The Player
If you are looking for one of the most under-the-radar receiving talents in the NFL, Cody Latimer resides near the top of that list. Buried on a talented depth chart, the former second-round pick is just biding his time before he can showcase his talents on the field.
While his 2014 rookie season was a disaster due to admittedly not understanding the playbook, Latimer has the talent to exceed expectations this coming season. It starts with his size and speed, the two things you can't coach in football. Based on his pre-draft measurables, here are a few players he resembles athletically.
| Name | Hght | Wght | 40 yd | Bnch | Vert | Broad |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cody Latimer | 6' 2" | 215 | 4.44 | 23 | 39" | |
| Miles Austin | 6' 2" | 215 | 4.47 | 21 | 40½" | 123" |
| Alshon Jeffery | 6' 2⅞" | 216 | 4.48 | 36½" | 122" | |
| Cordarrelle Patterson | 6' 2" | 216 | 4.42 | 37" | 128" | |
| Michael Floyd | 6' 3" | 220 | 4.47 | 16 | 36" | 122" |
| Julio Jones | 6' 3" | 220 | 4.34 | 17 | 38½" | 135" |
| Charles Johnson | 6' 2" | 215 | 4.39 | 14 | 39½" | 133" |
| Breshad Perriman | 6' 2" | 212 | 4.28 | 18 | 36½" | 127" |
While Miles Austin's career has been tainted due to injury, Latimer possesses a similar skillset that should allow him to be a productive weapon when the opportunity presents itself. He may not have the massive ceiling of a player like Julio Jones, but few players do. His talent easily makes him capable of being a high-end second wide receiver, and he is a player worth monitoring throughout the preseason.
The Opportunity
Patience will be a virtue when it comes to the incredibly talented Cody Latimer.
Sitting behind talents such as Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders limits his value, as does an aging Peyton Manning. But if you are betting on talent to emerge, Latimer has more of it than any unproven player on this roster and is an injury away from being a big target in a Manning-led attack (which is a good place to be).
While many assume he could "replace" at least some of the targets (60) and touchdowns (12) from the departed Julius Thomas, it is more likely that the team looks to run the ball more consistently to preserve the arm of their 39-year-old quarterback, though the team already ranked just 19th in pass-to-run ratio last year and 12th in total run plays.
After receiving just 39 snaps his rookie season, Latimer has been very impressive in training camp and is certainly a player to watch heading into this preseason. In a Peyton Manning-led offense, any player who has talent and the prospect of being a major weapon in this Broncos attack is worth watching.