NFL Draft 400: Ranking the Draft's Top Wide Receivers

The 2017 NFL draft class features elite talents at the top of the board in Texas A&M's Myles Garrett and LSU's Leonard Fournette. After that? This is one of the deepest classes in the six years I've been scouting for Bleacher Report.

Stacking the board from top to bottom for the '17 class was no easy task. There is a record-breaking amount of first-round talent on my board. Outside of Round 1, it was easy to imagine 60 of the top players landing in the top 40. If you can't find starters in Round 4 of this class, you're doing it wrong.

So, who is the best overall? How about the best at each position? The goal of the NFL Draft 400 series is to figure that out.

The top 400 players were tracked, scouted, graded and ranked by me and my scouting assistants, Eliot Crist, Marshal Miller and Dan Bazal and Connor Rogers. Together, we viewed tape of a minimum of three games per player (the same standard NFL teams use). Oftentimes, we saw every play by a prospect over the last two years. That led to the grades, rankings and scouting reports you see here.

Players were graded on strengths and weaknesses, with a pro-player comparison added to match the prospect's style or fit. The top 400 players will be broken down position by position for easy viewing before the release of a top-400 big board prior to the draft.

In the case of a tie, a player was ranked based on his overall grade in our top 400.

Here are the top wide receivers for the 2017 draft.

All advanced stats courtesy of Pro Football Focus. All athleticism metrics courtesy of Mockdraftable.

At the end of each scouting report, you'll see a final grade that falls somewhere between 4.00 and 9.00. This scale comes from the teaching I received from Charley Casserly, Michael Lombardi and other former and current front-office personnel in the NFL. I tweaked it this year to be more transparent, and as a result, each player received a number grade as well as a ranking.

This applies to all positions across the board.

POSITIVES

A good player on a bad team, DeAngelo Yancey has the size and speed to fight for a spot in the NFL. He's a vertical threat with the stride and long speed to take defenses over the top. With his size, Yancey can go up and get 50/50 balls and has the length to be a threat in contested situations. Yancey's top-end speed and range are eye-catching and his 10 touchdowns in 2016 provided him the film to show teams what he can do as a developmental prospect.

NEGATIVES

Yancey has speed, but has consistently struggled to separate from defenders outside of a vertical route. He runs sloppy, looping routes and hasn't shown the ability to throttle down and change direction on breaking routes. He's a one speed, straight-line guy as a route-runner that offers some value as a deep threat, but hasn't shown himself to be an asset on yards-after-catch situations or as a return man.

PRO COMPARISON: Chris Moore, Baltimore Ravens

FINAL GRADE: 4.99/9.00 (Undrafted Free Agent)

POSITIVES

Tony Stevens is a big, physical wideout with the length, speed and vertical ability to catch the attention of scouts as a late-draft or developmental prospect. Stevens is a versatile prospect who shined when given a chance at the East-West Shrine Game. He has the big, strong hands to be a threat on jump balls and can win contested 50/50 catches in traffic.

NEGATIVES

A lack of consistency is the biggest issue for Stevens, who failed to produce in an Auburn offense that relies heavily on the run game. Stevens doesn’t have the tools to contribute on special teams while learning the role of wide receiver in a pro scheme. He’s a long strider who doesn’t fly through transitions or cuts in his route tree. Stevens may be seen as a developmental red-zone receiver, but his ceiling is limited. 

PRO COMPARISON: Dezmin Lewis, Buffalo Bills

FINAL GRADE: 4.99/9.00 (Undrafted Free Agent)

POSITIVES

The son of Hall of Fame baseball player Ken Griffey Jr., Trey Griffey has mad his own name on the football field. He immediately catches the eye with a solid, thick frame and a naturally easy way of moving down the field. Griffey has the instincts and catch radius to pull in passes away from his frame. He’s a super competitive player who has had to fight for targets in the Arizona offense. Griffey was invited to the East-West Shrine Game and was the most impressive receiver on his team (West) throughout the week. NFL teams will be attracted to his athleticism, big plays, special teams ability and work ethic, which could result in Griffey overcoming his draft stock to make a team.

NEGATIVES

Griffey failed to make his mark at Arizona. He played in only 35 games in four seasons and caught only 79 passes in that time. Even taking into account scheme and poor quarterback play, that’s simply not enough. Griffey also missed half of his junior season with a foot injury. Griffey has big yards-after-catch ability, but a lack of consistent production is always the first knock on a player at an FCS school who can’t become a go-to player. 

PRO COMPARISON: Chris Moore, Baltimore Ravens

FINAL GRADE: 4.99/9.00 (Undrafted Free Agent)

POSITIVES

With 111 receptions for almost 1,400 yards, Karel Hamilton turned heads for the Samford Bulldogs in 2016. His 279 career catches and 32 touchdowns point to a reliable pass-catcher. Hamilton was invited to the East-West Shrine Game and performed well against a higher level of competition. He's a smart, seasoned route-runner and gives quarterbacks a big, extended target. Hamilton is a smooth catcher with a natural ability to locate and lock onto the ball. A three-time All-Southern Conference player, Hamilton projects as a potential depth wide receiver.

NEGATIVES

Hamilton played against a low-level of competition at Samford, but one that has produced a few NFL players in recent years. It remains to be seen if he has the speed to separate from NFL defenses with his poor straight-line burst and lack of quickness on short cuts. For a smaller bodied receiver, Hamilton doesn't have the overall athleticism you look for. He doesn't bring value as a return man. Hamilton's lack of juice after the catch is a major issue that is similar to his inability to separate from cornerbacks.

PRO COMPARISON: Kenny Bell, Baltimore Ravens

FINAL GRADE: 4.99/9.00 (Undrafted Free Agent)

POSITIVES

A former college basketball player who spent one year on the Marshall football team, Michael Clark is an interesting developmental prospect at receiver. Clark shows some potential as a football player and has a natural, smooth athleticism. He has a massive catch radius and will go up to attack the ball in the air. If Clark can improve his football instincts, he can be a matchup nightmare as a vertical threat or simply as a post-up option in the red zone. He's still learning the game and made impressive improvement as the season went on.

NEGATIVES

Clark doesn't have the speed or quickness that NFL receivers must possess. He's a large target but a stiff, heavy-footed mover down the field and through transitions in his routes. Clark is a long strider without the twitch to pull away from a defender in coverage. Given his height, a team might try to bulk Clark up and turn him into a tight end. Clark is a long shot to become a productive pass-catcher. He has to learn to separate with timing in his routes. 

PRO COMPARISON: Kris Durham, free agent

FINAL GRADE: 4.99/9.00 (Undrafted Free Agent)

POSITIVES

Keevan Lucas plays bigger than his size. He has the ability to track the ball over his shoulder and has good sideline awareness. He has a nice catch radius, being able to go down to the ground and make plays as well as high-point the football. He lacks quickness, but has good long speed that allows him to separate and create good throwing windows deep for his quarterback. He makes contested catches down the field as well. He was highly productive in the Tulsa system, with two 1,000-plus-yard seasons in the last three years.

NEGATIVES

While Lucas played in the slot, he didn’t run typical slot routes as much as he went vertical. The Tulsa system is derived from the Baylor system, meaning Lucas will have a steep learning curve. He has long speed, but lacks the short area quickness that teams look for out of their slot receivers. He rounds his routes too often, and is not crisp out of breaks. This leads to his lack of ability after the catch. Once he builds up his speed, he can run away from people, but he fails to make many defenders miss in the open field. He will also struggle to block, at times getting physically dominated at the point of attack.  

PRO COMPARISON: Willie Snead, New Orleans Saints

FINAL GRADE: 4.99/9.00 (Undrafted Free Agent)

POSITIVES

After starting for two seasons at USC, Rogers has a high football IQ and it shows. He settles into zones nicely and has good stick awareness both when he runs his routes and after the catch. His strong hands are his greatest asset, with his ability to catch in traffic, away from his body and high-point the ball. He also shows a willingness to absorb contact through the catch. He is a solid blocker and can seal the defender off and create a crease for the back. 

NEGATIVES

It's obvious after one look at the film that Rogers is a limited athlete. His 4.89 40-yard dash will have him off of some team’s boards completely. He also looks slow on tape. Despite being a deep threat for USC, he lacked any ability to separate and his 40 time only confirms fears. He is also a limited route-runner. He doesn’t get in and out of breaks quickly and is slow off the line of scrimmage. Defenders are consistently in his hip pocket, and he doesn’t get the positioning to make up for it.

PRO COMPARISON: T.J. Moe, former NFL

FINAL GRADE: 4.99/9.00 (Undrafted Free Agent)

POSITIVES

Pascal is an impressive and dominating blocker. He was used in the slot, outside and even spent time as h-back. He was able to block in space, and Old Dominion felt comfortable running screens behind him. Pascal profiles as a big slot receiver with soft hands who can make things happen in the open field. His broad jump of 126” tested in the 83rd percentile, showing what kind of explosion he has to his game. He can make defenders miss and has good long speed once he builds up to it. Pascal shows soft hands with the ability to catch it out in front of his body. His production isn’t off the charts but is impressive, considering the system and QB situation he came. He caught 65-plus passes for over 900 yards and at least eight touchdowns in back to back years. His ability to be a possession receiver with open field ability and a good blocker will intrigue some teams.

NEGATIVES

Pascal struggled with contact both at the line of scrimmage and at the stem of his routes. With these struggles, he likely will profile as a big slot only. As a slot receiver, crisp route running is essential to success. He can be slow out of his breaks and round some of his routes. Without improvement, he is unlikely to be able to get open consistently in the NFL.

PRO COMPARISON: Geremy Davis, Los Angeles Rams

FINAL GRADE: 4.99/9.00 (Undrafted Free Agent)

POSITIVES

Despite not receiving a combine invite, Seales is squarely on teams’ radar after his impressive pro day. He jumped 41.5”, which would have been the second best of any receiver at the combine, and ran an impressive 4.51 40-yard dash. Seales showed off his athleticism on tape, flashing the ability to make spectacular catches down the field. At 6’1” and 206 pounds, he plays bigger than he is and would be a vertical and red-zone threat. He shows the ability to high-point the ball, and uses his size and leaping ability to have an advantage over the defender.

NEGATIVES

Seales lacks consistency. He played with one of the nation’s best quarterback’s in a receiver-friendly system and failed to break 39 catches any year of his career. His ability in the red zone is apparent when he flashes, yet he never had more than four touchdowns in his any season. He will need to improve as a route runner, both in the variety and the crispness of his routes. He didn’t get great separation in his routes, and he will need to prove he can play through press coverage. He is attractive for his athleticism but will start his career as an end-of-the-roster kind of player. Seales was arrested in 2015 on complaints of driving while intoxicated and with an open container. In October 2014, he was found passed out in the driver's seat of a car in the drive-through lane of a Whataburger restaurant and was arrested on a public intoxication complaint. 

PRO COMPARISON: Tre McBride, Tennessee Titans

FINAL GRADE: 4.99/9.00 (Undrafted Free Agent)

POSITIVES

Corey Smith is the kind of player every NFL team likes to have at the end of its roster. He is a great special teams player, since he can cover kicks and block punts. As a receiver, he shows soft hands and a great catch radius. He runs crisp routes and finds ways to get open despite lacking top-end speed. He is a high-IQ football player with good field vision and understanding of where to settle into zones. He isn’t likely to crack a team’s top three receivers, but he is exactly what you look for as a last receiver on the team.

NEGATIVES

Smith ran a 4.68 40-yard dash at his pro day, which is disappointing for someone who is likely to play slot receiver in the NFL. He also has durability concerns, playing a combined 8 games in the last two seasons due to leg injuries. While Smith was on the field, he lacked production. In 20 career games, he had 31 catches for 351 yards and no touchdowns. His lack of athleticism is apparent. He doesn’t make people miss and is usually tackled when contact is made. A team will have to trust in his special-teams ability in order for him to make a roster. 

