Initial Thoughts on Jacoby Pinckney

With the news of South Carolina wide receiver Jacoby Pinckney's commitment to Virginia Tech, the Hokies have filled out their wide receiver class for 2019. Pinckney was the first offer in this class that really got me excited, as an heir apparent to Isaiah Ford's legacy as a standout traditional split end had not raised its hand. Pinckney will be expected to fill the same role as Ford, but he plays the position differently.

Much talk will be made about Pinckney's physical stature (6-3, 205) and ability to win jump balls. However, there is more nuance to his game. He does a masterful job of creating space through his pre-snap alignment and his precise route running. He wins reps before the ball is snapped because his alignment creates space in one-on-one situations. Then he sets up his route by feigning a different way and then crossing the corner up. Pinckney sets up fade routes with a slant fake, and he does such a good job of bending his body inside of the corner on the slant that the corner has to cheat inside consistently, even if Pinckney aligns way inside. This creates all kinds of space for fade routes. He doesn't always have to win jump balls because he creates his own space to make the play easily.

When he runs deep posts, Pinckney does a terrific job of adjusting his route vertically to maintain space between him and the inside safety help. If a quarterback is reading the centerfield safety and can throw an accurate ball, Pinckney will make them look good.

Pinckney isn't a burner, and on intermediate routes where he curls back to the ball he is a little slower getting out of his breaks. Those are the plays where he effectively uses his size to shield defenders and create a large target.

Pinckney reminds me of a much more polished Phillip Patterson. He has a similar frame, speed, and the ability to win 50/50 balls. Pinckney's route running and ability to create space through his alignment compliments his athletic ability. I am very excited about his potential.