PAST PRODUCTION (College)

A four-star high school recruit who was born in Taiwan, moved to Ghana, and later emigrated to Canada, John Metchie III played his high school ball in the state of Maryland. He logged some game time as a freshman at Alabama, but behind so many NFL talents at WR he didn’t log enough snaps to impress statistically. In 2020 he filled in for an injured Jaylen Waddle and recorded his breakout season. This past season, he earned second-team All-SEC honors with a team-high 96 receptions before suffering a torn ACL in the conference title game and missing the team’s playoff run.

John Metchie III is an early-declare WR that just dominated the SEC and is coming off of injury. This past season, Metchie was relied upon to be Bryce Young’s go-to receiver, a role he was effective in until teammate Jameson Williams began to blossom and they shared the load. Like Williams, Metchie went down with an unfortunate ACL injury at the end of the season, just two games before Jameson did. 

As a prospect, Metchie combines high football IQ with exceptional route running and releases. While he doesn’t possess exceptional hands or Williams’ speed, he understands the game and is a gritty competitor both with and without the ball in his hands. Additionally, there is no denying that Alabama in recent years has produced the most NFL-ready receivers (Julio Jones, Amari Cooper, Calvin Ridley, Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs III, Jaylen Waddle, DeVonta Smith) to enter the league.

2022 OUTLOOK

While the jury is still out on Davis Mills, if he does end up being the Texans’ QB of the future he will get to grow with Metchie. He will be a reliable safety blanket for Mills out of the slot. Metchie utilizes his plus-route running skills and elevated football IQ to excel and gain advantages. He does not mind going into traffic in the middle of the field and he is a willing blocker. He compliments the Texans’ offense nicely, as they have the speed element and trusty veteran in Brandin Cooks, the big-bodied, contested-catch receiver in Nico Collins, and now the crafty slot man in Metchie.

However, it is important to remember that Metchie tore his ACL on December 4th, 2021 in Alabama’s SEC Title win against Georgia. Texans’ Head Coach Lovie Smith said they would not rush Metchie back. Still, it looks as though his recovery is coming along nicely. 

While we should be excited about Metchie based on his collegiate accomplishments and early second-round draft capital, we’re going to have to temper expectations in year one. Aside from a late start to his off-season and potentially not being prepared to play Week 1, Metchie will need to learn some of the nuances of manning the slot at the next level. 

DYNASTY ANALYSIS

It is important for dynasty owners to understand the importance of patience and allowing players to develop. Recently, receivers like CeeDee Lamb, Ja’Marr Chase, etc. have spoiled fantasy owners and caused them to forget how difficult the transition to the NFL is for most players. These superstar rookies were the exception, not the norm. Additionally, Metchie does not profile as an elite alpha receiver at the next level. He is, however, one of the safest picks in dynasty rookie drafts, because he comes tailor-made for his position and with no formidable competition in his spot on his new team. Metchie should develop into one of the premier slot receivers in the league. 

A career path like Robert Woods is not out of the range of possibilities for Metchie, but don’t expect him to put up Tyreek Hill-like numbers. Metchie makes for a fine dynasty rookie draft pick anywhere in the second round. He should be a serviceable fantasy WR3 in 2023 and beyond.  

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