What he needs to improve:
Though he shows some flashes of short area quickness, he’s not a dynamic athlete. I don’t see above the rim catches or “make you miss” athleticism.
I’d like to see him become a lot sharper as a route runner and more consistently physical gaining separation. He’ll fight through contact, but he can win by initiating more often.
He does appear to have the frame to play in-line some, but how he’ll perform blocking from there early in his college career is in question. I’d like to see him lineup there a bit more rather than the slot and show some progress there as a senior.
What’s his ceiling?
I think Staes is a plus in a lot of categories. I’m not sure if he’s elite in any one.
That’s why his ceiling for me is that he can be a starter for Notre Dame, which translates to an NFL Draft pick, but not necessarily a Mackey Award contender. That could change if I see more dynamic ability from him as a senior.
I like him a lot as a prospect. I see a ton of potential for him to be a consistent target in the middle of the field once he physically develops at Notre Dame.