This year, a big part of the offseason coverage leading up to the draft will be my positional previews. This week, I will be breaking down tape and giving you a full evaluation of each wide receiver prospect that I have watched so far. Included will be measurements, school, year, games I’ve watched (with links), draft range, strengths, weaknesses, summary, and a pro comparison of each prospect listed…

As you all likely know by now, scouting is a never-ending process. While I am still combing through the seemingly bottomless pit of prospects for this year, below are my top-21 wide receivers. Keep in mind that I plan on updating each position with more prospects as I continue to break down the tape.

 

 

1. | Calvin Ridley | Alabama | JR | 6-foot-1 | 190 lbs. |

Games Watched: Wisconsin (2015), Kentucky (2016), Florida State (2017), Georgia (2017), Clemson (2017), LSU (2017), Mississippi State (2017)

Projected Draft Range: 1st Round

Pro Comparison: Davante Adams

– Pros –

  • Devastating footwork breaking off the line of scrimmage and in and out of his routes; feet are sudden and unpredictable for opposing defensive backs; runs the full route tree; best route runner in the class.
  • Varys speeds well; uses head fakes and dead legs to add nuance to crafty route running ability; can shift gears like a sports car; keeps corners off balance 100% of the time.
  • Good with ball in hands; shows great vision on screens and stay patterns, while dangerous on over the middle and deep routes as well; should be able to pick up plenty of YAC in the NFL.
  • Excellent concentration with the ball in the air; competes at a high level for his limited size on jump balls.
  • Hands catcher; frequently seen snatching the ball out of the air; saves plenty of errant throws from his quarterback.
  • Patient when finding soft spots in zone coverage; not afraid to sit down, plant, catch, turn, and go.
  • Concentrated sideline toe tapper; displays excellent balance even with narrow base.  

– Cons –

  • Not going to fight for every extra yard; willing to go out of bounds to avoid hit, even if it is close to the goal line.
  • Struggles in press coverage; may have to be extra creative to escape long corners off the LOS.
  • Evidence of concentration drops; will sometimes feel pressure bearing down on him at catch point.
  • Will be a 24-year-old rookie.

– Summary –

I went with Davante Adams as Ridley’s comparison for a few reasons. 1) both measured in at the combine with very similar results… both a shade under 6-foot-1, just over nine inch hands, within an inch in wingspan, etc. 2) Both have very similar play styles... are excellent hands catchers who love to snatch the ball out of the air rather than letting it hit their chest. They are smooth route runners with terrific pacing in and out of their cuts. They both compete for the ball in the air much better than you would expect for their size, while they both also feature a wide catch radius. 3) They project to transition in the NFL similarly… The career arc of Adams so far has been that he came in as a slot guy, succeeded, developed into a top-end number two option, then took over for the rapidly aging Jordy Nelson as the Packers number one receiver this past season. Like Adams, Ridley possesses the skill-set to play either inside or outside, but will likely benefit from starting as a slot player. He will quickly develop into a legit number two option on any team, while he can be a number one guy if necessary. Conclusion here is that Ridley is the top receiver in the class due to elite route running, play speed, footwork, and familiarity with the NFL route tree.

 

2. | D.J. Moore | Maryland | JR | 6-foot | 210 lbs. |

Games Watched: Texas (2017), Northwestern (2017), Penn State (2017), Towson (2017), Central Florida (2017)

Projected Draft Range: 1st Round

Pro Comparison: Golden Tate

– Pros –

  • Smooth, confident, route-runner; strides, shuffles, and stutters with little wasted movement.
  • Excellent collegiate production despite awful quarterback play; dealt with eight different quarterbacks throughout his career.
  • Elite with the ball in his hands; becomes a running back after the catch; breaks tons of tackles for his size and a nightmare to corral in the open field; could hold true NFL return skills, while he will be used often on screens and stay passes.
  • Confident hands catcher with ability to snatch the ball out of the air; above-average hands size for his build.
  • Tough as nails; gets up from every hit; may look short on film, but plays much bigger; powerful body for the position; carries 210 lbs. well.
  • Elite ball skills; adjusts to poorly thrown balls well, did it often in college; uses body position and wins, even against bigger defenders.
  • Not the best at it, but more than willing blocker, both stalk and cracks; good NFL coaching could make it a strength.
  • Rarely looks out of control; plays with balance and knows what he’s capable of.
  • Versatile throughout the formation, either on the outside or in the slot, can line up in the backfield too if necessary.

– Cons –

  • Tends to mail it in on plays that he’s not the number one option; goes through the motions on backside of play.
  • Noticed two balls tip off his hands and go the other way for touchdowns; below-average catch radius or slow reaction time may be the culprit.
  • While able to run routes well, Moore was relegated to simplified underneath patterns that allowed Maryland’s bad QB’s to get the ball out of their hands quickly; most of his damage was done on quick hits underneath and basic outside patterns; question marks on his ability to consistently win on complex NFL routes.

– Summary –

My D.J. Moore comp was the hardest so far, as there are very few guys like him in the league. I saw a lot of Steve Smith in him, while I also got a Ty Montgomery vibe. Ultimately Golden Tate ended up being the official comparison, but I still don’t feel completely confident... Essentially, I think that Moore is going to make a living in this league after the catch, by making guys miss with his quickness and breaking plenty of tackles with his surprising power. The best at that in the NFL over the last decade or so has been Golden Tate, who has been tops in the league in YAC seemingly every year ever since he won a starting role in Seattle. Still though, while Tate is largely a slot-only guy, I don’t want to limit Moore to just that role, as I believe that he can absolutely win on the outside as a pure receiver as well. Also, Moore plays much bigger than Tate, but I stuck with the comp because Tate was a former running back prospect and it shows in the NFL. Having said all of this, Moore’s confident hands catching ability, elite play speed, and prowess as an openfield nightmare is what defines him as a legitimate first round prospect in this draft. He will translate into today’s NFL very well.

