NFL Draft analyst: Penn State WR Jahan Dotson 'better prospect' than Chris Olave

Greg Cosell, senior producer for NFL Films, didn’t hold back in his assessment of Penn State receiver Jahan Dotson.

Joining the Ross Tucker Football Podcast following last weekend’s NFL Draft, the veteran analyst discussed the Washington Commanders’ pick at No. 16 in the first round. Choosing Dotson, a selection some have criticized as a reach, wasn’t just solid.

The former Penn State receiver was a better pick than Ohio State’s Chris Olave, who went 11th overall to the New Orleans Saints, Cosell said. 

“I personally, based on film study, thought Jahan Dotson was a better prospect,” Cosell told Tucker. “I think Dotson, you saw far more catches between the numbers inside. He was fearless inside and made a lot of tough catches. You did not see that on tape with Olave. So, I thought Dotson was the better prospect overall.”

What Jahan Dotson did at Penn State

In the 12 games of his senior season at Penn State, Dotson worked to demonstrate as much.

Credited with having some of the best hands in the draft class, and all of college football, Dotson was dinged only two drops of 93 catchable targets according to PFF. In the process, he finished atop the Nittany Lions’ stat page, reeling in 91 catches for 1,182 yards and 12 touchdowns. 

The opportunity to do so was something Dotson traced back to his decision to return for a fourth season at Penn State.

“I think it definitely helped me out in a lot of ways,” Dotson told Washington media after hearing his name selected last Thursday evening. “Just a year ago, I was thinking about coming out and didn’t know if I was gonna go second (round), third, fourth round. So knowing that coming back was gonna help me better my draft stock, better the situation for me and my family, I knew it was a no-brainer.”

With that motivation spurring his improvement, Dotson recalled going to work.

Already Penn State’s leading receiver and a budding star during the 2020 campaign, Dotson said he diligently focused on becoming more of a complete receiver. 

What did that look like?

There were a variety of improvements that needed to be made to distinguish himself.

“At the line of scrimmage, using my hands and my releases. And pretty much just focusing on the ball,” Dotson said. “That was a big thing for me this year. Having no drops was a huge thing that I wanted to accomplish. And, just making sure I’m focused every single play on my assignment and catching the ball and making something happen.”

The effort allowed Dotson to feel as though he can play in the slot or wide in the NFL. Now, his versatility is very much an intentional trait.

“That was a big thing for me coming into my senior year. Just noticing the things that I wasn’t doing well my junior year, fixing those things and perfecting my craft,” Dotson said. “That’s something that I talked about with my dad all the time. It is just to make sure you perfect your craft. Be really good at the things you’re good at and improve on the things that you’re not good at. So that’s brought me a long way. Just putting in the work every single day has gotten me here to this moment.”

Next steps

Ready to bring his “savvy” to the field for Washington next season, Dotson’s ascent is now tied to lofty expectations. 

It should not have been a surprise, though. 

Having repeatedly demonstrated his immense talent, at 5-foot-11, 184 pounds, Dotson has earned his place among the best.

“I was not surprised Washington took him at 16. I did not view that as ‘Wow, that’s a reach pick,’ “ Cosell said. “Jahan Dotson, I could easily make the argument he was a top-three receiver. Possibly if I had to make a list, maybe top four and probably top four. I thought Dotson was a better overall prospect given the kinds of routes he ran, was asked to run, and what he showed on tape.”