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WR Nathaniel “Tank” Dell, HOU (1 Viewer)

NFL Rookie Watch @NFLRookieWatxh
Tank Dell is too QUICK 😳

The Houston WR is one of the most shift players in this year’s NFL Draft.

Dell led all of college football in receiving yards last season with 1,398.

Tank Dell last season:

• 108 receptions (2nd in all of CFB)
• 1,399 yards (1st in all of CFB)
• 17 receiving TD (1st in all of CFB)

Dell reportedly created a lot of “buzz” among NFL scout this past week at the Senior Bowl.

Don’t SLEEP on the Houston WR 🔥
 
Read the other day he has 23 REDZONE TD's over the last two seasons and the closest player(s) in this draft, which was multiple WR's and TE's, were tied at 12. Considering his size that was a little eye opening.
 
Heard some stuff about him at the Senior Bowl. Corners basically refusing to cover him in drills because he was making them look so silly in front of scouts.

If he was even a moderately bigger you'd feel really good about him. Just so hard to imagine him having any prominence in the NFL though.
 
Old, small (5'8 with a BMI of 25.1), and not particular fast. The production is awesome, even just looking at his games against power 5 teams. And it's fun to watch him juking guys out and making them look like fools in his highlights. But I am still not really seeing it with this guy. Size and physical tools aren't as important as we used to think, but he looks under the minimum requirements. I hope I am wrong.

He's kind of the wr version of Deuce Vaughn in this class, if Vaughn were a couple years older.
 
Can’t help but see an underfed Jerry Jeudy with a hint of Tavon Austin and Darnell Mooney.

I like a lot of his film, but difficult to project his size at the NFL level.
 
I hit the character limit in my Route Running thread, so I'm putting the full quotes and links for each player in their bespoke threads.

- "lacks a sizeable route tree while running a lot of go's, curls, bubbles, and fewer in breaking routes" - https://steelersdepot.com/2023/01/2023-nfl-draft-player-profiles-houston-wr-tank-dell/
- "His route running is also sloppy." - https://vikingswire.usatoday.com/lists/vikings-skol-search-nathaniel-dell-scouting-report/
- "has constantly ran a limited route tree." - https://www.nfldraftbuzz.com/Player/Nathaniel-Dell-WR-Houston
+ "has exceptional quickness throughout his routes" - https://www.bigblueview.com/2023/3/...ell-wr-houston-scouting-report-ny-giants-news
 
I think Dell is maybe the most underrated WR in this draft. I'd be very happy spending a 3rd round pick on another Darnell Mooney.

He's never going to be a #1 WR, but there is enough there for him to be a decent #2, or an excellent #3.
 

Texans traded with the Rams to select Houston WR Nathaniel Dell with the No. 69 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Dell (5’8/165), better known by his nickname “Tank," is one of the smaller receivers in the draft but also one of the most explosive. A slippery player after the catch, Dell can turn any play into a long score, amassing 29 receiving touchdowns in his final two seasons with the Cougars. Dell is a shifty route runner who excels at creating separation and uses his quickness to evade defenders in the open field. Over the last two seasons, Dell ranked fifth in the FBS in yards after the catch (1,148) and led all receivers in explosive receptions (68). Drops, in addition to his size, are the two biggest areas of concern for Dell. In his lone season as a punt returner, Dell returned nine punts for 153 yards and a score. His special teams prowess only adds to his value as a playmaker. In Houston, Dell will join Nico Collins, Robert Woods, and John Metchie as the team's top wideouts. He could earn targets quickly without a target dominator in the Texans offense.
Apr 28, 2023 at 9:37 PM ET
 

The Houston Chronicle reports third-round WR Tank Dell will "likely play in the slot" with the Texans.​

Dell was one of the top receivers in the Big 12 the last three years at Houston and size concerns have most projecting him to stay in the slot. He was one of the most targeted receivers with 291 targets the past two seasons. With Nico Collins, Robert Woods, and John Metchie the returning veterans in front of him, there is a path to the Texans' WR1 role for Dell, who was a target dominator in college. A strong preseason from Dell should see him open the year as a starter in three-wide sets.
SOURCE: Houston Chronicle
Apr 29, 2023, 10:24 AM ET
 

Texans WR Nathaniel "Tank" Dell said C.J. Stroud asked the team to take him in the 2023 draft.

Houston drafted Dell out of Houston with the 69th pick in the draft, a day after the Texans made Stroud the second pick, behind only Bryce Young. Dell said he and Stroud gelled at the NFL Combine in February, with Stroud complimenting Dell's route running ability. "Tell them to come get me," Dell told Stroud after the QB was drafted. The undersized Dell, who had 29 receiving scores in his final two collegiate seasons, is expected to be the Texans slot receiver this season. Over the last two seasons, Dell ranked fifth in the FBS in yards after the catch (1,148) and led all receivers in explosive receptions (68). Without much target competition, Dell could be a sneaky PPR selection in redraft formats.
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SOURCE: Chancellor Johnson on Twitter
May 3, 2023 at 11:16 AM ET
 
Love this guy. Open field moves/vision are amazing. Should be a very good returner, as well as WR. Despite not being in a very good situation, I hope he can excel, and look forward to watching him in the NFL.
 

