Dynasty Prospect Scouting Report: John Metchie
John Metchie, WR, Alabama
Height: 5’11
Weight: 187
Age: 21.7
Combine Results:
Metchie will not work out during the pre-draft process as he continues to rehab his December ACL tear.
College career:
Metchie traveled the world before arriving in Tuscaloosa. He was born in Taiwan and lived in Ghana and Canada before heading to the United States for high school. Metchie racked up 2,506 receiving yards and 1,325 rushing yards in 4 seasons at St. James School in Maryland before transferring to The Peddie School in New Jersey for a final prep season because his mother wanted him to be 18 when he went to college.
Metchie was tabbed a 4-star recruit by most scouting services and chose Alabama over 15+ other scholarship offers, including from Notre Dame, Penn State and Michigan.
He found playing time tough to come by as a true freshman in a WR corps that featured Jerry Jeudy, Devonta Smith, Henry Ruggs and Jaylen Waddle. Metchie played just 125 offensive snaps.
With Jeudy and Ruggs off to the NFL – and Waddle missing most of the season with a fractured ankle – Metchie stepped into a significant role in 2020. The sophomore played 81% of the Tide’s offensive snaps, finishing 2nd on the team in catches, receiving yards and receiving scores. DeVonta Smith basically doubled up Metchie in catches and yards, though. Metchie’s market shares: 17.0% of the receptions, 19.7% of the yards and 14.3% of the TDs.
Metchie’s 2.23 yards per route run fell well behind Smith’s 4.39 and Waddle’s 4.38, ranking 52nd among 146 WRs with 50+ targets. Metchie finished 89th among those 146 WRs in Pro Football Focus’ receiving grades.
He improved his PFF receiving grade and yards per route run (2.41) this past year, although he still ranked outside the top 50 in both metrics. Metchie set new career highs across the board but finished with fewer receiving yards and TDs than Jameson Williams, who transferred from Ohio State prior to the 2021 campaign.
Metchie’s season ended when he tore his left ACL in the SEC Championship on December 4. In his 13 games, he accounted for 29.3% of Bama’s receptions, 25.2% of the receiving yards and 18.2% of the receiving TDs.
Metchie ran 33.2% of his routes from the slot last season and was much more effective there. He averaged 3.59 yards per route from the inside vs. 1.83 from the outside. His PFF receiving grade in the slot ranked 20th among 100 qualifiers.
Film study:
Courtesy of FF Astronauts
Games watched - Texas A&M (2020), Notre Dame (2020), Miami, Texas A&M, Arkansas
Metchie’s tape is “meh.” A lot of his production – at least in the 5 games I watched – was schemed up in an Alabama offense that simply had too many weapons for defenses to cover. Per Pro Football Focus, 33 of his 96 catches (34%) last year came on screens.
Metchie is a good-enough route runner. He’s not super explosive but is precise and efficient to create separation. He also does a nice job vs. press coverage.
Metchie is also good-not-great after the catch. This was the best play I saw from him in the 5 games I watched:
More often than not, though, Metchie gets what’s available after the catch but doesn’t create additional yards on his own.
At 5’11 with a 15th percentile wingspan, Metchie has a small catch radius. He has hands that make the routine catches but struggle with off-target throws.
Fantasy potential:
Metchie’s college production profile is fine. His tape is fine. He looks like a fine NFL prospect. There's just not much upside to get excited about.
Metchie is undersized and doesn’t pop as an elite athlete on tape. He was never Alabama’s lead receiver and doesn’t project as a #1 in the NFL. His best fit is in the slot, where he can use his route-running savvy against LBs and lesser CBs
Of course, we need to monitor his recovery from that torn ACL. It’s also worth noting that he was diagnosed with an enlarged heart in high school. It didn’t cause any problems at Alabama but is certainly worth keeping in mind.
He’s on the young side entering the NFL and hails from a school that has produced a bunch of big-time WRs. But Metchie looks like a low-ceiling fantasy prospect.