WIDE RECEIVERS
Corey Davis, Western Michigan, #84
Game Film Evaluated:
Wisconsin (2016)
Toledo (2016)
Central Michigan (2016)
Summary: Very poor ball security, he puts it in one hand away from his body after he catches the ball. He shows good feel for getting off press coverage and running routes. He is a physical receiver and will fight for the ball. Plus run after catch ability, he will break tackles with a stiff arm, quickness or ability to stop and start again with speed. He is a good route runner and comfortable running routes from the inside and outside positions. Inconsistent hands. There are questions about him coming down with the difficult catch and in traffic. Trash talker with the defense. Corey Davis is a big physical receiver who runs good routes and elite after the catch. One defender will never bring him down on his own in space. He did not play with good leaping ability nor someone who showed ability to go up and get the ball at its highest point. He is a very good but not elite receiver prospect. He is a starter in the NFL and likely a #1 but he isn’t perfect. He is a receiver defenses will be afraid of when it comes to blitzing because they fear his ability after the catch to turn a short catch into a score. Definite first round grade but not elite.
Mike Williams, Clemson #7
Game Film Evaluated:
Ohio State (2016)
Alabama (2016)
Florida State (2016)
Summary: Very good possession type receiver. Very good with his hands to get a good release at the line. One of the best in the country at making catches in traffic and coming down with the spectacular catch. Not an explosive speed deep threat. He is a fluid receiver and this helps him get up to speed quickly. Mike Williams could be a #1 receiver but not for an offense that wants to take a lot of deep shots. He is a supremely efficient strong physical possession receiver who can out muscle and position himself to make a catch and help out his QB. He excels at making the difficult catch and coming up with it in traffic. He is comfortable using his hands to get a clean release and shows a good feel for running routes but again was not used as a downfield threat. He will not be a burner type of receiver, he will struggle to get over the top of defenses except on double moves. Similar player to Dez Bryant. First round grade and a day one starter granted he goes to an offense that doesn’t try to use him on go routes and lots of downfield options. He will be a machine working underneath and on the intermediate routes. He will disappoint if you expect him to make lots of deep catches.
Isaiah Ford, Virginia Tech, #1
Game Film Evaluated:
Tennessee (2016)
Pittsburgh (2016)
Boston College (2016)
Summary: Plus route runner, quick in and out of his breaks. Not a burner, will struggle to gain separation on go routes. Average hands, he will struggle to make the difficult catch especially away from his body. He is very good on the back shoulder pass, adjusting his body and making the play which projects well. He can high point the ball and has good body control. He has good quickness, able to set up defenders and gain separation on intermediate routes due to his smooth route running. He locates the ball in the air and adjust to it well. Isaiah Ford is a good receiver but his hands and lack of deep speed limit his potential at the next level. He looks like a good number 2 receiver who can get open on the outside and inside. He will create separation in man coverage thanks to his route running but will not be able to run away and get over the top of defenses. He is a dangerous match up near the goaline as he can get inside leverage, adjust to the back shoulder and high point the ball on the fade. I don’t see number one receiver potential but he is best suited for an offense that wants to nickel and dime defenses or already has a plus deep threat. 2nd round grade.
Ryan Switzer, North Carolina, #3
Game Film Evaluated:
Pittsburgh (2016)
Florida State (2016)
North Carolina State (2016)
Summary: Quick and fast slot receiver type. He can get in and out of breaks with top speed. He can make plays downfield and bust up the middle of a defense. He played exclusively out of the slot on the games observed. He has long speed and he can adjust to make the difficult catch. Very good hands who can haul it in away from his body. Ryan Switzer is a plus slot receiver prospect who can make plays underneath and also take advantage of defenders jumping his underneath stuff to bust the seams of a defense. He can recognize coverage and shows ability to run option routes. He is not physical in blocking nor someone who can handle defenders who try to muscle him off his routes. He only played in the slot in college but he might be able to line up on the outside and use his quickness to shake defenders. At worst he is a solid slot receiver who can make become a 3rd down machine to keep the chains moving. 4th round grade.
John Ross, Washington, #1
Game Film Evaluated:
Stanford (2016)
USC (2016)
Colorado (2016)
Summary: Does not work back to the QB if his route does not get him open. Not a security blanket for his QB. He fails to locate the ball quickly and adjust to it in the air. Raw ability, he has plus speed and can run away from defenders. Kickoff returner. Does not look to fight for the ball, not someone who is going to try and go up to high point the ball and make a contested catch. He depends on the flag to come out instead of trying to make the play. He needs to try to make the play and not just count on the flag to come out. Sometimes looks mentally disengaged hanging his head low reminding me of Martellus Bennett when he came out of A&M. John Ross has tremendous athleticism but he is not a good football player at this point. He has poor football awareness, doesn’t know how to help out his QB to make himself open. He doesn’t fight for the ball in the air nor able to locate it quickly to make the tough catch. He drops catchable passes and just so much of his game is a turn off. He is a developmental project with legit speed to get over the top of defenses but he is not close to matching production with potential. 5th round grade.
