#01 - Marvin Harrison Jr. WR Ohio State
Positives
+Versatile wide receiver who can align wherever you need him
+Elite hands to pluck the football out of the air
+Catches the football in contested and difficult situations
+Easy speed
+High end route runner who can drop his weight, wins at the break point, finds the the soft spots in zone, and will take advantage of a defenders blind spots
+Adjust tempo and brings a plan with him to the line
+Great tacker of the football
+Fantastic body control and will roll away from defender once secure
Areas of Improvement
-Lacks the wiggle and strength to consistently break tackles, unlikely to be a high end yards after the catch type player
-Winning with more consistency against press, but the talent is there
Quick Hit
Harrison is a determined, prepared, and smooth individual. He is a young and good-sized wide receiver with the coveted easy speed that I look for. He can provide versatility to play each receiver position at a high level. He is a great route runner who can take advantage of any scheme, play, or player in front of him. He has elite hands and excellent body control. No one is down on this guy.Grade: (98.375) - Blue Chip Prospect
#02 - Malik Nabers WR LSU
Positives
+One of the younger prospects in the entire class
+High level athletic ability with notable speed and instantaneous acceleration
+Has fantastic understanding of vary route tempo to manipulate defensive backs whether it is to threaten deep at full speed or to be in sort of a glide and kick in the suddenness he has at the break. It shows you the type of potential he has as a route runner
+Fantastic body control plays with physicality at the catch point
+Good hands
+Speed, suddenness, and physicality all allow him to produce at a high level after the catch
Areas of Improvement
-Heavy slot usage gave him easier looks
-Lackadaisical nature was prevalent in 2022, while to a lessor extent in 2023 it is habit he must continue to work on and eradicate from his tape
-Wasted motion in release which can often bleed into route
Quick Hit
Nabers is a couple of coaching points and some more experience away from transitioning from a highly talented individual to a highly skilled one, if you understand what I mean. I love what Nabers brings to the table both athletically and physically, and I see him being used interchangeably in all wide receiver spots. Playing with his type of speed, suddenness, and physicality is an offensive play-caller's dream, and from the jump, he will be a dynamic player for any offense.Grade: (93.975) - 1st Round Grade
#03 - Rome Odunze WR Washington
Positives
+Elite vertical threat
+Good speed overall
+Flashes great well timed hands to pluck the ball from the air
+Fantastic strength utilized in all facets of his game
+Consistent and savvy hand fighter
+Acrobat; his ability to contort his body is a calling card
Areas of Improvement
-Speed is inconsistent
-Lower on his ability to separate consistently because it seems like he more often than not chooses not to because he knows he can win contested opportunities at such a high level he just doesn't put forth the effort
-Doesn't drop his weight effectively; he is such a threat vertically if he played with a touch more care his athletic ability would shine more and he'd be so much more effective in the short and intermediate areas
Quick Hit
Odunze has the potential to be a team's number one wideout if he decides to live up to his own potential. A stellar vertical threat, he possesses the hands, strength, and acrobatic ability to dominate the game. He needs to become a more consistent player and apply all of his skill and talent to each facet of the game. This is what will take him to the next level.Grade: (92.1) - 1st Round Grade
#04 - Ricky Pearsall WR Florida
Positives
+Unbelievable ball tracking abilities; I still hold that the catch against South Carolina is better than the "Catch of the Year"
+High level route runner whose tape is full of devastating head fakes, legit double moves, and changes to route tempo
+Great hands; he effortlessly plucks the ball out of the air
+Has shown he can make difficult catches
Areas of Improvement
-Slot receiver may be his best role
-Consistent NFL play strength and ability to combat press man
-Lacks the upper tier burst
Quick Hit
Fun player whose tape and talents are being recognized in this pre-draft process. Pearsall is a technically refined receiver who is likely best suited for the slot in the short term but gives you some outside flexibility in time.Grade: (89.775) - 2nd Round Grade
#05 - Brian Thomas Jr. WR LSU
Positives
+Tall receiver with long speed that is top tier
+Sudden release and active hands allow him to evade press coverage
+Solid route runner; he drops his hips incredibly well for his size, limits wasted motion in his breaks and certainly is a smooth glider
+Solid strength; shows in his active hand fighting during route contact
+Excellent ball tracker
Areas of Improvement
-His ball tracking abilities allow him to be overly passive when he should be more aggressive given his skillset and size. The added aggressiveness should help him catch with more consistency
-Lanky
