On Monday, Ole Miss strength and conditioning coach Paul Jackson tweeted a list of the top five power cleans (a lift that requires one to take a very heavy weight from the floor to your shoulders) on the team. A surprise entry? Sophomore wide receiver D.K. Metcalf, who ranked fifth with a lift of 350 pounds.
Easy Money!!! 350LB pic.twitter.com/BfrOVk5LPj
— Terrence O. Metcalf (@Metcalf79) May 2, 2017
Now you may not be familiar enough with a power clean to know what is and isn’t impressive. But just consider the other guys on the list with Metcalf:
- 314-pound offensive guard Daronte Bouldin (370-pound lift)
- 243-pound tight end Dawson Knox (367-pound lift)
- 290-pound defensive tackle Breeland Speaks (355-pound lift)
- 260-pound defensive end Charles Wiley (355-pound lift)
So yea, a sophomore wide receiver who weighs 224 pounds lifting 350 is pretty damn impressive. Metcalf has 6’4 height and some vertical ups to go along with that power, which makes him a handful for corners in jump ball situations. The former four-star had just two receptions before a broken foot ended his freshman season... both went for beastly red zone touchdowns.
Oh and don’t worry, the dude has plenty of athleticism to go with that size and power. Check him flick the highlight stick in the spring game:
Judging from spring practice, D.K. has already hammered down a spot as one of the starting outside receivers, where he’s a prime candidate to be one of the SEC’s breakout performers. The guy on the opposite side of the formation will be 6’1, 225-pound A.J. Brown, giving young quarterback Shea Patterson a pair of monster wideouts to target. Throw in slot receiver Van Jefferson, who had 49 grabs for 543 yards as a freshman last season, and it’s gonna be difficult for defensive coordinators to choose who to cover.