Canadian receiver John Metchie III has been compared to a veteran NFL pass catcher with multiple 1,000-yard seasons: Jarvis Landry.
NFL Network lead draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah, who spent nine years as a scout for the Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns and Philadelphia Eagles and started his TV career in 2012, was asked who the Browns could look at selecting from the 2022 receiver class after the 29-year-old Landry was released in a cost-cutting move.
“John Metchie, if you were saying, okay, who’s the closest thing to Jarvis Landry, as he’s moved on, I think John Metchie would probably be that guy from Alabama,” Jeremiah said while adding he’s a “really good player.”
Both Metchie III and Landry played in the vaunted Southeastern Conference, produced 1,100-yard seasons in their final NCAA year while each athlete stands five-feet, 11 inches tall and can line up all over the field. There are no testing results for a direct comparison, but based on film it does appear that Metchie III is more explosive, quicker and faster than Landry when he entered the league.
Due to the anterior cruciate ligament tear suffered on his left knee in the 2021 SEC Championship Game, Metchie III was not able to perform at the NFL Combine or the University of Alabama pro day on March 30. His ACL setback should not hold him back as the 21-year-old expects to be cleared and ready to hit the field with no restrictions in June.
Regardless, production produces longevity and paycheques in the NFL. Landry was selected in the second round, 63rd overall during the 2014 NFL Draft and in eight seasons since has 688 receptions for 7,598 yards and 43 total touchdowns. If the Brampton, ON native can assimilate to the level of play as quick as Landry and become a trusted target, that will bode well for Metchie III and his career prospects.
The Canadian recorded 96 receptions for 1,142 yards and eight touchdowns in 13 games during his junior season with the Crimson Tide. During 30 games at Alabama, Metchie III hauled in 155 passes for 2,081 yards with 14 touchdowns while averaging 13.4 yards per catch. Over the last two years in the NCAA, he led all receivers at Power Five schools with 1,000 yards after the catch and last year he led the SEC with 33 catches against single coverage.
That’s what Landry has done for years in the NFL and Metchie III will need to prove his ability to beat man-to-man in the pros. The five-time Pro Bowler has made a large part of his living in the middle of the field, creating separation from the slot and securing footballs in high-traffic areas on the way to earning over $64 million USD so far in his career. That’s the kind of upside on the field and financially Metchie III could ascend to.
The Jacksonville Jaguars, Houston Texans, Washington Commanders, Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots are known to have hosted Metchie III for top-30 visits in advance of the 2022 NFL Draft.