-Used far too often as offenses decoy and this has certainly developed poor habits that a lot of college kids are coming out with in regards to effort from play to play
Quick Hit
Thomas is a great athlete for his size, and it translates into his skill development. A more than solid route runner, Thomas drops his hips very well for his size and is very smooth within his routes. I think he needs to be more aggressive, and I know he has the abilities because he displays them. Like many these days, he has some college coaching to overcome, but in the reps he did see, the talent was there.Grade: (88.25) - 2nd Round Grade
#06 - Ladd McConkey WR Georgia
Positives
+Elite route runner who breaks down his defender with intelligence and athleticism. He is able to drop his weight so well and his breaks are so sharp
+May have the top of the class suddenness; his change of direction, stop/start abilities are mind blowing
+Feisty and puts 100% effort into what he does
+Explosive off the line
+Legit flexibility; displays it in both phases before and after the catch
Areas of Improvement
-Poor hands and focus drops plague him
-Play strength is certainly a concern
-Leaves himself open to press man, improving the stance to limit wasted motion will help this
Quick Hit
McConkey reminds me a lot of Kevin Curtis. He may go unappreciated his entire career, but he will have a significant impact on the game. While he is a technician, you cannot deny just how elite of an athlete McConkey is. His start/stop ability is at the peak of this class in my opinion, and his abilities after the catch can be just as lethal as his ability before it. Improving on the in-between, the actual catching of the football, and you will find yourself with a nearly complete wide receiver.Comp: Kevin Curtis
Grade: (87.55) - 2nd Round Grade
#07 - Adonai Mitchell WR Texas
Positives
+Fluid route runner who breaks efficiently, effectively uses his hands early in route concept to jump start separation, and will attack a DB's leverage utilizing there momentum against them
+Not as high on his early fake out ability in routes but believe it is enough to allow his suddenness and speed to surprise his defender and gain him separation
+Good size with solid ability to contort body
+Great release, slides, glides, and does so in the blink of an eye
+Varies tempo in both release and route
Areas of Improvement
-Consistent effort will be needed to have a greater effect on the game
-When used as play support or a decoy you could see a lack of interest
-Lot of routes run without being targeted
-Body catcher
-Has to be more aggressive at getting the football, especially in contested situations
-High point timing must improve
Quick Hit
Adonai Mitchell is another tall, fantastic route runner in this draft. He is extremely fluid for his size, has good speed, and can surprise defenders with just how sudden he is. He has the makings of a high-end number two, but if he can play more aggressively, he has the potential to be a low-end number one.Grade: (86.625) - 2nd Round Grade
#08 - Keon Coleman WR Florida State
Positives
+Great size for the position
+Stellar body control who times his jumps perfectly
+Arrogant hands that are flashed late, attacks the ball, and has high level focus
+Fearless punt returner
+Strength his the name of his game; plays body to body well
+Willing and smart blocker
+When at lower speeds he can stop on a dime and make a man miss
+Play speed is better than timed
Areas of Improvement
-There is tremendous work to be done as a route runner and I'm not sure he can get there athletically with his hips
-Change of direction issues at top speed and struggles to drop his weight
-Lack of burst
Quick Hit
Coleman is a big-bodied wide receiver whose stats cast doubt, but whose tape wows scouts and media alike, so who is he really? In my opinion, it is somewhere in the middle. There were many things that could have happened better around Coleman, but isolating his play, we see a big and strong receiver whose calling card is contested situations. Stellar ball tracking, confident hands, and body control with perfect timing are all going to transition at the next level. While he can separate at the catch point, the concerns lie in his ability to separate before it, and I'm not certain there is much growth to be had there. Still, I see a potential difference-maker in the right situations.Grade: (86.025) - 2nd Round Grade
#09 - Troy Franklin WR Oregon
Positives
+Tall receiver with long speed that is upper tier
+Intelligent play; he looks to find the soft spots in zone coverage, he is a scrambling quarterbacks best friend, and comes back to the football
+Smooth cuts in his routes, limited wasted motion on inside moves, and is able to maintain his speed
+Much more a physical player than I think people realize and I believe its other tendencies that have an affect on his play that leads one to believe he struggles with physicality
+As a route runner he is creative with his footwork and tempo and does well to drop his hips
+Really nice control of his feet when coming down from the catch
Areas of Improvement
-Burst and speed are less than advertised, he is more game changing if anything, certainly not game breaking
