If the Buffalo Bills remain at 25th overall and do select a wide receiver, one player to watch is Penn State’s Jahan Dotson. Let’s take a look at the former Nittany Lion and what he would bring to this offense.
Measurables/Stats
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 178 pounds
Arms: 30 3/4″
Hands: 9 1/2″
Jahan Dotson played in 42 games over four seasons at Penn State and had 183 receptions, 2,757 receiving yards, averaged 15.1 yards per reception, and 25 receiving touchdowns.
He saw his role in the Nittany Lions’ offense steadily grow year over year to the point that this past season he had 91 receptions, 1,182 receiving yards, and 12 receiving touchdowns. This past season, his best game came against the University of Maryland when he had 11 receptions for 242 yards and three touchdowns.
NFL.com Scouting Report by Lance Zierlein
"Finesse wideout with good speed and great athleticism who is fully operational on all three levels of the field. Dotson’s passing scheme was well-designed and allowed for clear access to space for most of the season. His route-running is smooth but features speed changes and his in-air athleticism and ball skills look effortless. His confidence and competitiveness are just average against physical coverage and he’s likely to see a lot more press looks as a pro. Dotson has inside/outside starting talent but a lack of physicality could prevent him from taking over games at the same rate we saw at Penn State."
How Jahan Dotson fits with the Buffalo Bills
The biggest thing Jahan Dotson would bring to the Buffalo Bills’ offense will be speed as he is one of the quickest wide receivers in this draft class. He is not the biggest wide receiver but as Zierlein noted in his scouting report, he has the ability to play inside or outside.
If the Bills were to draft Dotson, he likely would compete for the starting slot receiver position with Jamison Crowder and Isaiah McKenzie. However, he might be most effective playing an expanded role of what McKenzie has played the past few years as a gadget-type player. When considering his speed and quickness, but being a little smaller, he will be most effective when he is able to get the ball in space.
In addition, he does have some experience as a punt returner with 22 punt returns over the past two years, along with one punt return for a touchdown in 2020. However, if the Buffalo Bills were to draft him he likely wouldn’t factor much in this part of the game in the NFL.