Liam Blutman
Nov 5 · 3 min read

2020 NFL Draft Hidden Gem

The 2020 NFL Draft Class is full of talented wide receivers. Last spring, I stated that this class could easily end up as a top 3 WR class of all time! And I mean that more than ever. I know you know about Jerry Jeudy at Alabama, CeeDee Lamb at OU, and Clemson’s Tee Higgins. But what if I decided to speak about a wide receiver in this class that lacks national recognition? Well, you know I’m about to as that just seems pretty on brand for me.

James Proche. SMU. I have been watching Proche since 2016 when he was a redshirt freshman. The reason I was watching SMU was because of current Denver Bronco, Courtland Sutton. Sutton impressed me a ton but it was this redshirt freshman named Proche who had caught my attention as well. So yes, I have watched Proche play four seasons of excellent football. I truthfully have expected more media coverage for him, which sadly he has not received. College Gameday covered SMU/Memphis and I felt as if though the media believed that Proche was a product of the absence of Reggie Roberson. That’s crazy to me because Proche has excelled with and without Roberson his entire career! That night James caught 13 passes on 19 targets for 149 yards and a touchdown. He was even playing a good portion of that game on a bad knee and it certainly was a heck of a performance. One catch that stood out was a negated play where Proche made a clean one handed catch while diving for the ball on the sideline. While Courtland Sutton and James Proche played together, Proche was much more of a deep ball threat that averaged high yards per catch. Now he’s a legit possession receiver that will carve up defenses with a clean array of routes. He will gash a DB over the top or simply catch a pass over the middle and move the chains. Without a doubt James Proche is one of the most underrated players in the country and is one heck of a sleeper prospect for next year’s NFL Draft.

James Proche possesses elite hands, he’s a smart route runner, has good speed, is deadly with the ball in his hands, and will be a stud on Sundays. He has a stellar catch radius and tracks the ball well. Proche is going to be a NFL QB’s best friend, a reliable target that QB’s will have such high confidence when throwing to. I have enough belief in Proche to become a WR1 in the NFL. There are receivers in every class that go on day 2 or 3 and end up shocking you. James Proche has next and trust me when I say you want your NFL team to draft this kid. I’ll say it again, his hands are spectacular, he doesn’t drop anything… This kid has a chance to be special.

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