WSOU

DK "Megatron" Metcalf

Date: November 7, 2020

By: Michael Daly

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John Froschauer/AP

Through eight weeks of the NFL season, Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf has drawn comparisons to future Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver Calvin Johnson. The obvious reason for this comparison is the comparable size of both receivers.

 

Metcalf is the total package at wide receiver because he is tall, strong and fast. To sum up his skills, he is a nightmare to guard for any cornerback. He outweighs most defensive backs by 25 pounds, and he has the speed and agility to blow past them in the open field.

 

The NFL has not seen a wide receiver with these traits since “Megatron” retired in 2015. Slowly but surely, Metcalf is taking the league by storm, similar to how Johnson captivated the NFL for nine seasons.

Some people have pushed back on this comparison because Metcalf is only in his second year and his role with the Seahawks is different than the role Johnson had with the Lions. It is fair to bring that up, but the projections for Metcalf’s future make total sense, and they line up with the dominance displayed by Johnson throughout his career.

 

As a rookie in 2019, Metcalf was impressive with 900 receiving yards, seven touchdowns, and 58 catches. To compare Metcalf’s rookie year with Johnson’s, the former Lion had 756 receiving yards, four touchdowns, and 48 receptions during his rookie year in 2007.

 

Similar to Metcalf, Johnson had a steep increase in production in his second year in Detroit. In 2008, Johnson’s stat line was 1,331 yards, 12 touchdowns, and 78 receptions. It is important to note that his second year happened when the Detroit Lions went 0-16. In Seattle, Metcalf’s situation is much better, and he is putting up these numbers with shared targets with Tyler Lockett.

Metcalf has 680 yards, seven touchdowns, and 36 receptions. In week eight against the San Francisco 49ers, Metcalf had 12 catches for 161 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The 49ers had their hands full with Metcalf because he had his way with their secondary. Metcalf even launched 49ers cornerback K’Waun Williams into the goal post on an end zone route that they were matched up on. His ability to manhandle his opponents is something that only Johnson was able to do on a weekly basis. The main reason why Metcalf is compared to Johnson is because of their freak athleticism.

 

Their entry into the NFL was much different since Johnson was the No. 2 overall pick and Metcalf was taken by Seattle at the end of the second round. Revisionist history would make it seem like teams wanted to pick Metcalf as a highly touted prospect entering the NFL, but his draft stock fell because of a questionable performance at the NFL Scouting Combine.

Through nearly two seasons, it seems like the Seahawks made the right choice in drafting Metcalf to their team. Not only has he been compared to elite receivers of the past, but he is being compared to a freak athlete from another sport. That person is LeBron James.

 

Metcalf’s performance last Sunday caught the attention of James and he gave a shoutout to Metcalf for his dominance. It must be a cool experience for Metcalf to be linked to James for his physical makeup and style of play.

 

Every top receiver in the NFL has that one moment that is their signature moment. “Megatron” had a signature moment against the Cincinnati Bengals when he leaped over three defenders and hauled in a “Hail Mary” touchdown in 2013. Metcalf had a signature moment that fans will remember for the rest of his career.

Metcalf ran down Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker nearly the entire length of the field and prevented a pick six. The most amazing part of this play was how Metcalf was able to run from the end zone at a rate of 22 mph.

 

Metcalf has a bright future ahead of him and if he is able to maintain his success, the comparisons to Johnson could be accurate based on his physical stature and on-field production. He is in a great environment with Russell Wilson, Pete Carroll, and Bobby Wagner in Seattle.

Michael Daly is the station manager of 89.5 FM WSOU, and can be reached at wsoustationmanager@gmail.com.

Posted in: Sports, WSOU

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