We all remember that photo. You know the one—DK Metcalf looking less like a wide receiver and more like a Greek god chiseled from granite, standing next to AJ Brown. It went viral before the dk metcalf draft pick even happened, and it set the stage for one of the most confusing slides in NFL history.
How does a human being that big and that fast fall to the end of the second round?
It’s honestly wild when you look back at it. We’re talking about a guy who stands 6-foot-3, weighs nearly 230 pounds, and runs a 4.33-second 40-yard dash. That’s superhero stuff. Yet, on draft night in 2019, 63 players heard their names called before him. Eight wide receivers were taken before the Seattle Seahawks finally traded up to grab him at pick No. 64.
The Red Flags That Scared the League
NFL scouts are a paranoid bunch. They love measurables, but they absolutely hate "risky" medical reports. Metcalf had plenty of the latter. At Ole Miss, his college career was basically a series of "what ifs" because he couldn't stay on the field.
In 2016, his freshman year ended after just two games because of a foot injury. Then came the big one in 2018: a neck injury. He only played seven games that final season. When NFL teams see "neck" and "surgery" in the same sentence, they usually start looking at other prospects. It’s scary.
But it wasn't just the injuries. There was also the "three-cone" incident.
🔗 Read more: A qué hr juega Barcelona: La guía real para no perderte ni un minuto del Barça
During the NFL Combine, Metcalf put up numbers that were literally off the charts. His vertical jump was 40.5 inches. He benched 225 pounds 27 times. But then he ran the three-cone drill—a test of lateral agility and change-of-direction—in 7.38 seconds.
To put that in perspective, that’s slower than most offensive linemen.
Suddenly, the narrative shifted. The "experts" decided he was a "one-trick pony." They thought he could only run in a straight line. If you asked him to run a slant or a double-move? Forget about it. They pictured him as a guy who would just run go-routes and get jammed at the line of scrimmage by more agile cornerbacks.
Who Was Taken Before Him?
Looking back at the wide receivers selected before the dk metcalf draft pick is a trip down memory lane that most fans of those teams would rather avoid.
- Marquise "Hollywood" Brown (Ravens, 25th overall) - Good player, but hasn't had the dominant impact DK has.
- N'Keal Harry (Patriots, 32nd overall) - This is the one that still keeps Patriots fans up at night. He struggled to even stay on a roster while Metcalf was shattering records.
- Deebo Samuel (49ers, 36th overall) - Honestly, the only other superstar in this specific group. Deebo is a beast, so the Niners get a pass.
- A.J. Brown (Titans, 51st overall) - Metcalf's college teammate. Another absolute stud.
- Mecole Hardman (Chiefs, 56th overall) - Fast, but mostly a gadget player.
- J.J. Arcega-Whiteside (Eagles, 57th overall) - Philly fans still haven't forgiven the front office for this one.
- Parris Campbell (Colts, 59th overall) - Injuries have unfortunately defined his career.
- Andy Isabella (Cardinals, 62nd overall) - He was the "speed" pick, but he never really found his footing in the league.
Seattle saw what everyone else missed—or ignored. They saw a guy who was willing to work. They saw a player who actually enjoyed blocking. Most importantly, they had Russell Wilson, a quarterback who excelled at the deep ball. It was a match made in heaven.
The Day of the Draft
The actual moment of the dk metcalf draft pick was incredibly emotional. There’s a famous video of DK sitting in a room, phone in hand, crying as Pete Carroll tells him they’re taking him. He had waited two days. He had seen "lesser" players taken ahead of him. He was frustrated, and honestly, he should have been.
Seattle traded their 77th and 118th picks to the New England Patriots to move up to 64. Think about that. The Patriots traded out of the spot that could have landed them Metcalf, just after they had already taken N'Keal Harry. It's one of those draft-day "butterfly effect" moments that changed two franchises forever.
Why It Still Matters
DK Metcalf didn't just meet expectations; he pulverized them. In his very first game, he set a Seahawks franchise record for receiving yards by a rookie in their debut (89 yards). He followed that up by breaking the NFL record for most receiving yards by a rookie in a playoff game (160 yards against the Eagles).
He proved that agility drills in gym shorts don't always translate to the football field. In pads, he’s a nightmare. He uses his size to "box out" defenders like a basketball player. His "limited" route tree? He worked on it. He became a nuanced target who could win at all three levels of the field.
And let's be real—the 2025 trade to the Pittsburgh Steelers just added another chapter to the saga. Whether he's in Seattle or Pittsburgh, the chip on his shoulder from being the 64th pick is still clearly there.
What We Can Learn From the 64th Pick
If you're following the draft or scouting players, there are a few "DK lessons" to keep in mind:
- Don't over-index on one bad drill. The three-cone matters, but it isn't everything. Functional football speed is different from "shorts and a t-shirt" speed.
- System fit is king. Metcalf landed with a coach who believed in his strengths and a QB who could utilize them. If he had gone to a team with a check-down-heavy offense, he might have flopped.
- Bet on the work ethic. Everyone saw the muscles, but few saw the hours he spent in the film room trying to fix his footwork.
For anyone tracking player development, keep an eye on "physical outliers" who fall due to medical concerns. History shows that when those guys hit, they hit big. You should definitely go back and watch his 2019 Combine highlights alongside his rookie season tape—it's a masterclass in how raw talent evolves into professional dominance.
Analyze the current draft class for receivers with high "Release" scores but low agility times; you might just find the next draft-day steal.