 

3. | Anthony Miller | Memphis | rSR | 5-foot-11 | 201 lbs. |

Games Watched: South Florida (2016), Ole Miss (2016), Western Kentucky (2016), SMU (2017), Connecticut (2017), UCLA (2017), UCF (2017)

Projected Draft Range: 2nd/3rd Round

Pro Comparison: Steve Smith

– Pros –

  • Electric play speed; tough pace for cornerbacks to keep up with for 60 minutes; tough as nails; doesn’t appear to have an off switch.
  • Engaged as a blocker downfield; finishes off blocks to the ground; will follow ball carriers downfield in hopes of springing touchdown with one final block.
  • Acrobatic catcher of the football; lacks size but wins jump balls; keen sense of surroundings and always able to get two feet in bounds.
  • Sudden release off of LOS; quick and smooth in and out of his breaks; above-average route runner.
  • Massive hands, especially for his size; can palm one-handed catches.
  • Dangerous after the catch; combines athletic wiggle and underrated power to make most 1v1 defenders miss; wields a devastating stiff arm.
  • Plays with terrific balance and forward lean; helps him make up for lack of size.
  • Carries self on the field with a swagger and an earned confidence; plays with massive chip on his shoulder; leads by example and teammates follow suit.

– Cons –

  • Saw a few too many concentration drops over the middle of the field; something that needs to be worked on.
  • Lacks ideal size to play outside in the NFL; He can do it based off of talent alone, but lacking size will be an obstacle.
  • Ball security issues; fumbled five times in career.
  • Will be a 24-year-old rookie.

– Summary –

While I mentioned the Steve Smith comparison for D.J. Moore above, I actually think that it even better fits Anthony Miller, as his on field swagger and limited size, combined with elite play speed, toughness, competitiveness, and production so much reminded me of “Agent 89.” In the NFL he will have a lot of adversity to overcome as an outside receiver due to lack of size – just as Steve Smith did too – but I think he’s capable of doing so, rather than being relegated to slot-only duties like some GM’s may ask of him. I know it’s really high praise for a small school, undersized rookie, and while I’m not calling the Hall of Fame just yet, I see tremendous upside for Miller. He is a top-five lock for my wide receiver rankings this season, while he will have the chance to move up with good pro day testing numbers.

 

4. | Christian Kirk | Texas A&M | rJR | 5-foot-10 | 200 lbs. |

Games Watched: Arizona State (2015), Nevada (2015), Alabama (2016), Tennessee (2016), Wake Forest (2017), Arkansas (2017)

Projected Draft Range: 2nd Round

Pro Comparison: Percy Harvin

– Pros –

  • Explosive on tape, terrific play speed with consistent sense of urgency; obvious that any touch can go to the house (26 career receiving touchdowns and seven career kick/punt return touchdowns).
  • Twitched up and sudden in all movements; defenders always on their toes when he is on the field.
  • Elite return skills translate to all touches; he’s a terror in the open field and nearly impossible to get two hands on; can accelerate and blow by a defense within a blink of an eye.
  • Jacked up, muscular frame, with a strong base and defined core; carries bulked up body and weight well; never hurt in college career; strong body makes up for limited height and catch radius.
  • Willing blocker, who seems engaged in play design; doesn’t slack off on run plays or on the back side of pass plays.
  • Reliable hands catcher; history as a high-volume target without many concentration drops.
  • Known leader on and off the field; noted as a fine young man and mature decision maker.

– Cons –

  • Undersized with a small catch radius; maxed out body; struggles to release in press; most likely a slot-only guy.
  • Not going to win 50-50 balls; decent jumper, but limited height and short arms make it difficult for him to bail quarterbacks out.
  • Many receiving touchdowns came from him running wide open; benefited from Texas A&M offense and Big 12 defenses; may be overrated as a route runner.
  • Combine agility numbers were alarming; Underwhelmed in shuttles and three-cone; Entirely differently story told on tape… Something to revisit when watching again.
  •  

– Summary –

While everyone wants to compare Kirk to Odell Beckham, I did all I could to avoid the spoon fed comparison. Sure, his rare explosiveness, less than ideal size, and ability to take any touch to the house, makes him a ringer for the former LSU receiver, but we have to be honest about what we watch on tape sometimes rather than taking the easy way out in terms of pro comparisons. Much like D.J. Moore above him, Kirk is a guy who is going to win in the NFL with the ball in his hands and open field to work with. While Odell Beckham is known for his dangerous reputation in the open field, Kirk isn’t nearly the route runner that Beckham has proven to be in the NFL. Because of this, I find it hard to see him consistently beat the types of complex coverages that Beckham draws each week. Dwindling down the rare playmakers and work in progress receivers that the league has seen over the years, I remembered Percy Harvin, who is one of the most underrated game breakers that the league has ever seen. Much like Kirk has proven to be in college, Harvin in his day was an elite return guy and a player utilized all over the offensive formation in hopes of maximizing his touches. Because of his versatility, Harvin ended up scoring a lot of touchdowns (as a receiver, runner, and return man) in a short period of time, proving to be one of the best offensive weapons in the game. If put in the right situation with a willing and creative offensive coordinator, I believe that Kirk has the chance to be an offensive rookie of the year candidate due to his raw explosive nature with the football in his hands. Expect Kirk to make a living in the NFL from the slot, as a return man, and even as a motion man out of the backfield. He will be a matchup nightmare.

