Now that the 2018 NFL Draft is complete, dynasty fantasy football decisions are on the line. As a former high school football coach and educator by trade, one of my passions include providing film-based reviews on rookie prospects and focusing on their strengths and weakness which may assist other fantasy football enthusiasts in their evaluations.

After reviewing three of his games, here’s my scouting report on former Texas Tech and current Houston Texans wide receiver Keke Coutee:

[Note: Most of these game videos are available via YouTube and Draft Breakdown]

WR Keke Coutee, Houston (Pick #103)
5’11” | 180 lbs.
College: Texas Tech

Games Studied

Houston, Baylor (2016), Kansas (2016)

Cons

What did the Texas Tech offensive scheme create versus what the Keke Coutee brought to the table? Coutee was featured as a receiver but was offered some handoffs and opportunities as a returner as well. However, only Wes Welker and Michael Crabtree have found success in the NFL as TTU alumni, unless you hold Miami Dolphins returner Jakeem Grant to the same regard. I watched Coutee get knocked around a lot while running routes, especially when he lined up on the outside. Surely the Texans coaching staff, which includes Welker, can protect the young wide receiver by putting him in the slot, right? Coutee’s size could be seen as limiting, but remember that the Steelers Antonio Brown is an inch shorter and a pound heavier. While they are not within the same wide receiver hemisphere as talent is concerned, Brown still proves Yoda’s adage, “size matters not.”

Coutee does not win many contested throws and has a difficult time shielding the pigskin from defenders which leads to a lot of pass deflections that only assist the defense. He is not very physical, either. He goes down easily after contact and shows varied efforts while blocking for his teammates. None of these issues are perceived as fatal flaws, and perhaps Welker can coach him up, but Coutee remains far from a finished product. Of course with outside receivers DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller, he will not be the focus of defenses at the start of his career.

Pros

Coutee’s 4.43 40-yard dash at the Combine certainly caused a few heads to turn, and I don’t believe it stops there. He appears even faster on deeper routes. Most college defenses used bracket coverage (one defender high and one low) against him to prevent him from taking a quick out or short screen the distance. The wide receiver shows no hesitation catching passes across the middle of the field and is willing to take the punishment that follows. With the entire route tree in play, he will be a nice asset for a young quarterback to target as Coutee will almost always be facing single coverage while Hopkins and Fuller keep the majority of the defense’s focus.

Coutee’s effectiveness starts with his ability to force separation. When he creates room between himself and the defender, it allows the wide receiver to catch the ball uncontested and in stride. The former Texas Tech wideout adjusts his body well to the ball in the air, making spectacular grabs with room to run. He looks like a running back out in the open field with his ability to find the cut back lanes and has developed spin move that exploits his bouncy feet and loose hips. This open field aggressiveness could find Coutee more touches in the return game as well, which would only increase his value in leagues that value return yardage and/or touchdowns.

Overall Impressions

Coutee might be a product of the Texas Tech offensive scheme and he certainly got bullied around when he didn’t create separation. However, with two talented receiving teammates and a position coach from his alma mater that is familiar with his style of play, the wide receiver might not have as big of an obstacle to overcome before making an immediate impact.  

Most probably, Coutee will not be on the minds of your league mates early. According to MyFantasyLeague’s ADP, he is currently being drafted as the 15th wide receiver and 46th player overall in most dynasty rookie drafts. At this price, should be a good-to-great value in the third round and beyond.

Thanks for reading. I will continue to generate and discuss 2018 rookie scouting reports with you leading up to the start of the NFL season so be sure to keep an eye on DTC for new content. You can also follow me on Twitter @AndrewMiley.