VDT: Iowa State WR Xavier Hutchinson Is a YAC Machine

Iowa State WR Xavier Hutchinson
Iowa State wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson reaches for a pass that went incomplete against Iowa during the Cy-Hawk Series football game on Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City. Cyhawkfootball 20220910 Bh

The Minnesota Vikings have a need at wide receiver that is undeniable. However, it is not a foregone conclusion that they will use their first round pick in order to fill that need. Perhaps the Vikings will look further down the board in order to fill that WR need, but if they do who would they pick?

That brings us to Iowa State WR Xavier Hutchinson, who is the the focus of today’s edition of the Vikings Draft Thermometer series, PurplePTSD’s one-stop shop for all your 2023 NFL Draft needs.

Throughout this series, we have examined a number of prospects ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft, analyzing their strengths, weaknesses, what exactly their role could be at the NFL level, and most importantly, whether or not they could end up playing their first NFL snaps in a Vikings uniform.

Background

Mar 4, 2023; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Iowa State wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson (WO22) participates in drills at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
  • Height: 6′ 2″
  • Weight: 203 pounds
  • Arm Length: 31 3/8″
  • Hand Size: 9 3/8″
  • 40-Yard Dash: 4.53 seconds
  • 10-Yard Split: 1.55 seconds
  • Vertical Jump: 36″
  • Broad Jump: 9′ 8″
  • 3-Cone: 6.91 seconds
  • Shuttle: 4.35 seconds
  • School: Iowa State
  • Games Watched: Iowa (2022), Texas (2022), Oklahoma (2022), SE Missouri St (2022)

Statistics

Iowa State wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson explodes off the line against West Virginia during a NCAA football game at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames on Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022. Iowastatevswvu 202201105 Bh
  • 2020: 64 receptions, 771 yards, 4 TDs (12 games)
  • 2021: 83 receptions, 987 yards, 5 TDs (13 games)
  • 2022: 107 receptions, 1171 yards, 6 TDs (12 games)

Strengths

Iowa State Cyclones wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson (8) runs with the ball after making a catch around Kansas State Wildcats defensive back Julius Brents (23) during the first quarter at Jack Trice Stadium Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022, in Ames, Iowa.

Xavier Hutchinson’s combination of size and athleticism makes him a difficult cover for any defender. He has a great burst into his routes that allow him to beat press coverage, and his acceleration takes the top off a defense. His prototypical NFL size allows him to fight for passes in contested situations.

Once Hutchinson gets the ball in his hands, he’s extremely dangerous after the catch as well. He’s a slippery runner, able to use his quick feet to change directions with ease. He racked up 447 yards after the catch in 2022, ranking 25th in the NCAA according to PFF.

Hutchinson has also grown into a very versatile receiver. He played about 81% of his snaps out wide during the 2020 season, but in 2022, he had about a 70/30 split between his snaps out wide and in the slot.

Weaknesses

Iowa State wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson reaches for a pass that went incomplete against Iowa during the Cy-Hawk Series football game on Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City. Cyhawkfootball 20220910 Bh

Overall, Hutchinson really just needs to continue his all-around development before he can become a true NFL starter. He has an incomplete route tree at this time with the majority of his production coming in the middle of the field in college. He will need to learn to work the sidelines a bit better in order to diversify how he attacks defenses.

Additionally, drops were an issue for Hutchinson throughout his collegiate career. He had a total of 13 drops over the three years, and six of them came during 2022. He can’t be wasting opportunities if he wants to rise up NFL depth charts, so this must be cleaned up too.

NFL Projection

Iowa State wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson (8) breaks tackle from Southeast Missouri’s defensive back Ty Leonard and runs for a touchdown during the first quarter in the season opening home game at Jack Trice Stadium Saturday, Sep. 3, 2022, in Ames, Iowa.
  • Draft Round: Late Third-Mid Fourth
  • Immediate Role: WR3
  • Best-Case Scenario: More versatile Michael Gallup
  • Vikings Draft Temperature: 40

If the Vikings want to find depth at the wide receiver position, Xavier Hutchinson probably won’t step in and take over that WR2 role from K.J. Osborn, but if the Vikings put him in an offense along with Justin Jefferson and work towards his strengths, he could bring some immediate production to help lessen the pain of losing Adam Thielen. Ideally, they’d be able to get him in the fourth round, but using the 87th pick on him isn’t bad value, either.

Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.

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