Jakobi Meyers was among upwards of 50 wide receivers in Indianapolis for the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine.
The converted quarterback out of North Carolina State didn’t arrive with a reputation for speed, but for size, hands and an ability to generate a mismatch from the slot. The combination saw Meyers catch 92 passes for 1,047 yards and five touchdowns as a redshirt junior last fall – before signing with the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent this spring.
In between were the athletic checkpoints at Lucas Oil Stadium.
And at 6-foot-2, 203 pounds, Meyers ran the 40-yard dash in 4.63 seconds. He then ran the three-cone drill in 7.07 seconds and the short shuttle in 4.23 seconds. He leaped for a vertical of 37 inches, a broad jump of 118 inches and put up 13 reps of 225 pounds in the bench press.
Meyers’ 32-inch arms and 9 1/2-inch hands were measured while there, as well.
All of which factor into MockDraftable.com’s combine database. And within the numbers are the Patriots rookie’s closest athletic comparisons at the position dating back to 1999.
Six of 10 were drafted. Seven of whom appeared in an NFL game beyond the preseason.
Here’s a glance through the names as New England sorts through theirs.
San Diego State’s J.R. Tolver – A fifth-round pick in 2003, Tolver checks in as a 99 percent match with Meyers. The Aztecs product made stops with the Miami Dolphins, Carolina Panthers and Dallas Cowboys, yet never made his regular-season debut.
Florida State’s Ron Dugans – The third-rounder from the 2000 NFL draft stands as a 96.9 percent match with Meyers. Dugans logged snaps in 46 games during his stay with the Cincinnati Bengals, starting 13 to catch 89 passes for 797 yards and three touchdowns.
Miami’s Andre King – King, a seventh-round pick in 2001, ties Dugans as a 96.9 percent match with Meyers’ combine numbers. The former Hurricane appeared in 42 career games for the Cleveland Browns and started three. King caught 30 passes for 327 yards.
Iowa’s Kahlil Hill – Hill was chosen by the Atlanta Falcons in the sixth round of the 2002 draft, and stands as a 95.7 percent match with Meyers. The Hawkeyes alum entered into one game for Atlanta, making an additional four stops around the NFL and three in the CFL.
Northwestern’s D’Wayne Bates – A third-round pick in the 1999 draft, Bates remains a 94.5 percent match with Meyers. Bates played in 47 NFL games, finishing with 80 receptions for 1,061 yards and six touchdowns through his time as a Chicago Bear and Minnesota Viking.
Oklahoma State’s D’Juan Woods – Woods, who went undrafted in 2007, is a 92.2 percent match with Meyers. The Oklahoma State Cowboy appeared in one game for the Jacksonville Jaguars and received a Super Bowl XLIV ring while a member of the New Orleans Saints.
Nebraska’s Kenny Cheatham – Undrafted in 1999, Cheatham is a 92.1 percent match with Meyers’ athletic profile. Cheatham signed with the New York Giants that April, but did not appear in a game beyond the summer.
Florida’s Darrell Jackson – Jackson went in the third round of the 2000 draft, and is a 91.7 percent match with Meyers. From the Seattle Seahawks to the San Francisco 49ers to the Denver Broncos, Jackson tallied 499 catches, 7,132 yards and 51 touchdowns in 123 games.
Arkansas’ Keon Hatcher – The 2017 rookie free agent is a 91.1 percent match with Meyers. Hatcher has appeared in three games, collecting one pass for a gain of eight yards. The current Oakland Raider has made prior stops with the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers.
Pittsburgh’s R.J. English – Undrafted and signed by the Falcons in 2002, English is a 91.1 percent match with N.C. State’s Meyers. English led the Big East in receiving yards per game as a senior, but did not play in a regular-season NFL game.
An undrafted rookie has made the Patriots’ opening roster in each of the past 15 seasons, and Meyers is a candidate to monitor for reasons other than his testing.
But MockDraftable’s athletic web is food for historical thought.