 

5. | Courtland Sutton | SMU | rJR | 6-foot-3 | 220 lbs. |

Games Watched: TCU (2015), Baylor (2015), North Texas (2016), South Florida (2016), East Carolina (2016), Memphis (2017), North Texas (2017), Tulsa (2017), Houston (2017), Connecticut (2017)

Projected Draft Range: 1st/2nd Round

Pro Comparison: Roy E. Williams

– Pros –

  • Powerful stalk blocker with excellent drive through the point of contact.
  • Prototypical build for position; the only receiver with true number one wideout traits in this draft class.
  • Jump ball winner; uses size well to meet ball at the highest point and box out defenders.
  • Sticky hands; hauls in catch through all types of contested coverage.
  • Better than expected with the ball in his hands; used often on middle and bubble screens with some serious YAC production; shows plus vision and decent wiggle.
  • Excellent collegiate statistics; Always produced at a high level and dominated his competition.

– Cons –

  • Less than ideal straight-line speed.
  • Unpolished route-runner; ran most elementary route tree in simplified SMU offense.
  • Struggles varying speeds in and out of his breaks; Struggles to power down and accelerate quickly again (combine results say otherwise, but this is based off of tape).

– Summary –

Sutton entered the season with hopes of being a first round pick, but in recent years it seems like teams and the draft community have begun to shy away from the big-bodied type of receiver. This is likely do to the whiff that was Laquon Treadwell just a few drafts ago, but also with the way the passing game is changing in the league overall we have seen this shifty receiver trend furthered. With much of his draft buzz remaining quiet over the last few months, Sutton did nothing but produce on the field and show out at the combine. While a 4.54 speed is hardly elite for the position, Sutton still managed to best his expected time by nearly a full tenth of a second. Where people like myself questioned his ability to change speed and directions quickly, Sutton posted excellent times in the agility drills as well. For the wide receiver position, Sutton finished third in the three-cone, fourth in the 20-yard shuttle, and second in the 60-yard shuttle. Because of his play style, nearly identical build, and sneaky speed/agility, I stumbled upon my Roy E. Williams comparison for Sutton. Like Courtland Sutton (6-foot-3, 218 lbs.), Williams played in the NFL at a nearly identical size of 6-foot-3, 215 lbs. Williams was known to be a smooth operator both with the ball in his hands and on deep routes. He was an elite player in the red zone, rarely losing jump balls, while his route running savvy combined with his ability to catch in traffic with vice grip hands was one of his more underrated attributes. Having said all of this, Williams also had his share of issues as an NFL receiver, and they are largely the same issues that face Sutton going forward as well... 1) Williams struggled to create consistent separation that would command the high-volume number of looks of a true number one receiver. 2) He also struggled to pick up more complicated offensive concepts (see Dallas years). If Sutton can work on these areas the most, then maybe he can realize his true potential in ways that Williams never did in the NFL. In the worst case scenario, Sutton will take a while to understand a more complex NFL playbook and may struggle to run the full route tree needed to be a starting NFL receiver. Having said this, even in this case, Sutton will still be a red zone mismatch player, while posing decent fantasy potential. In the best case scenario, Sutton will produce at an Alshon Jeffery/Brandon Marshall type of level as a big-bodied number one target, despite lacking elite speed. I think he will be closer to the best case rather than the worst, he may just take a season to fully understand an NFL offense and route running nuance.

 

6. | Dante Pettis | Washington | SR | 6-foot | 186 lbs. |

Games Watched: Oregon (2016), Washington State (2016), Cal (2016), Oregon (2017), Utah (2017), Arizona State (2017)

Projected Draft Range: 2nd/3rd Round

Pro Comparison: Nate Burleson

– Pros –

  • Engaged and willing blocker; extends arms and drives feet; shows a bit of nastiness.
  • Elite punt returner with nine career run backs (NCAA record); Brought back four in this past season alone, featuring three in the first three games of the season.
  • Strong hands and excellent concentration on contested balls; brings in more 50-50 balls than he should; shows flair for the spectacular.
  • One of the best route runners in the class; has command of the full tree and varies speeds well; disguises routes with uniform release off the snap; savvy footwork with pitter patter, dead legs, and jump steps.
  • Tracks ball incredibly well; follows it on deep throws, while he attacks back at it on comebacks and sideline throws.
  • Incredible motor; never takes plays off, making opponent work on every down.
  • Can throw the football too (3-for-5 with 125 yards and a TD in his collegiate career).

– Cons –

  • Can struggle with concentration drops from time-to-time.
  • Lacks ideal size; Some may view him as a slot-only guy.
  • Doesn’t possess elite straight-line speed.
  • Can have trouble releasing against more physical corners.

– Summary –

Pettis is a wideout prospect without many holes, truth be told… Sure he’s less than ideally built, but in the worst case scenario, he’ll carve out a career as an excellent slot option and return man. I for one believe that he has potential on the outside as well, as he has shown a comfortable grasp for NFL route concepts and footwork. He can win, if nothing else, with savvy and determination as an outside receiver, while his strong hands and perceived threat to defenses in the open field should lend him some respect from coverage concepts. He’ll likely never be a number one guy, but like Nate Burleson did, he can end up with a long career as a legit number two option, featuring formation versatility (either as a Z or slot) and a reputation as one of the most dangerous return weapons in the game. Should end up as a safe pick in the second or third round for one lucky team.

