Aaron Dobson, WR New England Patriots Fantasy Football Rookie Spotlight
Alex Dunlap, Rosterwatch.com

Image via Aaron Dobson Twitter

Height: 6’3″

Weight: 210 pounds

40-time: 4.40 40-time (Pro Day)

Competition for touches:
WR Danny Amendola
WR Michael Jenkins
WR Donald Jones
WR Julian Edelman
WR Josh Boyce
TE Aaron Hernandez
TE Rob Gronkowski

Bill Byrne’s Scouting Report

Dobson could not perform at the scouting combine due to a hamstring pull, but he posted a 4.4 forty time at his Pro Day, along with leaping 10’1″ in the broad jump along with a vertical of 35 inches.

Aaron Dobson is another receiver who is a nice combination of strength and size. His running style is smooth, and he can quickly get to top speed. He often will get past corners who underestimate him. His feet are fluid, his hip-turns are sharp for a man of his size, and he demonstrates decent explosion into and out of his breaks—although he has a tendency to round off his routes. He uses his hands well, often bulling his way through a jam. The best part of Dobson’s game is his ability to adjust to the football and make the catch with a defender all over him. He has incredibly strong hands, and has made some of the most amazing catches look almost routine. You must YouTube “Dobson – The Catch” against Eastern Carolina to watch an example.

Dobson is a willing and able downfield blocker. He was a team captain his senior year at Marshall, and is a quiet but confident player who leads by example. Dobson improved his game every year in college, and he put together a productive collegiate career despite never having worked with a quality quarterback. His production dropped his senior year as he had some trouble with hip, ankle, and knee injuries. But keep in mind that he played in Conference USA, so didn’t have to go up against many top-level defenders. His game reminds me of Pierre Garcon, who was another small-school prospect. I expect that his best football is still ahead of him on Sundays in the NFL.

Fantasy Outlook
We’ve seen X wide receivers flourish in the Patriots offense, and we’ve seen them get cast aside in favor of two athletic TEs and underneath weapons like Wes Welker. In Dobson, the Pats get a long, tall playmaker with long arms and sneaky speed. Dobson will represent a prospective high-upside flyer-type selection in 2013 redraft leagues, but a developing player in a Tom Brady offense will surely be much more coveted in dynasty rookie drafts where his current ADP of 18 (Pick 2.06) represents a phenomenal steal.