Malachi Dupre found a spot in the 2017 NFL Draft, getting selected by the Green Bay Packers just a handful of selections before the end of the seventh round with the No. 247 selection.
LSU’s Malachi Dupre could be a 7th round steal for the Packers
In Baton Rouge, he was more of a deep threat than a possession type, but history says that might change in NFL.
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During the former blue-chip’s three-year stint in Baton Rouge, he only hauled in 98 passes for 1,609 yards and 14 touchdowns, numbers nearly matched in 2016 alone by Western Michigan’s Corey Davis and Clemson’s Mike Williams, who are considered the draft’s top two prospects.
But Dupre is a deep threat, averaging 16.4 yards per reception over his collegiate career. He averaged 22.7 yards per reception in his freshman year at LSU, when he was voted to the SEC’s All-Freshman team.
Why did the Packers choose Dupre?
Despite Dupre’s mediocre stats, he provides the one ability a lot of coaches want out of their receivers: big-play ability. The young receiver has been the victim of pedestrian quarterback play in Baton Rouge, the same issue that plagued Landry and Beckham.
Still, he made a lot of plays when the ball was thrown in his direction.
For example, early in the second quarter of the Citrus Bowl, quarterback Danny Etling threw a bullet over the middle while standing in a clean pocket. Dupre channeled his inner Beckham and snagged a one-handed catch for a 29-yard gain.
This game, which the wide receiver finished with seven catches for 143 yards, shows Dupre has a huge catching radius. Standing at 6’3, the LSU product’s size will give his new QB a big target. Dupre’s height and outstanding leaping ability — he reached 39.5 inches at the Combine — provides an advantage in battling for 50-50 balls as well.
Why did Dupre go so late?
Indeed, the quarterback play at LSU is one of the reasons why Dupre doesn’t have eye-popping stats. Then again, some of the fault lies at his feet.
While Dupre is plenty athletic — he ran a 4.52 40 at the Combine — he struggles with making contested catches in tight spaces. In the NFL, he won’t be able to race past defenders with ease; there’s nothing but tight spaces, so he’ll have to use his size to shield defenders and corral passes.
Speaking of Dupre’s size, he consistently struggled with getting off press coverage, a type of coverage he’ll see a lot at the next level. While he has the height and athleticism to thrive at receiver, he needs to bulk up and gain strength. Dupre only weighs 196 pounds.
He also struggled as a run blocker, although he was given plenty of chances to ply his craft, given the LSU coaching staff’s inclination to feed Leonard Fournette.
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