JuJu Smith-Schuster, USC, #9
Game Film Evaluated:
Washington (2016)
Arizona (2016)
Penn State (2016)
Summary: He knows how to get open, make tough catches in tight spaces. Strong underneath and intermediate option. Good blocker. Aware of the holes in zone coverage and just sits there waiting for his QB to find him. He is a smooth runner, he has a burst and can gain separation as a result. He fails to come up with contested catches at too high a rate, needs to box out defenders so he can make contested catches that fell incomplete in college. Emotional player that can get the better of him at times if he gets frustrated. He is able to break tackles and has good speed to run away for the score. JuJu Smith-Schuster is a solid versatile receiver who does everything well but nothing is elite. He has good frame, enough speed and adequate hands. He blocks well and is smart on the field to find the soft spots and get open for his QB. He is able to make plays downfield and on the shorter routes. He needs to improve his route running for him to gain separation as a solid possession type receiver. Late 2nd round grade.
Dede Westbrook, Oklahoma, #11
Game Film Evaluated:
Ohio State (2016)
Texas (2016)
Kansas State (2016)
Summary: Excellent speed and explosive receiver type. He can get to full speed quickly, catches passes at all levels of the field. He was used on speed options, screens, posts and go routes. Good hands but asking a bit much to come down with a spectacular catch. He is capable of taking a catch the distance if he gets a seam. Not a polished route runner, needs to get more comfortable finding holes in zone coverage. Dede Westbrook is a taller receiver prospect with legit long speed who can make plays at all levels but needs to become a more polished receiver. Similar skill set to Terrence Williams but a bit faster. He would be a tremendous 3rd receiver who can play outside and inside. He might never be the guy type option at receiver core but he is a more than capable number two receiver who has speed to stretch the defense. He projects to have more upside than just a one trick speed receiver but that is his impact initially in the NFL. Early 3rd round grade.
Chris Godwin, Penn State, #12
Game Film Evaluated:
Michigan (2016)
USC (2016)
Iowa (2016)
Summary: Good frame and has maxed out weight he can carry well. He moves well but not a burner or explosive type receiver. He gets physical with his hands and doesn’t mind mixing it up with corners. Excels at making the difficult catch, spectacular catch, catch in traffic and contested catches from the defender and still coming down with it. Adjust well to it in the air and has supreme body control. He has good feel for getting a clean release at the line and adequate blocker. He ran a lot of go routes on the perimeter but that is not his game at the next level. He is a productive possession type receiver who can win jump balls against smaller defenders and he is a receiver that will make his QB better making bad throws into completions. He does not need it on the number to come down with it. Chris Godwin is a very good receiver who doesn’t need separation to get catches in the NFL, he has got to earn the trust of his QB or else they won’t look his way since there won’t be much space to fit the ball into. Reminds me of Anquan Boldin. 2nd round grade.
Josh Reynolds, Texas A&M, #11
Game Film Evaluated:
South Carolina (2016)
LSU (2016)
Arkansas (2016)
Summary: Taller frame than most and has a high center of gravity. Looks like former Texas receiver Roy Williams with long arms too. He can fly up the field and can make some athletic catches but he also will drop the easy one without any contact. He is a bit of a one trick pony since he isn’t someone who will run good routes since he powers down a lot going in and out of his routes. He can add speed to a wide receiver group but likely never a full time starter in the NFL. He needs to learn how to read coverages, find soft spots and use that frame to make catches in the intermediate areas. If he doesn’t, QBs won’t look his way unless it is a downfield route. Josh Reynolds has legit speed with good size but he’s not someone who looks like a regular starter who can make plays at all levels of the defense able to run a full route tree. He can carve out a niche in the NFL but the kid has to work hard to earn it. 5th round grade.
ArDarius Stewart, Alabama, #13
Game Film Evaluated:
USC (2016)
Mississippi State (2016)
Auburn (2016)
Summary: Tremendous athlete, top notch speed. Good leaping ability, he can turn any catch into a score. The QB play at Alabama hurt his stats and ability to make an impact on the field. He needs to improve his on field body language, sometimes shows up the QB if throw doesn’t go his way. Raw player, not refined technique to get off press, feel for running lots of routes, setting up defenders and finding holes in coverage. AfDarius Stewart is going to be drafted higher than he produces on the field due to potential and the poor QB play in college. He will need a year to learn to run a full route tree, understand coverages and get a clean release off the line before he can really become a regular contributor offensively. His upside is legit and has for sure #1 receiver stuff. He needs to work hard in the film room and practices to become a professional well rounded player. 3rd round grade on production but he’s got no doubt first round talent.