 

7. | Tre’Quan Smith | Central Florida | rJR | 6-foot-2 | 203 lbs. |

Games Watched: Memphis (2017), Maryland (2017), Auburn (2017)

Projected Draft Range: 3rd/4th Round

Pro Comparison: Sammy Watkins

– Pros –

  • Well built; carries frame well; Looks like a muscular chest with cut calves; big hands and a condor’s wingspan.
  • Sudden off LOS; releases well; uses hands and quick feet to separate; long strides make him gain speed quickly.
  • Acrobatic with the ball in the air; high-points ball and hand catches; wins contested throws.
  • Can play inside or outside; mostly operated as Z receiver, but has slot experience as well.
  • Fights for yardage after catch; excellent acceleration after planting foot and corralling in pass.
  • Willing blocker; gets physical with DB’s down the field.
  • Team leader, both on and off the field.
  • Durable; played every game in college career.

– Cons –

  • Unrefined route runner; needs to fine tune in this area to become a legitimate, go-to, NFL pass catcher.
  • Doesn’t read defenses as well as he should; rarely adjusts his routes based on coverage scheme.
  • Needs to play a little stronger and more focused when fighting for the ball in traffic.

– Summary –

Smith is a guy who I’m rather high on considering my comparison… Look, he’s not yet the polished player that Watkins was coming out of college, but I think he has very similar traits. Smith and Sammy Watkins both feature nearly identical builds and body types, while their combine stats could be considered carbon copies across the board. They play with the same suddenness and urgency on the field, while they also both have a flair for the spectacular and always strike fear in the hearts of defenses that they can win deep at will. While I said that Smith is currently a poor man’s version of what Watkins was coming out of Clemson, the good news is that he doesn’t have nearly the health concerns. So he’s got that going for him… Simply put, Smith is a bit raw, but will quickly develop in this league and will be considered underdrafted based off of where he will be taken this April.  

 

8. | Michael Gallup | Colorado State | SR | 6-foot-1 | 202 lbs. |

Games Watched: Idaho (2016), Alabama (2017), Air Force (2017), New Mexico (2017), Oregon State (2017)

Projected Draft Range: 3rd Round

Pro Comparison: Jermaine Kearse

– Pros –

  • Looks the part of an outside receiver; has adequate height and weight and shows good play strength/speed, even against top competition (see: Alabama 2017).
  • Runs routes confidently and smoothly; quick in and out of his breaks, with good blend of decisiveness and hesitation.
  • Strong hands catcher with toughness to win contested balls.
  • Fierce against press coverage with NFL level of hand-fighting and leverage.
  • Sudden and slick as a runner with the ball in his hands; slippery on stay patterns and bubble screens; shows more power than expected.
  • Good understanding of his surroundings; finds sideline and pylon naturally.
  • Well balanced receiver with few holes; looks rock solid all around.

– Cons –

  • Drops more passes than he should; lets too many passes get deep towards his body; at times looks down field before securing football.
  • Plays off balance upon release at times; doesn’t always look comfortable with the ground below him and it shows up on tape; Will take a while to power down gears because of this issue.
  • Feels lurking safeties.
  • Underwhelming blocker. 

– Summary –

Without overcomplicating things too much here, understand that Gallup is a rock solid receiving talent; a guy who I really don’t see too many holes in. Despite the fact that he’s from a small school, I actually view him as one of the safer receiving prospects in the draft. He’s solidly built, tough, fast, a good route runner, and has decent hands. He is competitive in press coverage, while he knows how to sit down in a zone as well. He can operate out of the slot or serve as a starting Z receiver as a strong side flanker. He’s unlikely to ever be a top-15 wideout in the league, but a year with over 1,000 yards and double-digit touchdowns is certainly not out of the question, provided he ends up in the right situation. When thinking of a comparison, I came up with Jermaine Kearse. In that vein I view Gallup as a solid and reliable receiver; a well-rounded hands catcher, route-runner, and contributor; perhaps though a jack of all trades, but a master of none.

 

9. | D.J. Chark | LSU | SR | 6-foot-3 | 192 lbs. |

Games Watched: Mississippi State (2016), Ole Miss (2016), Auburn (2017), BYU (2017), Notre Dame (2017)

Projected Draft Range: 1st/2nd Round

Pro Comparison: Darrius Heyward-Bey

– Pros –

  • Rare speed; graceful glider; can take the top off of any and every defense at will; few corners can stick with him deep.
  • Good vision and conviction as a runner; hits open lanes and explodes through them; talented return man who can flip field position quickly.
  • Committed and engaged blocker in LSU’s run oriented offense; willing to travel and block down field to finish off plays as well.
  • Long reach provides quarterback with wide catch radius.

– Cons –

  • Unreliable hands; body catcher; below-average ball skills; doesn’t look like a natural football player.
  • Undeveloped as a route-runner; doesn’t run full tree; not sudden enough in and out of breaks for his athletic ability; relies on elite speed as only means for separation.
  • Slight frame, gangly build; not a candidate for over-the-middle production; needs to add some body armor to hold up in the NFL.

– Summary –

Chark is a rare height/speed guy, who can take the top off of any defense. He’s wildly underdeveloped as a receiver at this point, but many coaches and GM’s will overlook that due to his elite potential as a deep threat and return guy. Remind you of anyone? Reminded me of Darrius Heyward-Bey, who by my estimations years ago, was a third round receiver at best, yet was still taken in the top-10. While Chark has the receiver skills of maybe the 10th best in this entire class, his rare speed and prototypical size is what will inflate his draft stock. For a more recent comparison, think of Torrey Smith or Breshad Perriman.

