Nathaniel “Tank” Dell Has All the Makings of a Great Receiver

First Round Mock’s Thomas Morris sees Houston’s wide receiver Nathaniel “Tank” Dell as a dangerous weapon in the NFL, but what round will he go in?

What does Tank Dell bring to the draft board?

This receiver’s stock has skyrocketed since his appearance in the Senior Bowl, but is he first round worthy?

At first glance, his size could cause concern (5-foot-10, 165 pounds), and he undoubtedly needs to put on some weight. However, this shouldn’t scare teams away, because he can hold his own.

The Senior Bowl hype isn’t for nothing because Dell was additionally extremely productive at Houston. While his statistics don’t display is full impact, make no mistake, he struck fear into every defense he faced due to his ability to turn any catch into six points.

This Houston receiver constantly burnt corners, whether it be on the inside or the outside.

Dell’s route running combined with his explosiveness and speed created problems for every defense he faced.

Here’s the fact of the matter – – Dell is a playmaker who’s great with the ball in his hands, thriving at picking up yardage after making the grab as well. After making the catch and securing it, he transitions into becoming a runner, which minimizes the chances of a drop or fumble. From there, the way he uses his skillset to get open and weave through defenders is a sight to behold.

Dell made a habit of constantly making defenders look lost due to his ability to change direction with ease.

How shifty he is?

Well, he can maneuver around defenders without doing much or getting caught in a loss of yardage.

When it came to tracking the ball, no problem there either.

Dell’s awareness of the play and finding the open spaces in the defense during scramble drills at the Senior Bowl practices was impressive to say the least.

Two sides to every coin

So, what are the negatives?

He can become neutralized at times when corners outmuscled him in press coverage.

He’s also not the greatest at contested catches, but he does manage to sometimes come down with the ball in traffic.

Dell doesn’t always catch with his hands, and sometimes has to readjust after catching with his body. There were a few drops – – here and there – – but that was a rare occurrence.

His blocking leaves much to be desired, and his length along with his catch radius won’t scare many defenses at the next level.

What’s the take away?

-Explosive Release

-Smooth Route Running

-Elusive and Slippery with the ball in his hands

-Great body control helps him keep his feet inbound on difficult sideline catches

-Extremely Dangerous in space

-Doesn’t get bullied on contested catches despite his size

-Strong Hands

-Footwork and ball carrier moves allow him to make defenders look foolish in the open field

Where Does He Fit In?

Dell’s performance during the Senior Bowl week improved his stock, and now it would be surprising if he falls past the third-round.

There’s no doubt Dell has the makings of being a major weapon for an NFL offense. The receiver class this year is one of the weakest in recent memory. This could be to Dell’s advantage, allowing him to sneak into the first-round in some circumstances.

At minimum Dell could become an elite kick returner, but with the right fit that plays to his strengths, he could make an instant impact.

Send the card in based on this game film study

Draft Grade: Second-Round (mid-to-late)

Games Evaluated: (click to view games used to form this evaluation)

SMU ’22

Tulane ’22

UTSA ’22

Thomas Morris is a lifelong football fan that has an immense passion for the game and prides himself on having an eye for talent throughout all 7 rounds of the draft. He’s a dedicated Seahawks and South Carolina Gamecocks’ fan that has an instinct for discovering gems in the later rounds.  He writes for FirstRoundMock.com covering the NFL draft and can be found on Twitter @tjm2332.