The 2023 WR draft class could create an interesting dilemma for Mike McCarthy

As it pertains to personnel and how a specific coach likes to build the roster, just about every NFL coach has certain criteria they go by when evaluating potential prospects. Mike McCarthy is no exception to the rule. Over the years since becoming a head coach with the Green Bay Packers, and now with the Dallas Cowboys, he’s shown certain tendencies when targeting a particular position. That’s especially true at wide receiver.

As we all know, McCarthy is an offensive-minded head coach. His coaching background has all been on the offensive side of the ball and it’s that background that has turned him into the coach he is today. By now he knows how to build a roster and the type prospect he prefers at a specific position.

Today, we are going to focus our attention at wide receiver where the Cowboys could be looking to get more help for Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb.

You may or may not be aware of it, but Mike McCarthy’s tendency as it pertains to drafting wide receivers seems to revolve around the idea that bigger is better. Of the 22 receivers he’s drafted as head coach of both the Packers and Cowboys, only four of them have been 6-foot or under.

1. Greg Jennings (5’11”, 198)
2. Corey Rogers (5’11”, 188)
3. Randall Cobb (5’10”, 195)
4. Ty Montgomery (6’0”, 216)

That’s a pretty big discrepancy, and one that could impact how the Cowboys go about targeting the position in the 2023 NFL Draft. While this draft tendency could certainly be taken with a grain of salt, it shouldn’t be completely ruled out either. And this year WR draft class looks to be packed full with plenty of sub 6-foot receivers.

Dane Brugler’s Top 15 WR rankings

1. Jordan Addison (6’0”, 180) - USC
2. Quentin Johnson (6’4”, 215) - TCU
3. Jaxon Smith-Njigba (6’1”, 193) - Ohio State
4. Josh Downs (5’10”, 175) - North Carolina
5. Jalin Hyatt (6’0”, 185) - Tennessee
6. Rashee Rice (6’1”, 203) - SMU
7. Tyler Scott (5’11”, 185) - Cincinnati
8. A.T. Perry (6’4”, 203) - Wake Forest
9. Zay Flowers (5’9”, 170) - Boston College
10. Cedric Tillman (6’3”, 214) - Tennessee
11. Kayshon Boutte (6’0”, 205) - LSU
12. Parker Washington (5’10”, 205) - Penn State
13. Dontayvion Wicks (6’2”, 202) - Virginia
14. Marvin Mims (5’11”, 180) - Oklahoma
15. Jonathan Mingo (6’2”, 220) - Ole Miss

As you can see, of Dane Brugler’s Top 15 wide receivers in the 2023 NFL Draft only seven of them fit the threshold Mike McCarthy seems to prefer at the position. That’s a little less than half, meaning if the Cowboys are looking to add more WR help, it potentially cuts down the players they could be interested in significantly.

Come “Draft Day”, it’s going to be really interesting to see if Mike McCarthy breaks away from his proven tendencies as it pertains to the wide receiver position or if he stays true to his preferred criteria. One way or the other, it could create quite the interesting discussion behind closed doors in the “War Room”.