Move to TE unlikely for Notre Dame WR Chase Claypool

NFL teams often ask players who are participating in the on-field drills to show what they can do at another position.

So when Notre Dame’s Chase Claypool was asked by at least one team to run tight end drills, it didn’t come as a huge surprise after the senior measured 6-foot-4 1/4-inches and 238 pounds. Only three other receivers were at that height or taller, and none came within 10 pounds of Claypool’s weight (At 6-0 3/8-inches and 228 pounds, hybrid Memphis RB/WR Antonio Gibson was the next-closest).

Now that the Combine is over, it’s doubtful a team will want to ask Claypool to change positions any time soon.

For starters, he turned in a 40-yard dash time of 4.47, good for seventh-best and a jaw-dropping time considering his size. In terms of his other measurements, Claypool tested in the 82nd percentile or better for everything but arm length, according to MockDraftable. His weight, of course, was in the 98th percentile, but he also finished in the 93rd percentile for his vertical jump (40.5 inches), 90th percentile for his height and 84th percentile for his bench press (19 reps).

Only two wideouts to measure 6’4” & 235 pounds or bigger have run a sub-4.45 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine since 2003:

One is known as “Megatron” (Calvin Johnson). The other?

Notre Dame’s Chase Claypool at the 2020 Combine.@NDFootball @ChaseClaypool pic.twitter.com/iHByYLhnp1

— NFL Research (@NFLResearch) February 28, 2020

Afterward, Claypool was declared a “combine winner” by many media outlets.

From Pro Football Focus:

“NFL teams wanted Chase Claypool to work out as a tight end, and he might very well still be changing his position when taken in the draft in April. If he does switch, he’d be arguably the most athletic tight end in the draft. …  His inability to separate and success in contested situations will make him an intriguing Darren Waller-type weapon on offense. Not to mention, he can create some magic after the catch. He broke 14 tackles on 66 catches in 2019 — and that’s a great total for someone of his size.”

Claypool continues to rise up the Fanspeak rankings, too, as he’s now the No. 56 overall prospect in the latest Fanspeak-Steve big board.

Some position requests made by teams (player has to accept):

TE ➡️ RB
Josiah Deguara
Dalton Keene
Charlie Taumoepeau

WR ➡️ TE
Chase Claypool

WR ➡️ RB
Antonio Gibson
Malcolm Perry
Joe Reed

RB ➡️ WR
Salvon Ahmed
Raymond Calais
Clyde Edwards-Helaire
Anthony McFarland

(more) https://t.co/OywviasfJ6

— NFL Draft (@NFLDraft) February 26, 2020