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- Nov 11, 2019
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KJ Osborn spent one year in Coral Gables, but emerged quickly as a leader of the Hurricanes in 2019. A transfer from Buffalo, Osborn made it to the U by last spring and built an immediate rapport with the quarterbacks on the roster.
He led the squad this year with 50 catches, finishing his career with 146 between the two different schools, while also racking up team highs of 547 yards and 5 TDs. An inconsistent pass game limited the big plays that he became known for in Buffalo, but his ability to change a game was clear in the return game where he averaged almost 16 yards per punt return. His best game came at Pittsburgh when he put up 121 total yards and scored the game winning TD with a minute to play.
Pre-Draft Measurables
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 203 pounds
Arms: 31 1/4”
Hands: 9 1/8”
Strengths
Football IQ
What Osborn lacks as a receiver, he is able to make up for with his intelligence and consistency. He’s an effective route runner and understands his role wherever he is placed, which is why he has been productive from both the inside (with Buffalo) and outside (with Miami). He also seems like the type to be happy as a contributor on special teams, and that versatility will make him more attractive to teams later in the draft because he could project as a backup outside or slot receiver depending on offensive scheme.
Physicality/Body Control
Despite being only 5’11, Osborn plays like a much bigger receiver thanks to his willingness to be physical with DBs and ability to use his body effectively. An average vertical leap is offset largely by his body positioning when tasked with going after jump balls, which he showed against Bethune when he made a nice play on a ball thrown behind him for a TD. He also became a dangerous red zone receiver thanks to how well he could shield off defenders on quick throws.
Weaknesses
Play Speed/Quickness
Osborn isn’t slow and he showed on returns and screens that he has some burst when he gets to open space, but I would categorize that more as deceptive speed. A 4.48 at the combine was encouraging, but his start-stop speed and short area quickness isn’t what you would hope to see from a starting receiver at the NFL level. That itself might take him off certain team boards as they look for bigger physical potential.
Limitation of Kick Returners/Kick Coverage players
Despite the fact that he had more success as a punt returner at the college level (specifically at Miami), his lack of start-stop quickness makes him profile more as a kick returner in the NFL. That might make things tough for KJ as the NFL continues adding rules to decrease the number of opportunities for returners to make significant plays. He will need to serve as many roles as possible early in his career.
Draft Projection: 6th-7th round
KJ Osborn is a good college wideout who has a shot at making an NFL roster and creating larger roles for himself as he develops his technical skills. He didn’t have the natural ability of other guys in the wide receiver room at UM, but his intangible traits made him a vital addition to the roster. It will be interesting to see where NFL teams value a player with his talents because in one of the deepest receiver classes in the modern era, there will likely be guys with at least one elite trait getting picked through the 5th round. He didn’t have the outstanding college production that some of the more successful players he would be compared to had (like a Jericho Cotchery or a Brandon Lloyd), but he will have an opportunity in the league thanks to all that he does well and his work ethic.
He led the squad this year with 50 catches, finishing his career with 146 between the two different schools, while also racking up team highs of 547 yards and 5 TDs. An inconsistent pass game limited the big plays that he became known for in Buffalo, but his ability to change a game was clear in the return game where he averaged almost 16 yards per punt return. His best game came at Pittsburgh when he put up 121 total yards and scored the game winning TD with a minute to play.
Pre-Draft Measurables
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 203 pounds
Arms: 31 1/4”
Hands: 9 1/8”
Strengths
Football IQ
What Osborn lacks as a receiver, he is able to make up for with his intelligence and consistency. He’s an effective route runner and understands his role wherever he is placed, which is why he has been productive from both the inside (with Buffalo) and outside (with Miami). He also seems like the type to be happy as a contributor on special teams, and that versatility will make him more attractive to teams later in the draft because he could project as a backup outside or slot receiver depending on offensive scheme.
Physicality/Body Control
Despite being only 5’11, Osborn plays like a much bigger receiver thanks to his willingness to be physical with DBs and ability to use his body effectively. An average vertical leap is offset largely by his body positioning when tasked with going after jump balls, which he showed against Bethune when he made a nice play on a ball thrown behind him for a TD. He also became a dangerous red zone receiver thanks to how well he could shield off defenders on quick throws.
Weaknesses
Play Speed/Quickness
Osborn isn’t slow and he showed on returns and screens that he has some burst when he gets to open space, but I would categorize that more as deceptive speed. A 4.48 at the combine was encouraging, but his start-stop speed and short area quickness isn’t what you would hope to see from a starting receiver at the NFL level. That itself might take him off certain team boards as they look for bigger physical potential.
Limitation of Kick Returners/Kick Coverage players
Despite the fact that he had more success as a punt returner at the college level (specifically at Miami), his lack of start-stop quickness makes him profile more as a kick returner in the NFL. That might make things tough for KJ as the NFL continues adding rules to decrease the number of opportunities for returners to make significant plays. He will need to serve as many roles as possible early in his career.
Draft Projection: 6th-7th round
KJ Osborn is a good college wideout who has a shot at making an NFL roster and creating larger roles for himself as he develops his technical skills. He didn’t have the natural ability of other guys in the wide receiver room at UM, but his intangible traits made him a vital addition to the roster. It will be interesting to see where NFL teams value a player with his talents because in one of the deepest receiver classes in the modern era, there will likely be guys with at least one elite trait getting picked through the 5th round. He didn’t have the outstanding college production that some of the more successful players he would be compared to had (like a Jericho Cotchery or a Brandon Lloyd), but he will have an opportunity in the league thanks to all that he does well and his work ethic.