 

10. | Deon Cain | Clemson | JR | 6-foot-2 | 202 lbs. |

Games Watched: Syracuse (2016), Louisville (2016), Alabama (2016), Alabama (2017)

Projected Draft Range: 2nd Round

Pro Comparison: Hakeem Nicks

– Pros –

  • Good size and shows it on tape; uses decent build to win at the line of scrimmage, on jump balls, and in the open field.
  • Excellent release; uses a variety of moves to win at the LOS including swim, stutter step, and general hand-fighting.
  • Comfortable looking route runner, who can win both deep and settling down in a zone.
  • Wins 50-50 balls like an outside receiver should; shows good balance around sideline, pylon, back of end zone; maintains concentration to haul in contested catches.
  • Good vision and wiggle on tunnel screens; shifty and agile without losing ground.
  • Gets depth in his curl routes, while he can stop on a dime and attack the football coming back.
  • Strong top-end speed; can blow by secondaries if asked to.
  • Physical blocker; can border on nasty when he wants to.

– Cons –

  • Can be overly physical and may draw OPI often; too handsy at the top of his routes in hopes of creating extra separation.
  • Will drop easy passes while on the move; tries to run before completing the catch.
  • Underwhelming collegiate production.
  • While a decent route runner, struggles with consistency on timing and footwork.
  • Dealt with a few suspensions in college; character may be a concern.

– Summary –

Cain is yet another in the long line of talented Clemson wideouts, and while he has high potential, he may be the most raw out of the illustrious bunch. The traits are there though, but right now he’s just far from a finished product. Initially he’s going to have to find a way to contribute on special teams and prove his work ethic and character to a coaching staff, while his future will likely hold him as a legitimate, starting, outside receiver. My comparison was Hakeem Nicks, who like Cain, entered the league out of the ACC as a raw, vertical threat, with some question marks surrounding his NFL transition. Nicks had a decent rookie year, but quickly blossomed in his second and third years, leading the Giants to a Super Bowl in 2011. Lofty expectations for Cain, but he certainly has the potential to carve out a Nicks like career.

 

11. | James Washington | Oklahoma State | SR | 5-foot-11 | 213 lbs. |

Games Watched: Oklahoma (2015), Pittsburgh (2016), Iowa State (2016), Tulsa (2017), TCU (2017), Oklahoma (2017), Virginia Tech (2017), Pittsburgh (2017)

Projected Draft Range: 2nd/3rd Round

Pro Comparison: Rishard Matthews

– Pros –

  • Wears a running back number (28) and is built like one too, as he shows every bit of his near 220 lbs. frame on tape; Looks like he may even play at a buliker weight, however he doesn’t show any loss of speed.
  • Uses body well to win contested balls; adjusts to poorly thrown passes and frequently bails out his quarterback; high points jump balls and wins more often than he should for a 5-foot-11 player.
  • Loves to battle with physical corners; draws plenty of pass interference penalties from over aggressive defensive backs.
  • While 40-time was less than stellar, on tape Washington shows excellent long speed to get past cornerbacks and safeties; seen running wide open, deep, far more often than he should be.
  • Big play machine; scored more long touchdowns and caught more 50+ yard rainbow passes than any other receiver I have watched this year; averaged 20.3 yards per reception over the last three seasons.

– Cons –

  • Feasted on awful Big 12 secondary play; rarely faced press coverage.
  • Knows an incredibly limited route tree; ran mainly flys, posts, and stay patterns; had to do little to beat coverage.
  • Doesn’t give 100-percent on every rep. Will lollygag on the back side of plays and will sometimes mail in run blocking responsibilities.
  • Lacks ideal height for outside receiver; doesn’t make up for it with route running ability.
  • Doesn’t have elite burst; takes a while to get to top gear; not sudden in routes or with the ball in his hands.
  • System receiver, coming out of OK State program that has produced elite receiver production for the last decade and change.

– Summary –

Built like a running back and wearing a running back number, it’s hard to believe that Washington is a receiver, however once you watch only a few minutes of his tape, you can understand what he’s all about... Washington is a game-breaking, deep threat, who will maintain that calling card at the next level, regardless of where he ends up. While he doesn’t have elite speed, his ability to out physical corners and safeties on 50-50 balls means that he will come up with chunk plays more often than not when thrown in his direction. What Washington is not is a high volume target possessing nuanced route running ability. He’s not going to be your number one target that can consistently beat press coverage and double teams, but a career as a dangerous number two target is how I see him in the NFL. Rishard Matthews immediately came to mind, as he rarely posts elite production, but he is one of the most dangerous and underrated deep threats in the game. Like Washington, Matthews isn’t the biggest (nearly identical build as Washington at 6-foot, 217 lbs.), or fastest either, but he consistently finishes amongst the league leaders in yards per reception (over 15.0 YPC over the last three seasons) and holds a Washington-esque touchdown rate. I like the player and I like the comp… Sign me up for him in the third round.

 

12. | J’Mon Moore | Missouri | rSR | 6-foot-3 | 207 lbs. |

Games Watched: West Virginia (2016) Tennessee (2017), Connecticut (2017), Auburn (2017), Kentucky (2017), Missouri State (2017)

Projected Draft Range: 3rd/4th Round

Pro Comparison: Marvin Jones

– Pros –

  • Long and lean build, but carries it well with graceful striding and proper body manipulation upon contact.
  • Confident and tough runner after the catch.
  • Gets good release off of LOS; flashes of twitched up athleticism; quick jump cuts and change of direction keeps corners off balance, even in press.
  • Good combination of moves leading up to fade route; can beat corners in the end zone before the ball is even in the air.
  • Engaged blocker in the run game; doesn’t take plays off.
  •  

– Cons –

  • Struggled mightily during Senior Bowl week with drops; shows up on regular season tape as well.
  • Ran rudimentary route tree; most of production came on stay patterns, fly routes, and tunnel screens.
  • Raw in most aspects of the position – iffy hands, inexperienced route runner, underdeveloped physically, etc.
  • Quicker rather than fast; ran disappointing 4.60 40-yard-dash at the combine.

