2021 NFL Draft: Sleeper Wide Receiver Dazz Newsome

The University of North Carolina is a basketball school. It has been as long as I’ve been consciously aware of sports, and it likely always will be. It’s the home of Michael Jordan, Dean Smith, and six National Championships. The football program at UNC is largely a media after-thought. But if players like 2021 NFL Draft sleeper wide receiver Dazz Newsome have anything to say about it, it won’t be for long.

With the Tar Heels basketball program floundering this season, the football squad has a rare opportunity to take some publicity back from their hard-court counterparts. Thanks to a resurgent offense with former Texas Longhorns coach Mack Brown at the helm, the Tar Heels football program is poised to take the next step on a national scale.

North Carolina isn’t ready to compete with the Clemson’s of the college football world quite yet, but with talented players like Newsome, it’s only a matter of time. Another great season from Newsome could have profound effects on not only his NFL Draft stock but recruiting for the program as a whole. But that’s a piece for another day. For now, let’s focus on Dazz Newsome and what makes him a great sleeper candidate in next year’s wide receiver class.

What makes wide receiver Dazz Newsome a sleeper?

Offenses in the NFL are continually evolving. Every offensive coordinator is looking for the next great idea that’s going to put his team over the top and have defenses reeling for years. But the more things change in the NFL, the more they stay the same. At the end of the day, if you don’t have explosive playmakers on your team, your offense isn’t likely to be successful. One of the best playmakers available in the 2021 NFL Draft is wide receiver Dazz Newsome.

Newsome may not be the fastest wide receiver available in this class. He’s probably also not the one who’s going to test best in the agility drills at the NFL Combine. But what Newsome does better than almost anyone is put it all together to make explosive plays for his team. That’s the single biggest thing that’s going to make Dazz Newsome a sleeper at the wide receiver position in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Newsome has an innate ability to get open, unlike almost anyone at the position. He is adept at varying his speed throughout his routes, flashing sudden speed to get open for his quarterback. Once the ball is in his hands, watch out! Newsome has plenty of wiggle in his game to make defenders miss and take it to the house.

Whether it’s by finding the open zone downfield, a quick-hitting bubble screen, or by giving him the ball on an end-around, you want the ball in Newsome’s hands. Newsome is that guy who you want to get the ball to in space and let him work his magic.

But that alone doesn’t make Dazz Newsome a great sleeper for this year’s NFL Draft. Plenty of receivers in the 2021 class are shifty in the open field. Many of them are the explosive playmakers that offensive coordinators are seeking. Where Newsome can separate himself in this class is with his versatility.

Versatility is a trait I’ve harped on with other players, and it’s something I’m likely to come back to again and again. It’s something I look for, and you can bet it’s something every NFL team is looking for as well. The more ways you can make yourself valuable to a team, the better your chances of success.

Newsome displays his versatility in a couple of different ways. Though he’s primarily a slot receiver, and that’s likely to be his primary position in the NFL, he’s also more than capable on the outside. He will likely struggle against press coverage at the next level, but he has good releases off the line that will help mitigate that. Newsome also displays excellent body control to make highlight catches along the sidelines.

To further display his versatility, Newsome is also outstanding in the return game. North Carolina shied away at times using the playmaker as a return specialist, but it’s a facet of his game that makes him a weapon. On any punt or kick return, Newsome is a threat to break a tackle and make a game-changing play.

What’s holding him back?

The biggest thing that could potentially hold Dazz Newsome back in the 2021 NFL Draft is competition. This WR class may not quite be of the caliber that the 2020 class is, but there is a lot of talent to be had at the position in this class as well. There is, of course, the top talents like Rondale Moore, Jaylen Waddle, and perhaps the best of the bunch, Ja’Marr Chase. Those are the top outside guys, but there’s also a good deal of competition at the slot receiver position itself, with guys like Whop Philyor and Damonte Coxie.

The competition for Newsome isn’t confined to the class he’s up against in the 2021 NFL Draft, either. And that could be the bigger hurdle for him to climb from a perception standpoint. The North Carolina football team may be unheralded, but there’s a good amount of talent on the roster. Newsome is going to have to compete with the likes of Dyami Brown and Beau Corrales for targets and yards.

Another potential factor in Dazz Newsome becoming a sleeper wide receiver in the NFL Draft could be production at the quarterback position. North Carolina was led last season by true freshman quarterback Sam Howell. Howell looked incredible last season, putting up prolific numbers in the North Carolina spread offense. In a year full of freshman talent, Howell may have been the best of the bunch on the offensive side of the ball. 

That said, he was a freshman, and we’ve seen several first-year players over the years come out of the gates hot, only to stumble in subsequent seasons. I don’t believe that’s going to happen with Howell. I think he has what it takes to be one of the top prospects available in the 2022 NFL Draft. But it is something to keep an eye on. Either way, Newsome is in a position to flourish next season.