Texans signed No. 69 overall pick Nathaniel Dell to a four-year contract.

Dell enters 2023 with little guaranteed in Houston, but plenty of possibility on a depth chart where no one has really stepped forward as a big target. The C.J. Stroud "asking the team to draft Dell" narrative probably helps Dell's case, but the Texans could work him in behind the scenes as Robert Woods, Nico Collins, Noah Brown, and John Metchie III all have a chance to post real playing time this year as well. Dell's a speculative WR4-5 in deeper leagues for now, but there is real upside.
SOURCE: Aaron Wilson on Twitter
May 16, 2023, 2:00 PM ET
 
Obviously the Texans got a first hand look at him, wasn't a far drive.
The Texans are in dire need of skill players and since there isn't much standing in his way of starting for Houston in the slot.

I like CJ Stroud more than the other QBs in his draft class.
I can see the rookie hauling in something like 50/750
 
In one dynasty league I am in we only do 3 rounds and then dump the rest of the players in the free agency pool.

Tank Dell was one of a couple players that made it through that i am interested in. What percentage of a 100 dollar FAAB should i spend on Tank? Currently I am at 9 dollars, but that is just to keep other people honest.
 
It's all chatter til the real thing happens, but I targeted this cat specifically as my lotto ticket in rookie drafts.
He’s 5’8”, 165 lbs and will be 24 in October. What do you like most about him?

just see him as a potential sneaky PPR guy in the right system. will never be special for fantasy purposes, but the man can move and get open quickly. if they can exploit that, he could have some fantasy purpose.

again, he's a lotto pick. not expecting anything, but hoping.
 
It's all chatter til the real thing happens, but I targeted this cat specifically as my lotto ticket in rookie drafts.
He’s 5’8”, 165 lbs and will be 24 in October. What do you like most about him?

The depth chart is very favorable...Woods is aging, Collins hasn't shown too much in two years and Metchie is an unknown as well...I did not end up with him on either of my teams but as Soulfly points out he is targeting him as a lottery ticket and no doubt there is an opportunity/path to relevancy and my guess is you don't have to invest too much to take a chance on him...especially for a kid who put up legit stats the past two years.
 
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I wouldn’t say that he is a target for me, but I’ve ended up with him in a couple. 3.03 was the spot for me last week. I thought he was worth the flyer. Size is a concern, but, if he can create separation and can develop some good chemistry with Stroud, then could be a pretty good value there.
 
Anyone know his yards per separation in college and where he ranked? This guy looks like a rich man's Kadarius Toney.
 
Rising price over a month across my 3 drafts.

6.01 61 Dell, Nathaniel HOU WR (R) Wed May 3

4.12 48 Dell, Nathaniel HOU WR (R) Sun May 14

3.07 39 Dell, Nathaniel HOU WR (R) Sat Jun 10

Current ADP on MFL (12 team) has him at 38.
 
Texans coach DeMeco Ryans observed third-round rookie Tank Dell was “open a lot” in offseason practices.
“Tank’ Dell comes in, providing his route-running ability,” Ryans said. “He’s been open a lot in OTAs. So that’s exciting.” Ludicrously productive at the University of Houston, Dell forged an off-field friendship with new Texans QB C.J. Stroud, which surely played a part in his Day 2 selection. It is going to be easy to get overly excited about Dell at the expense of veteran Robert Woods, but there is no question Dell is where the upside resides. It is just a matter of if he can establish a PPR floor first. Dell is an interesting late-round flier in receptions-based formats.
 
Texans coach DeMeco Ryans observed third-round rookie Tank Dell was “open a lot” in offseason practices.
“Tank’ Dell comes in, providing his route-running ability,” Ryans said. “He’s been open a lot in OTAs. So that’s exciting.” Ludicrously productive at the University of Houston, Dell forged an off-field friendship with new Texans QB C.J. Stroud, which surely played a part in his Day 2 selection. It is going to be easy to get overly excited about Dell at the expense of veteran Robert Woods, but there is no question Dell is where the upside resides. It is just a matter of if he can establish a PPR floor first. Dell is an interesting late-round flier in receptions-based formats.
I’ll start off by saying I added Dell a lot as it just seemed like a value pick at the time - but OTA and other workouts before pads and hitting come into play always favor small quick twitch players. This news makes me happy but I realize it may not be that meaningful yet.
 

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