SEC StatCat's Top5 Most Explosive Pass Catchers for 2021

Explosive gains will always be sought by play callers and offensive schemers. Though some minds are content with methodical drives and modest gains, generating field-flipping plays is one of the best elements to help manufacture a victory. Not to mention, people tend to gravitate towards incendiary playmakers. Busting off a big gainer of 20 yards or more can be had through a variety of methods. Whether it be off screens, RPOs, intermediate routes or downfield shots, here are the SEC’s most explosive pass catchers returning for 2021 based off last year’s output. 

5. Dontario Drummond

As a deep threat, Dontario Drummond saw his fair share of uncatchable passes. In fact over a fifth of his overall opportunities met that criteria last year. Despite the wasted chance that kept his Yards/Target in the single-digits and First Down+TD Rate under 40%, the Rebel commands a sturdy 18.6% Explosive Catch Rate ahead of this fall. Naturally with him securing a top5 clip in that respect, his ranking on this list follows suit. As a vertically-oriented receiver who is designed to win at the catch point, his YAC production was whatever. Still, he came through with the 4th-best Yards/Catch among SEC pass catchers for this fall. Though not the most overwhelming profile, there's a lot of smoke around Drummond thanks to his offensive braintrust.

4. Jaray Jenkins

Jaray Jenkins enters 2021 with the conference’s 6th-highest Explosive Catch Rate; but thanks to his preferable efficiency numbers, he leapfrogged Drummond and knocked Tennessee’s Jalin Hyatt out of this discussion. For what it’s worth, the trio’s Uncatchable Target Rate all finished within four percentage points of each other. While logging a similar average depth of target to the Rebel, half of Jenkins’ chances resulted in either a first down or a score. Prefaced by his 6th-best Explosive Catch Rate, the Tiger sports the conference’s 6th-best Yards/Target and just missed finishing inside the top dozen in terms of YAC average. All the while, his 17.3 Yards/Catch dons the bronze medal amongst conference returners. 

3. Jacob Copeland

Speaking of Yards/Catch, this guy posted the SEC’s 4th-highest such figure last fall with no returner able to trump his lofty 18.9 clip. Jacob Copeland benefited from an accurate passer and having two future first rounders deviate attention away from him. But, no returner bests his 72.2% Success Rate off one-cut vertical stem routes. One-on-one, he demands respect even if he dons a worrisome Drop Rate. Though his potency could diminish with a dip in dropback acumen from Florida’s pass game, the Gator deserves some recognition turning a fifth of this targets into a gain of at least 20 yards while rocking the SEC’s 4th best Yards/Target and First Down+TD rate amongst his peers. 

2. John Metchie

With a new play caller in town, how Alabama uses John Metchie could change. But from where I sit, Ole Butt Chin would be doing him a disservice by muting his downfield playmaking ability. Behind a top10 average depth of target within the SEC last year, only Ole Miss’s Kenny Yeboah was more prone to 20 yard gains on average. Though Metchie’s 24.0% Explosive Catch Rate is tops ahead of 2021, his other metrics prevented him from claiming the crown for the honor of being the conference’s most potent pass catcher. That being said, his bottomline is rather robust. Metchie enters this fall with a top3 Yards/Target, top5 Yards/Catch, and top10 YAC average amongst his contemporaries. 

1. De’Vion Warren

This selection could be a controversial choice. But I am putting up Arkansas’ soon-to-be sixth year senior as the SEC’s most explosive pass catcher. While rocking the best returning YAC average from non-running backs, De’Vion Warren also sports the gold medal in First Down+TD Rate and Yards/Target among dudes who saw at least 20 targets last year. Plus, the Razorback projects to hold the 2nd-best Yards/Catch and Explosive Catch Rate. His clip of the latter only trails league-leader Metchie by 1.3 percentage points despite besting the Tider in all remaining stat categories. Injury prevented his volume from catching people’s attention, but Warren is a sexy playmaker that could be a catalyst for Arkansas beating expectations this season.