PRO COMPARISON: Matthew Slater, New England Patriots

FINAL GRADE: 4.99/9.00 (Undrafted Free Agent)

POSITIVES

Greg Ward was one of the nation’s best dual threat quarterbacks. Originally a receiver at Houston as well as a punt returner, Houston asked him to play QB and he excelled. Ward doesn’t have the size or arm to play quarterback in the NFL, so a transition back to receiver is a must. Unlike other quarterbacks making that transition, he has experience playing the position. Ward will be asked to play slot receiver in the NFL and will have two things working in his favor: his short area quickness and his experience reading coverages. He should have a great understanding of where soft spots in the zone are and where exactly he needs to be on the field.

NEGATIVES

Any time you make a position change, there are more questions than answers. Ward ran a 4.59 40-yard dash at his pro day, so straight-line speed won’t be an advantage he has. He will have to work on using his quickness to develop a route tree. His hands are question marks at best, and teams will have to decide based on workouts how much they trust them. With his lack of experience and size, he is likely to struggle with press and contact on routes. He will also lack the functional strength as a blocker to have any success in this area.  

PRO COMPARISON: Kain Colter, former NFL

FINAL GRADE: 4.99/9.00 (Undrafted Free Agent)

POSITIVES

Morgan is slot receiver who has good hands and runs crisp routes. He has the footwork and quickness you look for in a slot receiver. He excels in double-move situations, and uses his route running, not his speed, to get separation. By dropping only two passes on the season, he showed his hands to be reliable. He can work the middle of the field and catch the ball in traffic. He is able to make defenders miss when he has the ball in his hands. He combined good elusiveness and open field vision with a willingness to run through contact to try and get the extra yard.

NEGATIVES

Morgan’s 4.74 40-yard dash time at the combine will worry teams. He doesn’t have long speed, and he can struggle to pull away from defenders. Combining those issues with his problems with press and contact on his routes, he may struggle to win consistently at the next level. Any form of contact knocks him off his route. He will need to continue to run crisp routes to have any chance of getting open in the NFL. He didn’t use his decent size to his advantage when catching the football. He isn’t going to win many 50/50 situations, which is something you look for out of a bigger slot receiver.  

PRO COMPARISON: Bryan Walters, Jacksonville Jaguars

FINAL GRADE: 4.99/9.00 (Undrafted Free Agent)

POSITIVES

Marks was an excellent route runner for Washington State. He was highly productive, catching 104 passes for 1,192 yards and 15 touchdowns and 89 catches 894 yards and 13 touchdowns, respectively, in the last two seasons. Marks ran most of his routes out of the slot. He was able to get in and out of breaks quickly and showed good short-area quickness. He has soft hands even though ideally you would want his hands to be larger. He is willing to work over the middle and catch the ball in traffic and he settles into zones nicely. Once the ball is in his hands, he is able to get every yard available, running with good vision and elusiveness.

NEGATIVES

Marks is a limited athlete with a low ceiling. He is a good route runner with soft hands but has a small catch radius. He lacks long speed to get separation deep, and while he has good short-area quickness, it may not be enough to win at the NFL level. His three-cone time of 7.01 seconds is not ideal for a slot receiver. His slight frame of 5’11”, 185 pounds causes him to struggle playing through contact. He rarely breaks tackles and while his vision is good, he doesn't often create more than what is given to him. He will struggle to hold his own blocking. His effort is always there, but his functional strength is not.

PRO COMPARISON: Pharoh Cooper, Los Angeles Rams

FINAL GRADE: 4.99/9.00 (Undrafted Free Agent)

POSITIVES

Bolden has toughness, elusiveness and return ability. He scored four special-teams touchdowns in his career and averaged 22.4 yards per kick return and 9.8 yards per punt return. At wide receiver, he shows great vision as well as the ability to take a screen and turn it into a big play. He is willing to catch the ball through contact and absorb big hits. His short area quickness and long speed combine to make him a great special-teams player, and he can be used as a gadget player on offense.

NEGATIVES

Bolden doesn’t translate his quickness into crisp routes. He struggles at his size with all forms of contact. He doesn’t have the ability to beat press and can get knocked off his route. While he can catch through traffic, he doesn’t have a big catch radius and has consistently struggled with drops. Bolden is quick and fast on tape, but his 40-yard dash time left something to be desired. He will need to improve his skill set across the board to play slot receiver in the NFL.  

PRO COMPARISON: Jakeem Grant, Miami Dolphins

FINAL GRADE: 4.99/9.00 (Undrafted Free Agent)

POSITIVES

Bug Howard has the size you look for in an outside receiver. He knows how to create separation with his body positioning. He sports an impressive 37 ½” vertical jump that allows him to win jump balls. He also has strong hands and rarely dropping passes. He can high-point the ball and hold onto it through traffic. He will be a red-zone target from Day 1. He also has a good sense of zone coverage and where to settle in to give his quarterback the best chance. Howard uses his size and strength to be a successful blocker. He squares up defenders and creates seams for the running backs.

NEGATIVES

Howard lacks the hand-fight skills and the footwork to consistently beat press. He has adequate long speed but doesn't possess acceleration, which greatly affects his routes. He doesn’t run crisp routes, often rounding them and gives defenders a chance to make a play on the football. He struggles versus man coverage and that is likely to get worse at the next level. Howard projects as a big-bodied possession receiver who is used situationally in the red zone.  

PRO COMPARISON: Devin Funchess, Carolina Panthers

FINAL GRADE: 4.99/9.00 (Undrafted Free Agent)

POSITIVES

Wilson is a willing to do a slot receiver’s dirty work. He can catch the ball in traffic and has moves in the open field to make defenders miss. He is a quick receiver who makes his living working the middle of the field. He settles into zones nicely, and can turn up the field. He has the quickness you look for in a slot receiver along with soft hands. He only dropped one pass the entire 2016 season.

NEGATIVES

Wilson was the third option at Florida State and often worked from the slot. He lacked production and never went for more than 622 yards in a season. His athletic testing was poor. He ran a 4.57 40-yard dash. At only 5’9”, he profiles only as a slot receiver. His poor testing time may have something to do with missing the second half of the season due to a foot surgery, which brings up durability concerns. With the lack of size, speed and quickness, Wilson will struggle to find a role in the NFL. He also brings off-field issues, having been charged with third-degree grand motor theft in 2014. 

PRO COMPARISON: Seth Roberts, Oakland Raiders

FINAL GRADE: 4.99/9.00 (Undrafted Free Agent)

POSITIVES

Noil caught the eyes of evaluators at the combine after he jumped an impressive 43½” (99th percentile) and had a 133” broad jump (97th percentile). A 5-star recruit coming out of high school, Noil is an explosive athlete. Because of this, he is able to play bigger than his 5’11” height. On contested catches, he high-points the ball and leaps to make fantastic catches. With the ball in his hands, he flashes potential to make guys miss and play through contact, and he averaged 15.5 yards per catch his junior year. With his athletic makeup and big-time high school pedigree, he is a high-ceiling player.

NEGATIVES

Noil was not productive at Texas A&M, and could likely have used another year of growth on and off the field. He was suspended twice while at school, and arrested once for a misdemeanor drug possession. Noil finished his career with 88 catches for 1,134 yards and nine touchdowns, but over half his catches and yards came in his freshman year. Noil was inconsistent on the field; his motor ran hot and cold and his effort could be questioned. While he is an excellent athlete, it didn’t translate into crisp routes and separation. His leaping ability will give him a chance to make a contested catch, but at his size and with his athleticism, he should be getting open more than he did. Unless he makes progress, Noil will have to have quarterbacks trust him, something hard for a late-draft rookie to earn.  

PRO COMPARISON: Brandon Tate, Buffalo Bills

FINAL GRADE: 4.99/9.00 (Undrafted Free Agent)

POSITIVES

Quick was Louisville’s leading receiver in 2016, when he caught 45 passes for 769 yards and six touchdowns. He does most of his work in the slot, killing zones with his routes up the seam. Quick’s calling card is his release off the line of scrimmage. He was consistently the first to react to the ball being snapped and exploded out of his stance. This gave him the edge when running up the field versus corners or linebackers, and Louisville continuously took advantage. When he beat players deep, he tracked the ball nicely over the shoulder; he was also able to adjust to underthrown balls. Before losing his return job because of fumbles, Quick had an impact as a returner as well as in the open field, where he made defenders miss and had good vision.

NEGATIVES

While Quick has the size to play on the outside, his lack of functional strength will leave him as a slot-only guy in the NFL. He struggles to beat press coverage, gets knocked off his routes down the field and is blown up when he tries to block. While Quick has a fantastic release off the line of scrimmage, he doesn’t have the other traits you look for in a prototypical slot receiver. His speed of 4.60 in the 40-yard dash was disappointing, and his three-cone time of seven seconds tested in the 37th percentile. You could see the lack of top-end speed in his tape as he would get caught from behind. He also doesn’t have the typical route tree or reliable hands of a slot receiver. He dropped eight passes on the season and has a small catch radius. A lot of his success came on deep passes up the seam, and he didn’t regularly work underneath as most slot receivers do. 

PRO COMPARISON: Davone Bess, former NFL

FINAL GRADE: 4.99/9.00 (Undrafted Free Agent)

POSITIVES

Griffin is a two-sport, high-flying athlete. Coming out of high school, he was a 4-star receiver and the No. 33 overall prospect on ESPN’s big board. He attended Texas Southern University where he played both basketball and football. As a redshirt sophomore, he caught 36 passes for 709 yards and 11 touchdowns. Griffin was a big-time recruit both on the field and the court where he averaged 11.3 points and 10.9 rebounds per game in 2016. On the gridiron, he is an incredibly raw prospect. Unlike most basketball players, he plays receiver and not tight end. At this point of his football career, what he does best is go up and get the ball. He uses his big frame to bully smaller corners and make plays in the red zone.

NEGATIVES

Griffin received some of the worst feedback we received from NFL teams. He was dismissed from the football team after two games in 2016 and was suspended multiple times for team violations. While he profiles as a big-time athlete, his pro day was disappointing. Griffin measured out an inch shorter and 20 pounds heavier than expected. He couldn’t run the 40 because of a leg injury, which likely also explains his unimpressive 31” vertical. With so little film and so much projection for a raw athlete such as Griffin, his workouts were key to his chances for getting drafted. There are so many unknowns both on tape and as an athlete that there are more questions than answers on Griffin. 

PRO COMPARISON: Blake Bell, San Francisco 49ers

FINAL GRADE: 4.99/9.00 (Undrafted Free Agent)

POSITIVES

Tim White was a go-to playmaker in the Arizona State offense the last two seasons after transferring from College of the Canyons. White has four-down ability and was a dangerous return man, showing off his track-and-field skills with the ball in his hands. He accounted for 3,400 yards in two seasons. He almost qualified for the 2016 Olympics in the triple jump and has a 38 1/2-inch vertical and 10'10" broad jump. White is an electric player any time he has the ball in his hands. He'll need schemed touches, but if an offensive coordinator is patient, he can become a threat.

NEGATIVES

White is raw with little skill as a route runner. He must learn to convert his athleticism to the football field. White wins now with straight-line speed and an ability to go up and get the ball, but he's not a precise player in transitions. When it comes to breaking or underneath routes—those favored by smaller receivers—he doesn't show the burst or quick feet to be able to separate from NFL coverage. White has short arms and is right at the threshold for hand size. 

PRO COMPARISON: Dwayne Harris, New York Giants

FINAL GRADE: 4.99/9.00 (Undrafted Free Agent)

POSITIVES

Tim Patrick is a big, physical wide receiver with the size, straight-line speed and quickness to separate from NFL defenders. As a raw athlete, White is intriguing. He's fluid, long, physical and can be an aggressive player when challenged. He flashed some skills as a red-zone threat and grabbed five touchdowns in 2016 when finally healthy enough to play. He has NFL size, speed, length and a massive catch radius; all traits that will intrigue scouts. 