-Thinner body and body catching tendency give illusion that he struggles with physicality and on surface it shows he can
-Small hands
-Combine performance was underwhelming and felt like there was a lack of effort and preparation leads me to some concerns
Quick Hit
Grading wise, I think I come out similar on Franklin with most of the scouts I trust, but where I differ is I think he plays with and handles physicality better than they believe and see it as more of a deficiency in technique. Franklin plays with high-level positional intelligence, he's aggressive, and he is smooth. He'll put it all together if he finds consistency with getting his hands to the football, not his whole body.Grade: (85.375) - 2nd Round Grade
#10 - Xavier Worthy WR Texas
Positives
+High end footwork and suddenness
+Great long speed
+Toughness
+Punt returner
+Solid understanding of leverage and momentum to manipulate defensive backs to find separation
Areas of Improvement
-Slight frame
-Struggles to battle and catch through contact
-Burst can be inconsistent off the line
Quick Hit
Worthy is someone who I ended up lower on. He reminds me a lot of guys who I used to be high on but underperformed my expectations, so there may be some bias here. When he's on, Worthy has great footwork and high-end suddenness to him. He has a solid understanding of how to manipulate defensive backs to gain separation, and he's tougher after the catch than one would expect. Some inconsistency as a wideout needs to be worked on, and playing through contact is not his strong suit.Grade: (81.7) - 3rd Round Grade
#11 - Jermaine Burton WR Alabama
Positives
+Deep threat receiver with good speed
+Nice ball skills. He tracks the football very well, fakes out defenders, and has fantastic hands
+Ran a limited route tree but he is a better route runner than most will credit him. Tends to catch his defender sleeping and gains a ton of separation at the break
+Fiery; he is a guy who plays much tougher than he looks
Areas of Improvement
-Ran limited route tree and played limited role in offense
-Lack of production after the catch
Quick Hit
A deep threat receiver in college who I think will translate even better in the pros. I think Burton was certainly limited in his situation which allowed him to develop great ball skills as he tracks the football great and flashes great hands. I also believe he is a better route runner than he gets credit for as his tape shows him gain great separation at the precise moment he needs it and in zone he's always finding openings. Certainly improvement and reps are needed but he has the tools to make a great impact in an offense.
Grade: (81.65) - 3rd Round Grade
#12 - Roman Wilson WR Michigan
Positives
+He has the easy game speed that I look for
+Instant burst
+Willing blocker; had to be for Michigan
+Creativity in scramble drill
+Does a real nice job of finding soft spots in zone and playing in blind spots
Areas of Improvement
-Lacks upper-tier play strength
-Struggles to separate from press coverage
-Lacks the nuance of route running, current separates based off speed
Quick Hit
Wilson brings potential due to high-end athletic ability and the desirable, easy speed, as I call it. But he lacks the nuances of the receiver position to separate and will face struggles against higher-end competition. Wilson can thrive in a high-motion offense out of the slot to avoid press coverage for the most part. Time and coaching can hopefully instill technical refinement and bring about some versatility.Grade: (81.575) - 3rd Round Grade
#13 - Xavier Legette WR South Carolina
Positives
+Well built out frame
+Has the strength to be effective walling off defenders at catch point
+Potentially high end run blocker
+Speed
+Return specialist
+Kick coverage team
Areas of Improvement
-Tight hips and issues with the nuances of route running; he is very raw
-Lacks creativity
-Can be smothered right now by press coverage
-Inability to see field majority of college career
Quick Hit
Legette has a chance to be a significant impact on special teams both on coverage and in the return game. He is bulked up, has tremendous speed, and is an emerging contested catch guy. But he is green, his inability to separate with technique will keep him off the field for the time being, hopefully his impact and potential as a core special teamer keeps him on a team.
Grade: (81.175) - 4th Round Grade
#14 - Malik Washington WR Virginia
Positives
+Sharp breaks allow him to separate as a route runner
+After the catch ability is towards top of class due to contact balance and running back frame
+Leaper
+Will vary route tempo
+Stellar hands and fine ball tracker
Areas of Improvement
-Slot only future
-Didn't see the breakaway speed on tape
-limited route tree and experience versus press
Quick Hit
I believe Washington can step onto an NFL team right now, command their slot wide receiver role, and help them win games. As a wide receiver his ability after the catch is fantastic due to running back like physical traits and his hands are potentially the best in the class. If he struggles to combat press coverage at the next level he still provides you with special teams value in the return game until he can catch up to NFL level play.
