Virginia Football: NFL Draft Profile: Canaan Severin

You would think that a 6'2" 215 lb WR who finished 6^th in the ACC in receiving would garner an invite to the NFL Combine. You would think he would be getting looks from NFL scouts and GMs. You would think that a guy who can do this would generate some interest from the NFL:

You'd be wrong.

ESPN draft gurus Mel Kiper and Todd McShay each have 300 prospects ranked and Severin isn't on either list. Obviously, those lists aren't the same that NFL teams have, but it says something about the lack of interest in Canaan Severin.

So why has Severin received almost no interest from the NFL? Honestly, your guess is as good as mine.

Perhaps it is because his overall career production is on the low side. This is largely due to a couple of wasted years. He played as a true freshman, but saw action in only a handful of plays on offense. He had 1 reception. His second year wasn't much better, with 5 receptions and mostly special teams action. He was hurt because the team lacked depth and the coaching staff was lost.

Another factor huring Severin was his inability to work out at UVA's Pro Day because of a hamstring injury. His estimated 40 time is in the 4.5-4.6 second range (not bad for his size), but teams needed to see his agility and his strength.

Severin broke out as a third year, with 42 receptions and 578 yards and then had 54 receptions for 759 yards as a fourth year. None of those numbers look particularly impressive, but keep in mind the problems the Hoos have had on offense during Severin's career. With an uninventive offensive coordinator and a host of problems at QB, Severin's production looks much more impressive.

Take his outing against Notre Dame this past season. Notre Dame's defense wasn't quite as good as it's been in past years, but it's still Notre Dame. Severin was responsible for more than half of the team's passing offense nearly 40% of the team's total offense. The fact that he wasn't able to repeat those numbers in other games was, at least in part, due to offensive coordinator Steve Fairchild's ineptitude.

In Severin, an NFL team would get a tall WR with decent speed and outstanding hands. He's a good route runner, and a very good blocker. He's not a guy who is going to take a short pass and go the distance, but he is a guy who can be used near the goalline on a jumpball or a fade route. Severin is also a good teammate who was named a team captain this year, isn't a show-off, and isn't likely to get into trouble off the field.

If Severin is drafted, it'll be late. Probably 6^th or 7^th round. If he's not drafted, he'll likely get a plethora of training camp invites. He'd be wise to choose a team that lacks a big, possession WR. It might take a year or two for him to get his NFL career going, but he is talented enough to get there.