This article marks the third installation of a series highlighting the changing of the guard in Rebel football. I will be taking to the film in order to watch, break down and evaluate notable Ole Miss athletes who have either declared for the draft or are transferring into the program.
Stat Breakdown
Listed H/W/P: 6’1, 220 lbs, WR
Pro Comparison: Brandon Aiyuk
In a Nutshell: Drummond has great speed for his size, but lacks the footspeed to be a shifty route runner or ball carrier. Drummond is an opportunistic playmaker who has flashed strong hands and challenges defenses in the intermediate middle zone of the field.
Strengths
Drummond does not jump off the tape in any one area, but he plays a very solid and reliable game. His best attribute is his speed, which may not look blazing on TV, but that is just because he has a longer stride as opposed to the lightning fast feet shown off by NFL stars like Tyreek Hill. Drummond has versatility, as he can split out wide or slide into the slot as a bigger body to out-physical smaller slot corners, who can weigh up to 30 pounds less than Drummond.
During his time in Oxford, Drummond did an excellent job finding the soft spot in zone coverages and giving Matt Corral an easy target to throw to. Drummond has also demonstrated an impressive ability to make and secure catches in traffic. When going over the middle, Drummond can track the ball through traffic and hold onto it through a punch from the defensive back or a hit from a safety or linebacker in coverage. This allows him to have some slack as a route runner because he does not need a fully clear window to catch the ball in. Drummond is a fluid player all around and demonstrates great control and finesse when running routes and picking up extra yards after the catch. His longer legs mean that his releases off of the line aren’t as sudden or twitchy as preferred, but once he gets into the route he does a great job of stemming defenders and using head fakes to force false steps and give himself room to work. He is particularly skilled at running intermediate routes in the middle of the field where he can shake DBs in man coverage or find windows in zone. After the catch, Drummond is also able to make plays. While he is not the kind of player to line up defenders and put them on a highlight reel, his long stride gives him deceptive speed which causes defenders to under pursue, giving him angles to turn upfield. Drummond has also shown good contact balance at times, allowing him to keep his balance when defenders hit low or don’t wrap up.
Weaknesses
As mentioned in the last section, Drummond lacks twitch. While he makes up for that with his fluidity and smoothness in route transition, there are situations at the next level that require a violent and explosive lower half. This is important when facing physical man coverage, as any cornerback who understands how to press and legally contact receivers downfield will bully receivers out of their route unless redirected by the receiver. This will be especially important for Drummond to develop, as he has not shown himself to be a physical threat on the outside, meaning he will not be able to play a true X role at the next level.
In order to be a consistent offensive weapon, Drummond will need to develop explosiveness and foot speed, or become physical enough during 50/50 balls and at the point of contact to overpower defenders. The other legitimate knock on Drummond is his manufactured production. While a 1000 yard season in the SEC is impressive regardless of its circumstances, NFL scouts will look for players who consistently won their matchups. Simply put, Drummond was not asked to do this at Ole Miss. He received a lot of touches in the RPO game, which usually meant the defense had bitten on the play action, leaving Drummond open without needing to beat a defensive back. He also was not asked to run many deep routes, and while his route tree was complicated, he will need to prove that he can run timely and effective routes that challenge defenses vertically.
Preview
Drummond is a tough guy to project. He demonstrates a valuable skill set as a terrific athlete and a natural pass catcher, but has not yet refined all the aspects of his game. His career path will depend largely on the coaching staff he ends up with, and how willing they are to work with him to iron out the shortcomings in his game.
He can certainly develop into a serious contributor, but will start his career as a fourth or fifth string guy. Personally, I like him as a fourth round pick, and the most natural fit is the 49ers (Drummond is stylistically like a hybrid of Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk), who will develop him into a useful talent. In terms of his role, his best bet is to continue working as a slot receiver and create mismatches on the inside with smaller DBs. His ability to catch passes through contact means he will have no problems going over the middle, and the versatility he displayed in the Kiffin offense will help him get on the field in special packages early as a gadget player.
