Texans end WR Jaelen Strong's slide, move up to take him in 3rd round
Casey Sapio / Reuters
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The Houston Texans have selected wide receiver Jaelen Strong out of Arizona State in the third round of the 2015 NFL Draft.
The Texans traded wide receiver DeVier Posey, their third-round (82,) fifth- round (152,) and seventh-round (229) picks to the Jets in order to move up to 70th overall.
Strong wasn't expected to last this long into the draft.
#ASU WR Jaelen Strong is still on the board. Blowing off the Combine medical rechecks (wrist) frustrated teams, but still surprised he fell
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 2, 2015
Jaelen Strong Bio
Position: WR
School: Arizona State
College Experience: Redshirt Junior
Height: 6-2
Weight: 217 lbs.
Age: 21
Combine Results
| Event | Result |
|---|---|
| 40-yd Dash | 4.44 sec |
| Bench Press | N/A |
| Vertical Jump | 42 inches |
| Broad Jump | 123 inches |
| 3-Cone Drill | N/A |
| 20-yd Shuttle | N/A |
Strengths
- Projects as a reliable possession receiver due to strength at the catch point and ability to come down with the ball in contested situations.
- Combines leaping ability, body control and ball skills to win jump balls over opposing defensive backs.
- Uses his solid frame to box out defenders and make difficult catches.
- Has experience lining up at several positions, producing at a high level both outside and in the slot.
- Solid runner with the ball in his hands, using his physicality to pick up extra yards after the catch.
Weaknesses
- Ran an impressive 4.44-second 40-yard dash at the combine, but doesn't play to that speed on the field.
- A lack of short-area quickness sees him struggle to create separation in his routes, resulting in more contested situations than necessary.
- Will need to run more precise routes to counter separation concerns against the tighter coverage he's certain to face in the NFL.