Rookie Spotlight: CeeDee Lamb, Oklahoma University
Height: 6’1 5/8″
Weight: 198
Hands: 9 1/4″
Arm: 32 1/4″
40 yard dash: 4.5
NFL Comparison: Odell Beckham Jr., Chad Ochocinco, Michael Gallup

Pros
– elite ball skills
– tracks the ball well
– explosive runner
– elite body control
– wins contested catches
– young (will be 21 through rookie season)

Cons
– somewhat slight frame
– lacks elite top-end speed

2019 Team Market Share Numbers:

24% receptions
32% receiving yards
39% receiving TDs

Scouting Notes: In what may go down as the deepest draft for wide receivers in recent memory, CeeDee Lamb holds the exclusive distinction of being in the upper echelon of potential picks, along with Jerry Jeudy and possibly Henry Ruggs. Lamb’s intangibles are obvious upon watching his tape – He has almost unparalleled ball skills and a motor that doesn’t quit. He explodes in and out of his cuts which makes some of his more loosely run routes forgivable. He’s quick and agile, with the ability to make an immediate stop and change directions to the behest of anyone trying to hunt him down. Lamb has a knack for tracking the ball in the air and positioning himself in the perfect place to snatch the ball out of the reach of his defender, often coming down with circus catches. His ability to adjust and contort his body to frame the football is borderline obscene and reminiscent of Odell Beckham Jr. While somewhat slight in frame, he did bulk up quite a bit in his junior season in Oklahoma which helped his game both in contested-catch situations and after-catch with the football in his hands.

He’s more successful against the press than other players of his size and speed because he uses his hands to get physical with opposing corners, finds an angle and then powers his legs through to gain separation. This is why Lamb’s lack of superior long speed doesn’t really bother me. He has these other skills to get separation and he uses them to significant results – He had 62 receptions, 1,327 yards, and 14 TDs in 2019 alone. Lamb is perhaps most impressive with the ball in his hands after the catch. He has an elite kick returner’s upfield vision, finding the open lanes and exploiting them or spinning and parrying his way past defenders. He knows when to lower his pads, and his legs are ever churning downhill. Lamb takes that aggression to his blocking as well, taking pride in decking corners who take him lightly. And he is light. At less than 190 lbs in college, and of somewhat slim frame, Lamb is slighter than a lot of premier receivers who can dish out damage as well as they can take it. This fact was somewhat mitigated with the near-200 pound weigh-in at the combine. Still his lower BMI and less than spectacular speed may make it harder for him to push around and separate from NFL corners, but they’re really the only knocks against this young man.

Fantasy Outlook: Lamb is likely to be a top 15 pick in the draft – If he makes it past Oakland, we’ll be shocked. He’s just the right combo of pure talent and polish that makes him an exciting but safe addition to any franchise, and he can return kicks too which we always love because it says something about how previous coaching staffs viewed a player’s open-field vision. He’s a top 5-8 pick in dynasty leagues and will likely be worth a mid-round add in traditional season-long redraft formats for 2020, depending on where he ends up. He could be a regular contributor right away on a receiver needy team. Lamb’s got the skills to be at least a no.2 with major upside, a la Michael Gallup, and if he can continue to separate with ease, he could work his way up to many a team’s go-to receiver in a few years.

FROM THE OKLAHOMA ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT:

Ranks first at OU with 24 career catches of at least 40 yards and with six career games of at least 160 receiving yards, second in career receiving TDs (32), third in career receiving yards (3,292) and career 100-yard receiving games (14), sixth in career receptions (173) and 15th in career all-purpose yards (3,799) … his 19.0 yards per catch is highest average in school history among players with at least 130 receptions … scored touchdowns by receiving, passing and rushing in his career … leads nation’s non-seniors in career receiving TDs and career receiving yards.

QUOTABLE FROM THE COMBINE:

On getting to play with Kyler Murray in Arizona:

That’s my guy, man. That’s a very familiar question. I built a great relationship my sophomore year with him, and I had a couple times before my freshman year working out with him. So I built a great connection. That’d be a huge honor on my end.

On if he’s met with the Cardinals:

Yeah, I’ve met with the Cardinals already. I like the coaching staff. I met with the GM. All great energy.

On if Murray has talked to him during this process:

He just told me to be myself. Don’t really be anybody I’m not and just kind of enjoy it. Take it all in. You only get one time at the combine.

