Todd Monken plans to get the ball in the hands of KC Concepcion in a variety of ways.
That’s only possible because the rookie receiver has proved he can manage a full plate.
“I would just say I’m most proud of how I handled it, playing and learning all of the different wide receiver positions,” Concepcion said of training camp. “As a rookie, it is tough, but I felt like the confidence that I had built up in camp, with making plays, with being in the right spots, I would say that the confidence part leading into Week 1 will most definitely show.”
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As the coach and play caller, Monken is obsessed with getting his best players the ball. Concepcion was drafted No. 24 out of Texas A&M to start at wideout and return punts. The role of wideout includes downfield routes, as well as screens, shallow crosses and jet sweeps.
“I would say that that process went pretty good for me,” Concepcion said. “There are little things that I may have missed out on, but seeing that these coaches have trust built up in me to put me in different type of situations, I would say that it only makes me more excited for Week 1.”
Concepcion was solid throughout and got better as camp progressed. He had a 14-yard rushing touchdown, three catches and a 31-yard punt return against the Bears in his only preseason action. He was voted the top rookie of camp by local media.
“We are pleased with his progress,” Monken said. “We hoped and anticipated that he would bring the things we had seen on tape, from return value to just getting the ball in his hands and then his route running down the field. We had seen contested catches, and from a ball skills standpoint he’s been great.”
Concepcion has largely cleaned up the drops that plagued him in college through hard work and improved concentration. He’s approached everything about the transition to the NFL with a healthy amount of self-belief.
“I’ve always had to have confidence with my speech impediment, on the field play, I’m always confident,” he said. “I feel like that is one of the things that is a very strong point in my game, always being confident and always being level-headed.”
It was evident vs. the Bears and in the joint practice against the Bills.
“That’s just who he is,” Monken said. “I go all the way back to when we first met him. Unfortunately, he’s got a bit of a stuttering problem. When you meet him, he doesn’t blink. It doesn’t faze him. He never apologizes. He just gathers himself and speaks. It’s pretty freaking cool, man. Says a lot about him. He’s not embarrassed.
“He just loves playing football. You can see it. That’s why he’s a first-round pick.”
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In Concepcion’s lone season in College Station after transferring from North Carolina State, he caught 61 passes for 919 yards and an SEC-best nine touchdowns. He had 75 yards and a touchdown rushing and two punt returns for touchdowns.
One of his best games was an SEC battle with Arkansas and quarterback Taylen Green, who was drafted by the Browns in the sixth round and made the team as the No. 3 quarterback. Concepcion had five catches for 53 yards and a touchdown and rushed once for 16 yards in the Aggies’ 45-42 win.
“I just remember him scoring and running up and down the field, making my job harder,” Green said. “I’m like, ‘I got to score again.’ But he’s a great player and really versatile, and with the ball in his hands, he’s going to do something special with it. And clearly y’all seen that in the preseason and training camp.
“I’m just excited he’s on my team or we’re both on the same team rather than on two different sides of the ball.”
Green stole the show in the matchup, throwing for 256 yards and three touchdowns and rushing for 85 yards and two touchdowns.
“Taylen’s my guy,” Concepcion said. “I remember playing Taylen in college and he about single-handedly beat us. Taylen, he’s an amazing athlete, amazing person. He is the same person every day. He comes in here smiling, laughing, but I feel like he is definitely a sleeper for a lot of people.”
Concepcion’s closest friend on the team is fellow receiver Denzel Boston, who was drafted 15 picks after him. Boston had an outstanding offseason and solid camp, earning the spot as X receiver.
“Me and Denzel met at the combine and then we had a top-30 visit together,” Concepcion said. “So whenever me and him got drafted here, I called him right away and we just basically told each other that we are both coming to work and we need to be the ones to hold each other accountable.”
They’re both driven to be the best but keep any rivalry friendly.
“It’s always nice to have a little competition,” Concepcion said. “But I want to see him out there catching passes, getting yards, catching touchdowns, and I know that he wants the same for me.”
