SEC StatCat's Top5 Dropback Receivers for 2021

With the rise of spread elements, schemes have facilitated receivers’ jobs better than ever before. When an offense outnumbers opponents in space or can trigger a backend defender out of position for an easy completion, it’s not really the best reflection of one’s pass catching ability. From where I sit, the dropback game is still the bees knees. Plus as some of you know, I tend to like the efficient options more than the ones that just field a lot of opportunities. Let me say on the front end, loads of returners are grouped together and I had to split a good amount of hairs. And though this list could very well be different by year’s end, here are the SEC’s top5 returning dropback receivers for 2021. 

5. Kearis Jackson

With Jalen Knox deciding to take his talents elsewhere, a spot opened up for Kearis Jackson to make an appearance. Though his down-to-down consistency was lacking to other top performers, the Bulldog was noticeably bang for buck in Todd Monken’s vertical scheme. Only five returners logged a higher average depth of target than his 15.9 figure. Over a fifth of his targets yielded an explosive gain, his First Down+TD Rate is top5 and, Jackson’s Yards/Target top10-worthy ahead of this fall. Plus his 8.8% Drop Rate stands to be the second-lowest clip on this list. But again, the degree of difficulty curbed his bottomline. The Dawg enters 2021 with the SEC’s 15th-ranked Success Rate and 25th-ranked raw Catch Rate. 

4. Slade Bolden

Slade Bolden slides into the four spot despite falling outside of the SEC’s top5 in terms of Catching Success Rate among all returning conference pass catchers. Alabama’s slot receiver was the only one who didn’t log a drop in this context. When talking receiving efficiency, that’s usually a pretty good place to start. Moreover his raw Catch Rate holds the SEC’s bronze medal while his depth-adjusted ranks 5th ahead of this fall. Yes, his average depth of target fell below the conference mean last fall and helped ease his degree of difficulty. But, the Tider rounds out his profile heading into next season donning a top10 Yards/Target and First Down+TD Rate despite a seventh of his dropback targets being charted as uncatchable. 

3. Jacob Copeland

Jacob Copeland probably won’t see the same level of accurate targets that he saw in 2020. No returner experienced a lower Uncatchable Pass Rate than his 6% clip. So assuming he logs more wasted chances outside of his control, his sturdy bottomline ahead of this fall could falter. Plus, he won’t have two first round picks deviating attention away from his routes moving forward. Despite dependable ball placement from his passer, Copeland’s 15.2% Drop Rate is a bottom3 clip amongst his pass catching peers. Okay, enough shitting on him. Even with the miscues — that are in no way predictive of future cases of butterfingers — the Gator dons the SEC’s 3rd-best Yards/Target and the runner-up in First Down+TD Rate. His Success Rate just missed being top5 worthy despite his degree of difficulty on the 3rd-highest returning average depth of target.

2. John Metchie

John Metchie also had a bit of a drop problem operating as a homerun threat. But despite suffering from an Uncatchable Target Rate ten percentage points higher than the Gator, Metchie logged preferable raw and depth-adjusted Catch Rates. Plus, the Tider was targeted further downfield on average. In fact, no returner can best his 18.1 ADOT. That style prevented him from being as consistent down-to-down but also allowed Metchie to lean into making splash plays. While rocking the 5th-best First Down+TD Rate ahead of 2021, only one of his peers manages to don a more desirable Yards/Target. As a capper, no SECer enters the season with more dropback yards than his 682, a figure that's bound to expand with a bigger role. 

1. Treylon Burks

While there were some questionable inclusions on this list, an expected favorite winds up with the top spot. Arkansas’ offense under Kendall Briles wasn’t the most complex and it leaned heavily on non-dropback patterns. Yet, its simplicity goaded Treylon Burks to go out and execute. Blessed with the 3rd-lowest Uncatchable Pass Rate amongst returners, his raw Catch Rate cracked the top5 with none of his peers putting up a figure as praiseworthy as his 63.4% First Down+TD Rate. Only Jaylen Waddle topped that clip amongst SEC receivers last fall. Plus, about a fifth of Burks dropback targets resulted in a gain of 20 yards. All in all, his 14.3 Yards/Target is king of the hill much like the Razorback’s position on this list.