– Summary –

Moore was a guy who I expected to dislike more than most scouts due to what I saw from him at the Senior Bowl, however after watching his regular season tape, I came away pleasantly surprised. While I saw a raw prospect who struggled with concentration drops and an underdeveloped route tree, I also saw a wide receiver talent who has natural instincts for releasing off the line of scrimmage with quick footwork and hesitation moves, and a high potential prospect who competes in the air on 50-50 balls. Coming up with a comparison for him took a long time and eventually I had to agree with what most scouts are saying in that he’s a similar profile to Marvin Jones coming out of college. Jones has underrated speed and took a little bit of time to develop into a legitimate outside receiver in this league. Where he is now as a contributing fantasy player and a top-tier number two option is where I see Moore’s potential eventually getting him. Patience will be important with Moore though, that can’t be understated.

 

13. | Equanimeous St. Brown | Notre Dame | JR | 6-foot-4 | 205 lbs. |

Games Watched: Texas (2016), Syracuse (2016), LSU (2017), Stanford (2017)

Projected Draft Range: 2nd/3rd Round

Pro Comparison: Tyrell Williams

– Pros –

  • Prototype for the wide receiver position; great size/speed combo that commands attention and draws a lot of pass interference penalties.
  • Smooth strider with a deceiving pace; doesn’t appear to be grinding deep, but is behind secondary before they can even realize.
  • Strong red zone target; wins with size and hands catching confidence.
  • Has the long speed to take any touch to the house; shows second gear in the open field to separate from would-be tacklers.

– Cons –

  • Willing blocker, but not naturally nasty; tends to block timidly and can at times whiff on decisive, run-committed, cornerbacks.
  • Looks stiff breaking off routes; tends to be a rounder rather than a sudden route runner; not natural attacking back at the ball.
  • Lacks sense of urgency; appears to be going through the motions; no clear competitive nature.
  • Not the strongest hands; doesn’t struggle with concentration drops, but rather hauling in contested balls and hanging onto passes after contact and going to the ground.
  • Play strength is lacking; can be out-physicaled by even smaller defenders.

– Summary –

Get used to announcers either butchering his first name or just shortening it to E.Q. because Equanimeous is one hell of a verbal ride. Getting back on topic though, St. Brown is a long and lanky X-receiver with incredibly underrated speed for his build. A player who came to mind immediately when watching the tape was Tyrell Williams, who has almost the exact same size (6-foot-4, 204 lbs.) and possesses the same type of deep speed that St. Brown shows on tape. Thinking about St. Brown’s potential NFL future, I see a similar type of route to success that Williams had. By that I mean that he’s going to win on outside deep routes against 1v1 coverage. He’s unlikely to ever become a true number one receiver, or a high-volume target, but with an added sense of competitiveness and play strength, Williams could have double-digit touchdown potential due to size and speed alone. He’s a high potential player who improved his draft stock with a good combine.

 

14. | Simmie Cobbs | Indiana | rJR | 6-foot-4 | 220 lbs. |

Games Watched: Michigan State (2015), Maryland (2015), Duke (2015), Ohio State (2017),

Maryland (2017)

Projected Draft Range: 4th/5th Round

Pro Comparison: Marques Colston

– Pros –

  • Big bodied wideout with massive mits and large catch radius.
  • Doesn’t threaten with deep speed and elite release off of the line of scrimmage, but wins against corners in short area quickness and deception.
  • Natural hands catcher who doesn’t break stride or jump, like many guys do, when catching over the middle passes.
  • Looks athletic, especially for his size, on screens and as an open field runner; solid vision, agility, and power.
  • Can compete with elite DB’s (went toe-to-toe with Denzel Ward early in 2017).

– Cons –

  • Lacks long speed to separate from corners deep.
  • Struggles vs. press coverage; may benefit from playing as “big slot.”
  • Drops more passes than he should.
  • Inconsistent blocking effort; could be devastating in this area due to size, but chooses to play timid on run plays and screens not intended for him.
  • Strictly a possession receiver; not a candidate for long touchdowns and high YAC numbers.

– Summary –

Of the really tall receivers in this draft, Cobbs is one of the better ones, as he shows more polish at the position rather than just being a red zone target (he is good in that area though). I like Cobbs best as a “big slot” receiver in the NFL, similar to the way that the Saints used Marques Colston so successfully for so many years, and the way that the Jets have been doing with Quincy Enunwa over the last couple of seasons. While a lack of long speed isn’t a death sentence in the NFL, receivers need to compensate in other areas to properly compensate. In this regard, Cobbs uses his size well on contested balls, making him an elite 50-50 guy, while he also shows surprising short area quickness on short and intermediate routes. He creates more separation over the middle than a guy of his size generally does. He also is a nightmare to deal with on sideline throws, especially when near the first down marker. Simply put, he’s not the most prototypical, but there is definitely a place for Cobbs in this league.

 

15. | DaeSean Hamilton | Penn State | rSR | 6-foot-1 | 203 lbs. |

Games Watched: Indiana (2017), Michigan State (2017), Michigan (2017)

Projected Draft Range: 4th Round

Pro Comparison: Mohamed Sanu

– Pros –

  • Well built; will have to play in slot due to lack of speed, but will create mismatches inside.
  • Crafty and thoughtful route-runner; deliberate and smooth in his footwork, keeping DB’s off balance.
  • Reliable checkdown option; always seems to be open underneath.
  • Can make plays on the ball in the red zone; shows good concentration on jump balls.
  • First down machine; knows exactly where the sticks are at all times and always seems to convert.
  • Noted great locker room guy; role model on and off the field; team captain.

