Rookie Spotlight: Khalil Shakir, Boise St. (Photo via Boise State Athletics)
Height: 6-0
Weight: 193
Hands: 9 3/8″
Arm: 29″
40 yard dash: 4.43
NFL Comparison: Tylan Wallace, Golden Tate

Pros:
-Accelerates quickly
-Not afraid to go up and get the ball
-Exacting route runner
-Tracks the ball in the air well
-Excellent body control
-Tough player, plays fearlessly
-Savvy runner out of the back field, was a RB in high school
-Shows consistent production

Cons
-Slight frame
-Not an asset in the blocking game
-Lacks length
-Too many drops at Senior Bowl practices
-Short arms, lack of length

College Production (Final Season)
30% team receptions
36% team receiving yards
35% team receiving TDs

Breakout Age: 19

Scouting Notes:
A 4-star recruit and no.18 athlete in the country, Shakir came into Boise with lofty expectations and didn’t disappoint. Shakir developed into a major weapon and focal point of the Boise offense his sophomore year upon developing into a 1b WR after primarily playing RB in high school. Shifty and dynamic, Shakir knows how to maneuver in tight spaces as he possesses natural body control. This probably has a lot to do with his history as a RB, and it lended to his usefulness as a runner out of the back field from where he scored 3 TDs that sophomore year. What I really like about Shakir is his willingness to go up and get the ball in the air over his defenders in traffic. His highlight reel is littered with plays in which he creates separation that way or by extending himself laterally. In all honesty, it’s a little concerning that these are the main means of him creating separation, but it worked at the college level. Shakir also uses precise route running to aid in him getting open. It’s one of the necessary tools of the trade for WRs who aren’t the fastest or strongest guy on the field. Shakir’s slight frame and lack of impressive wingspan make putting himself into the right position at the right time of paramount importance. All in all, if Shakir can access the same tools to get open that he has in college against NFL corners, he should be able to thrive.

Fantasy Outlook:
Putting up solid numbers each year as a starter, his lowest output in a game in 2021 was 5 catches for 66 yards, Shakir is a utility player who does the little things well. What we’ll need to see at the Senior Bowl is whether he can put it all together against the type of corners he didn’t see a lot of in the Mountain West. He projects to play out of the slot in the NFL, but his background as a RB will help him get more involved than he might be otherwise and also bodes well for his already-apparent ability to runn after-catch — a skill that has always been important but one that staffs view as even more so in the age of player archetypes like AJ Brown, Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel, although he does not comp to any of those players in many other stylistic ways. He has a nose for the end-zone and could shape into a good PPR asset on the right team, but we are don’t have interest in Shakir earlier than the 4th round of traditional 1QB dynasty league rookie drafts barring a miraculous NFL landing spot and situation.

FROM THE BOISE STATE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT:

CoSIDA Academic All-America Second Team (2021-22)
PFF Preseason Third Team All-American (2021)
Reese’s Senior Bowl Invitee (2021-22)
Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Finalist (2020)
Biletnikoff Award Watch List (2021)
Biletnikoff Award Fan Vote Winner (2021)
Maxwell Award Watch List (2021)
NFLPA Collegiate Bowl Preseason Big Board (2021-22)
Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Watch List (2021)
2x CoSIDA Academic All-District 7 (2020-21, 2021-22)
3x Academic All-Mountain West (Fall 2018, 2019, 2020)
2x All-Mountain West First Team (2020, 2021)
All-Mountain West Honorable Mention (2019)
Athlon Preseason All-Mountain West First Team (2021)
Phil Steele Preseason All-Mountain West First Team (2021)
PFF Preseason All-Mountain West First Team (2021)