Getty Liberty WR Antonio Gandy-Golden isn't the fastest guy but his dominating size makes him an intriguing third-round prospect.
The majority of the scuttlebutt has focused on the Eagles’ first-round pick. But Philadelphia has eight picks in Thursday’s draft and need multiple weapons.
The open joke has been GM Howie Roseman using all of that capital on receivers. Obviously, that won’t happen. It wouldn’t be surprising, however, to see the Eagles invest three or four picks in the position. One under-the-radar name that recently emerged was Antonio Gandy-Golden, a big-bodied playmaker from Liberty University in Virginia.
According to Matt Lombardo of NJ Advance Media, the Eagles have been in frequent contact with Gandy-Golden. At 6-foot-4 and 223 pounds, he possesses very similar size to Atlanta’s Julio Jones and Arizona’s Larry Fitzgerald. The 22-year-old also ran the 40-yard dash in 4.6 seconds at the NFL Scouting Combine.
“I feel like throughout my career that I’ve made a constant improvement. I’ve done everything I needed to do every year,” Gandy-Golden told NJ Advance Media. “Just to be able to play these bigger teams and be able to produce. I feel like the bigger numbers against the top teams in my career show that I can really play.”
It’s been crazy…but from @LibertyFootball, to @seniorbowl, to the Combine, to the @NFLDraft, the pieces are starting to come together! Thank you @paniniamerica for helping me tell my story. 👀 #roadtotheratedrookie
Gandy-Golden recorded 150 receptions for 2,433 yards and 20 touchdowns in two years at Liberty. The Flames compete in NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) as an independent. They beat Georgia Southern last year in the Cure Bowl, 23-16. Gandy-Golden hauled in five catches for 63 yards and a score.
Strange Days Due to COVID-19 Pandemic
It goes without saying that this has been one of the strangest offseasons in the history of football. Teams have had limited contact with prospective draft picks due to the novel coronavirus and social distancing measures. However, Liberty University was the rare exception that remained open.
Biggest reason why bigger WR struggle transitioning from college to the NFL is that they lack the body twitch to beat press-man and create separation at the top of routes. @LibertyFootball WR Antonio Gandy-Golden (6035v, 222 lbs) won’t have those issues!
#TheDraftStartsInMOBILE
Liberty receiver Antonio Gandy-Golden told NJ Advance Media that he has been able to stay at school and work out despite the COVID-19 pandemic. He’s still living on campus, working out at the school gym and practicing on the outdoor fields. It’s almost too normal.
“My teammate’s girlfriend works at a gym, so her boss gives them the keys to workout and whenever they go, I get to go in with them,” Gandy-Golden said. “I go to the field at 8:30 every morning, do some running, some receiver drills, and then hit the gym in the evening.”
Scouting Report: Compared to DeVante Parker
Remember DeVante Parker? You should. The stud receiver bullied the Eagles last season for 159 yards and two touchdowns in Week 13. Parker was unstoppable.
Well, Antonio Gandy-Golden has drawn comparisons to Parker since the two players are almost identical in physical size and skillsets. They are both matchup nightmares on the outside, with just enough speed. Gandy-Golden has greatly improved his route-running (once a perceived weakness) while eliminating “focus drops.”
Liberty WR Antonio Gandy-Golden is an intriguing player to watch. Big/athletic with huge catch radius. Doesn’t have special top speed but he generates a ton of big plays. Still needs work as a route runner but there’s upside.
Lance Zierlein of NFL.com wrote:
Very intriguing height-weight-speed prospect who showed noticeable improvements in a number of important areas in 2019. While his hands were superior in ’19, it’s possible that focus drops could return with bigger, better players beating on his routes from snap to whistle. When he does catch it, he has an innate ability to add yardage after the catch with his size and agility. Gandy-Golden’s route-running is still a work in progress, but his build-up speed, length and ball skills could allow him to develop into a dangerous third-level threat on the next level.
He is projected to go in the third round and could be an absolute steal in Thursday’s draft. The Eagles own one pick in the third round (103rd overall). They could always leverage some later-round picks (they have three in the fourth, one in the fifth, one in the sixth) to move back up. Stay tuned.
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