{Something about all the great receivers in this class}

I said it yesterday with Jerry (Jeudy), there are a lot of great receivers in this class. To say that we’re the headlines of this receiving group, it’s a huge honor. I’m grateful for the opportunity and I thank God every morning. I’m going to keep doing what I’m doing.

On if he knew Jeudy before:

Nah, we just met each other coming out here in Indy. Social media, you would assume that we were against each other. But we’re still boys.

On the possibility of playing for the Jets or Giants:

I’m grateful for wherever I land. If I’m fortunate to get picked up by any team in New York, I’m going to put my best foot forward and give it all I got.

On if he’s ever been to NYC:

No, I haven’t.

On if there’s any player he models his game after:

Not really. But I get a lot of comparisons honestly. I just want to go out there and compete. DeAndre Hopkins, I’ve seen a couple Davante Adams. Those are great receivers, and I’m honored.

On if he talked to the Raiders:

Yeah, I talked to the Raiders. Real cool guys. They’re a young group. THey’re trying to make a new transition. If I’m fortunate enough to get picked up by them, they’re going to get everything I have.

On where his work ethic comes from:

It’s kind of being in a dark place at a young age and not having everything that I wanted growing up. It pushes me a lot to get a lot of things that I want now, and it all comes with work. So why not work for what I want? I’d rather work than it just be given to me.

On playing with Baker Mayfield and Jalen Hurts:

Baker really set the tone for me. He set so many guidelines for me. He laid the blueprint. Even at a young age, me being a freshman and him being the veteran of the team, he helped me understand the play-style of the game. He helped me get through a lot of things as far as learning the playbook, just small things and details. Playing with Jalen, it was really, honestly, very easy on my part because I already knew the system and I kind of knew what to expect going in the season.

On Lincoln Riley:

Coach Riley does a great job in this offense and his offense is very receiver-friendly. He does a great job with his receivers and getting them involved in the game and getting involved early. It demonstrates that you’re only as good as your weakest link and he tried to instill that there is no weak link, so you want to work hard every practice, every game and put your best foot forward.

On Mayfield, Murray and Hurts:

Not many people can say they played with three Heisman finalists and two of them winning. I think I had a great college career with a great group of quarterbacks.My plan was to help them out a lot and I feel like I did a little bit. But those guys work their tails off and I was just trying to match their energy, and the production showed up on the field.

On how different those three QBs were:

They’re all different. Different playing styles, different ways of learning. They all adjusted to the game differently.

On adding weight while maintaining his quickness:

It’s kind of a mindset. Going in and knowing that you’re a bit underweight, it makes you want to work harder to maintain the stability to last in college. I can say the same about the NFL. Guys are bigger, faster, stronger, so in order to survive in that league, you have to match that energy and intensity …

On the best part of his game:

Yards after the catch. I enjoy making people miss and making the most of every opportunity I get.

On if he’s talked to Philly yet:

I haven’t talked to the Eagles yet, but I plan on doing so soon.

The Chiefs?

No, sir, I haven’t.

On if he’s met with the Broncos:

No, I have not.

The Packers?

No, I have not.

On the Raiders:

Yeah, I’ve talked to the Raiders. They’re very young and they’re talented. They’re trying to get something started that only the people in that room and that locker room know. Energy like that is what I love to be around. That’s kind of the energy we had at OU. Not many people knew what we had cooking in the locker room except for the people in that locker room. Nobody believed in what they had going on, and Jon Gruden is a great coach.

On what it would be like for Gruden:

If I get that opportunity, we’ll find out.

On the draft being in Vegas:

That would be my second time in Vegas. Hopefully I get drafted, but it’ll be a huge honor on my end. I’m thanking God everyday. I’m blessed, honestly.

On how playing in so many college playoff games prepared him for the NFL:

The atmosphere was different, the games were different, my mindset and my approach toward the game were a lot different. I just wanted to be more aggressive because I knew the intensity and aggressiveness of the opponent I was playing was going to come with. Guys in the SEC are a lot bigger than guys in the Big 12, so I wanted to play big, play faster, play stronger.

On what a team would be getting in him:

I’m willing to put my body on the line each and every day in practice. In any organization, I’m willing to give my all, no matter who it is. I’m working to always be the best. That’s my brother, man. It actually made me happy. The team is going to need what it needs. But Kyler telling coach Kingsbury that, it kinda made me smile a little bit, but like I said, if they need me they’ll come get me. If not, it’s OK.

