Niles Paul Scouting Report

To a certain extent Niles Paul would be a great receiver if he played on a team that had a quarterback that could throw the ball effectively. However, the receiving corps has had more than their fair share of drops. One of the biggest was Niles Paul's drop in the team's loss to Texas this season. He was not the only one though. But because of the system Paul is in, he will never put up big numbers and his draft value will largely depend on the little things and the post-season workouts.

As a junior in 2009, Paul averaged nearly 20 yards per catch and reached the end zone four times. Catching 40 passes for 796 yards is as good as it will get for Paul. His senior season is not going as well and through six games he has caught just 17 passes for 227 yards and one score. In contrast to 2009's impressive yards per reception average, so far in 2010 his longest reception of the year is a mere 33 yards.

Despite all the criticism, Paul is usually a reliable receiver and nobody would be talking about his dropped passes if Nebraska would have beaten Texas and remained undefeated. There is plenty of game tape out there with Paul playing very well and showing that he can be a good possession receiver at the next level. His ability to return kicks and punts adds even more value to his resume, but that may not be enough to keep him in the first two rounds of the draft.

1/17 Update: Paul finished up the 2010 season with 39 receptions for 516 yards and one touchdown. Paul has accepted an invitation to participate in the Senior Bowl and he will need to have some solid workouts to remain in the third to fourth round range; having a nice showing at the Senior Bowl is the place to start. Paul's lack of production as a senior is hurting his stock right now, but he can easily make up for it by April.