After the firing of Head Coach Kevin Sumlin, the underclassmen in limbo when it comes to staying in school or leaving the NFL may see the situation as a final straw that will send them packing. Christian Kirk, one of the most exciting players in the country, is one of those underclassmen. The junior has caught at least 2 passes in all 38 games of his career and has 7 return touchdowns on his resume (6 PR/1 KR). While his receiving production took a hit (58 catches down from 80+ each of the past 2 years), there are route running and ball skill tool sets that can make him a dangerous weapon right away in the NFL.
What He Does Well:
Kirk has top tier speed once he gets into the open field, he is a guy that won’t be caught from behind. The burst he shows from a stand still is what makes that speed incredibly dangerous to the opposition. He can go 0-60 as fast as anyone but there is also a ton of wiggle and agility to his game. He can stop and change direction at the snap of a finger. Kirk may not be the biggest or strongest, but he plays a physical brand. He is tough in traffic and will compete hard for the ball. Combine that with outstanding athleticism and he can factor from any receiver position.
Where He Needs Work:
Kirk will have stretches where he disappears. He can be beat up at the point of attack if he doesn’t pay attention to his footwork and spacing. At that size, it could be a lasting problem for him in the NFL. Kirk relies more on straight-line opportunities and when it comes to comparing him to other receivers at his size in the league, the looseness in his hips isn’t on the same level. He appears to be more manufactured as a route runner at this point and will need to improve across the board if he is going to be anything more than a slot receiver that can help the return game.