Last week, I briefly touched on a couple of guys who will be looking to climb up draft boards at the Senior Bowl this last weekend.
Of course, that’s the goal for each one of those players who accept the invite to the game. One player that’s already taking advantage of the opportunity and turning heads in Mobile is Grant DuBose. The former Charlotte wideout is making a case on why he has potential to be a Day 2 selection.
Yes, the pass from former BYU QB Jaren Hall was on the money, but the catch helped showcase one of DuBose’s strengths — his length.
At 6-foot-3 and possessing an above-average wingspan, DuBose can make plays like the one above. It’s a play a lot of receivers would have trouble with. He’s also a solid 200 pounds, which can pose trouble for opposing defensive backs. That reception also demonstrated DuBose’s ability to find the end zone, and being able to do so and make these types of plays in the red zone is even more critical.
Another red zone touchdown in Mobile:
DuBose was a late addition to the Senior Bowl and accepted his invite just over a week before the game. A roster spot opened up following an injury to another receiver, allowing DuBose to fill the spot. Originally, he was supposed to enter the transfer portal and take his talents elsewhere for his final eligible season. He changed his mind and declared for the draft in early January.
In two seasons with the 49ers, DuBose finished with 1,684 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns. Last season, he caught nine scores, tying a program record. That included three games with two touchdowns. His 15 touchdowns are the third most in program history, and that’s only in playing two seasons. He was one of the lone bright spots for a 49ers team that went 3-9 last season and 5-7 in 2021.
The Montgomery, Alabama, product was consistent — for the most part — last season and throughout his career. There were only two games last season where DuBose finished with less than 48 yards. Really, the only blemish from last year is a one-reception, 30-yard game against Louisiana Tech in the regular-season finale.
If DuBose wasn’t catching passes, though, he excelled as a blocker. With his size and willingness to create opportunities for teammates, this could be one of the things that allow him to separate himself from the pack.
While he doesn’t have many, one of DuBose’s downfalls is he doesn’t have that ideal breakaway speed. However, his other traits still make him a quality possession receiver similar to someone like Chris Godwin. His stats didn’t pop off the charts last season with his yards ranking outside of the top 10 in Conference USA and his touchdowns and receptions both ranking outside of the top five. On a more competitive or successful squad, DuBose might have been able to put up bigger numbers.
Regardless, he has a ton of potential to become an asset during his rookie season. He’s proving that to be true with some of the top quarterbacks in the country, doing so against some of the top defensive backs.
