2022 NFL Draft Prospect Profile: WR Bo Melton, Rutgers

The Giants have, at least in the past, looked down the turnpike at Rutgers for training camp prospects. Receiver Bo Melton is sure to be one such prospect who gets a look.

Bo Melton, WR

Height: 5’11
Weight: 194 lbs.
Class: RS Senior
School: Rutgers

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Melton is a former four-star recruit from Cedar Creek High School in Egg Harbor City, New Jersey. Melton’s parents were both athletes at Rutgers; his father, Gary, played football and his mother, Victoria, was a basketball champion. His younger brother, Max, is a cornerback on Rutgers, and his older brother, Gary Jr, played football at Delaware State University.

Melton was a 2021 and 2020 team captain that finished third-team All-Big Ten in 2021 (Pro Football Focus). He played in 56 career games. He ranks sixth in program history with 164 career receptions. He had 11 touchdowns in his career and 2,037 receiving yards. Melton recorded 56 catches on 91 targets for 642-yards and three touchdowns in 2021.

Melton was the offensive MVP for Rutgers in 2021. His route tree consisted of quick hitches against off-coverage, deep over routes, and he was consistently asked to stretch the field vertically and horizontally, with double moves built into his routes. Melton’s playmaking potential is interesting. He was the 2022 Reese’s Senior Bowl, snagging two catches for 18 yards and a long of 10.

Strengths

• Playmaking capability and big play-ability
• Very good athlete for NFL standards
• Has deep speed, gets vertical in a hurry
• Excellent COD, and is very fluid/smooth when running routes
• Showed solid release ability against press
• Quick feet, different release packages
• Quick acceleration and stop on a dime, quick COD skills in and out of breaks
• A natural separator due to athletic capabilities
• Also has nuance to his routes - understands how to manipulate leverage
• Uses head and shoulder fakes and quickly eats into off coverage
• Good processing against C3 teams on quick hitches, flowing away from defenders
• Solid ability to adjust to the football in the air
• Fights for yardage, good low center of gravity, plays balanced
• Good in space with the football - had plenty of designed touches at Rutgers
• Isn’t the biggest but does a solid job blocking
• A tough, loyal player

View all of Nick Falato's draft prospect profiles right here / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Needs to Improve

• Listed at 5’11, but that is generous
• Not the biggest frame and his catch radius is modest
• Would lose the ball too often on deeper routes
• Concentration, dropped way too many footballs (17 collegiate drops)
• Marginal contested catch ability
• Need better ball skills to be a starter in the NFL
• Took questionable angles to DBs with depth when blocking

Summary

Overall, the movement skills of Bo Melton are impressive and NFL caliber. He does a good job of creating separation in a variety of ways. He quickly accelerates and gets vertical while also displaying the ability to sink his hips and come back to the football on comebacks/hitches. 

The Senior Bowl was a great opportunity for Melton to showcase his quickness and speed, but he has to do a better job holding onto the football. Windows in the NFL are very tight, and contested catches in traffic aren’t Melton’s strength. 

An NFL team will love his traits, but he would maximize his potential if he could hold onto the football more consistently.

GRADE: 5.8

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