons to like Smith-Schuster as an NFL prospect as well. His biggest asset is his ability to take advantage of his size. He can make the tough catches, in traffic, and absorb the hits that he receives. His strength makes him a potential matchup problem for smaller cornerbacks. He’s also good after the catch, and can gain extra yards after a reception.
The biggest concern with Smith-Schuster is his speed. On tape, he often struggles to separate from defenders to get open. He also had some drops on passes he should have caught, but that’s common.
The jury on Smith-Schuster’s draft position is out. Many analysts have him as a mid-round prospect, but his NFL body and his hands could have teams moving him up into the early rounds. Picking him early in round two might be a bit of a reach, but if they were to target him, that might be where they’d have to take him.
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The Cardinals definitely need to look at getting a wide receiver in this year’s draft, especially one with size and talent like Smith-Schuster has. The offense needs to prepare for the future, and if they feel like the former Trojan can step in for Fitzgerald, they should go get him.