Thread

Laviska Shenault only wishes and can only dream of being Antonio Gibson!

A comparison of these two 2020 rookies overall talent, college production, film analysis, NFL team situation and projected usage!

Both players played a similar hybrid WR/RB combo in 2019. A near even number of touches were distributed almost between WR and RB for both players.

Gibson showed to be much more productive with the touches that he had however in this chart

Combine metrics

A quick side by side comparison of Shenault and Gibson how they performed at the combine.

Gibson with the clear advantage here.

Let's look at some film!

Here we see Shenault on the outside on a WR screen. The inside WR and the lineman both provide perfect blocks opening up a massive running lane. The play is executed perfectly….

...Shenault with a full head of steam is one on one with the defender, and just sort of runs into him but does fall forward

Here Gibson has run a route giving himself some open space similar to the previous Shenault clip where the WR screen provided open space, but Gibson uses his athleticism and vision to elude 6 defenders en route to scoring a TD

Shenault is lined up in the wildcat position, a manner in which he was used often at COL. I like that he easily breaks that first tackle from the safety coming down the line and he shows solid power up the middle for a 6 yards taking on multiple defenders

Gibson lined up in the backfield takes the handoff, shows good patience following his blockers while eluding multiple defenders and breaking some tackles en route to another TD

Sorry GIF on this one was too big!

https://www.youtubetrimmer.com/view/?v=GY6jR2N352g&start=102&end=532

This is a nice play from Shenault. Lined up in the slot, beats his defender and makes a nice TD catch

Gibson is also able to beat coverage. Here he is playing in the slot, makes a nice move and blows past the corner en route to a TD

Shenault on the WR end around here. Love the power he shows as it takes about 7 guys to take him down. But watch the clip again, he runs right into that first defender, had he avoided contact he may have been able to break that one off

Not quite similar to the previous Shenault clip, as Gibson is lined up at RB. Takes the handoff, shrugging off multiple D. That juke he puts on the corner is just filthy! Shows great speed easily outrunning multiple defenders en route to a TD

It wouldn't be fair if I didn't include this clip of Shenault. He makes the corner look silly here, makes the grab and gains a couple yards before being gang tackled. It's my favorite Shenault play.

While not as pretty as Shenault's previous clip, Gibson from the slot runs a nice wheel route catching the safety flat footed and makes a nice catch en route to the end zone.

Situation

I believe that the landing spots for Shenault in Jacksonville and Gibson in Washington are actually very similar.

Both have already established #1 sophomore WR's ahead of them in Chark and McLaurin but a relatively clear path to WR volume...

.....beyond those two studs.

Both enter with a questionable QB throwing them the ball in Foles/Trubisky vs Haskins.

Both have a brand new OC taking over in 2020.

I would argue though that Fournette is the better RB than Guice, but that the RB depth beyond the starters is better quality in Washington.

How they will be deployed?

I think both players will be primarily used as a WR. Shenault splitting time between the outside and slot and maybe a play or 2 at RB.

With Gibson he appears to be most comfortable in the slot and likely to get a couple plays per game at RB.

Summary and final thoughts!