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2022 Film Review: Tyler Griffin, UCF Signee

Originally posted on FanNation Inside The Knights
By Brian Smith | Last updated 12/18/21

UCF must replace the talents of wide receiver Brandon Johnson as he heads off for an opportunity to play in the NFL. His big frame and sure hands will be missed in Orlando.

Another player that fits the mold of Johnson will be coming to play the same position. UCF went after this young man very early in the recruiting process and did an excellent job of evaluating his overall skills. This is a great prospect with a tremendous upside.

Tyler Griffin

Vitals: 6’4”, 200 Pounds

Position: Wide Receiver

High School: Brooklet (Ga.) Southeast Bulloch

Recruiting: Visited just one school officially, UCF, before making his college decision. Offers from Tennessee, Ole Miss, Georgia Tech, Nebraska, Wake Forest, Virginia and Virginia Tech among others.

Frame

Griffin looks more sturdy in his upper body than last year based on film. He’s still very thin and long in the lower half of his body, and there’s room for 20 pounds without much effort. He’s a young man with long arms which makes him even more of a threat in the passing game.

Athleticism

The biggest surprise is just how explosive the long-legged Griffin proved to be. When he takes off, Griffin hits top gear quickly. His open-field speed, with long strides, probably surprised many smaller defenders as he ran by them.

He also possessed wiry strength that allowed him to stiff arm defenders and break tackles.

Ball Skills

Griffin made several really good catches during his senior season, and he also made a variety of catches. Over the shoulder receptions in the end zone, catching the ball away from his body while running a slant or a screen, Griffin was a natural pass catcher.

His ability to quickly bring in the football turned him into a running back where he could make plays after the catch.

Maneuverability

First step explosiveness followed by good vision to find the gap in the defense and then he hit the gas. Griffin was also adept at lateral movements; that’s unusual for a 6’4” player. It will aid him at the college level just like it did in high school when he quickly changed directions to avoid tacklers.

His ability to wind through traffic even included playing running back and taking handoffs where he executed outside running plays that required him to make hard cuts up the field.

Position Fit

This one was obvious long before his senior year, honestly. He’s a tremendous fit as a boundary receiver, and the film backed that up. Playing to the side of the field by himself will force the majority of teams to play one cornerback against him.

He will be high pointing deep shots and using his size as an advantage against smaller defensive backs.

Physical Mentality

Griffin also played defense. He was a big hitter and played downhill as a linebacker or safety, depending on the play. That’s going to help him when he’s going after a 50-50 ball in a tight game. The player with the will to fight for the football has long since proved to be the more likely winner, and Griffin will be no different while with the Knights.

Area to Improve

Teams simply did not go after Griffin with bump-and-run coverage. Need to see a bunch of live reps to know what he can do against that aggressive defensive style to gain a full perspective of his skills and know if he’s truly ready to contribute as a freshman.

Everyone will have to wait to see what happens next fall for that. Teams simply played off coverage and did not challenge Griffin at the line of scrimmage. Even if Griffin did well with bump coverage in practice, this is the one skill that every high school wide receiver needs to improve upon because it also involves strength, film study of specific cornerbacks each week of the season, and the mindset to battle on every snap. In short, it's a never-ending process to get better.

With all of Griffin’s other talents, once he’s good at releasing off the line of scrimmage against college talent, few cornerbacks will be able to stop him down the field.

For UCF coverage and recruiting information go to: The Daily Knight podcast. For more college football, UCF and recruiting information, go to Twitter: @fbscout_florida and @UCF_FanNation, as well as my YouTube Channel and Instagram page. Like and Subscribe!