Cody Latimer speaks at the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Pat Lovell-USA TODAY Sports
Indiana Hoosiers wide receiver prospect Cody Latimer has received a ridiculous amount of pre-draft buzz over the past month, and this has culminated in a workout in Indianapolis today that was seen by over 20 teams. Latimer is one of the hottest draft prospects right now, and the former third-round prospect is now a sure-fire second-round prospect who could even slip into the late first-round due to all of the buzz.
I doubt they pull the trigger on this and it could all easily be a smokescreen, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the Philadelphia Eagles took Cody Latimer with the 22nd pick in the draft. I mean, I personally wouldn’t take him that high and believe there will be better wide receiver prospects available there, but the Eagles have shown a huge amount of interest in the big WR. Not only have they followed his workouts closely, but the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that they sent three people there, including head coach Chip Kelly, and spent 20 minutes working him out privately after the main workout by getting him to run their own routes. Rapoport adds that the Eagles pick at No. 22 at the end of the tweet, implying that Latimer is a possibility in the first round for the Eagles.
What makes Latimer such an intriguing draft prospect is his combination of size and speed, and that blend of athletic gifts is especially appealing these days. He needs some polish, but he has very good physical tools and has more consistent hands than the likes of Kelvin Benjamin. If Latimer gets selected in the first round, then the Seattle Seahawks are also a possible landing spot. Teams that aren’t able to pick up Mike Evans could get Latimer as a consolation prize, and he fits both the Eagles and Seahawks well.