– Cons –

  • Willing blocker, but not great at it; will get bullied by bigger defenders.
  • Lacking even average top-end speed; Will be relegated to slot duties in the NFL.
  • Struggles to separate against number one corners; has no extra gear to get open with athleticism; creates separation through technique only.
  • Prone to double-catches and body catching; will struggle with concentration drops from time to time.

– Summary –

Hamilton feels like another safe receiver pick amongst this talented bunch, but the even better news is that you can probably get him in the mid to later rounds due to his below-average athleticism. Ultimately, in Hamilton you will be getting a bigger bodied slot receiver, who is as reliable at picking up first downs as they come in this draft. Where he struggles to create separation with speed, quickness, and physicality, he makes up for it in his ability to do so with excellent footwork and technique. I think he has Mohamed Sanu upside in that he should be a consistent secondary option out of the slot in any offense, while he will always be underrated in his ability to win 50-50 balls in the red zone.

 

16. | Antonio Callaway | Florida | JR | 5-foot-11 | 200 lbs. |

Games Watched: Kentucky (2016), Iowa (2016), Vanderbilt (2016)

Projected Draft Range: 4th round – Undrafted

Pro Comparison: Tyreek Hill

– Pros –

  • Electric playmaker with dynamic speed and agility.
  • Natural receiver, kick returner, and punt returner; just get the ball in his hands and let him go to work.
  • Acrobatic with the ball in the air; makes up for his lack of size with athletic ability.
  • Plays with feet on fire in and out of routes; sudden stop and starts with rare acceleration make him impossible to keep up with.

– Cons –

  • Frequently suspended; didn’t play in all of 2017; laundry list of off the field issues – marijuana, domestic violence, credit card fraud, disinterest in weight room and film room, just to name a few.
  • Lacks any sort of polished technique; relies solely on natural athletic instincts.
  • Undersized for the NFL to be a number one target.
  • Inexperienced in running NFL route tree.
  • Tries to run before he catches; too many concentration drops.

– Summary –

Callaway is a schoolyard athlete that is just gifted with natural talents and utilizes them as he pleases. There is little technique or football IQ to what he does on the field, but his raw athleticism looks incredibly natural and it makes him successful as a game-breaking playmaker. A coach who drafts him will not only have to deal with that, but also with a myriad of other off the field issues, including a domestic violence accusation, various suspensions (didn’t play in 2017 due to a credit card scheme), marijuana dependence issue, and a reported general attitude problem. He’s the type of guy I generally like to stay away from, but look at the success of guys like Tyreek Hill, Chris Carter, Brandon Marshall, Dez Bryant, etc… Someone will take a chance on him because of his rare, raw talent.

 

17. | Jaleel Scott | New Mexico State | rSR | 6-foot-5 | 215 lbs. |

Games Watched: Arkansas (2017), Troy (2017), Texas State (2017), Georgia Southern (2017)

Projected Draft Range: 5th/6th Round

Pro Comparison: Brandon Coleman

– Pros –

  • Massive frame; looks every inch of 6-foot-5; uses height as advantage on jump balls; high-points football expertly; obvious red zone threat.
  • Played both outside and in the slot at New Mexico State; versatility will help him get on the field in the NFL.
  • Impressive speed for size; can get behind a defense.
  • Keen sense for surroundings; aware of boundary and shows concentration to keep feet in play.
  • Underrated at creating separation; along with good long speed, uses head fakes and varying pace to get open.

– Cons –

  • Despite towering size, struggles on contested balls and in traffic; lacks physicality against even far smaller defenders; will struggle against press coverage.
  • Doesn’t break many tackles; generally not feared in open field.
  • Unpolished route-runner; rounds off instead of cutting; lacks urgency in and out of breaks.
  • Poor acceleration; takes a while to get going; lacks multiple gears to separate.
  • Faced weak competition on a weekly basis; rarely took on an opposing NFL player, let alone an NFL corner.
  • One year wonder; only showed single year of production despite facing questionable competition.

– Summary –

Before getting into Scott’s tape, I assumed that I would be dealing with another Ramses Barden type – a heavy-footed, plodding, tight end who can’t block, but then I actually got to see him play at the Senior Bowl practices and I was pleasantly surprised. Scott isn’t just some tall oaf who quarterbacks throw it up to; he can actually run! Once he cemented his 4.56 time at the combine I looked to Brandon Coleman as a potential comparison for Scott, as Coleman came in at an equally colossal size (6-foot-6, 225 lbs.) and ran the same time in the 40. If scott plays his cards right, he can end up with a similar career arc as Coleman, who has settled in the Saints offense as a red zone weapon and consistent depth receiver option in Drew Brees’ arsenal.

 

18. | Auden Tate | Florida State | JR | 6-foot-5 | 230 lbs. |

Games Watched: Boston College (2016), NC State Highlights (2017), Clemson (2017), Southern Miss (2017), Florida (2017)

Projected Draft Range: 4th/5th Round

Pro Comparison: Dwayne Jarrett

– Pros –

  • Massive build and knows how to use it; rarely out-physicaled; manipulates catch point with size and consistently wins 50-50 balls.
  • Flair for the spectacular with his catches; good concentration; play is never dead so long as ball is in the air; caught touchdowns on every 4.1 receptions.
  • Good understanding of field position and his surroundings; knows when to break down and sit, picks up first downs, plants feet well close to sideline.

– Cons –

  • Slow, plodding, runner, with heavy feet and limited agility/acceleration; will struggle to separate from NFL corners; may have to play big slot (i.e. Quincy Enunwa, Devin Funchess, Marques Colston); move to tight end not out of the question.
  • Slow release; slow in and out of his breaks; can’t stress how slow he plays.
  • Underwhelming as a blocker for his massive size; inconsistent effort and disappointing timidness at point of contact; this may make move to tight end tough.
  • Constantly hurt in college, which is surprising for his massive build; doesn’t exactly carry his body weight like you’d expect.
  • Struggled with drops in college; catch doesn’t always look smooth; relies on tipping ball over smaller players for double-catch.

