Keyarris Garrett, WR Tulsa
Height: 6′ 3”
Weight: 220 lbs
Hands: 9’’
Arm: 34 1/2’’
40 yard dash: 4.53 (combine)
NFL Comparisons: Marques Colston, Brian Quick, Michael Floyd

Scouting Notes: On tape, Garrett comes off as a beastly receiver with an expansive catching radius. He doesn’t high-point the ball all the time and can sometimes let it get into his body, but he hasn’t really always needed to on account of his wingspan and sneaky long speed which gets him behind defenders. He’s a player who gets open often and was force-fed by his college offense at Tulsa as a senior.

Lanky and sinewy, Garrett doesn’t fare as well with physical corners, as it’s tougher for him to explode off the line or out-muscle them. He’s not a polished route-runner either, but then again, big and tall receivers don’t always have to be — at least in college. It should be noted that Garrett finished in the Top 5 overall in our exclusive WR combine on-field performance scores, which is a terrific indication that his route-running should come along as he exhibited all the movement abilities, smoothness and explosion we like to see in Indy.

And though Garrett brings the ball down more often than not, he has small hands for his size (9″) and he drops contested balls more than you’d like for a player of his imposing stature. Garrett has also been bitten by the injury some during his career, which has probably had a lot to do with his development or lack thereof. That being said, he has all the athleticism to become a dominant red-zone target in the next level.

Fantasy Outlook: Garrett will be an intriguing project-pick for a WR needy team who misses out on a top tier player. His 40-time was legit for a player of his size, and that should help his stock. I expect him to go somewhere in the late 3rd or early 4th round. He’s going to have to improve his route-running, but, as mentioned, that should come … and I can see him being a potential end-zone target early and often on the right team. Should he make it to a team desperate for pass-catchers, he’s worth a second-round pick in rookie drafts despite his rawness.

QUOTES FROM THE COMBINE:

What are some of the strengths that you bring to the NFL?

My biggest strength is that I can run past the DBs. I can go up and get the ball. I am a playmaker and I am a playmaker.

Is it true that the Eagles were your favorite team?

I’ve been liking the Eagles ever since they had Donovan McNabb. I have been a fan ever since. Even when he left, I was still an Eagles fan.

How important is it to use your size to create separation?

I am big body receiver. I am always trying to shield them off me. I pretty much turn my whole body and with my long arms that I have, I am reaching out and there’s no way defensive backs can get around me. I am blessed that the Lord gave me this size and I go out and use it to make plays.

What are some of the things that you have done to work on getting in and out of breaks?

The biggest issue is to be more consistent with it. Sometimes I get lazy with route running and other times I am real good with it. I have proven that I can run routes, sink my hips and come out of my breaks just like the little guys do.

What happened with your recruiting process? Did you get other offers and chose Tulsa?

I had a bunch but it wasn’t a lot of big schools. I had Texas Tech offer and I was going to go there but I went to Tulsa because they recruited me hard. They came to my games, some of my practices; they even came to some of my track meets. I said if they recruited me this hard why not give them a chance? They told me before they signed me, ‘You come here and we will give you the opportunity to make plays. You have a big body, so you will get an opportunity to go to the league.

How do you convince the NFL that the level of competition is not an issue?

If you watch the OU game, you want the Virginia Tech game and the Memphis game you would see. Memphis was undefeated at the time; I had 270 yards against them. I have 140 yards against Virginia Tech. All of my big games where against the best competition. I don’t think competition was a problem to me.

Who was the best defensive back you face?

William Jackson from the University of Houston. I had a good game against him. They played some tricky coverage where I thought I would be one on one against him on an island but, it really wasn’t. They had the safety over top a lot. I love going against him. We went at it my junior year too. I love going against the good competition.

Were you in an all-star game?

I went to the East-West game but I didn’t stay there. I was banged up from the bowl game. I went there to talk to scouts and tell them the reason why I wasn’t going to play, then left the next day. It was an ankle injury. I rolled my ankle when we were doing drills. I didn’t want to go out there and not be able to go 100%, making myself look bad. I felt like I made the right decision.

Can you describe the Tulsa offense?

The offense is fast. If you are a receiver, that’s where you need to go if you want to make plays. They put you in position to make plays. If you’re a receiver, go to Tulsa! We didn’t work on substitution. We had to be in shape. The offense is a tempo and we went fast all of the time.

Who are some of the NFL receivers that you like to watch?

Julio Jones, AJ Green, and Brandon Marshall. Green, I liked him since high school. I like how he goes up and gets the ball. He makes plays. I love his game.

What if you were his running mate, what if you went to the Bengals?

I like him and all, but I am going to compete no matter who it is out there. I am ready to go if the Bengals are looking for receivers.