The Ravens have doubled up on yet another position in the 2020 NFL Draft, taking wide receiver James Proche in the sixth round. After taking the productive Devin Duvernay in the 3rd round, Baltimore selected another prolific 5-foot-11 200-pound wide receiver who can be a burner and is strong after the catch.
Proche played all 13 games for SMU in 2019, tallying 111 receptions (tied for the national lead), 1,225 receiving yards and 15 total touchdowns.
Proche has unnatural ball skills, especially when tracking deep passes and he can win at the point of attack with strong hands. He also commands attention when lined up to the outside, as he saw a lot of stacked coverage in college. Proche excels in fluidly catching back-shoulder passes while keeping enough room between himself and the sideline. Proche also has the speed and sureness of hands to command respect as a punt or kick returner, which is a big need for Baltimore.
Proche only had four games where he managed to top 100 or more receiving yards even though he had 111 receptions. His routes tend to be a little more rounded which opens them up to cornerbacks jumping them for interceptions. He also takes too many unnecessary steps during some routes which hurts his speed and effectiveness there. With limited length, Proche can also have some issues against press coverage which will limit his ability to go deep at times.
However, a lot of his negatives can be coached up. And when looking at his film or the stat sheet, you can’t help but see that he gets the job done regardless. Proche can play both inside and outside but might get more time in the slot in Baltimore.