– Summary –

Tate’s tape was not nearly as bad as I made it sound here, but when watching college game film you need to be wearing NFL glasses. Despite all of his impressive high-point catches and red zone touchdowns at Florida State, it is pretty clear that Tate is going to struggle to separate from NFL corners due to an overall lack of speed…. When grading potential NFL wide receivers, that is a pretty big problem. My comparison was Dwayne Jarrett, who matches Tate in size, red zone prowess, and well below-average speed for the position. Jarrett, while an excellent college player, struggled to make it in the NFL. I fear that too may be the case for Tate, especially if he doesn’t end up on a team that has a real plan for him. If Tate can improve as a blocker, he may have a career as a tight end, while in all likelihood he will serve as a slot matchup guy and a red zone mismatch for most of his career, if everything goes right for him.

 

19. | Keke Coutee | Texas Tech | JR | 5-foot-11 | 180 lbs. |

Games Watched: Houston (2017), Arizona State (2017), Kansas State (2017)

Projected Draft Range: 4th/5th Round

Pro Comparison: Eddie Royal

– Pros –

  • Incredible play speed; a nightmare for defenses to contain; can take short passes to the house in a blink of an eye.
  • High volume target; caught 93 balls in junior season.
  • Slippery as a runner; can slide in and out of tackles; can sneak underneath defenders.
  • While slot-only player, is versatile; has kick and punt return experience and lined up in backfield often.

– Cons –

  • Small and slender; doesn’t possess NFL frame; easily out-physicaled by bigger players; absolutely slot-only player.
  • Inconsistent route runner; changes depths, footwork, and effort far too often.
  • Doesn’t win many 50-50 balls.
  • Most receptions came on bubble screens, stay patterns, flat outs, and short slants; possesses least refined understanding of NFL route tree in the draft.

– Summary –

We’ve seen this type of undersized, high-volume, slot guy come out of the Big 12 before… Wes Welker and Cole Beasley come to mind, but the differences exist in their refinement for route running and Keke’s superior speed. With that in mind, a better comp exists in Eddie Royal, who was a high volume slot guy, but offered ample explosion potential on every touch. Coutee absolutely needs to end up in a system where the coordinator is willing to let him do his thing, otherwise he may end up as a special teams contributor only.

 

20. | Jordan Lasley | UCLA | rJR | 6-foot-1 | 210 lbs. |

Games Watched: USC (2017), Memphis (2017), Kansas State (2017)

Projected Draft Range: 2nd Round – Undrafted

Pro Comparison: Justin Blackmon

– Pros –

  • Built like an outside NFL receiver; has the speed and functional strength for it too.
  • Nifty route runner and smooth glider; uses head fakes and dead legs to confuse corners and safeties.
  • Natural hands catcher; snatches back shoulder throws quickly out of the air.
  • Good on contested throws, can win around the goal line with athleticism or size.
  • Shows good concentration with ball in the air on deep passes; never gives up on plays, even on tipped passes.
  • Natural athletic instincts; looks like he could play in the NFL even without a weight room.

– Cons –

  • Serious off the field concerns; some scouts wonder if he will even be drafted at all.
  • Shies away from press coverage at times; doesn’t like contact before the ball is thrown.
  • Habitual dropper of passes; dropped 21 balls in last two years.

– Summary –

The off the field concerns about Lasley are very real, as he has been suspended several times throughout his high school and college career. Having said this though, scouts are split on his draft status because he is far too talented to not play in the league. Some say he will go undrafted, while others like Mel Kiper Jr. have him as the second overall receiver. Naturally I will fall somewhere in the middle, as I realize his talent, but also understand how seriously teams take off the field concerns – especially in today’s NFL. With all of this being said, Justin Blackmon seems like the most natural comparison, as they both not only have nearly identical off the field concerns, but also measured in at the same size and speed at the combine. Hopefully, for Lasley’s sake, he can get his act together better than Blackmon did…

 

21. | Marcell Ateman | Oklahoma State | rSR | 6-foot-4 | 220 lbs. |

Games Watched: Iowa State (2017), Virginia Tech (2017), TCU (2017), Baylor (2017)

Projected Draft Range: Day Three

Pro Comparison: Malcom Floyd

– Pros –

  • Long limbed with a sturdy base, Ateman finds a way to play with a power and grace blend that is pleasing to the eye.
  • Committed blocker in the run game; understands his role, that he’s not the super star and needs to contribute in every way possible.
  • Contested ball winner; fights for the ball in the air and uses size to his advantage.
  • Big, strong hands; natural ball skills.

– Cons –

  • Lacks speed to consistently take the top off of a defense.
  • Underwhelming physicality for his size; isn’t comfortable against press.
  • Struggles to separate on most routes; largely open in college due to horrendous Big 12 secondaries.
  • Limited by OK State’s simplified offense; runs elementary route tree.

– Summary –

Ateman is another in the long list of big bodied receivers in this draft, and while many of them are hard to project in the NFL, I feel pretty confident in what he will bring to the pros. Essentially, Ateman will be a number two target at best, reserved as the “go up and get it” guy on occasional shot plays and as the glass cleaner around the goal line. His transition may not be immediate however, as he will largely be useless in the NFL until he learns even general route concepts and combinations – boy does the Big 12 really do their wideouts a disservice. In any event, Malcolm Floyd most accurately compares to what Ateman can be in the best case scenario, as he played 11 NFL seasons, including three years over 800 yards, four over five touchdowns, and zero as the Chargers number one receiver.