By: Matt Bressington

Slot receivers are a special breed in all levels of football, from high school to the NFL. The Slot is often refered to as the “Get out of jail free card” on the field. Rarely the Quarterbacks first read, but always reliable. Over the last week I have analyzeded and evaluated a player that is the prototype example of the Slot Receiver- Otis Newbury.

Otis has played football at nearly every possible level within the UK scene. Starting in the BACL, Moving to Bristol PRIDE, continuing onto the Prem Division with the Aztecs and representing GB U19. With the possibility of playing Stateside next season a collection of NCAA D2 and possible NCAA D1 schools have already expressed interest. Only 8 games into Otis’ season he has already recorded the following numbers:

• 565 yards receiving on 35 catches (16.1 Yards Per Catch)
• 8 Touchdowns
• Average of 9 yards after the catch
• 9 catches for over 20 yards each

To really breakdown a player we need to look at four key factors. First of which is Competition. There is no doubt Otis has played the best competition there is, as an 18-year-old he has already played the following: Birmingham Lions, Cologne Crocodiles, London Blitz, Paris All-Stars (France U19) among many others, so there is no doubt at the level is he playing. Secondly, Big playability. As mentioned earlier, he can deliver one Touchdown, 4 catches for 70 yards and one 20+ yard catch in a game, for anyone else this would be a great game but for him, it’s considered an average day.

The next two factors are based on critical analysis, his strengths and weaknesses. Right off the bat, during many of his catches, Otis has a tremendous ability to track the ball over his shoulder for example, his catches against Blitz or Farnham. He can create yards of space with his crisp Post and out-route footwork, as well as his quick release where he consistently moves from the snap to the 10-yard line, in only 1.6 seconds. Lastly, his possession catches and knowing the down and distance is a clear indication of the football IQ he possesses (VS Crocodiles). This is definitely something that will be on the radar of football scouts. The last factor we need to look at is weaknesses, every player has them and most of them can be fixed with specialised coaching. However, in Otis’ case, he can be considered to be undersized by standing at 5’8, this means he is susceptible to being a victim of big hits across the middle. Even though this can be a weakness for Otis, he has successfully gained an extra 30lbs and has more room to bulk out. Another weakness can be that he is exclusive to the Slot and doesn’t move to the wideout making defensive reads slightly easier from a Defences’ perspective. Lastly if/when he faces a big bodied slot Corner, he may struggle to get off the break and into the open space.

To conclude, Otis Newberry is a true talent with great potential to compete at the NCAA division 2 level. An easy pro comparison to Otis would be D.J Moore of the Carolina Panthers. Both of these Slot Recievers share the same amount of yardage through 8 games, and share a similar playing style. He is a coach’s dream and will always be money for a first down or a post across the field for the Touchdown.

Dream Elite. Teach Elite. Be Elite. We are Europe’s Elite! Check out Otis’s highlight tape below.

https://www.hudl.com/video/3/10217764/5d44c70d5eedad19803acc1f