NEGATIVES

Patrick will turn 24 years old in his rookie season, making him an over-aged prospect. White spent three seasons at Utah, one a redshirt, and was never a productive player after transferring from Grossmont College. A leg injury suffered in November of 2014 cost him the rest of that year and all of 2015. White is inexperienced and hasn't been a productive college player. If he were younger, a team might roll the dice on him as a developmental prospect, but given his age and injury history, White is unlikely to be drafted.

PRO COMPARISON: Brandon Coleman, New Orleans Saints

FINAL GRADE: 4.99/9.00 (Undrafted Free Agent)

POSITIVES

Adeboyejo is a big slot receiver with a good combination of size and speed. He has a limited route tree but shows good wiggle up the seam where he did his most damage. He blazed a 4.42 second 40-yard dash. Adeboyejo was thrown screen passes and given chances to work the middle of the field. He showed elusiveness, speed and good knowledge of how to work into the soft spots of zones. He is an appealing option for teams looking to work the middle of the field with a size and speed combination. He shows a second gear that gives him an ability to separate from defenses. Adeboyejo is intelligent and known as a good person off the field. He made honor roll for three consecutive years.

NEGATIVES

Adeboyejo was a one-trick pony at Ole Miss working the middle. His size-speed combination profiles as an outside guy, but he may struggle with press and contact on his routes. He also needs to improve his catch radius. His ability to track the ball over his shoulder is a work in progress, and his hands aren’t as solid as one would like. He is big, but he is not physical. He is too easily taken down and isn't the blocker teams look for in an inside slot guy. He is a work in progress as a receiver, but his size and speed combination gives him a chance to develop into a nice player. 

PRO COMPARISON: Marquess Wilson, Chicago Bears

FINAL GRADE: 5.00/9.00 (Undrafted Free Agent)

POSITIVES

Chad Williams was a four-year starter at Grambling, where he produced 210 catches for 3,062 yards and 28 touchdowns—21 of those in the last two seasons as Williams became the go-to receiver. Williams has top-tier speed working down the field and has shown solid quickness and body control getting in and out of breaks. Williams didn't face major competition at Grambling, but he was called up to the Senior Bowl and looked the part. He's an upside player with the athleticism to stick on an NFL roster. 

NEGATIVES

Drops are an issue for Williams as he struggles to look the ball in and secure it before getting up-field. There are times where he is timid on film and doesn't want the contact of a defender. This leads to struggles when he's asked to go up and attack the ball. Williams will turn 23 in his rookie season, which is mostly concerning given how raw he is as a route runner. With a long, lean frame, Williams could stand to add some bulk and power to his game.

PRO COMPARISON: Keshawn Martin, Detroit Lions

FINAL GRADE: 5.00/9.00 (Undrafted Free Agent)

POSITIVES

Thomas had a productive senior year at UConn, where he caught 100 passes for 1,179 yards and three touchdowns. He worked predominantly out of the slot, and showed good stick awareness and ability to settle in the soft spot of zones. He has strong soft hands and a good catch radius for making plays on the football. He is able to make good plays on the football by adjusting to the ball, which was often thrown poorly in his direction. Once he gets it in his hands, he shows some wiggle and an ability to turn up the field and go. He ran a 4.49 40-yard dash at his pro day.

NEGATIVES

He struggles to play through contact, which throws him off at the line and on a route. Too often, his routes weren’t clean or crisp, which is a major liability in a slot receiver. He can make great catches but has too many lapses in concentration, dropping seven passes on the season. He may have improved his time at his pro day, but his play doesn’t show 4.4 speed. He can work the middle of the field and up the seam but won’t be running by any nickel corners in the NFL. 

PRO COMPARISON: Bryan Walters, Jacksonville Jaguars

FINAL GRADE: 4.99/9.00 (Undrafted Free Agent)

POSITIVES

The only player invited to the combin- from NAIA football, Hogan is a big bodied receiver who dominated at his level. Hogan needed to, and did dominate the combine, showing an impressive 40-yard dash of 4.56 seconds, a good vertical jump of 36½” and good short-area quickness with his 6.74s three-cone time. The combine was as important for Hogan as any other player because of the competition questions that will arise, but he knocked it out of the park. Hogan dominated at his level of play, catching 56 touchdowns in two seasons. A red-zone monster, he created separation and had an impressive catch radius. He tracks the ball nicely over his shoulder and is able to pull down contested catches. His athletic profile will intrigue teams and makes for a high upside, late-draft flier.

NEGATIVES

By far the biggest knock against Hogan will be where he played football. The level of competition cannot be compared to Division I, never mind the NFL. He will have to show that he can still win when he is not far and away the best player on the field. Hogan needs to improve the crispness of his routes and get in and out of breaks more smoothly. He didn’t always take advantage of his size to high-point the football, instead letting it come down to him. He won’t be running as freely as he did in college and will need to show he can handle press and contact down the field. With his athleticism, it is no shock he dominated lower-level competition, but he will need to be able to show that as a football player, he can compete in the NFL. 

PRO COMPARISON: Moritz Bohringer, Minnesota Vikings

FINAL GRADE: 5.00/9.00 (Undrafted Free Agent)

POSITIVES

When you watch Billy Brown, the first thing that stands out is how big he is. At 6'3 ¾", 255 pounds, he looks like a tight end split wide. Playing for little-known Division II school Shepherd, Brown put up big numbers in 2016, catching 99 passes for 1,580 yards and 22 touchdowns. He had the size to dominate smaller corners and tracked the ball well over his shoulder on deep passes. He consistently succeeds at beating corners across their face and has a big catch radius for his quarterback. He shows the ability to go up and get the football, as well as a comfort in going to the ground to catch low passes. Once he gets the ball in his hands, he is a load to bring down as he can run through tacklers in the secondary. With Brown's size and strength (which he showed at the combine with 23 bench-press reps), he has the functional strength to be a dominant blocker on the outside.

NEGATIVES

Receivers at Brown's weight simply don't exist in the NFL. He will need to lose weight and improve his speed (a 4.7-second 40-yard dash). Despite his frame, he struggled with press coverage, often getting held up at the line and pushed to the sideline. Having played in Division II, Brown will face a steep learning curve with the rise in competition, which raises a lot of questions about his ability to handle it. There are two ways to separate: with speed and with body positioning. On too many of his routes he did not separate either way. With his size and catching ability, he is an interesting project, but at this stage he is nothing more than a project receiver.

PRO COMPARISON: Mychal Rivera, Jacksonville Jaguars

FINAL GRADE: 5.00/9.00 (Undrafted Free Agent)

POSITIVES

While an Eastern Washington receiver received plenty of hype this season, it was not Kendrick Bourne. The lesser-known player may not have gotten the attention Cooper Kupp did, but he can still play. Bourne shows good strength in fighting through press coverage and through contact at the top of his routes. He was consistently thrown screen passes and showed good field vision and elusiveness in the open field. He has good footwork and can win at the line of scrimmage with either his feet or hands. Bourne showed this with a three-cone time of 6.73 seconds, testing in the 83rd percentile. His best ability may be the way he can track the football over his shoulder. He can lay out to make spectacular catches, and he catches deep balls in stride while shielding the defender with his body and letting it drop right into his hands over his shoulder. His production at Eastern Washington was fantastic, going for 1,201 yards on 79 catches with seven touchdowns.

NEGATIVES

One thing that jumps out when you watch his tape is Bourne's lack of ability to separate. His 4.68 40-yard dash will only increase concern that he won't be able to get behind defenses. He has a good initial burst at the line of scrimmage but lacks the second gear to get behind the defense. His competition level will increase monumentally compared to the FCS, creating more questions. Bourne rarely had to beat double deeps and was single-covered while teams focused their attention on trying to stop Kupp.  

PRO COMPARISON: Tajae Sharpe, Tennessee Titans

FINAL GRADE: 5.00/9.00 (Undrafted Free Agent)

POSITIVES

Michael Rector caught the eye of scouts when he blazed a 4.42 40-yard dash. Rector tested well in the three-cone drill, running it in 6.77 seconds. He also broad-jumped at 129 inches. At 6'0 ⅛", 193 pounds, Rector has a nice size-speed combination to play on the boundary. Rector averaged 16.4 yards per catch in his junior year, showing his ability to take the top off a defense. On tape, he shows good footwork at the line of scrimmage and a second gear to get separation on the defense. He has a developed route tree coming out of Stanford and catches the ball well in multiple ways. He can track the ball well over his shoulder, has good body control and isn't afraid to make catches in traffic. He only dropped three passes on the season.

NEGATIVES

Rector's production took a dip during his senior year. In 12 games he caught 32 passes for 367 yards and three touchdowns. He needs to get stronger and improve multiple aspects of his game. He struggles getting off press coverage, and contact at the top of his routes throws him off. He is a high-effort blocker but won't ever be the kind of receiver you can run behind. While Rector runs multiple routes and isn't just a pure deep threat, he needs to improve his route running. Too often he rounds his routes, and he needs to show quicker feet getting out of his breaks. While Rector tested as a good athlete, his ability after the catch didn't show it. He was easily tackled, struggled to make defenders miss and has questionable open-field vision. Without improving his ability to play through contact and his route-running, Rector could be relegated to being a pure deep threat. 

PRO COMPARISON: Robby Anderson, New York Jets

FINAL GRADE: 5.00/9.00 (Undrafted Free Agent)

POSITIVES

Isaiah McKenzie should have a role on a roster from day one as a returner. He scored six total touchdowns on special teams in three years at Georgia, including five punt return touchdowns. He averaged 11.7 yards per punt return over that span and proved to be a dangerous player in space. In 2016, he went from a special teams player to Georgia's leading receiver, catching 44 balls for 633 yards and seven touchdowns. He added 19 carries for 134 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 7.1 yards per carry. McKenzie wins with his speed and quickness. He ran a 4.42 40 and a 6.64-second three-cone drill, which were in the 83rd and 92nd percentile, respectively. Georgia used McKenzie as a gadget offensive weapon both in the slot and out of the backfield. The Bulldogs got him in space and allowed him to use his speed and quickness to win matchups, and once he got in the open field, he showed his return ability by breaking big runs. He has excellent vision there and understands defensive leverage.

NEGATIVES

McKenzie has an incredibly small frame at 5'7 ¼" and 173 pounds. He will be limited to the slot and gadget plays in the NFL. Georgia did a good job of getting McKenzie into matchups he could easily win—both on the move and in space. For him to be a successful offensive weapon, the team that drafts him will need to do the same. He isn't a polished route-runner, and he will struggle with contact both at the line of scrimmage and during his routes. He also isn't as sure-handed as you would like a slot receiver to be. He dropped seven passes on the season, consistently letting the ball into his body and double-catching the football. He will need to work hard in this area and may never be more than a gadget player and return specialist.  

PRO COMPARISON: De'Anthony Thomas, Kansas City Chiefs

FINAL GRADE: 5.00/9.00 (Undrafted Free Agent)

POSITIVES

Trent Taylor had a highly productive senior season, catching 136 passes for 1,803 yards and 12 touchdowns. Taylor is a twitched-up athlete who gave linebackers, safeties and nickel corners fits in the slots. His three-cone time of 6.74 seconds put him in the 80th percentile. He had a developed route tree at Louisiana Tech, and got in and out of his breaks smoothly. He has good hands, showing the ability to go up and get the ball as well as make diving catches. Taylor is also comfortable making plays in traffic. He has a good understanding of zones, as he settled in the right areas nicely. On top of being able to beat man and zone coverage, he has good stick knowledge and will help an NFL team convert on third downs.

NEGATIVES

Taylor will always be a slot-only receiver at his size (5'8 ⅝", 181 lbs). He is deceptively quick but is slower than you would like to see, running his 40-yard dash in 4.63 seconds. With his lack of speed, he will be limited in his ability to get open. He will likely be relegated to underneath routes only. He can struggle to beat defenders off the line of scrimmage at times—something that will need to improve. Taylor's size will always be an issue, and that affects his blocking. Anyone running the ball in his direction will have a free defender nearly every play.  

