The Cleveland Browns didn't get a chance to take Carnell Tate, and with Jordyn Tyson and Makai Lemon already off the board, they rolled the dice on one of the most tantalizing players in the entire class.
KC Concepcion is the ultimate yards-after-catch specialist. He can turn nothing into something with his shiftiness and speed, and he can also be quite dangerous as a returner. He did, however, struggle enough with drops that some draft experts fear it could be a fatal flaw.
Texas A&M football expert Graham Harmon of Gig Em Gazette let Browns fans know what they're really getting with the 21-year-old Concepcion.
"Hard to say enough good things about KC— he's one of the most electric playmakers in the entire draft, can get open against anybody (watch him against Mansoor Delane), and brings potential as a returner as well as a wideout. A little small, but the hardest worker you'll come across, and will be a huge plus in the locker room as well."
KC Concepcion could be the ultimate gamble for the Browns
Concepcion spent the first two years of his career at NC State, dominating as a freshman with 839 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns before regressing to 460 yards and nine in his second year. Then, he hauled in 61 receptions for 919 yards and a conference-leading nine scores in his lone season at Texas A&M. Clearly, the potential to be a WR1 was there from the jump, but it's not like he took a leap between years.
Moreover, his strengths and weaknesses were also consistent throughout the course of his collegiate career. He had 527, 265, and 440 yards-after-catch in each of his three seasons. Likewise, he averaged 7.3, 5.0, and 7.2 yards per reception, respectively, and 2.32, 1.29, and 2.46 yards per route run, per Pro Football Focus. On the downside, he had 19 drops over that span.
Development and growth are two of the most important aspects of a player's collegiate career, yet it seems that Concepcion is pretty much the same player today that he was three years ago. When he's locked in, that's great news, but Browns fans can only wonder whether he's closer to being a finished product and what version of him they'll get on a week-to-week basis.
Of course, Concepcion's strengths are good enough to make up for those concerns, at least early on. He has the potential to be one of the top big-play specialists in the league in no time, not to mention the Browns' primary pass catcher.
That said, all prospects are somewhat flawed, and Cleveland cannot afford another swing and miss in the wide receiver corps.