Chad Hansen, California, #6
Game Film Evaluated:
Texas (2016)
Stanford (2016)
Arizona State (2016)
Summary: Good size and frame for the position, able to play on the line of scrimmage and get off press coverage. Very comfortable getting a clean release off the line, uses his hands well. Has some quickness and gets to top speed quickly. Limited long speed, gaining separation will be difficult at the next level. Fairly limited route tree in college, slants, , screens, go and stop routes. Need to see how he will run come backs, out routes and inside routes which will determine his ability to gain separation. Elite leaping ability to go up and win jump balls, good body control to adjust to a poorly thrown ball and win those contested passes. Chad Hansen is a very good college receiver but his lack of long speed and route running could cause some issues getting catches at the next level. He looks like a solid possession receiver for a team that doesn’t want to test defenses downfield often or to line up across from a burner. 3rd round grade.
Zay Jones, East Carolina, #7
Game Film Evaluated:
Virginia Tech (2016)
Cincinnati (2016)
South Florida (2016)
South Carolina (2016)
Summary: Smooth receiver who makes good cuts to get open. He is comfortable to make the tough catch in traffic and has strong hands. He can line up outside and in the slot to run short to intermediate routes. He is not a deep threat, he lacks the extra gear to get behind defenses. He is not a good option for crossing routes or speed routes as he just doesn’t have that gear on the field. He can beat press coverage and has good release. He can drive defenders upfield and work back to the QB shielding the defender away from the ball. Above average run blocker in the run game, has long arms and uses them well. He looks a bit thin in the lower body. Zay Jones has limited ceiling but he has a high floor as he will be ready to contribute in the NFL as a rookie. He can do all the little things to make up for the limited speed, strong hands, good route runner and should earn the trust of his QB to throw the ball in small areas. He would be a fine possession receiver alongside a top deep threat but should not be looked at as a quick slot receiver option. Jones projects as a outside receiver who can contribute and be a reliable option from the late 3rd to early 4th round.
Cooper Kupp, Eastern Washington, #10
Game Film Evaluated:
Washington State (2016)
Oregon (2015)
Richmond (2016)
Summary: Ideal frame for the position, tall and strong frame. He carries the weight well and has excellent burst off the line and very explosive receiver. He has legit downfield speed and can out run defenders in space. Very limited route tree lining up mostly out of the slot and running downfield go routes against a safety. He has good feel for running routes but there will be a learning curve as he expands his route tree at the next level. Very strong and he will look to punish defenders who try to tackle him up high, he will win that match up and then out run them to the endzone. Elite production in college but he is not a product receiver, there is legit pro potential. Did not see any press coverage in the games observed. Cooper Kupp accomplished all he could do in college, no other receivers came close to the production he had in school. He has the size, speed, strength and hands to be a very good receiver in the NFL. He will have a learning curve with getting off press coverage and expanding the route tree which might limit him as a rookie but he will become a impact receiver. He could be a #1 receiver in the NFL but he needs half a season to add the tools to become the total package. Second round grade.
Carlos Henderson, Louisiana Tech, #1
Game Film Evaluated:
Texas Tech (2016)
Navy (2016)
Western Kentucky (2016)
Summary: Electric runner after the catch, one defender will not bring him down. He can stop on a dime and get to full speed quickly. Willing returner. Not a strong receiver, a body catcher and struggles to make the catch in traffic. He has good speed to get on top of a defense. He can break tackles as a balanced runner. He is a capable receiver, able to make the back shoulder catch at the goaline. Average route runner. Carlos Henderson is a solid receiving prospect, he has legit run after catch ability that translates well to the NFL and he can be a solid receiving option. He is a capable receiver to make plays from the slot and outside position. He is not a strong route runner nor someone who will make the contested catch in traffic consistently or comfortable getting off press coverage. At worst he is a sub package receiver who will return kicks but he could work to become a regular offensive contributor as a number 2 receiver and make impact plays especially after the catch. 3rd round grade.
Shelton Gibson, West Virginia, #1
Game Film Evaluated:
Youngstown State (2016)
Summary: Tall slender frame with an extra gear in the open field. He can get over the top of the defense and tracks the ball well over his shoulder to make the catch. Poor route runner, he rounds the corners and doesn’t have a feel for finding the open spots in coverage. He doesn’t work his way back to the QB when the play breaks down. He is a willing returner but not a dynamic returner. Shelton Gibson has the speed to earn a spot on a team and is a willing returner who can earn a job in the NFL. As a receiver, he needs to improve his ability to get off press coverage and run tighter routes but he is a backup speed receiver at this point. 5th round grade.
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