PRO COMPARISON: Cole Beasley, Dallas Cowboys

FINAL GRADE: 5.00/9.00 (Undrafted Free Agent)

POSITIVES

Whitfield is a small, fast slot receiver who brings dynamic ability in the return game. At the combine he ran a 4.44 second 40-yard dash, and he shows explosive speed on tape. As a kick returner he averaged 22.9 yards per return, and while he never scored a touchdown, he did have two that were called back. His most productive season was his junior year when he caught 57 passes for 798 yards and six touchdowns. Whitfield is small with a compact frame. He is an elusive open-field player and shows good balance to stay upright through contact. Florida State did a good job of getting him in space and letting him use his second gear and vision to create big plays. The team that drafts him could get creative to get his hands on the ball. When given a free release inside, he can beat man coverage and will give linebackers fits. He is able to catch the ball through contact, which will be vital for his chances for success in a full-time role in the NFL.

NEGATIVES

Whitfield’s size will leave his ceiling capped. He can be used in the slot, but will need to fine-tune his route running and catching ability. He lets too many passes get into his body and has a small catch radius. His production also took a major dip in 2016 when it dropped to 34 catches, 395 yards and one touchdown. He needs to improve his breaks in his routes and add elements such as a head fake to fool defenders. Too often, he is running into zones instead of settling in the hole. Whitfield should make a roster thanks to his return ability, and can be used as a gadget player in space, but needs to improve his route running and reliability to be a slot receiver in the NFL. 

PRO COMPARISON: Cole Beasley, Dallas Cowboys

FINAL GRADE: 5.10/9.00 (Depth Receiver—Round 7)

POSITIVES

Austin Carr is a compact receiver with impressive hands, quickness after the catch and great production. Against Ohio State, Carr showed what he can do when targeted with eight catches for 158 yards. He's a dependable pass-catcher with soft hands and a knack for making the first defender miss. Carr has shifty hips and quick feet and is able to beat press coverage off the line with a shake. He's a tough route-runner who will run through traffic. With the ball in his hands, Carr is able to pick up yards after the catch and runs with some strength. A former walk-on, Carr is a worker.

NEGATIVES

Carr lacks straight-line speed and must beat coverage with his tools as a route-runner. His arm length and hand size are both considered small. He has rarely been used down the field as a receiver and must develop a more thorough route tree to make plays against NFL coverage. Because Carr lacks burst off the line of scrimmage, he's limited to underneath routes and will work exclusively out of the slot. A tightness in his hips shows up on breaking routes, and Carr will have to learn to clean up looping, slow cuts.

PRO COMPARISON: Danny Amendola, New England Patriots

FINAL GRADE: 5.20/9.00 (Depth Receiver—Round 7)

POSITIVES

Jerome Lane is a big-bodied receiver at 6'2 ⅛", 226 pounds, and was productive in his junior season, going for 62 catches, 1,018 yards and six touchdowns. He showed his potential in going over 100 yards four times, with 115-, 134-, 177- and 196-yard games. He broke a 91-yard touchdown as well, showing off his big-play ability. Lane knows how to use his body, shielding defenders in the red zone and at the catch point. He is comfortable in traffic and shows good concentration to make catches when defenders flash in front of him. He is an ever-improving receiver, only dropping four balls on the season. Lane not only uses his size for separation but is a physical run-blocker. His position switch from linebacker likely led to his aggressive blocking style.

NEGATIVES

Lane is the definition of a project, considering his extremely rare transition from linebacker to receiver. While this helps him with his physicality—especially blocking—it means he has a lot of learning to do. Coming from Akron, he didn't play great competition, and his best game on the season came vs. VMI, an FCS school. While Lane didn't drop a lot of passes, he showed his rawness as a pass-catcher with his form. He let balls get into his body and had a lot of double catches. He flashes big-play potential, using his size to break tackles and box out corners. He is unlikely ever to be able to separate consistently, and he is a raw route-runner. He needs to improve his route tree and his ability to get in and out of breaks.  

PRO COMPARISON: Richard Rodgers, Green Bay Packers

FINAL GRADE: 5.00/9.00 (Undrafted Free Agent)

POSITIVES

Amba Etta-Tawo is a solidly built receiver who plays the boundary and flashes big-catch potential. He had big-time production at Syracuse as the No. 1 option, as he caught 94 passes for 1,482 yards and 14 touchdowns. He is effective at running a fade in the end zone and can give his quarterback a throwing lane. He ran faster than he played with a 4.49 40-yard dash, but he showed toughness in his runs. He takes on tacklers and is able to break tackles and find hidden yardage. Etta-Tawo flashes things you want to see in your outside receivers: He can make contested catches, track the ball over his shoulder and provide a deep threat. He also has the functional strength to be an asset as a blocker.

NEGATIVES

Consistency is a huge issue, because for every good play Etta-Tawo makes there is a poor one. He has too many concentration drops. He struggles with press coverage at the line, lacking the ability to win hand fights. Corners can force him to the boundary and take away throwing windows. Etta-Tawo comes out of a system where he had a limited route tree, and he struggled on routes outside of it. He tends to round off routes and fail to drive on comebacks, and he can get out of his breaks slowly. Down the field he can struggle to get separation from corners and doesn't get the position required to make up for it. While he is a strong runner with the ball in his hands, he lacks wiggle and vision to make big plays. He is a project and has a chance to be an outside receiver but will need to greatly improve the holes in his game.  

PRO COMPARISON: Charles Johnson, Minnesota Vikings

FINAL GRADE: 5.25/9.00 (Backup Caliber—Round 7)

POSITIVES

A 6'2 ⅞" former member of the UAB Blazers, Jamari Staples is an explosive, big-play athlete. At the combine, he ran a 4.51 40-yard dash, impressive at his size and showed off his explosiveness with a 130-inch broad jump. While at Louisville, Staples averaged 17.2 yards a catch. He can snatch passes far in front of him or go down to the ground and get it. He is also comfortable catching the ball in traffic. When Staples gets a crease after a catch, he has the ability to take it the distance. He knows how to use his size after the catch as well, as he is a tough ball-carrier to bring down.

NEGATIVES

While he flashed big-play upside, Staples' career-best season came in 2015 when in nine games he had 37 catches, 638 yards and three touchdowns. He is raw and needs to improve multiple aspects of his game. He needs to improve his play versus press coverage, since far too often he is bumped off his routes or gets stuck at the line of scrimmage. He will need to add strength to improve his play versus press coverage, his blocking and how he handles contact downfield. His route tree is limited, and he over-strides and lacks quickness in breaks. At times, he shows a good ability to catch the ball away from his body, but he also double-catches passes and lets them get into his body. He dropped seven passes on the season and needs to be more reliable. Staples' size, speed and jumping combination will be attractive, but he needs to use it better. He often didn't high-point the football on deep passes—instead letting it come to him and losing his advantage over the defensive back. The potential is there, but he has a lot to improve on.  

PRO COMPARISON: Breshad Perriman, Baltimore Ravens

FINAL GRADE: 5.25/9.00 (Backup Caliber—Round 7)

POSITIVES

At 6'2 ⅛" and 220 pounds with a 4.54-second 40-yard dash, Damore'ea Stringfellow has a great combination of size and speed. Despite not getting an invitation to the combine, Stringfellow had a productive season. He caught 46 passes for 716 yards and six touchdowns, and he averaged 15.6 yards per catch. Stringfellow knows how to use his body to get separation. He excels at contested catches, shows great body control and has the ability to catch the ball in traffic. He has the capability to make "wow" catches and plays. He was used in a variety of ways at Ole Miss and has a developed route tree. He uses his size nicely after the catch as well, running through tackles and gaining hidden yardage. He can be used as an effective red-zone threat from day one.

NEGATIVES

Off the field, Stringfellow lets far too many passes get into his body and has too many concentration drops; he dropped nine passes on the season. While he uses his body positioning for separation, he isn't able to get a step on corners. He has good top-end speed but lacks the acceleration to run away from defenders. He doesn't use his size well in press coverage as he tries to beat corners with his feet. As a blocker, he should be dominant at his size, but he is far too inconsistent with his effort. Stringfellow flashes big-play potential but needs to be more consistent in all aspects of his game. While his production improved during his junior year, he failed to break 100 yards in any game, and in five of 12 contests had three or fewer catches. 

PRO COMPARISON: DeAndre Smelter, San Francisco 49ers

FINAL GRADE: 5.25/9.00 (Backup Caliber—Round 7)

POSITIVES

Jalen Robinette is a big-bodied receiver at 6'2 ¾" and 220 pounds with giant hands measuring at 10 ⅞". He knows how to use his frame to consistently box out corners on his post routes, gaining inside position for the quarterback to target. Once he comes down with the ball, he is strong enough to run through tackles. While his route tree is limited, Robinette does run good post, comebacks and vertical routes. There is reason to hope he can develop his route tree based on his three-cone time of 6.77 seconds, which scored in the 75th percentile. He can beat press coverage with his footwork or strength, and gets in and out of his breaks quickly. Despite being playing for Air Force, a predominantly running team, he still had 959 receiving yards and six touchdowns on only 35 receptions, averaging an absurd 27.4 yards per catch. Coming from a run-first school, Robinette has lots of experience with blocking. He can play the big slot role or be on the outside and drive back defenders, creating lanes for his running back. Robinette played well in the East-West Shrine Game, which earned him an invite to the Senior Bowl where he practiced well.

NEGATIVES

While Robinette has giant hands and a great frame, he doesn't have a catch radius to match. He doesn't high-point the ball down the field, and he too often lets balls get into his body. He has drops and double-catches as a result. With his hand size, this should improve over time. While he did run the routes he was required to well, he will have a steep learning curve to master a greater variety of routes. He will be able to mask some of these deficiencies with his size, but it will still take time to improve. While Robinette showed promise versus press coverage, he rarely faced it. He will have to learn to adjust and show he is able to use his strength versus NFL defensive backs. Robinette is a raw project with upside due to his size and physical gifts. 

PRO COMPARISON: Hakeem Nicks, Free Agent

FINAL GRADE: 5.25/9.00 (Round 7—Backup Caliber)

POSITIVES

Fred Ross is a versatile receiver who can be used all over the field. He is coming off back-to-back successful seasons, catching 88 passes for 1,007 yards and five touchdowns in his junior year, and he went for 72 catches, 917 yards and 12 touchdowns his senior season. He wins both on the outside and in the slot, and gets open in multiple ways. He gets separation both with his body positioning and with the distance he gets from the defenders. He shows the ability to beat both press and off coverage versus some of college football's top teams. He runs good routes, using head fakes and the ability to get in and out of his routes to create separation. He catches the ball away from his body, flashing the ability to catch it over his shoulder and to adjust to the ball. He brings a nastiness to the run game as he is a willing blocker and eager to take on defenders.

NEGATIVES

Ross needs to be more consistent. He can struggle with drops and needs to greatly improve his ability to catch in traffic. His hesitation move to beat corners deep is nearly the same every time. As corners pick up on this, it will take away his ability to get a step. He can also struggle with contact at the top of his routes. His ability to get yards after the catch is dependent on the space in front of him, as he won't make many people miss. He lacks explosiveness to his game and didn't test better than the 53rd percentile in any athletic category. He relies on good routes and positioning to win, and he may be best suited as a big slot receiver in the NFL. 

PRO COMPARISON: Eric Decker, New York Jets

FINAL GRADE: 5.25/9.00 (Backup Caliber—Round 7)

POSITIVES

Stacy Coley is a versatile receiver who can bring different elements to an offense. He can play in the slot and out wide, winning versus both press and off coverage. He is a smart football player who settles in zones nicely and has good stick knowledge. He gets good separation downfield and tracks the ball nicely over his shoulder. He runs a good comeback, driving back to the football and catching it with soft hands. Coley runs good routes and uses his past successes as fakes to create separation on future routes. Coley has the deep speed—he ran a 4.45-second 40-yard dash at the combine—to beat people deep as well as turn the ball upfield after he catches it. He has speed, elusiveness and vision, and he is a threat to hit a home run on every play. He shows an ability to adjust to an underthrown ball and has good body control near the sidelines. Coley also gives great effort blocking; he will run downfield to try to help spring a teammate or hold his own on a screen pass versus a defensive back. Though Miami stopped using him two years ago on returns, Coley does bring return ability. He averaged 24.3 yards per kick return with a touchdown and 13 yards per punt return in 2013 and '14.

