University of Michigan wide receiver Devin Funchess will join the Carolina Panthers after being taken with the No. 41 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. Funchess led the Wolverines in catches, receiving yards and touchdown receptions in 2014.
2015 NFL Draft results: Devin Funchess picked by Panthers
Carolina adds to its thin receiving corps.
Joe Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
A mammoth weapon at 6’4, 232 pounds, Funchess has the ability to beat almost any defender to a jump ball. He has excellent body control and can make difficult catches in traffic. Funchess could quickly develop into a safety blanket for his quarterback on third down passing situations.
Funchess provides more than the ability to make tough caches. He is hard to bring down with the ball in his hands once he builds up momentum. With his frame, he also should develop into a consistent downfield blocker and red zone target.
The biggest issue for Funchess' new team is figuring out where to play him. He began his career at Michigan as a tight end and transitioned to wideout in 2014. While he has conditioned his body to play out wide at the next level, he may be a better utilized like Marques Colston: lined up predominantly in the slot and asked to work the middle of the field rather than run deep routes.
Based on Funchess’ combine performance, this may be the way to go. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.70 seconds and registered 38.5-inch in the vertical leap. Funchess outperformed those numbers at his Pro Day, however, running the 40 in the high 4.4 range and producing a 6.98-second 3-cone drill.
Funchess finished his college career with 126 catches for 1,715 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns. He also ran for 23 yards on eight carries.
See More:
