A Look At The Detroit Lions UDFA Signing Of Teo Redding.

The Detroit Lions have signed UDFA wide receiver Teo Redding from Bowling Green University. At 6’1, 170 lbs, he possesses a thin frame that will definitely need to add strength before being able to absorb NFL-caliber hits over the duration of a season. However, he does possess some impressing athletic ability that helped him earn 94 receptions, 1328 receiving yards, and 14 touchdowns on his career.

One of his question marks coming into the NFL was his lack of production at a less competitive conference. However, his best football could still be ahead of him. His is a raw wide receiver with athletic upside. He was a similar prospect during his early years in college as well. Slow production that blossomed his senior year when he was able to develop some technique at gaining separation at the line of scrimmage.

Why Teo Redding Is Worth Getting Excited For

There are not many UDFA’s that can excite you on film the way Redding does. His athletic ability leaves you hoping for him to put it all together to reach his full potential. Per Rotoworld, he ran a 4.46 40 yard dash time, while jumping over 38″ in the vertical jump. Both of these athletic traits are on display when you watch Redding’s ability to fight for the deep ball.

When Redding is able to get a clean release at the line of scrimmage he has the top end speed to get over top most corners he will face. His great jumping ability were constantly on display on perimeter and red zone jump ball situations, where he typically succeeded. His hands are quite good to this point as well. Drops were a rare occurrence for him. His acceleration through his cuts were also quite smooth, but his lack of size and footwork technique will leave him struggling to gain the necessary separation to contribute right away.

Given the Lions current depth in their receiving corps, that should not be a major concern for Redding or for Detroit. They have arguably one of the deepest receiving locker rooms in the entire NFL. There is no need to rush his development and should consider his first season a red-shirt year to get up to size and work on his technique. However, if he can put it all together, the Lions may have an eventual replacement for Marvin Jones in Teo Redding.

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