NEGATIVES

Durability is an issue for Coley as he has a history of injuries. He has had knee, hip, hamstring and shoulder issues in his career. Coley needs to get physically stronger as contact can affect his routes both at the line of scrimmage and down the field at the top of his routes. He isn't comfortable catching the ball in traffic, leading to dropped and incomplete passes. Coley is a fast, elusive receiver but lacks strength once he is hit; he will not get much hidden yardage.

PRO COMPARISON: Nelson Agholor, Philadelphia Eagles

FINAL GRADE: 5.30/9.00 (Backup Caliber—Round 6)

POSITIVES

Robert Davis the athlete is incredible. He blew up the combine and showed that his career yards-per-reception average of 15.3 was no mere coincidence. At 6'2 ¾" and 219 pounds, Davis ran a 4.44-second 40-yard dash. He had a 41-inch vertical jump and a 136-inch broad jump, which tested in the 95th and 98th percentile, respectively. When you watch Davis play, he shows off his long speed, kicking it into second gear to get separation deep. He can use his body and jumping ability to box out and outjump defenders. He is hard to tackle in the open field and creates big plays after the catch. He has strong hands, only dropping three passes on the season, and shows the ability to make spectacular catches. While his level of competition will raise a question, he did play well versus both Oregon and Wisconsin. Versus Oregon in 2015 he had three catches for 89 yards and a touchdown, and against Wisconsin last year he had eight catches for 93 yards and a touchdown. Davis also showed versatility, playing both in the slot and outside. He will have teams excited with his athleticism, and he has the production and skill set to back it up.

NEGATIVES

Davis is undoubtedly an explosive athlete, with great size and speed. However, he doesn’t have the quickest feet, and he can struggle to get separation on short and intermediate routes. He needs to be crisper in his routes and show better footwork at the line of scrimmage. He can struggle with press coverage and be forced to the sideline too often. He is slow off the line of scrimmage and doesn’t separate until his long speed kicks in on routes. While he played well versus Oregon and Wisconsin, his competition level was lacking in the Sun Belt. He will need to improve at the line of scrimmage to have a chance to show off his explosiveness versus NFL corners.  

PRO COMPARISON: Brian Quick, Washington Redskins

FINAL GRADE: 5.40/9.00 (Backup Caliber—Round 6)

POSITIVES

Keon Hatcher has strong hands and can make things happen after the catch. He has a big catch radius and uses his size well. He receives the ball in front of his body and in traffic, and he high-points the football. He shows the ability to come down with 50-50 balls down the field, shielding off defenders and taking advantage of his bigger frame. Once he gets the ball in his hands, he can make players miss and turn it upfield. He has the strength to run through contact and break tackles, and as a result he can make big plays happen. He is hit-or-miss versus press coverage but shows good feet at the line of scrimmage to win the initial battle versus a corner.

NEGATIVES

Speed and quickness are an issue for Hatcher. He struggles with press coverage, isn't crisp in his routes and will struggle with contact downfield. Hatcher's 4.64-second 40 time will be a concern for teams. Far too often, he tries to run through contact on routes instead of avoiding it. He tends to round his routes and will struggle to get separation. Lack of speed can be made up for by running good routes and being able to play through contact. Struggling with all three normally leads to issues for receivers in the NFL.  

PRO COMPARISON: Rashawn Scott, Miami Dolphins

FINAL GRADE: 5.50/9.00 (Backup Caliber—Round 6)

POSITIVES

Malachi Dupre shows an excellent ability to track the football. He catches it over his shoulder with ease, and as a result he can use his body positioning to offset the defender's ability to knock away the ball. Dupre is a solid route-runner who maneuvers in and out of his breaks nicely. He shows a good understanding of soft spots in zones. He knows where the sticks are, and he has good body control by the sidelines. What Dupre is best at is creating a big catch radius with his leaping ability. His vertical jump of 39 ½ inches and a broad jump of 135 inches tested in the 90th percentile and 98th percentile, respectively. With his 6'2 ⅛" frame and leaping ability, he will be able to win in jump-ball situations consistently in the NFL.

NEGATIVES

Dupre comes from an LSU offense that limited his production. Since he had just 41 catches, 593 yards and three touchdowns, much is unknown regarding his projection. While Dupre flashed the ability to make spectacular catches, his hands were not consistent and he had too many concentration drops. Like his teammate Travin Dural, he can struggle with press coverage and get taken out of the play. His separation isn't consistent, and he relies too much on making great catches. His running after catches is limited as he doesn't make many defenders miss outside of a good stiff-arm. He will need to improve his blocking, where he possesses the ability but not the consistency. 

PRO COMPARISON: Rueben Randle, Chicago Bears

FINAL GRADE: 5.50/9.00 (Backup Caliber—Round 6)

POSITIVES

Dede Westbrook shows the ability to catch the ball in various ways. He has soft hands, catching the ball away from his body, but he also has the ability to catch amidst contact and tracks the ball well over his shoulder. His route running is special, as he can get in and out of breaks extremely well, and he cuts on a dime. He has top-end speed, and his acceleration gets him to his top gear quicker than most defenders can handle. He is not just a deep threat; he showed an ability to run multiple routes, winning over the middle or down the field. Once he gets the ball in his hands, he is elusive, forcing missed tackles and turning on the jets to run past defenders. Westbrook also shows great body control on passes and works the sidelines masterfully. Westbrook came on strong in his senior season as he won the Biletnikoff Award for the nation’s best receiver and was a Heisman finalist. He finished the season with 80 catches for 1,524 yards and 17 touchdowns. He also brings return ability, averaging 27.1 yards per kick return and 16.2 yards per punt return, scoring one touchdown.

NEGATIVES

Before any team feels comfortable drafting Westbrook, it must first be comfortable with his off-field issues. He was arrested twice on misdemeanor family violence complaints, but no charges stuck. Westbrook has raised questions about his play on the field as well. He has a small frame at 5'11 ⅝" and just 178 pounds. The frame will have teams thinking about moving him inside to slot receiver. Westbrook proved to be very effective outside at Oklahoma, but he rarely saw press coverage. When he did, he struggled to get off it, lacking the strength to break free. He will need to improve in this area if he is to ever play outside. With his weight, he also has teams worried about his long-term durability. While he has never missed time due to injury, the long, lean frame type historically has had injury issues in the NFL. 

PRO COMPARISON: Travis Benjamin, Los Angeles Chargers

FINAL GRADE: 5.59/9.00 (Character Risk—Round 6)

POSITIVES

Artavis Scott did a little bit of everything at Clemson. He ran routes out wide and in the slot, lined up at times in the backfield, and returned both kicks and punts. Scott had his most productive year in his sophomore season when Mike Williams was hurt as he had 93 catches for 901 yards and six touchdowns. Scott is most effective on screens and jet sweeps; according to PFF he averaged 9.9 yards after catch on passes behind the line of scrimmage in 2016, fourth-most in all of college football. Scott has the mentality of a running back with the ball in his hands. He has good strength and power through contact and combines that with his vision to navigate the field. Scott has soft hands, only dropping five passes on the season and catching the ball away from his body. His toughness is apparent on tape, as he is willing to go over the middle and take on contact at the catch point. Scott is also physical at the point of attack when blocking. He helped spring runs and screens and blocks well down the field, and he held his own blocking versus both Ohio State and Alabama. He showed off his strength at the combine, finishing with 13 reps on the bench.

NEGATIVES

Scott tested as a poor athlete at the combine. His size profile of 5'10 ¼", 193 pounds projects him as a slot-only receiver in the NFL. He ran a 4.61-second 40-yard dash and failed to test better than the 23rd percentile in any athletic category outside of bench press. While Scott's production was impressive at Clemson, a vast amount of his work came on screen passes. While teams will be able to throw him screens in the NFL, they won't do so often. He will need to continue to develop his route tree and improve his catching ability in traffic. Scott proved to be an effective kick returner but was only used as a punt returner because of his sure hands. He only averaged 5.2 yards per punt return. He lacks the long speed to be the deep threat some teams look for out of the slot, but his ability to work underneath will give him a role in the NFL. 

PRO COMPARISON: Robert Woods, Los Angeles Rams

FINAL GRADE: 5.60/9.00 (Backup Caliber—Round 5)

POSITIVES

Rodney Adams profiles as a big slot receiver who is explosive in the open field. At 6'1 ¼" Adams ran a 4.44-second 40-yard dash at the combine and had an impressive broad jump of 125 inches. That translates to his tape as South Florida got him involved in multiple ways. The team used him on screens and jet sweeps to get him in the open field, and it sent him downfield versus nickels and linebackers where he had an advantage with either with his size or speed. Adams had 67 catches for 822 yards and five touchdowns, while adding 23 carries for 236 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. His junior year, he averaged 18.5 yards per reception, which is no surprise with his big-play ability. Adams is an impressive open-field runner, combining speed, vision and elusiveness to turn small plays into big ones. Adams has strong hands, only dropping three passes on the season and showing great strength holding onto the ball through contact. As a blocker, he lacks the functional strength to be a high-end blocker, but his fight and effort will allow him to hold his own.

NEGATIVES

Adams has the size to be an outside deep threat, but he can't handle press coverage, and contact at the top of his route throws him off. On comebacks, he pushes off at the stem of his route far too often to try to create separation. His route tree is limited, as he mostly runs screens, posts and go routes. He will need to improve in this area if he is ever going to be more than a No. 4 option. While Adams had an impressive broad jump, his vertical was disappointing. Adams tested in the 3rd percentile with his 29.5-inch vertical jump. This is a flaw that can be seen on tape as he lacks a good catch radius, and he struggles to go up and get high passes. Adams needs to improve in a lot of areas, but his speed and ability in the open field give him a chance to contribute in the NFL. 

PRO COMPARISON: Aldrick Robinson, San Francisco 49ers

FINAL GRADE: 5.69/9.00 (Backup Caliber—Round 5)

POSITIVES

Travis Rudolph was a playmaker at Florida State, averaging 15.1 yards per catch in his career. He has shown consistency, producing nearly identical numbers his sophomore and junior years. He demonstrated good deep speed and separation on tape. His greatest strength is settling in soft spots of the defense and turning upfield. His second gear and elusiveness make him a difficult player to tackle in the open field, where he was reminiscent of a punt returner. He is most comfortable working in the middle of the field as he settles nicely into the hole in a zone, giving his quarterback a reliable target.

NEGATIVES

While Rudolph played fast, he did not test well at the combine, failing to finish better than the 50th percentile in any category and only running a 4.65-second 40-yard dash. He did improve his time, running an unofficial 4.52 mark at his pro day, though. Rudolph struggled versus press coverage and physicality. He can get bumped off his routes and taken out of plays. While his numbers versus Florida were solid, going for four catches, 63 yards and a touchdown, he struggled mightily versus both Teez Tabor and Quincy Wilson. Rudolph also struggled with consistency from game to game. Although he finished with 840 yards on the season, more than a fourth of his yardage (238) came in one game versus Wake Forest. He lacks the ability to high-point the ball consistently, creating a smaller catch radius. He is also prone to letting the ball get into his body and double-catching it. Rudolph leaves a lot to be desired as a blocker as well. He puts up a good effort, but gets beat at the point of the attack and is prone to holding penalties.  

PRO COMPARISON: Josh Bellamy, Chicago Bears

FINAL GRADE: 5.70/9.00 (Backup Caliber—Round 4)

POSITIVES

Shelton Gibson does one thing as well as any receiver in this class, and that is go get the ball deep. He shows elite quickness and top-end speed to get behind the defense, and he tracks the ball incredibly well over his shoulder. Gibson has a second gear that allows him to breeze past defenders. He ran just a 4.5-second 40-yard dash but improved his time to 4.39 at his pro day, which his tape would suggest he runs. He also ran the 60-yard shuttle in 10.71 seconds, placing him in the 99th percentile. Gibson has a limited route tree but is frequently able to get open on comebacks due to teams having to play off coverage to compensate for his speed. He shows good vision and elusiveness, and he can make big plays with the ball in his hands. He also has experience returning kicks and can bring an added dimension to special teams.

