Jacob Cowing, WR, Arizona
Size:
Height: 5’8”
Weight: 165 pounds
Arm Length: 29”
Hand Size: 9”
Accomplishments:
All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention (2023, 2022) • First Team All-Conference USA (2021) • Second Team All-Conference USA (2020)
“Jacob Cowing is a quick-footed and twitchy route-runner who can be a constant chain-mover in the NFL.”
Strengths:
Quick-twitch route-running
Sudden and quick mover
First-down maker
Usage versatility
Concerns:
Catch radius
Concentration drops
Playing through contact
Smaller size/stature
Film Analysis:
Jacob Cowing began his career at UTEP before transferring and spending the last two seasons at Arizona. Predominantly aligned in the slot, Cowing is used on pre-snap motions and given manufactured touches in space. Cowing is a good option route and chain-mover out of the slot. He has converted 146 receptions into first downs over the last three seasons.
Route-running is his best trait. Cowing stems his routes with good leverage and tempo to sell an illusion to the DB. He has good quickness and suddenness at the breakpoint of his routes to create initial separation/space.
Cowing’s route tempo and patience are good with a veteran feel to them. He rarely rushes or speeds up his process. This allows him to sell his initial movements to set DBs up. Cowing is a good change-of-direction route-runner—routes like pivots, jerk/shake, whip, speed, and blaze outs. I appreciate his spatial awareness versus zone and soft coverages. He gets to his spots quickly. If a scramble drill ensues, he continues to work on the move with his QB. Staying in the QB’s point of view.
Cowing has rough moments versus hard press coverage where DBs can get their hands on him in the contact window. He has not shown the functional strength to fight through contact early in reps. Contact will slow down his progress upfield as he attempts to enter his routes. This can be fixed, to a degree, with quicker and more decisive releases to slip and counter DBs’ punches. He doesn’t appear to have the best arm length and it limits what he can accomplish at the catch point away from his frame in tight man-to-man coverage. Consistent concentration drops throughout his college career are something that will need to change for NFL quarterbacks to trust him consistently.
Cowing projects as a quick-twitch slot receiver tasked with winning quickly and efficiently. He can sparingly play on the outside effectively. His combination of route-running, quickness, and open-field speed makes him an ideal isolation target. He can be a good WR3 for an NFL offense. His game has some similarities to Detroit Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown.
Prospect Projection: Day 2 — Adequate Starter
Written By: Damian Parson
Exposures: UCLA (2023), Oklahoma (2023), Arizona St. (2023), USC (2023), Oregon (2022)
