Deon Cain may not be a name that many NFL fans are familiar with outside of Indianapolis, but that will change very quickly in 2018. Throughout the course of training camp, Cain has been proving himself to be a player capable of making a major impact on the Colts in his rookie season this year.
Indianapolis drafted Cain in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL Draft. It was a move that went relatively unnoticed, even by Colts’ fans. The only reason that some fans were excited about the pick immediately was because the Colts were in desperate need of a wide receiver.
During the 2017 season at Clemson, Cain showed off some of his potential. He caught 58 passes for 734 yards and eight touchdowns. Those numbers don’t jump off the charts, but they aren’t shabby either.
Standing in at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, Cain has the body to be a dangerous target for Andrew Luck. He possesses top-notch speed and impressive athleticism. There is no telling how Frank Reich will use him to start the season, but Cain has a good chance to be starting opposite of T.Y. Hilton by the end of the year.
Peter King, an NFL reporter for NBC Sports, talked about Cain and how he has been the “star” of Colts’ camp thus far.
“Deon Cain has been the big star of training camp so far and I can see why people like him. Very fluid, fast, excellent hands. Look for him early on to make a big impact on this Indianapolis Colts’ football team.”
Needless to say, the Colts needed to see one of their young receivers step up like this. Donte Moncrief chose to leave Indianapolis to sign with the division-rival Jacksonville Jaguars. That left the Colts with Hilton, Chester Rogers, and Ryan Grant as their main receivers.
Cain may end up cooling off a bit as the season draws closer, but he looks to be the real deal for the Colts.
Not to mention that Cain has been working out with Randy Moss this offseason to get ready for the NFL. That report caused even more excitement in Indianapolis. There is very little chance that Cain has anywhere close to the kind of career that Moss had, but learning from one of the best is never a bad thing.
Expect to see Cain work his way into the lineup early on this season. Whether he starts or is a No. 3 target, Luck is going to find ways to get the football into his hands a lot more than many were expecting when the Colts drafted him with the No. 185 overall pick in the draft.