NEGATIVES

While Gibson is very good at what he does, he is limited to his role as a deep-threat receiver. He had a limited route tree at West Virginia, and despite his small frame, he doesn't project to be able to move inside to the slot. Gibson can struggle with press coverage and contact during his route, and he will have to adjust to far superior cornerback play in the NFL. He also lacks the functional strength to block, though he gives good effort in this area. Gibson can take the top off a defense but doesn't have the versatility to be an every-down receiver.  

PRO COMPARISON: John Brown, Arizona Cardinals

FINAL GRADE: 5.75/9.00 (Backup Caliber—Round 4)

POSITIVES

Mack Hollins has the size and speed combination teams salivate over. He averaged 20.6 yards per catch in his career and found himself consistently behind defenses. Hollins shows the ability to beat press coverage, and he isn't just a deep threat as he settles nicely into the holes in a zone. He has a good catch radius, as he can not only go up and get the ball, but also go down and get low passes extremely well for his size. He can take receptions and turn it up field to create a big play when there is room to run. Hollins adjusts to underthrown balls, makes catches in traffic and track balls over his shoulder. He plays faster than his 4.53-second 40 time, which is still impressive for his size. He is comfortable beating the press with both his feet and his hands, and if he does that in the NFL, he will be open deep. On top of his receiving ability, Hollins was the captain of special teams and can star there from day one.

NEGATIVES

Durability is a concern with Hollins, who failed to complete all of his testing at the combine after a hamstring injury. He played only seven games his senior year thanks to a broken collarbone. Hollins was forced to walk on at North Carolina after spending a season at Fork Union Military Academy. While Hollins offers big-play upside, he doesn't have the route tree to be a consistent NFL receiver. He lacks wiggle and lateral quickness, which affects both his route-running and run-after-catch ability. 

PRO COMPARISON: Terrelle Pryor, Washington

FINAL GRADE: 5.79/9.00 (Backup Caliber—Round 4)

POSITIVES

KD Cannon is a speed demon on the outside and is a threat to take the top off a defense. He is excellent at tracking the ball over his shoulder, and he has a knack of making spectacular catches. He flashed ability to make plays in traffic and play bigger than his 5'11 ⅛" frame. Cannon produced 87 catches for 1,215 yards and 13 touchdowns his junior year at Baylor. He took advantage of his 4.41-second 40-yard dash speed and consistently found himself behind the defense. He can come in and be a rotational deep threat from day one.

NEGATIVES

While Cannon offers big-time speed, his game is lacking in other areas. Sometimes he loses concentration and drops the ball, and he lets too many passes get into his body. He has straight-line speed, but he offers little wiggle in the open field and fails to break down defenders. Like Ishmael Zamora, Cannon will have a steep learning curve coming from Baylor. He has a limited route tree, and he will have to adjust to running a route or blocking every play he is on the field. At Baylor, he consistently was given a cushion and will have to adjust to press in the NFL. At his size he is unlikely to ever be a successful blocker and profiles as a third or fourth option as a deep threat.  

PRO COMPARISON: Travis Benjamin, Los Angeles Chargers

FINAL GRADE: 5.85/9.00 (Future Starter—Round 4)

POSITIVES

Ishmael Zamora is a big-time athlete at 6'3 ¼", 224 pounds, and he ran a 4.5-plus-second 40-yard dash and had a 40-inch vertical at his pro day. Those numbers are fantastic and get football fans excited. When you watch his film he flashes big-time potential. He can make catches in traffic and adjust his body to make nice plays on the ball. He shows the ability to pull away from defenders both at the line of scrimmage and after he makes catchesw. While his route tree is limited, Zamora shows a good double move, and with his speed he can make defenses pay for making mistakes. He shows the ability both to snatch the ball in front of him and to track the ball over his shoulder. Zamora also has the ability to play in the slot, where at his size he can create serious matchup issues. He has a chance to develop into a playmaker and take advantage of his elite athleticism.

NEGATIVES

Zamora comes with off-field questions that teams must vet. There is a video of him physically and verbally abusing a dog that is hard to watch; it led to his being suspended for the first three games of the season. He is also a raw on-field product, as he only played 10 games this past season and barely spent any time on the field the year before. He needs to have more consistent hands as he dropped 10 passes. Zamora also has a limited route tree coming from Baylor, where the team only runs four routes consistently. Baylor also requires receivers to take plays off when they are on the field, so he will have to adjust to going all-out on every play. Zamora will need to improve his technique versus press coverage. He will have to adjust to NFL spacing in coverage, as he won't have as much free room to run. He flashes plays where he beats press versus lesser talent, but he can get stuck on press and forced to the sideline too often. At Baylor, receivers are often not required to block; he has the athleticism to do it, but it will be an adjustment for him. Zamora is a raw player with off-field baggage but offers high upside to a team picking him late. 

PRO COMPARISON: Chris Conley, Kansas City Chiefs

FINAL GRADE: 5.90/9.00 (Future Starter—Round 4)

POSITIVES

Ricky Seals-Jones is a monster target. Standing at 6'4 ⅝" and 243 pounds, the 5-star high school recruit (per Scout.com) is built more like a tight end than a wide receiver. He ran a 4.69-second 40-yard dash—a solid time for his size—and has a good size/speed combination. Seal-Jones flashed big-play potential while running his routes out of the slot. He can separate with both his route running and his body positioning. He was too big for corners and too fast for linebackers. Versus Alabama in 2015, he went for 107 yards and a touchdown on six catches, showing off his huge catch radius, his ability in the open field and his talent for making plays in traffic. It wasn't just versus Alabama that Seals-Jones had success; he consistently showed playmaking ability with the ball in his hands, making defenders miss and running through tackles. His role at Texas A&M was as the big slot receiver, and he provided crucial blocks for the team. He can set the edge when blocking and create creases for runners on the outside. On pass plays, he also shows a willingness to come back to the ball and help block.

NEGATIVES

While Seals-Jones' flash plays are something to get excited about, his consistency is not. In fairness to him, he has played with four quarterbacks in the last two years alone. He was a star high school receiver whose production never lived up to the hype in a crowded receiving corps at Texas A&M. He rarely showed the ability to play outside and projects to play a similar role as a stand-up tight end in the NFL. On top of his lack of production, he was arrested in 2014 for disorderly conduct. Seals-Jones will need to improve his route running. He needs to get in and out of breaks more quickly and not round the top of his routes. He will also need to improve his catch form; he lets too many balls get into his body and will double-catch passes. While he only dropped three passes on the season, compared to just 26 receptions, that number is too high.  

PRO COMPARISON: Jared Cook, Oakland Raiders

FINAL GRADE: 5.90/9.00 (Future Starter—Round 4)

POSITIVES

Kenny Golladay is a big-bodied receiver who tested well at the combine. At 6'3 ¾" and 218 pounds, he had an impressive 40-yard dash time of 4.5 seconds, which translates to how he plays. Golladay has long speed to beat defenses over the top. He has good footwork at the line of scrimmage, shows the ability to beat the press and can run through contact at the stem of his route. He does a good job on deep routes while tracking the ball over his shoulder and is continuing to learn to use his body. He's raw and a little untested, but a team willing to bet on his development could get an absolute steal. He's one of the more underrated players in the class.

NEGATIVES

Golladay is slow out of the breaks, and too often corners force him toward the sideline. He lets the ball into his body and doesn't always properly use his size advantage. While his 40 time is impressive, he takes a while to get going. He is a possession receiver, lacks the ability to separate and doesn't add much ability after the catch. He needs to improve his stick knowledge; he had multiple chances to pick up first downs, but went out of bounds before he did and cost his team. At his size, he should be a dominant blocker, and while he does flash this potential, it is not consistent.  

PRO COMPARISON: Cody Latimer, Denver Broncos

FINAL GRADE: 5.90/9.00 (Future Starter—Round 4)

POSITIVES

Isaiah Ford is a polished route-runner who can win at the line of scrimmage and down the field. He had back-to-back 75-catch 1,000-plus receiving-yard seasons at Virginia Tech. He has good feet and uses them to beat press coverage. He gets good separation on intermediate routes with his ability to drive back to the ball. Often, on his deep targets the defenders stay on his hip and he must make spectacular catches, which he flashes the ability to do. As he showed with his broad jump of 127 inches, Ford has explosive leaping ability that he uses to outjump defenders He has great body control in the air and near the sidelines, showing nice adjustments to the football. His combination of size, leaping ability and body control give him an excellent catch radius. Using his size, he muscled defensive backs down the field and could gain hidden yardage after the catch.

NEGATIVES

Ford needs to improve at catching the football. He has concentration drops, lets the ball get into his body and at times won't high-point the football. He needs to be more consistent using his size and leaping ability to high-point it; too often his catch point gave the defender a chance to break up the play. Ford profiles as a deep threat but lacks the ideal speed (4.61-second 40) to get consistent separation. He relies on his feet at the line of scrimmage too much and will need to develop the ability to win hand fights at the point of attack. Improving his strength could allow him to improve at the line of scrimmage and in hand fighting down the field. Too often versus press coverage corners forced him close to the sideline. He needs to improve his blocking as well, as too often defenders beat him by outmuscling him. 

PRO COMPARISON: Kenny Stills, Miami Dolphins 

FINAL GRADE: 5.90/9.00 (Future Starter—Round 4)

POSITIVES

Travin Dural is a smooth route-runner who gets in and out of his breaks quickly. His best route is a comeback, where he combines good stick knowledge and the ability to put his foot in the ground, stop and drive back to the ball. He has soft hands, catching the ball away from his body and not dropping a single pass on the season. He flashes the ability to make contested catches and make plays on 50-50 balls. He is also a high-effort blocker, as he uses his hands to attack defenders. If he disengages with a player, he looks to immediately attack the next guy in his line of vision to help spring runs.

NEGATIVES

Dural tested poorly, and it shows in his tape. He lacks deep speed—running a 4.57-second 40—and the lateral quickness to create separation on his routes. He struggled mightily versus press coverage; if a corner got his hands on him, the play was over for Dural. He didn't have a counter mover versus the press and will need to get stronger to have any chance to beat it in the NFL. He lacked a developed route tree in LSU's system, which was evident in his production. Dural had 28 catches for 280 yards and one touchdown in nine games his senior year.  

PRO COMPARISON: Allen Hurns, Jacksonville Jaguars

FINAL GRADE: 5.90/9.00 (Future Starter—Round 4)

POSITIVES

Jehu Chesson can be successful in the NFL as a big slot receiver. He tested as an explosive athlete at the combine, and given the way Michigan used him, this is no shock. He was used successfully on reverses, jet sweeps and returns. That is a rarity for someone who is nearly 6'3" and 204 pounds. On 22 career carries he rushed for 219 yards and three touchdowns, while on six career kick returns he averaged 33.7 yards and scored a touchdown. Chesson wins most in the slot and shows a good catch radius, and he is comfortable catching the ball in traffic. He has a good sense of where he is on the field, showing the ability to make good catches on the sideline. He also has the ability to make people miss in the open field, and he has the top-end speed to run by them.

NEGATIVES

Chesson lets far too many balls get into his body, and as a result he struggled with drops for the entire season. Despite his big frame, he has problems with contact both at the line of scrimmage and in his routes. He can get thrown off his route and has trouble fighting through press coverage, which is why he will likely be used as a big slot receiver. While Chesson can reach a top speed that is good for his size, his acceleration is lacking. Chesson's big plays took a hit his senior year as Amara Darboh came on. He went from 50 catches, 764 yards and nine touchdowns his junior year to 35 catches, 500 yards and two touchdowns his senior year. 

