On July 11, the NFL will be holding its first Supplemental Draft since 2019. The Supplemental Draft is for draft eligible players who have been deemed ineligible to play in their upcoming college season. One reason, for example, is that they have been deemed academically ineligible. Another could be disciplinary reasons.
For the Supplemental Draft, teams are divided into three groups; teams that missed the playoffs with under 7 wins, teams that missed the playoffs with over 7 wins, and teams that made the playoffs. Within each group, a lottery will be held to determine the placement of each team.
Once the Supplemental Draft begins, teams can use next year’s draft picks to bid on a player that they want. For example, a team bidding a 3rd round pick would beat out a team bidding a 5th round pick. If two teams bid a pick in the same round, the player will be awarded to the team placed higher in the order.
Some notable players picked in the Supplemental Draft include Josh Gordon and Terrelle Pryor. The Bengals used a 3rd round pick on LB Ahmad Brooks in the 2006 Supplemental Draft, and signed WR Rashaun Simonise as a UDFA following the one in 2016.
In this year’s edition, there are two players eligible for selection: WR’s Malachi Wideman and Milton Wright.
WR, Malachi Wideman
School: Jackson State
Ht/Wt: 6’5”, 190 lbs
Wideman is a long, tall WR with a frame that can bail out his QB after a bad pass. With his reach, he is able to extend well above his opponent, and his willingness to dive out and make acrobatic catches suits his playstyle nicely. For his size, I don’t mind his straight line speed. There are instances where Wideman can create some separation on something simple, like a go route, and he shows some deceptive flashes in some of his routes.
While I don’t mind his speed, his size and long frame doesn’t make him the smoothest player laterally. As a result, more complicated routes may not be in the cards at the next level. With a limited route tree, you would expect his ceiling to top out below that of a starter. Wideman is tall, but on the lean side. I do wonder about how the physicality at the next level will affect his game.
Wideman has some traits that can make him a solid pro player. I like his height and catch radius, as well as his ability to make contested catches. I don’t see him running a complex route tree at the next level, and seems like a depth player, if he makes it. But there are enough traits to be a higher end depth player, should he put it all together.
| Grade: Rd 7 |
WR, Milton Wright
School: Purdue
Ht/Wt: 6’3”, 195 lbs
Wright is a big bodied receiver who possesses the ability to effectively high point the football and win contested catches. His hands are very strong, and you don’t often see him commit drops. He does well to box out his opponent and sometimes create a bit more space for himself. His jump ball ability gives him the chance to be a good redzone target at the next level. Wright’s technique as a route runner is quite good. There is a lot of attention to detail and deception in his routes, and his breaks are very crisp.
Wright makes some splash plays through the air, but even with his good technique as a route runner, he struggles to separate due to below average athleticism. The speed, lateral movement skills, and burst just aren’t there to consistently open up space for himself. Defenders are usually able to blanket his routes, and have a decent chance to recover, even when they bite on a route fake. Unsurprisingly, not a lot is offered as a runner after the catch, though his size will help him the odd time on screens. Wright has entered the Supplemental Draft after being ruled academically ineligible.
Wright has the size and skills to make it as a redzone threat, and might be able to make some splash plays between the 20’s via some contested catches. That said, his athleticism is a big drawback, as it limits his ceiling. If he makes it, the ceiling seems capped out as a depth player at the end of a roster.
| Grade: UDFA |
With the Bengals using two picks in the 2022 NFL Draft on the WR position, and other guys like Trenton Irwin and Trent Taylor remaining in the fold, it is unlikely that the Bengals place a bid in this year’s Supplemental Draft.
Modified Featured Image Via: Bely Medved (CC)