Colts 2019 Draft Profile: Hakeem Butler

In my three round mock draft, I selected Hakeem Butler with the 20th overall pick to add much needed variety to the Colts’ wide receiving core. The Iowa State prospect has amazing height and agility as he is 6’6 and is a good route runner. Butler is most known for his yards after catch and high pointing the ball.

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As you can see in that clip, Butler runs a good fade route along the hash mark then beautifully high points the ball to ‘Moss” the defensive back. After getting the ball Butler throws the defender off of him and runs the final 15 yards to score the touchdown. Butler shows his best attributes on that one play with great agility, strength, vertical leap, and run after the catch. Butlers abilities partnered with Pro Bowl alternate TY Hilton would be a great duo and possible one of the best in league. Hilton’s deep threat speed and big play capability would be perfectly paired with Butler’s YAC style would be the ideal receiving duo for MVP candidate Andrew Luck.

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Butler has had many “toe drag swag” esque plays. At the collegiate level players only need to get one foot down for a catch to be ruled as such. In that clip, Butler shows that he is NFL toe tap ready as he makes a great sideline catch and gets both feet in bounds after he tracks down the ball perfectly. Butler is an exciting and electric player to watch, but one of the most underrated abilities in the league is how good wide receivers can block. Butler is an exceptional blocker and his size and strength is a big reason for that.
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via GIPHY

I lightly touched on Butlers route running ability earlier, well as you can see its better than just good. Butler beautifully breaks in his route sending the defensive back easily six-yard back words as he just destroys the Texas DB’s ankles. This is a textbook curl route easily giving Butler the first down.

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