PRO COMPARISON: Jordan Matthews, Philadelphia Eagles

FINAL GRADE: 5.99/9.00 (Future Starter—Round 3/4)

POSITIVES

Noah Brown may have the highest ceiling of any wide receiver in this class graded as a mid- to late-draft pick. He shows the ability to catch the ball in front of his body with soft hands. He runs good routes, running through contact at the stem of his routes without affecting his speed. He combines his ability to separate with his ability to high-point the ball to create big plays. He is comfortable catching the ball in traffic, and versus Oklahoma he even pinned the ball on the defender's back. He was a big-time red-zone threat, as seven of his 32 receptions on the year went for touchdowns, including four versus Oklahoma. Brown shows good strength and power with the ball in his hands. Ohio State didn't take advantage of it enough, but Brown can run through tacklers and make plays in space. At 6'2", 222 pounds and with a 4.56-second 40, Brown has the athletic makeup for the NFL. He also shows the ability and desire to be a successful blocker. He particularly shines in crack-back block situations, where he levels defenders.

NEGATIVES

While there is a lot to like about Brown's ceiling, his floor is also very low. Outside of his one game versus Oklahoma, he didn't show much on the season. While Ohio State underutilized him on offense, employing a limited passing attack, he still only had 32 catches. While Brown looked like an impressive athlete on the field, his three-cone and 20-yard shuttle stats were in the 28th and 20th percentiles, respectively. There are a lot more questions than answers when it comes to Brown, and that's why his ceiling is very high, but his floor is very low. Ohio State's impressive track record of player success in the NFL will likely cause a team to take a chance on his ceiling early on Day 3.  

PRO COMPARISON: Quincy Enunwa, New York Jets

FINAL GRADE: 5.99/9.00 (Future Starter—Round 3/4)

POSITIVES

Chad Hansen is a big, athletic wide receiver who has a knack for the spectacular play. He has strong hands, often catching the ball away from his body. Hansen has multiple ways to create separation; he can run by defenders or use positioning to create throwing windows for his quarterback. Hansen flashed big-play potential in his only year starting at California, with 92 catches for 1,249 yards and 11 touchdowns in his junior season. He was a constant vertical threat and showed a great ability to high-point the football and make big-time catches. Hansen also shows ability after the catch. He can either turn upfield and run by defenders or make players miss in space. Hansen has good footwork and showed an ability to beat corners at the line of scrimmage with his feet.

NEGATIVES

While Hansen ran a lot of his routes well, he had a limited route tree at Cal. He will need to continue to develop in this area and use his lateral quickness to better explode out of routes. While Hansen had success versus lesser defenders in press coverage, Sidney Jones of Washington got the best of him when Hansen tried to push off on most press snaps. Hansen needs to get physically stronger, as too often corners could knock him off his routes. He relies on his feet to beat press coverage, and he needs to learn to counter with his hands. He also needs to improve as a blocker, as at his size he should be able to push around small defenders. With only one year starting at the FBS level, Hansen is a work in progress. 

PRO COMPARISON: Eric Decker, New York Jets

FINAL GRADE: 5.99/9.00 (Future Starter—Round 3/4)

POSITIVES

Amara Darboh flashes spectacular catch ability, showing the capacity to extend and high-point the ball. He also does a good job for his size when going down to the ground to catch the ball. Traffic doesn't bother Darboh, as he is willing to absorb contact and still hang onto the ball. He is a big-bodied receiver at 6'1 ¾", 214 pounds. His 4.45-second 40-yard dash at the combine is reflected in his film, as he was able to create separation, even though Michigan was not always able to take advantage of it. Darboh also has good lateral quickness, and he can create separation in his routes. Once he gets the ball in his hands, he is hard to bring down. He shows strength and balance, and with his speed he can pull away from defenders.

NEGATIVES

Darboh flashed ability to make difficult catches, but his hands were not consistent. Too often he would let the ball get into his body, resulting in drops or double catches. His physical attributes didn't result in production at Michigan, as he never caught more than 58 passes and failed to ever break 900 yards. Darboh uses his size after the catch, but he offers little wiggle. He won't make many people miss, and he isn't a threat to create yards that are not there. At his size, Darboh should be able to dominate corners when blocking, but he fails to do so. A lot of Darboh's appeal is projection, as in his three years in Ann Arbor he was never consistently a game-breaking player.

PRO COMPARISON: Pierre Garcon, San Francisco 49ers

FINAL GRADE: 5.99/9.00 (Future Starter—Round 3/4)

POSITIVES

Josh Malone shows off a good combination of size and speed at nearly 6'3" and running a 4.4-second 40-yard dash. He enters the draft after a highly productive junior year in which he caught 50 passes for 972 yards and 11 touchdowns. He was a big-play threat for Tennessee, averaging 19.4 yards per catch. Malone is excellent at adjusting to the ball in the air, and he shows the ability to come back to underthrown passes. He is a load to bring down in the open field and is always fighting for more yards after the catch. Teams were forced to play off Malone, which led to easy pitch-and-catch completions from Joshua Dobbs on eight-yard comebacks.

NEGATIVES

While Malone shows an ability to adjust to the ball, he doesn't high-point it nearly often enough. He will let deep passes get into his body, and he fails to exploit his size advantage over corners. With a vertical of just 30.5 inches (fifth percentile), he will need to improve in this area. He can struggle to get separation, and he failed to stand out vs. Alabama, catching four passes for 25 yards before a 36-yard pass came late in garbage time. While Malone has good feet to beat press coverage, he too often lacks the strength to run through the press and can get knocked off the stem of routes. Defenders can force him to the sideline and control his routes. Coming out of a run-pass option system, he often ran routes instead of blocking on run plays, and he will have to adjust. 

PRO COMPARISON: Terrance Williams, Dallas Cowboys

FINAL GRADE: 6.00/9.00 (Rookie Impact/Future Starter—Round 3)

POSITIVES

Ryan Switzer is a slot receiver who will be a consistent weapon for whatever team selects him. He will win consistently in the slot versus both press and off coverage. He has excellent stick knowledge and settles into zones nicely. His size will always limit his catch radius, but he shows the ability to catch passes away from his body or low to the ground, and he can make catches through contact. Switzer is more quick than fast, and he has great feet and gets in and out of breaks quickly. He uses his lateral quickness to create separation, and employs head fakes to win on double moves down the field. Switzer's numbers improved with the quarterback play at North Carolina this year, as he caught 96 passes for 1,112 yards and six touchdowns. On top of his ability to consistently be open, he offers run-after-the-catch ability with good vision and elusiveness. This translates into special teams, as Switzer averaged 10.9 yards per punt return in his career and returned seven punts for touchdowns.

NEGATIVES

The biggest knock on Switzer will always be his size. At 5'8 ½", 181 pounds and an arm length of 28 inches he tests in the bottom 10 percentile in every category. He is not a versatile receiver, and he will run all of his routes from the slot. His size limits him as a blocker as well, and while his effort is never lacking, he will get blown up at the point of attack. While he wins downfield, his size limits his catch radius, so he will require an accurate quarterback.  

PRO COMPARISON: Jamison Crowder, Washington

FINAL GRADE: 6.00/9.00 (Rookie Impact/Future Starter—Round 3)

POSITIVES

Taywan Taylor is a shifty, big-play receiver from Western Kentucky who plays both in the slot and on the outside. He runs crisp routes, gets in and out of his breaks quickly and works underneath and over the top of the defense. He also has a lethal double move that frequently beats defenders. He has soft hands, catching the ball away from his body, and he has a good catch radius, frequently catching inaccurate passes away from him. He has good field awareness and body control near the sidelines. Taylor is dynamic once he gets his hands on the football. He shows good open-field vision and can make people miss in space and create big plays. Taylor was incredibly productive in his last two years at Western Kentucky, combining for over 3,000 yards and 34 touchdowns. Competition level may be a concern for some, but in his two games versus SEC competition (Alabama and Vanderbilt), he combined for 18 catches and 233 yards.

NEGATIVES

While Taylor has soft hands, there are plays where he gets ahead of himself. He doesn’t look the ball in; instead, he tries to figure out his next move and this leads to concentration drops. While he was able to consistently get behind defenses in college, he only has good, not great speed. He ran a 4.34 40-yard dash, and at his size, his shiftiness may be used mainly in the slot. One thing that stands out on tape is Taylor too often runs out of bounds instead of trying to pick up extra yardage. Blocking is not his strength, and he may get physically dominated in that area in the NFL.

PRO COMPARISON: Greg Jennings, retired

FINAL GRADE: 6.30/9.00 (Rookie Starter—Round 3)

POSITIVES

When you watch Josh Reynolds, his hands make you think that he is playing with stickum. He shows a good catch radius, plus an ability both to high point the ball and snatch the ball with one hand out of the air. He shows incredible body control, and he makes great adjustments to the ball in midair. Reynolds is highly effective against man, running crisp routes, getting separation and creating throwing windows for his quarterback. He does a good job of tracking passes over his shoulder, and he was a consistent red zone threat. He caught 30 touchdowns in his three years at Texas A&M. Reynold doesn’t just win down the field, as he has good lateral quickness and can win off of the line of scrimmage with his feet. Reynolds also shows good effort when his teammates catch the ball, coming back to the play and trying to block to spring them for a big gain.

NEGATIVES

Reynolds offers very little after the catch. He won’t run through very many tackles or make players miss. His yards after catch will be due to play design and his original separation. While he can win versus press, he needs to do so more consistently and show strength at the point of attack. Texas A&M runs a lot of RPO’s (run pass option) so he often wasn’t asked to block in the run game, and that will be an adjustment. While Reynolds shows the ability to make a spectacular play, he needs to be consistent in the easy ones. He had too many concentration drops for someone with his catching ability. Reynolds has a developed route tree but needs to be stronger at the stems of routes and push through contact. Too often on film, contact down the field can slow him down and throw him off of his route. While Reynolds is good versus man coverage he needs to improve settling down in zone coverages. 

PRO COMPARISON: Marvin Jones—Detroit Lions

FINAL GRADE: 6.40/9.00 (Rookie Impact—Round 3)

POSITIVES

Godwin is a master at going up and making contested catches. His film is littered with jump balls where he high-points the football and comes down with spectacular catches. He isn’t afraid to go across the middle either, and he can hang onto the ball through contact. Godwin has a great catch radius and comes down with passes that most other receivers in this class simply could not handle. He is also able to make plays with the ball in his hands, as he runs angry and gets hidden yards through contact. On tape, Godwin appears to be a good but not great athlete, but he was one of the combine’s true winners. He ran a 4.42 40-yard dash, had a 126” broad jump, ran the 20-yard shuffle in four seconds and bench pressed 19 times, all of which scored in the 83rd percentile or better. Godwin brings a physical edge in the run game, as he loves to deliver devastating blows to linebackers and safeties in crack-back block situations.

NEGATIVES

Corners can force Godwin to the sidelines out of press coverage, which creating a tighter throwing window for his quarterback. He will need to improve at winning versus press coverage at the next level, as corners can knock him off of his routes. Godwin can create separation, but needs to do so more consistently. His play didn’t match his combine times, as he didn’t show off his top-end speed consistently. Like Mike Williams, Godwin will need a quarterback who trusts him to win jump-ball situations. Much of Penn State’s offense was comprised of 50/50 balls; if his quarterback doesn’t trust him, his talents may not translate into great numbers. He never caught more than 69 passes in a season in college, and he will need to prove that he is more than just a big-play receiver. 

PRO COMPARISON: Josh Doctson, Washington

FINAL GRADE: 6.50/9.00 (Rookie Impact—Round 2)

POSITIVES

JuJu has soft hands and almost always catches the ball in front of his body. He has a fantastic sense of zone coverages and consistently settles into the soft spot of the zone. He does a good job of handling contact down the field and dips his shoulder to avoid the defender while not losing his speed. Smith-Schuster consistently made contested catches and showed good body control and the ability to high-point the football. He is also comfortable working near the sidelines. Once the ball is in his hands, he has good strength running through tackles and good vision. Smith-Schuster needs to develop his route tree more, but he has been successful coming back to the ball on curls and comebacks.

