The NFL is a copycat league, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see teams start to look toward smaller players who rely on athleticism and explosiveness to win in space with fresh eyes. After all, a team who appeared in the last two Super Bowls features one such player.
It also just so happens that the 2021 NFL Draft features a number of players who would have previously been dismissed as “gadget players” and relegated to special teams. Players like Demetric Felton, who has played both running back and wide receiver for UCLA. Felton was one of the standout performers at the 2021 Reese’s Senior Bowl, showing that he has the ability to contribute in both the running and passing game against NFL caliber opponents, under NFL coaching.