On if he’ll do all the drills:

Oh, yeah, I’m doing everything.

On the odds on his 40 time:

4.54. Oh yeah, I pay attention to it. Don’t worry.

On the area of his game he wants to improve the most:

Yeah, creating separation consistently. Once I get that down, I feel like I’ll be the receiver that I want to be.

On what separates him from Jeudy and Ruggs as the top receivers in this class:

We all are different receivers. I don’t know how to answer that. Those guys are really talented. I feel like I’m talented enough to be in that position and that argument. I’m grateful for this opportunity.

On the WR class:

This receivers class this year is honestly unbelievable in my eyes. You can’t really go wrong with anybody you draft in the first, second, third or fourth rounds. Doesn’t matter. The seventh. You’re going to get a great pick. Me and the guys, we were just talking about it yesterday, we’re very deep in this class.

On if he’s met with the Bills:

No, I haven’t.

On who he grew up watching:

Reggie Bush. Being a kid from Louisiana, that’s all we knew was Reggie Bush. I knew him at USC. … I met him media day, Big 12.

On Bush’s advice:

Go out and be the person I am. Don’t’ really change for anybody. Just go out and be true to myself.

On what he picked up from Reggie Bush:

Play with passion and don’t let the first person tackle you.

On if he’s capable of playing every WR position, knowing every route:

Yes, sir, I do feel like I am capable of learning the route tree and playing every position possible. I’m willing to be put anywhere the team needs me.

On the best CB he played in college:

I’ll go with (LSU’s Derek) Stingley, especially because he’s young. But he knows football. That guy’s very talented, very tall and his technique is unbelievable.

On lessons from his family:

They knew I would be very busy. It was very minimal talking to them. It’s upsetting but at the end of the day, they know what it’s about, trying to set myself up for my future. I kind of broke it to them right before that I wouldn’t be able to talk to them as much, but they’re proud of me and that’s all I could ask.

On if he’s training with an NFL, well-known college receivers:

I trained with Cris Carter a little bit, and Anquan Boldin. Cris Carter taught me how to stop. I never thought it would be so hard, but he did a great job of really emphasizing that to me. And Anquan really helped me as far as the top of my routes and just to get in and out and faster. I’m a learning guy. I’m really like a sponge. Anything those guys tell me, I’m soaking it all in.

Did you play Madden growing up?

Oh of course.

Are you pumped you’re going to be in the game?

Yes, I’m actually excited.

Who is your go-to player?

(Marquise) Hollywood (Brown), of course. That goes without question. Especially growing up with him through college and knowing what he went through on and off the field. I’m definitely going with him.

On how he handles pressure on social media:

I kind of just put my phone down or turn the ringer off. I don’t really try to feed into much social media now. But after the combine I definitely will.

On what Marquise Brown told him about the NFL:

He said I’ll be just fine if I go out there and play my game. That’s probably the best news that I could hear from a brother figure. K1 (Kyler Murray) told me the same thing – just go out there and be myself, play my game. The game is going to come to me. Everybody is a little faster and stronger, but once you adjust, it’ll slow down.

On Marquise Brown’s rookie season:

I caught just about every one of his games that I could and, yeah, it boosted my confidence a lot. Watching my brother do it, and he made it look as easy as possible with one foot, so it was a huge honor on my end to support him and watch him grow throughout the NFL.

Who’s a better Madden player?

Him.

On his favorite route, plays:

I got a couple plays like that. My favorite route — I don’t really have one. I love them all honestly. I just can’t wait to showcase it.

Do people sleep on your speed?

Yes. But after this 40, I’m sure that they won’t.

On receivers he watched growing up:

I watched a lot of Sterling Shepherd in high school when I was a lot smaller. As I’ve gotten bigger, I started watching bigger receivers. I started watching a lot of DeAndre Hopkins, Julio Jones. Just all the bigger, 6 feet and up, in the league and how they fit well in their system and how they thrive in the league.

On Broncos WR Courtland Sutton:

He’s pretty big. He’s a pretty big receiver, and he excels. He excels real nice. I played him in high school, actually, and he was pretty tall in high school too.

On possibly playing alongside Sutton:

I would be honored. You got a young quarterback in Drew (Lock). I’ve seen what they’ve done as an offense and Courtland, he’s a unique receiver. He’s a big guy that can run. He attacks the ball like no other, and I feel like every one-on-one situation with him is a mismatch.