CHECK OUT THE REST OF THE ZONE COVERAGE DRAFT GUIDE:
TOP 100 PLAYER PROFILES
RANKING THE VIKINGS NEEDS
EXPLORING VIKINGS DRAFT TRENDS
A HISTORY OF RICK SPIELMAN’S DRAFT TRADES
VIKINGS TARGETS
LUKE INMAN’S MOCK DRAFTS
SENIOR BOWL CENTRAL
FEATURES FROM OUR STAFF
LAVISKA SHENAULT
HEIGHT/WEIGHT/AGE
6-foot-1
225 pounds
21 years old
BIG PICTURE
A four-star recruit at Colorado, Laviska Shenault put together a marvelous final two seasons with the Buffaloes. Despite dealing with injuries, he amassed over 1,000 yards as a sophomore and 764 yards as a junior. Shenault is a YAC threat and a contested catch phenom. He’ll also take direct snaps out of the backfield. A physical player that runs well for being around 225 pounds. Will need to hone his route running to get the right kind of separation in the NFL, but all in all has a high ceiling.
COMBINE NOTABLES
4.58 40-yard dash
17 bench reps (T-7th)
VIKINGS COMPATIBILITY RANKING
3 out of 10. Shenault is a dynamic athlete that could be a significant threat after the catch. The Vikings are sticklers for detail, however, with their wide receivers, and Shenault’s lack of refinement could give them Cordarrelle Patterson flashbacks.
HIGHLIGHTS
WHAT DRAFT EXPERTS SAY
Lance Zierlein, NFL.com: “2 Live” is both talented and stoic as a three-level threat with outstanding physical traits and ball skills. He offers explosive playmaking potential with strength/wiggle to house a short catch-and-run throw or race and leap to pull in a bomb downfield. Shenault shines as a phone-booth bully who’s able to body up and create late windows while securing throws with vice-grip hands. Evaluators get excited by his talent as a direct-snap runner, but sometimes he’s too physical for his own good, which could bring his history of durability into play. Despite his traits and talent, there is work to be done as route-runner and coordinators need to determine how best to use him. He’s a high-end talent, but not a sure thing. An exciting ceiling but a lower floor.”
Benjamin Solak, Draft Network: “Laviska Shenault is a late Day 1/early Day 2 candidate for teams searching for a high-upside, versatile receiver, but do not need one right away. Shenault is an incomplete prospect who requires projection when considering his releases off the line of scrimmage and his route running, both of which are underdeveloped largely as a result of scheme requirements and efficacy in simpler uses. To that point, Shenault provide a quality floor given his near-elite RAC profile and extremely strong hands away from his frame, which allows him to win on quick-breaking routes and screen/jet concepts. Shenault is a plus athlete with ideal density for league play, and should be considered one of the highest-ceiling receivers in the class.”
WHAT PFF SAYS
85+ overall grades all three seasons
44 missed tackles forced since 2018 (1st)
7+ YAC average throughout career
CHECK OUT THE REST OF THE ZONE COVERAGE DRAFT GUIDE:
TOP 100 PLAYER PROFILES
RANKING THE VIKINGS NEEDS
EXPLORING VIKINGS DRAFT TRENDS
A HISTORY OF RICK SPIELMAN’S DRAFT TRADES
VIKINGS TARGETS
LUKE INMAN’S MOCK DRAFTS
SENIOR BOWL CENTRAL
FEATURES FROM OUR STAFF
