Golden Tate NFL Draft scouting report

Golden Tate
5'11, 195 pounds | WR | Notre Dame

Acceleration: Gets up to top speed very quickly. Accelerates well into and out of his breaks which builds separation. Maintains that speed throughout his runs.

Agility: Tate generates fluid lateral movement to redirect and has the shiftiness to elude defenders. Has quick stop-and-go ability that helps quarterbacks get him short throws where he can make the initial tackler miss and turn it into a big gain.

Blocking: Surprisingly, Tate displays good technical blocking ability. He'll struggle to sustain his blocks, though. He's a good mirror blocker on the outside but shouldn't be relied upon to come in motion and block near the tackle box.

Body Control: Adjusts to the ball really well. Knows how to properly use his body to shield off defenders. Times his leaps well. Tracks off-target throws really well.

Hands: While Tate is will sometimes drop some easy passes, he has very good hands. They're incredibly strong, which helps him make difficult catches. Has a tendency to catch the ball in his frame, which he'll have to correct.

Release: Tate doesn't have great upper body strength, which hurts him against the tight jam. Needs to better use his quickness and athleticism off the snap. Will sometimes release slow, but he quickly gets up to speed to close a cornerback's cushion.

Route Running: Runs good quick routes. Has the agility to make sharp cuts to create space. Will run a little upright when he goes over the middle. Ran an entire route tree at Notre Dame in the Irish's pro-style scheme. Doesn't get lazy or hesitant in his routes when going over the middle.

Size: Tate's size is the biggest negative people will point to heading into the draft. Fair or not, taller receivers will be more highly regarded. Tate doesn't have bad size, but at under six feet his size doesn't offer mismatches. His arms don't appear especially long and his hands aren't known to be large. However, he knows how to use that size to his advantage.

Speed: Although there is nothing wrong with Tate's speed, his 40 time probably won't be amazing. If a cornerback has the same or even slightly better speed than Tate, though, he can usually get separation. Doesn't have the deep speed to separate from cornerbacks with elite speed and quickness.

Vision: After the catch, Tate is dangerous. He's a former running back with strong legs and great drive. Easily finds seams and has the quickness to burst through it. Does a really nice job setting up his blockers. Uses his return abilities in the open field on receiving plays.

Final word: Leaving Notre Dame was a wise decision by Tate. His skill set is ready for the NFL and very similar to that of Steve Smith of the Carolina Panthers. Tate is a slightly small receiver with a lot of strength, particularly in his legs.

Tate is dangerous after the catch and runs crisp routes to get open. His character or work ethic at Notre Dame was never in question.

Where Tate loses some value is in the red zone. Inside 20 yards, he's best running quick slants, but his size can limit him from going over the top on fades.

He looks like a player who will be drafted in the first 40 picks.