Can Jalen Tolliver be more than just backup receiver?

The Arizona Cardinals have dealt with numerous of injuries and inconsistencies at the wide receiver position.

Both Chad Williams and J.J. Nelson have had their share of struggles, dropping passes and running the wrong routes.

Rookies Christian Kirk and Trent Sherfield have shown their big play-making potential, being two of Josh Rosen’s favorite targets. Larry Fitzgerald is always a reliable receiver.

But what about Jalen Tolliver, who was promoted from the practice squad after placing Kirk on injury reserve?

The 6-foot-3, 210-pound receiver went undrafted in the 2018 NFL Draft.

Tolliver set all-time records at Arkansas-Monticello University in receiving yards (1,109) and touchdowns (16) in his senior season.

In his college career he has 192 receptions, 3186 receiving yards, and 39 touchdowns.

His Pro Day was excellent, running a 4.56 40, benching 20 reps, and having a vertical jump of 37.5 inches.

Although it was disappointing for him to go undrafted, he proved some doubters wrong by having a very strong preseason.

According to Pro Football Focus, his average of 4.35 yards per route run ranked second among all receivers in the preseason. He also caught 4-of-8 targets for 94 yards during that time, all being contested catches.

PFF also gave him an 87.4 overall grade, which was also the second-best among late-round and undrafted receivers.

Now, preseason stats may not be the best thing to rely on, but he made the most of his opportunities when given the targets.

After being promoted from the practice squad, he has caught 3-of-6 targets for 37 yards. He dived for, what would have been, an incredible catch over Aqib Talib in the Rams game that was just out of reach.

He has all of the intangibles to succeed but just need more experience before he can take the next step. The Cardinals offense have struggled throughout the season, and so i’m not surprised at his numbers.

I won’t go as far as saying he’ll be a long-term starter for the Cardinals but there a lot to like from what he has shown so far. The Cardinals kept him around for a reason, so there must be something they like.

For a team that is expected to add multiple receivers in the offseason, Tolliver is definitely a player to watch for in the regular season finale against the Seattle Seahawks.