2022 NFL Draft prospect profile - Charleston Rambo, WR, Miami

Looks can sometimes be deceiving. That’s certainly true in the case of wide receiver Charleston Rambo from the University of Miami.

Rambo transferred to Miami for his final season after three years in a crowded Oklahoma wide receiver room. Rambo showed promise across from CeeDee Lamb in 2018 and 2019, and he made good on it in Miami.

Rambo isn’t a big receiver at 6-foot, 180 pounds, so it would be natural to expect him to be a shifty slot receiver. However, he plays much bigger than listed.

Rambo is a physical, aggressive receiver with smart, nuanced route running who is able to clear press coverage and find voids in coverage zones. He uses his quickness and body control to expand receiving windows and maximize his catch radius. And perhaps most surprising, Rambo is a bulldog of a blocker.

The New York Giants need all the help they can get on offense, so could Rambo blossom in the Big Apple?

Prospect: Charleston Rambo (11)
Games Watched: Oklahoma vs. Missouri State (2020), Oklahoma vs. Florida (2020), Miami vs. Michigan State (2021), Miami vs. Florida State (2021)

Measurables

Kent Lee Platte (@mathbomb)

Career Stats

Games Played: 40 (Oklahoma and Miami)

Receptions: 155
Yards (YPC): 2,352 (15.2 per catch)
Total Touchdowns: 16

2021 Stats

Games Played: 12

Receptions: 79
Yards (YPC): 1,172 (14.8 per catch)
Total Touchdowns: 7

Quick Summary

Best: Quickness, route running, hands, blocking, competitive toughness
Worst: Size, play strength
Projection: Number two or three receiver with scheme versatility.

Game Tape

Full Report

Charleston Rambo is a quick, athletic, versatile and tough wide receiver prospect from the University of Miami.

Rambo began his college career at Oklahoma before transferring to Miami for the 2021 season. He played well at both stops, distinguishing himself as a deep threat, a possession receiver, and as a blocker.

Rambo has experience lining up both inside and out, lining up on the line of scrimmage and off of it. He features a good release off the line of scrimmage, using his quickness to freeze defenders for an instant as he releases into his route. Rambo also flashes the ability to use his hands to clear press coverage while minimizing disruption to his route.

He is a capable route runner, using his tempo, stride length, and quickness to force defenders to open their hips early. Likewise, he does a good job of pressing the stem of his route vertically, into the defender, before suddenly breaking back to the ball on come-back routes. Rambo also offers good quickness and acceleration on shallow crossing routes or slants to uncover and pick up yards after the catch. His agility and acceleration aid him in run-after-catch situations as well, and he is a dangerous ball carrier on screen plays or quick receptions in space.

Rambo is a very competitive player and appears utterly fearless in the middle of the field. He fights for the ball at the catch point, and is willing to take hard contact in contested catch situations. Rambo’s hands are generally reliable, and he’s willing to extend and pluck the ball out of the air, despite defenders closing for big hits.

That competitive toughness extends to his blocking as well. Rambo attacks defenders, blocking with good leverage and technique. He routinely extends and works to gain inside leverage on defenders in order to control them. He always fights to sustain his blocks for as long as possible.

Rambo works hard to maximize all of his tools, but his relative lack of size (at 6-foot, 180 pounds), and good-but-not-great athleticism can show up on the field. Rambo can be overwhelmed by bigger defenders at the catch point, and as a blocker. In particular, he can be separated from the ball by particularly physical defenders, and he can struggle to overcome press-man coverage by bigger or more athletic cornerbacks.

Overall Grade: 7.0

Projection

Charleston Rambo’s ceiling is likely as a number two or number three receiver, likely in an offense that uses West Coast or Spread principles.

Teams likely won’t want to ask Rambo to take on too many isolation routes against cornerbacks, nor would they want him lining up as an “X” receiver on the line of scrimmage too often.

Instead, teams would do well to take advantage of Rambo’s route running and all-around athleticism. He is quick, agile, has good acceleration, and solid top-end speed. Rambo should be a useful receiver for a team that makes use of route concepts to create traffic for defenders. He has enough speed to be a threat down the field while also having the agility and acceleration to uncover quickly in the short and intermediate areas of the field. He can also be a threat on wide receiver screens or on jet sweeps.

Teams that run zone blocking schemes will also appreciate Rambo’s blocking. He legitimately blocks angry and seems as though he’s trying to pick a fight with his defender whenever he’s blocking. Receivers who block with Rambo’s technique and competitive toughness are rare, and usually turn out to be assets for their offense.

Rambo’s size and relative lack of play strength could turn off some teams, but he could be a useful player in the right situation.