Ja’Marr Chase a ‘faster Andre Johnson’ says NFL scout
By now, everyone knows how good Ja’Marr Chase is. I don’t have to sit here and tell you how he’s changed the Cincinnati Bengals‘ offense because you’re already well-aware of what he’s done to this point.
The Bengals received a ton of criticism for spending the fifth overall pick on Chase in the 2021 NFL Draft but no one is criticizing them now, not even if Penei Sewell turns things around.
In Matt Lombardo’s recent writeup on FanSided, a former NFL wide receiver and current NFL scout offer insight on Chase and what the rookie out of LSU has been able to accomplish this year.
One of the more notable quotes is one describing Chase as a “faster Andre Johnson“.
"“He’s got perennial Pro Bowl talent,” an NFL scout tells FanSided. “He’s big, he’s fast, athletic, with excellent hands and ball skills.”With a 6-foot-1, 200-pound frame, plus the athleticism, and the speed, Chase has a chance to be one of the best receivers in the league. If he isn’t already.“Maybe the best part about Ja’Marr’s game,” the scout adds, “is he can win on third down with size and yards after the catch. He has excellent size for contested balls. This kid is a faster Andre Johnson.”"
That’s quite the compliment, as Johnson was one heck of a receiver with the Texans during his dominant run from 2003-2013. For Chase to be compared to one of the all-time greats just seven games into his NFL career goes to show how much of a beast people think this kid will continue to be.
Ja’Marr Chase compared to Andre Johnson by NFL scout
Former Titans receiver Chris Sanders also had high praise for Chase.
"“The one thing I love that Chase does, is he lies with his eyes,” Sanders says. “He’s going opposite of where you think he’s going. And that’s why Antonio Brown and guys like that that aren’t fast with 4.2-speed create so much separation, because they win at the line of scrimmage, and they lie with their eyes, and they have burst to get out of the cuts. Chase has all of that.”"
When the Bengals took Chase with the fifth overall pick, people found it to be a head scratching decision. Here was a team that saw their star quarterback go down with an injury due to their lackluster offensive line not being able to protect him and they passed on an apparent “can’t miss” prospect in Penei Sewell.
Well, I’d say they’re doing just fine, wouldn’t you?
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Chase is well on his way to the Offensive Rookie of the Year award and he has the entire of Cincinnati amped up for what’s to come this season.