STRENGTHS
Chris is the type of receiver a quarterback has to trust for him to impact. He has excellent hands to catch the ball and does an excellent job adjusting to the ball in the air to make acrobatic and contested catches. He reminds me a lot of Chris Carter, always finding a way to get open against defensive backs that are more athletic and talented than he is. Chris Godwin has good size and the type of deceiving speed that makes you think he is not very fast except he never seems to get caught from behind when he sees the End Zone. On film he never looks like he is open until the ball is thrown to him and then… he is open. On film he is slow off the line of scrimmage and yet once the ball is in the air he is the quickest to the ball. When he goes to block for his teammates it might not be the best block I have ever seen but it winds being THE block that frees the running back into the open field. His run after the catch skills and lower body strength to break tackles is no more impressive than any other receiver in this draft except he is one of the best receivers in this draft in moving the chains. There is nothing impressive about Chris overall except, once the game is played and over, he is the player the fans and his opponents talk about. The kid may not have impressive talent but he is an impressive player and a winner.

CONCERNS
I’m sure when Chris works out he will have numbers that are good but nothing really that impressive. When he practices I’m sure he will not be that impressive too. But I suspect when the team that selects him puts him in a game he will impress them.

BOTTOM LINE
Chris is what us gym rats used to call a “gamer”. You can beat him like a drum in practice but put him in a game and all of a sudden this “inner like being” comes out and he becomes an impact player. Most coaches don’t understand this type of player unless they are veterans who have proven themselves for a few years. Chris might not be selected that early in this draft. He might not get on the field until someone gets hurt but once he gets on the field he is the type of player who will not come off. He has this sense on how to play the game and is able to become the receiver the quarterback looks for in time of need or as well all like to say…a security blanket. Chris becomes that security blanket because somehow he finds a way to be open at the most important part of the game. When he doesn’t look open and the ball is thrown, he has this strange ability to become open as the ball is in the air without committing penalties. He’s not a speed receiver but he can get deep on double moves. Chris is the type of receiver when everyone in the game knows the ball is going to him he still gets open and makes the play. It would not surprise me in his workouts he runs in the 4.5/4.6 area but on the field when the end zone is in site I don’t see many catch him from behind. He’s just a winner.

Drew Boylhart  FEB.2017