Grade: (81.1) - 3rd Round Grade
#15 - Malachi Corley WR Western Kentucky
Positives
+Elite after the catch with running back vision and contact balance
+Compact frame and strength allows for quick power transfer to defender leading to broken tackles
+Easy speed
+Nice body control
+Late hands to snag balls from air with ability to play through contact
Areas of Improvement
-His touches were highly schemed screens or short yardage to take advatage of his after the catch abilities
-Limited route tree on display
-Heavy slot usage
Quick Hit
Corley really did not play wide receiver in college and an NFL team is going to ask him to learn a lot. With that being said, a smart team is going to get this guy and know how to turn his strengths into the teams strengths because he can flat out play. It may be a few years before his impact at the position allows him to drop the moniker of "Gadget Guy," but for now that is what he is.
Grade: (79.125) - 3rd Round Grade
#16 - Brenden Rice WR USC
Positives
+Route running is a plus; he is a good salesman and gets into his breaks well
+Solid hands
+Natural strength is there but needs more consistency to be used
Areas of Improvement
-Lack of burst and foot quickness can get him swallowed up in press
-Getting his game speed to be effective can be inconsistent because of the burst and press issues
-Battles and positioning at catch point must improve
Quick Hit
Rice, the son of NFL royalty is a smart and crafty route runner who comes across a bit raw in other areas. Funny enough just like his distant cousin Jordan Matthews I think Rice will be best served as a so-called "Big-Slot" at the next level.
Comp: Jordan Matthews
Grade: (77.575) - 4th Round Grade
#17 - Javon Baker WR UCF
Positives
+Polish to his routes and his overall game
+Elite level body control
+NFL feet coming down with catch
Areas of Improvement
-Drops are major issues
-Does many things well but lacks the standout abilities of those higher in class in terms of potential
-Speed and burst
Quick Hit
Baker is interesting because the debate against nice polish versus elite athlete in terms of speed, agility, and change of direction. Baker is a guy who can create for himself a number a ways but he won't blow you away. Thats is fine, that can be very productive, but he needs to improve his hands for this to all work at the next level.
Grade: (78.375) - 4th Round Grade
#18 - Devontez Walker WR North Carolina
Positives
+Solid size and speed combo
+Long strider allows him to gain ground and separate on vertical routes
+Nice body and feet control to make NFL catches
+Will work back to the football
Areas of Improvement
-Allows himself to get squeezed to the sideline too frequently
-While his physicality in contested situations was enough to best individuals at the college level I am not sure he's at a NFL level
-Lack of short area quickness
-Choppy footwork; struggle to see him proficient in rotes outside of vertical and crossers
-Body catcher
Quick Hit
The NCAA messed with Walker's life and the rumor early in the draft process was he was suggested to go back to school, but with how it went this past year no one can blame Walker for making a decision he thinks is best for himself. I struggle to see the success translating to the pros at the level he was producing in his limited game action. There is certainly offensive roles he can grow into at the next level I just don't see the immediate impact some others do.
Grade: (75.725) - 4th Round Grade
#19 - Ja'Lynn Polk WR Washington
Positives
+NFL ready size
+Great play strength at catch point
+Built frame and strength allow him to break tackles
+Body control, leaping ability, and ball tracking allow him to separate at catch point
Areas of Improvement
-Lacks to the juice to separate at consistent level
-Heavy slot usage
-Doesn't do well selling routes
Quick Hit
Polk is limited athletically and is unlikely to find desired success to separate before the catch. His strength, body control, and frame allow him to play as a rebounder and separte at the catch point. Teams may find value in that deep in their depth charts
Grade: (73.8) - 5th Round Grade
#20 - Johnny Wilson WR Florida State
Positives
+Large and lengthy human with crazy catch radius
+Natural strength to break tackles
+Active hands
Areas of Improvement
-Significant issues separating from defenders
-Lacking in footwork
-Underdeveloped release package
-Poor run blocker
-Does not drop weight or get into breaks efficiently
-Lack of focus; drops
Quick Hit
Wilson is a big long bodied wide receiver who will be used like a basketball player when he hits the field. I understand people are enamored by the size, but I feel like people where blinded by it during the season. I just don't see a lot of his game translating.
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