Isaiah Likely Scouting Report / Isaiah Likely NFL Draft Profile

 

Tight End, Coastal Carolina Chanticleers #4

 

Measurements

6”4 / 240

40 Time: 4.5 (Estimated)

 

Isaiah Likely NFL Draft Player Profile

Isaiah Likely is a former 3 star recruit from Cambridge, MA, who played for Everett H.S. During his time at Everett, he helped the team win 19 straight games with back-to-back championship winning seasons. His junior season in high school, he posted an impressive statline of 59 receptions for 917 yards, and 11 touchdowns. Per ESPN, Likely was offered scholarships to 4 of 5 schools, the only one not offering being Boston College.

He ultimately signed with Coastal Carolina and has made a direct impact through his 4 years on the team. He continually improved each season and has become one of the top tight end prospects in the nation. His most notable game thus far has been his monster game against Arkansas State where he caught 8 balls for 232 yards and 4 scores. His longest touchdown being a 99 yard streak wide open down the field.

 

 

Isaiah Likely Strengths

 

Blocking

Isaiah’s ability to block at the line of scrimmage as well as downfield was one of the first skills that caught my eye after watching the tape. Coastal Carolina runs a triple option/hybrid type offense which is heavily reliant on blocking at the line of scrimmage and downfield. The coaches put an emphasis on blocking through the whole offense. At the line of scrimmage he is able to stay balanced and stay low throughout the block. He is able to take his block where it needs to go, allowing holes to be open for his running backs. His hips stay aligned on each block, and footwork is superb, making him have near perfect blocking technique.

 

Speed and RAC Ability

Isaiah is a very fast athlete, especially given his measurements at 6”4 and 240 pounds. He has very rare speed at the tight end position. For example he had a 99 yard TD reception against Arkansas State where he simply outran a safety. When given a great throw, he has the ability to run after the catch which is hard for a defensive back to handle. I would expect his 40 time to be in the 4.4-4.5 range.

 

Route Running and Release

Isaiah can run very crisp routes whether to the flat, intermediate routes, or streaks down the field. Because of his speed, he is able to run any route very fluently and able to make space to get open for the QB. He is very quick off the line when not held up at the line of scrimmage. His route running allows him to be a mismatch against both defensive backs and linebackers in coverage.

 

Size and Frame

 

Isaiah has the prototypical size of an NFL tight end at 6”4/240 when compared to some of the top tight ends in the NFL like Tavis Kelce and George Kittle. His size and frame more reminds me of Cleveland’s TE David Njoku, as they have the same build and measurements. His size helps him with run blocking and blocking down the field for his receivers after they get the ball. Also, it allows him to make the tough catches if needed in traffic. Watching the film, I didn’t see any blocks broken as he used his size and frame to his advantage making defenders unable to get around him to the runners.

 

Isaiah Likely Weaknesses

 

May Rely on Superior QB Play

As many great talents at the wide receiver and tight end positions, the receiving ability is only as good as the QB in charge of getting the ball to them. Luckily, he has had very good QB play this season at Coastal Carolina. It has allowed his receiving ability to shine brighter than his first three seasons. But if the QB position is struggling or not up to par, his production through the air will diminish.

 

Isaiah Likely NFL Draft Stock

Through his play, Isaiah has become one of the top TE prospects in the nation for the 2022 NFL Draft. His versatility as a blocker and receiving tight end can’t be ignored when comparing him to tight ends from the power five conferences. There is so much talent that I believe he could be picked as early as the late 1st round. However, there will be no way his talent will be left on the board past the second round.

I see him fitting well in a run-first pro style offense, or heavy run offense. Therefore, teams I feel he would be a great fit for are the Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens, Indianapolis Colts, or New England Patriots. These are all teams that I feel would have a great fit for his abilities. They are primarily run first teams, but can pass the ball when needed. Each of them would take advantage of all his skills as a lethal receiving threat.

 

Final Thoughts on Isaiah Likely NFL Draft Profile

 

Isaiah Likely is a very talented tight end who has everything you could want at the position in this day and age of football. He still has the old school skills with run blocking at the line of scrimmage and downfield. He has the route running and release of the line that will make any NFL scout drool. Finally, he has speed for a tight end his size that is not often seen. His best fit would be a balanced pro style offense, or run first offense, as he has the skills to succeed in either type of offense. I would not be surprised if he is used as a receiving tight end at the professional level. Teams are always looking for the next great tight end. Expect him to be at the top of each team’s draft board throughout the off season.

Isaiah Likely NFL Comparison: When comparing Likely’s attributes to who he most resembles in the NFL currently, I see a comparison to Evan Engram coming out of Ole Miss. Though Likely is a superior run blocker to Engram, the receiving part of Likely’s game is very similar to Engrams. I would expect any team that gets Isaiah Likely to take advantage of his blocking abilities.

Isaiah Likely NFL Draft Profile by Keith Libby