It has been confirmed: D.K. Metcalf is a rare physical specimen.
The Ole Miss wide receiver dropped jaws with the picture of him in the weight room in early February that went viral. If you're the only NFL fan on Earth who hasn't seen it, here it is.
Obviously, expectations for his performance at the NFL Scouting Combine were high. The event is tailor-made for "freaks" like him to shine.
Sure enough, Metcalf delivered, and the NFL world is now drooling over the potential top wide receiver in the draft.
Metcalf, who has been frequently mocked to the Ravens at No. 22, weighed in at over 6-foot-3, 228 pounds with 1.9 percent body fat. That's practically unheard of.
Metcalf then posted 27 bench press reps of 225 pounds on Friday, tied for the most among any wide receiver since 2003. Bobby Foster did it in 2009 and Arizona State's N'Keal Harry also did it this year.
Then, on Saturday, Metcalf showed he's not too big to be fast, blazing the 40-yard dash in 4.33 seconds.
It's like he was created in Madden.
Oakland Raiders Head Coach Jon Gruden said Metcalf is the biggest wide receiver he's ever seen. "You look at him and ask, 'Who's tackling this guy?'"
"Every team room that I walk into, they're always like, 'Wow, you really are that big,'" Metcalf said.
Metcalf used that physicality to his advantage in college by simply outrunning and overpowering defensive backs. He averaged 21.9 yards per catch last season, a premier big-play threat.
Asked what his greatest asset is, he said it's hauling contested passes.
"I call them 99-1 balls [instead of 50-50]," Metcalf said. "The one percent that I'm not coming down with is maybe a bad ball by the quarterback."
Metcalf also has a legacy behind his name. His father, Terrence Metcalf, played seven NFL seasons as a guard. His uncle, Eric Metcalf, was a three-time Pro Bowl returner. His grandfather, Terry Metcalf, was a three-time Pro Bowl running back.
"My last name, obviously it carries some weight," D.K. said. "Everybody looks up to their dad. I'm just blessed to have a person that did everything that I'm doing now. It's like having a cheat sheet to life."
So is Metcalf the perfect wide receiver who could somehow be there for Baltimore at No. 22? While Metcalf checks a lot of boxes, there are also questions.
Football players are supposed to be big. But is there too big for a wide receiver? Is he flexible enough to play the position? Is he too muscular? Will tightness lead to injuries?
Metcalf, who said he's given up his favorite strawberry milkshakes for life and doesn't plan on changing his workout habits, was essentially asked by reporters whether he'll be the next David Boston – the No. 8-overall pick in 1999 whose career flamed out after five seasons.
"They compare me to other big receivers who have been unsuccessful, but they haven't seen D.K. Metcalf," Metcalf said.
There are also questions about just how good Metcalf is between the white lines because he didn't have a ton of college production. Metcalf caught 39 passes for 646 yards and seven touchdowns in his first full year, then 26 passes for 569 yards and five scores in seven games last season, which was shortened by a neck injury.
That brings up the injury question. Metcalf was cleared for full contact on Jan. 22, and said there are no lingering concerns with his neck, but neck injuries can raise red flags.
Metcalf is viewed as a sure bet to be selected in the first round, and there's a lot of buzz about him being a good fit in Baltimore. Metcalf didn't seem opposed to the idea.
"I'm going to do a slight comparison with Lamar Jackson and [former Ole Miss quarterback] Shea Patterson and how they can extend the play outside the pocket," he said. "I went through with that with Shea in my redshirt freshman year at Ole Miss. It's just something you have to adapt to and learn as we go along."
