Kendrick Law Has a 42-Inch Vert and Jumped Over Two Defenders. His Route-Running? That’s Another Story.

Detroit’s fifth-round pick Kendrick Law has the athleticism to make highlight reels — a 42-inch vertical, 21 bench press reps, and the ability to literally hurdle two defenders on one play. But Braylon Edwards’ film breakdown reveals the rookie receiver still needs serious work before he’s a legit WR4 option.

Brad Holmes went full Alabama sleeper agent again.

The Lions GM snagged Kendrick Law in the fifth round — a receiver Holmes first noticed when Law was at Alabama before he transferred to Kentucky. A 100% surprise pick to Lions fans, but when you watch the tape, you start to see what Holmes was looking at.

The kid jumped over TWO defenders on a single play. Not one. Two. Antonio Brown kicking the punter vibes. That 42-inch vertical is very real.

The Good: Elite Athleticism and Physicality

Law is 5’11, 205 pounds, and he plays like he’s pissed off about something. Twenty-one reps at the combine — that’s defensive back strength in a receiver’s body. On tape, you see him pushing defenders backwards, swiping guys to the ground, and refusing to go down easy on contact.

The straight-line speed is legit. He ran a 4.42 at the combine, but here’s the thing that matters more: he was a 10.4 100-meter runner in high school. Once he gets rolling and that stride opens up, good luck catching him.

He high-points the football, too. Goes up and snags it at the top — something the Lions don’t really have right now. Jamo runs by you. Amon-Ra finds the right spot. But neither guy is jumping over defenders to make contested catches. Law adds a different element.

And the blocking? He actually wants to put his hands on defenders. Rare for a receiver. The kind of thing that makes coaches trust you enough to put you on the field in any situation.

The Problem: Route-Running Is Rough

Here’s where it gets real. Law’s route-running needs major refinement. On one out route in the breakdown, you can see him fading up the field instead of planting his foot and working back to the quarterback. He catches the ball awkwardly instead of in stride. If he comes back to the ball properly, that’s an easy catch-and-run. Instead, he’s got to restart his engine.

That’s the other issue — Law doesn’t have the stop-and-start quickness of a Jahmyr Gibbs or Jamo. When he stops his momentum, it takes a second for the speed to pick back up. Gibbs stops and he’s immediately back to full speed. Law looks like his feet get stuck in mud sometimes.

On a reverse play against Tennessee, he should’ve made a defender miss easily. Instead, he had to use that ox-like strength to power through contact. It worked, but it’s not ideal.

Scotty Montgomery’s got work to do. Coming back down the stem, stepping inside the DB, being “friendly” to the quarterback — these are the fundamentals Law needs to drill before he’s a real receiving threat.

Where He Fits: Special Teams and Maybe More

Right now, the realistic projection is special teams ace. Law racked up 530 special teams snaps in college. He can return punts. He knows the third phase.

And if you don’t think special teams matter, go ask the Rams about their third phase. Cost them the Super Bowl.

As a WR4 option? It’s wait-and-see. The slot role makes sense given his physicality and ability to block — he can actually stay on the field in running situations without tipping the play. But the route-running has to get better.

When you’re drafting in the fifth round, you’re looking for a steal. Someone who can develop into something. Law has the athletic tools. The question is whether he can refine the technique. That’s what OTAs and minicamp are for.

Brad Holmes saw something in this kid twice — once at Alabama, once in the scouting report. The film shows why. It also shows the work that’s left to do.

The Takeaways

• Kendrick Law’s 42-inch vert is real — he literally hurdled two defenders on one play
• His route-running is unrefined and his stop-start quickness doesn’t match his straight-line speed
• Realistic ceiling right now: special teams ace with WR4 upside if Scotty Montgomery can clean up his technique

Watch the full segment on YouTube: NFL All Pro BREAKS DOWN Detroit Lions WR Kendrick Law GAME FILM!