The man who is undefeated in tag, Chatarius “TuTu” Atwell, is by far one of the most intriguing prospects in the 2021 NFL Draft. His jaw-dropping speed and big-play ability combine to create some of the greatest highlights from this year’s prospects; however, he has some extreme flaws that may cripple any chance of his success in the NFL. Only time will tell if this player will be a gem or a bust.
Make sure to check out all of our other 2021 NFL Draft Scouting Reports.
Player Bio
Name: Chatarius Atwell
Jersey: #1
Position: Wide Receiver
School: Louisville
Class: Junior
Height: 5’9”
Weight: 165 lbs
Hands (3.25/10)
Atwell is the primary target of the Louisville offense. His reception totals may appear lackluster for a primary target (four receptions per game in 2020); however, his quarterback, Malik Cunningham, completes less than 20 passes a game, leaving Atwell with 20 percent of the team’s receptions. Due to his athletic traits, along with the unique scheme at Louisville, Atwell is placed in a variety of roles, each commanding a different section of the field, each requiring a different receiving skillset. Whether he is targeted 30 yards downfield or two yards in the backfield, his hands are required to perform to their peak efficiency.
He has dealt with drops throughout his career, even letting the ball fly straight through his hands. That is a red flag that most likely stems from his slight frame being at risk of injury from opposing defenders, possibly causing him to pay more attention to the field than to the ball. Atwell has to spend plenty of time on the Jugs machine before the combine to improve his draft stock.
One more note: Atwell tends to fumble the ball. In the three full games watched, he either fumbled or dropped the ball over five times. That may not sound like a lot, but check how many receptions he gets a game. That is a scary rate. Teams are taking a long shot on Atwell staying in the NFL with the hands he possesses today.
Contested Catch (2.25/10)
It does not take an expert scout to realize the fact that Atwell is simply useless in contested catch situations at his size. His lack of catching ability combined with his toothpick frame combine for arguably the worst contested catching frame in the entire draft. If any quarterback looks for Atwell to win a one-on-one jump ball against a corner weighing 20 or more pounds than him, that quarterback needs to get sent to the bench immediately. In short, Atwell needs to be targeted downfield due to separation, not desperation. If you want the tape to show his uselessness in these situations, look no further than Syracuse (2020) in the first quarter.
Straight Line Speed (9.25/10)
Watch out, Atwell is a speed demon. Every touch sends an army of butterflies to the defensive coordinator’s stomachs. His speed is almost unmatched by any athlete in the NCAA. All there is to say is hats off to the recruiters at Louisville, who combined arguably the fastest trio in CFB (Atwell, Javian Hawkins, and Cunningham). It is said that Atwell was undefeated in tag as a child (and it shows).
Short Area Burst (8/10)
One word: vroom. Atwell’s acceleration is reminiscent of a Chevrolet Camaro ZL1: after a quarter second of lag, he becomes a rocket. If it were not for that slightly slow get-off, Atwell would have possibly the greatest acceleration in the entire class, only rivaled by Jaelon Darden. As Drake once said, he goes 0-100 real quick. He demonstrates this burst both in his runs and routes, which is crucial for separation.
After the Catch (3.25/10)
What a disappointment. For a man to have such speed, such burst, you would think he could make a man miss, right? Think again: Atwell cannot seem to break tackles whatsoever, nor apply any special moves to gain separation. It is obvious that he relies solely on his speed over his technique, and that is worrisome. The Cardinals use Braden Smith as their “end-around” touch-pass guy, which should raise major red flags with the immense athlete they have in Atwell. This is a tip for looking at all players in college, especially when projecting them to the NFL: watch how their team uses them because they know the strengths and weaknesses usually better than the draft community does. The Cardinal’s offense supports this rating with their treatment of their deep threat.
Release (5/10)
Out of the three full games watched (not to mention the other games before this report), zero had any reps where Atwell was pressed. Zero. The score needs to therefore reflect average (which, according to NFL scouting profiles, 5/10 is average). Given his bereftness of talent at the contested catch game, this score most likely should be lower, but ignorance is bliss for Atwell in this category.
Route Running (6.5/10)
Atwell uses his quick feet to make some clean cuts that NFL players try to emulate. Watch against Boston College (2020) in the late first quarter, and you will see that he makes his defensive back appear to be wearing ice skates, as Atwell made a crisp cut to become open (let’s not talk about how he fumbled seconds later). This said, he tends to have a hard time doing box routes (hard-cutting ins and outs). Other than those two routes, Atwell looks as smooth running his routes as any WR in this class.
Separation (7.75/10)
Atwell can separate like no one’s business. Whether it is through his quick feet on a slant. or through his game-breaking speed on a streak or simply a combination of the two, Atwell finds ways to separate. His score determines that his separation is borderline elite, especially for a draftee. His score was brought down from 8.25 due to his difficulty to run hard-cutting routes.
Positional Versatility (4/10)
Check out the “after the catch” portion of this report to understand why Atwell is useless apart from as a slot or deep threat. To give a quick summary: apart from speed, quick slants, and deep routes, there is no use for Atwell in any lineup. Louisville uses him as a decoy to open up other lanes, so his score is boosted from a 3.5 to a 4 due to that.
Competitive Toughness (5/5)
Atwell is selfless, almost to the point of stupidity. Look at his player bio: he is 165 pounds. Against Miami, he blocked Bubba Bolden, their strong safety. Yes, reread that: their strong safety was blocked by a 165-pound slot receiver. This was not ineffective either: Atwell fared well blocking him, especially given his physical disadvantages. There are zero plays off for this energizer bunny.
Injury (2.5/5)
At his size, Atwell is bound for injuries, and his career is unfortunately riddled with them. That is the price to pay for the game-breaking speed and burst that he possesses. Unfortunately, the future does not look bright for Atwell, and his career projects to be a short-lived one unless he puts on weight and is kept away from consistent contact.
Player Summary
Atwell is the definition of a bipolar prospect: he either scores well or simply substandard. Get this man a Jugs machine! His brick hands and butterfingers combine to create a real problem for Atwell to get any chance to even step off the practice field, let alone start. This player is by far the biggest surprise from the excitement experienced through his splash plays. Digging into the tape truly uncovered the horrors that may make Atwell become an undrafted product with unlimited potential.
Final Grade (56.75/100): Late-Sixth Round
Player Comp: (shorter and slower) John Ross
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