Name: Devin Funchess
College: Michigan
Class: Junior
Position: Wide Receiver
Height: 6'5"
Weight: 225
Background/Character | Leadership: 8 | Experience: 7 | Off-the-Field: 9 |
| Mental Capacity: 8 | Mental Toughness: 9 | Durability: 8 |
Funchess was a three-year letterman for the Wolverines, earning playing time early. He played tight end for his first two seasons, then moved to wide receiver full time in 2014. He was not a team captain, but he has zero off-the-field concerns recorded. He declared early for the NFL draft when coach Brade Hoke was fired from the program.
Final Grade: 8.16
Athleticism | Balance: 8 | C.O.D: 9 | Explosiveness: 8 |
| Flexibility: 7 | Coordination: 8 | Body Type: 10 |
With his combination of speed, size, frame and catch radius, Devin Funchess is a very impressive physical specimen. He has ideal size for a primary receiver, and his ability to smoothly run routes gives him potential to be very good. He is a solid leaper at the catch point when he wants to. Funchess has terrific potential due to his rare build and movement ability.
Final Grade: 8.33
Running Talent | Game Speed: 8 | Quickness: 8 | Acceleration: 7 |
| Elusiveness: 7 | Lateral Control: 9 | Vision: 6 |
Michigan tried to get Funchess the ball in the open space because he is a good creator with the ball. He has great deep speed for his size, but does take awhile to get up to top gear. His hips are decent but not fluid enough to make defenders miss in the open field. He will run through guys instead of make them miss.
Final Grade: 7.5
Receiving Ability | Pass Catching: 7 | Concentration: 6 | High Pointing: 7 |
| Body Control: 8 | Reaction: 7 | Physicality: 7 |
Funchess lacks the alpha male personality to be a dominant top receiver. He will not fight for the ball at the catch point, instead trying to win with finesse. Instead of plucking the ball, he claps his hands at it, leading to a ton of drops. His hands flash at times, but his ability to be a reliable target is a major concern. He also must get more physical.
Final Grade: 7
Receiving Technique | Route Diversity: 7 | Route Precision: 8 | Separation: 8 |
| Hand Usage: 8 | Off-The-Line: 8 | Run Blocking: 8 |
Most of Funchess’ production came in the slot as an underneath creator. He does have one year of experience going downfield as a receiver, though, and runs a really nice stop and go. He sells routes using both his feet and head to create deep space. Considering how long he’s been at receiver, he has a good release from the line.
Final Grade: 7.83
| Player Comparison: | Alshon Jeffrey |
| Projected Draft Position: | 2nd-3rd round |
| Best Scheme Fit: | Slot WR or Y TE |
| Injury History: | Injured right leg in 2014 |
| Career Accolades: | 25 starts, Second-Team All-Big Ten 2014 |
| Career Stats: | 126 catches, 1,715 yards, 15 TDs |
Final Analysis
Due to the time he spent at tight end early in his career, some feel that Devin Funchess projects as a full time tight end in the NFL, but I do not. Funchess has elite size and great athleticism for an outside receiver, and he showed that he is developing nicely with his route running in 2014.
He’s able to play in the slot as well as outside. When in the slot, Funchess finds space underneath very well, and for the most part is a reliable player. He’s a major mismatch on safeties on linebackers, and can go vertical too. While outside, Funchess is fluid enough and has the feet to be effective. He finds soft spots in zone very well, and he excels at deep post and corner routes.
His feet are quick and light, which is amazing for his size. He can effectively sell double moves to create separation or on comebacks. If he can show more aggression and physicality throughout his routes, he’d be dominant outside. His hands and consistency are also concerns, but he looks to be better in the NFL than in college.
Final Grade: 7.65 - 3rd round value