New York Giants Draft Prospect: WR Xavier Hutchinson

The Giants could use some new receivers. Might Iowa State's Xavier Hutchinson be worth a look?

Author:
Nick Falato
Publish date:
Feb 14, 2023 11:17 AM EST

In this story:

Xavier Hutchinson, WR

Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 207 lbs.
Class: Senior
School: Iowa State
Arm length: 31”
Wingspan: 74 ¾”
Hand size: 9”
Age: 22 years old (born on June 1, 2000)

A former three-star recruit out of Bartram Trail High School in St. Johns, Florida, where he was the 10th-ranked WR and the 12th Floridian prospect in the 2020 recruiting cycle. Hutchinson went to the same high school as quarterback Nathan Peterman. Hutchinson initially attended Blinn Junior College for two seasons before transferring to Iowa State; other famous football players who played at Blinn include Cam Newton, Dede Westbrook, Damion Ratley, and Quincy Morgan.

Notables

Hutchinson had a productive senior season for the Cyclones, recording 107 catches on 161 targets for 1,171 yards and six touchdowns. He finished his time at Iowa State with 254 catches on 358 targets for 2,932 yards and 15 receiving touchdowns. He primarily aligned out wide but was used as the Number 3 receiver in 3x1 sets to the field.

Awarded First Team All-American honors in 2022 and was a Biletnikoff Award Finalist (Tennessee’s Jalin Hyatt won the award). Arrived in the Big-12 in 2020, where he won the Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year. Hutchinson broke Iowa State’s single-season receptions record twice in 2021 with 83 catches and in 2022 with 10; he had 40 more receptions than anyone in the Big-12 in 2022. Attended the 2023 Reese’s Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama.

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Strengths

Solid overall size and frame
Solid athletic ability due to solid overall speed
Good forward lean against off-leverage, solid overall burst off LOS
Long strider with solid overall acceleration
Showed the ability to make sharp, precise cuts
Is flexible enough to be deceptive at the LOS and up route stem

Ran impressive pivot routes at the Senior Bowl that showcased his footwork

Didn’t face press much but had various releases to stack and win at the LOS

Development could help him in this area
Interesting boundary skip release: Texas Tech: Q2, 6:45 3rd&15 INC

Can tempo and vary his release package when necessary
Ran a few impressive double moves

Kansas: Q3, 5:36, 3rd & 7, INC (failed to secure catch)

Solid separation ability versus man coverage
Wasn’t asked to do so too often, but displayed good spatial awareness versus zone coverage

Oklahoma State: Q1, 4:46 3rd & 10, 12 yard completion
West Virginia: Q1, 3:44, 3rd & 6, 12 yard completion
SE Missouri: Q3, 1:41, 3rd & 3, 6 yard completion

Reliable overall hands
Excellent tracking and body control when the football is in the air
Very focused player with excellent concentration at the catch point
Operates the sidelines very well, has great awareness working back to the QB
Will make toe drag swag type of catches
Solid overall play strength - will run through arm tackles, solid YAC ability via strength

Physical YAC: Oklahoma State: Q1, 3:38, 2nd&9 12 yard catch

Excellent competitive toughness over the middle of the field

Weaknesses

Measured two inches smaller than his 6’3 listing
Unassuming catch radius for a big-bodied WR
Isn’t a difference-making athlete - only modest explosiveness in and out of breaks at 90 degrees
Lacks the twitch to be dynamic sinking in and out of breaks with average overall COD
Not a very sudden player
Limited route tree at Iowa State - a lot of verticals, bubbles, drag routes, and slants
Does he have the deep speed to separate vertically at the next level? - fair question
Seen him compared to Drake London - London was much more elusive in space
Modest play strength for a big-bodied wide receiver
Not terrible in contested catch situations, but there were situations where he left me wanting more
Think he can be a little more physical at the catch point
Seemed to struggle with adjusting to passes thrown behind him
TCU shut him down (2 catches for 11 yards on 7 targets) in his final collegiate game

PFF credited him for one drop, but he failed to haul in at least three catchable passes

PFF credited him with 6 drops on the season, but there were certainly more

Summary

Xavier Hutchinson measuring two inches shorter than his college-listed height is an issue for his profile. He’s a bigger-bodied wide receiver with excellent body control, awareness on the sideline, and concentration to track the football into his hands. He made sensational catches along the sideline throughout his time in Ames, Iowa - a very aware player. Still, he’s not a dominating force in true contested catch situations, nor is he a great athlete for a wide receiver.

He lacks the twitch and vertical speed to consistently create separation in man coverage. He’s a vertical threat who ran a limited route tree, but questions about his vertical speed translating to the next level are fair, although he did a solid job stacking DBs off the LOS.

He can develop as a route runner with more practice and exposure to different concepts. He displayed processing to uncover against zone, had solid reps releasing off the LOS versus press (when he did see press coverage), and he had reliable enough hands. A great combine could propel Hutchinson up draft boards with his elite production in the Big-12.

GRADE: 6.14