NEGATIVES

He returned to school for his junior year as one of the best receiver prospects in the country. However, his production took a major dip, going from 89 catches, 1,454 yards, and 10 touchdowns in his sophomore year to 70 catches, 914 yards and 10 touchdowns in his junior year. While Juju shows comfort in certain routes, his route tree isn’t fully developed. He lacks the ability to get consistent separation and doesn’t drive defenders on slants, giving them an easy lane to attack the ball. When he is pressed, he often pushes off the defender, which can result in offensive pass interference penalties. Juju relies too much on contested catches, and he doesn’t show comfort catching the ball over the shoulder. He will slow down his routes and try to out- jump the corner, instead of catching it over the shoulder. He also lacks top-end speed and tested as a marginal athlete at the combine.  

PRO COMPARISON: Davante Adams, Green Bay Packers

FINAL GRADE: 6.50/9.00 (Rookie Impact—Round 2)

POSITIVES

Carlos Henderson is the best run-after-catch receiver in this draft class. He has running back-like skills, and he can run through defenders or make them miss. He forced 48 missed tackles in 2016, twice as many as the next closest receiver in the draft (per PFF). Henderson plays bigger than he is. He has a big catch radius, and he shows the ability to go up and high-point the ball. He isn’t afraid to go across the middle and catch the ball in traffic either. Henderson can to accelerate and get to his top speed quickly. His acceleration, shiftiness and lateral quickness help him run good routes and create separation versus defensive backs. On top of his receiving ability, he brings playmaking return ability. Henderson averaged 32.2 yards per kick return and took two to the house in 2016.

NEGATIVES

While drops were never an issue for Henderson, he does let the ball get into his body too often and this could lead to drops down the line. Henderson tested well, running a 4.46 40-yard dash, but on film he was caught from behind numerous times. At Louisiana Tech, Henderson didn’t play the top level of competition in the country. He struggled with bigger stronger corners at times, and this may be an issue for him on the next level. He might be forced to move to the slot in the NFL. The routes Henderson did run were crisp, but the system didn’t call for a wide variety of routes, so the depth of his tree is unknown. His aggression didn’t translate to his blocking. He will struggle to hold defenders at bay when blocking in the NFL. 

PRO COMPARISON: Michael Crabtree, Oakland Raiders

FINAL GRADE: 6.55/9.00 (Rookie Impact—Round 3)

POSITIVES

Stewart will bring toughness and attitude to the NFL. He is a physical blocker who loves to drive defenders, and he is consistently downfield on both run and pass plays. Stewart is dynamic with the ball in his hands, showing the ability to make players miss or run through defenders. He forced a missed tackle one out of every three receptions; only Carlos Henderson, forced a higher percentage of missed tackles, per PFF. Stewart used his running back-like talent in the open field consistently at 'Bama, breaking big runs that averaged 8.5 yards a carry, including multiple jet-sweep passes. In limited reps, Stewart showed great body control with an ability to adjust to the ball downfield. His route tree was limited, but he showed lateral quickness and the ability to get in and out of his breaks. He also settled into zones nicely and gave his quarterback a good throwing window. He is a rare combination of a physical playmaker with big-play ability and an elite run blocker.

NEGATIVES

Stewart’s talent is a bit of a projection, since Alabama was a run-first team and had a quarterback who was limited reading the field. Stewart has off-field concerns, and he missed time due to a suspension at the beginning of the 2016 season; he also missed three games due to a knee sprain. On the field, Stewart needs to become more comfortable catching the ball in traffic and learn to consistently run the crisp routes he flashes on occasion. Stewart brings talent from Day 1, but his ceiling is a unknown.. 

PRO COMPARISON: Golden Tate, Detroit Lions

FINAL GRADE: 6.60/9.00 (Rookie Impact—Round 2)

POSITIVES

Samuel is a versatile slot receiver in the Percy Harvin mold. He can play in both the backfield and the slot, and win with dynamic speed and electric quickness. He ran a 4.31 40-yard dash at the combine and he is not just track fast, but football fast. Samuel is a nightmare for teams, as he will consistently get matched up with linebackers and safeties and his lateral quickness will cause them issues. His acceleration and deceleration are elite, and he can make big-time plays after the catch. He finds himself consistently open and has good field vision.

NEGATIVES

Samuel will be a weapon for the team that drafts him, but he will not be an every-down player. At Ohio State, he split time between running back and receiver, and he may not have a true position. Samuel relies on his elusiveness too much at times, and he can lose his balance or not take advantage of his ability to just run by someone. He is also not a natural catcher of the football. He will let the ball into his body at times, and the ball will deflect off of his fingertips too often. Samuel will come into the NFL as a project without a true position, as a raw athlete with tremendous upside. 

PRO COMPARISON: Percy Harvin, retired

FINAL GRADE: 6.99/9.00 (Rookie Impact—Round 2)

POSITIVES

At Eastern Washington, Kupp dominated his lower level of competition, catching over 100 balls in each of the last three years and never having less than 1,400 yards and 16 touchdowns in a single season. Kupp has a great catch radius; he can high point the ball, catch the ball in traffic and make spectacular grabs. He is very good at tracking the ball over his shoulder and shows good body control on deep passes.

Kupp runs good routes, especially out of the slot, where he dominated smaller corners with his size and route-running skill. Once he gets the ball in his hands he shows the ability to make defenders miss, averaging six yards after the catch in 2016 and 9.9 yards after the catch in 2015. While Kupp's play and numbers were terrific, his competition level in the FCS will raise serious questions. Kupp answered some of those questions by performing well at the Senior Bowl.

NEGATIVES

Kupp's top end speed is adequate, but his acceleration is lacking on tape. He often runs upright and may need to improve his form. He tested as a poor athlete at the combine with a 4.62 40-yard dash, in the 14th percentile, and a 31-inch vertical in the seventh percentile. His lack of athleticism may cause him issues in the NFL. He struggled at times with press, almost always winning with footwork alone. His competition questions cannot be answered by the Senior Bowl alone. He was always the best player on the field and could just be bigger and better than everyone he played against—but that won't be the case in the NFL. He may struggle to find separation on the outside and be forced to be a big slot at the next level. 

PRO COMPARISON: Allen Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars

FINAL GRADE: 6.99/9.00 (Rookie Impact—Round 2)

POSITIVES

No receiver in college football history has more catches than Zay Jones, who had 399, including 158 in his senior year alone. Jones didn't just catch a lot of passes because he was frequently targeted; he also has strong, soft hands, dropping only six passes on the season. Jones can make every catch in the book, from contested catches, to 50/50 balls, to the spectacular catch. He runs crisp routes, with a great understanding of where the sticks are, and he settles into zones well. Once he catches the ball, he shows the ability to turn up field and run through contact as corners struggle to tackle him.

He tested extremely well at the combine, and he uses his athleticism at the start of every play, getting off the line of scrimmage quickly. While Jones' competition level will bring questions, he answered some of them by dominating the senior bowl. One thing that is impossible not to notice about Jones is the passion with which he plays the game. He gives his all blocking, and he never stops fighting despite the score of the game. After breaking the catch record versus Navy with his team down 28 points late in the third quarter, Jones came up with a 70-yard touchdown run, and then celebrated his massive play. Jones will bring passion and effort to whichever team drafts him.

NEGATIVES

Jones doesn't profile as a No. 1 receiver but more as a No. 2 option. He will need to improve versus the press since he struggles versus better corners to get into his route. While he dominated lesser competition, he failed to get separation in some games versus top competition. He relies on his feet to beat press, and he will need to learn to use his hands. While Jones tested very well at the combine, his impressive numbers weren't always reflected in his play. He was strong through the catch and showed an ability to break tackles, but he only averaged five yards after the catch. If Jones' impressive athletic scores are a sign of things to come, he will answer a lot of the questions about his game. 

PRO COMPARISON: DeAndre Hopkins, Houston Texans

FINAL GRADE: 6.75/9.00 (Rookie Impact—Round 2)

POSITIVES

John Ross blazed a 4.22-second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, which is a shock to no one who watched his tape. Ross showed off his straight-line speed time and time again on tape, earning his comparison to one of the best deep threats in the NFL, DeSean Jackson. However, Ross isn't just a straight-line speed guy, since he has excellent feet and runs crisp routes. He gets in and out of breaks extremely well, and despite his size limitations, runs excellent routes in the red zone.

Ross also shows strong hands, with only four drops on the season. He can track the ball well over his shoulder and is lethal on double moves. He consistently beat off coverage, and required safety help. He also shows the ability to beat press coverage with his quick feet, proving to be a difficult guy for corners to get their hands on. He also brings the ability to return kicks, scoring four touchdowns in his career. In the run game, he uses that vision on reverses, averaging 12.8 yards per carry and scoring a touchdown once in his eight carries.

NEGATIVES

The biggest question about John Ross is his health. He tore his MCL in 2014 and missed the entire 2015 season with a torn ACL; he has had microfracture surgery on his knee. His size at 5'11", 188 lbs will add to his durability concerns and leaves him vulnerable to be pushed around, limiting him in contested catch situations and 50/50 balls. He was successful versus college corners press by beating them with his feet, but he will have to transition versus better competition from NFL corners able to get their hands on him. Ross struggled versus the best defense he played in Alabama, catching five passes for 28 yards, and wasn't his game-changing self. 

PRO COMPARISON: DeSean Jackson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

FINAL GRADE: 6.99/9.00 (Rookie Impact—Round 2)

POSITIVES

Corey Davis is a great athlete who dominated his competition for four straight years, going for 1,400 or more yards and 12 or more touchdowns in each of the last three seasons. Davis can win both on the outside or in the slot. Davis runs crisp, clean routes, getting in and out of breaks and creating separation for his quarterback to have easy throwing lanes. He is an explosive open-field runner, blowing past defenders. When Western Michigan lined him up in the slot, he feasted on linebackers, safeties and corners. He used his free release to create big throwing windows, and turned the ball up the field for big plays.

Big plays are a theme to Corey Davis' game; he is elite after the catch, combining speed, acceleration and vision to break big runs. He also shows good knowledge of the boundaries on throws, getting his feet down and making spectacular catches. Davis settles into zones nicely, but he can also catch the ball through contact. In addition to his potential to be a team's No. 1 receiver, Davis brings it as a blocker. He can drive corners and create lanes for his running back to break big runs on the outside. He has the potential to have an impact on a team's running game similar to what Larry Fitzgerald has done for David Johnson.

NEGATIVES

Davis can struggle with concentration drops, dropping 11 passes on the season. He can also struggle versus press coverage as defenders can force him close to the sideline and take away throwing windows for quarterbacks. Davis failed to consistently beat defenders on vertical routes with his straight-line speed, lacking the separation you look for from someone with his athletic makeup. Despite his stellar numbers, Davis comes out of the MAC and broke 100 yards receiving only once out of seven opportunities versus Power Five schools. Davis is also dealing with a minor ankle injury that will leave him unable to work out with teams prior to the draft. 

PRO COMPARISON: Josh Gordon, Cleveland Browns

FINAL GRADE: 7.10/9.00 (Top-15 Player Potential—Round 1)

POSITIVES

Williams has strong hands at the catch point, dropping only six passes while catching 98 passes on the season. He is physical at the line of scrimmage, beating the press with both his hands and good footwork. His strong ability to hand fight down the field, combined with his excellent body control and high pointing skills, allow him to win 50/50 balls. Williams uses his size to gain separation on corners, creating large throwing windows for quarterbacks. He shows solid route-running ability, consistently beating his man on slants, posts and down the field. Williams also consistently beat double teams and bracket coverage, becoming a security blanket for his quarterback.

While his four-yard average after catch is much maligned, his after-catch stat is not a true representation of his ability. His average is affected by the back-shoulder catches and jump balls he consistently came down with, when there was no chance to add yards after the catch. On both slants and screens Williams shows good strength as a runner, as he ran through tackle attempts and made defenders miss. Williams faced the best teams in the country with success versus the nation's top corners on his way to helping Clemson win a national title.

NEGATIVES

While Williams has great size at 6'4", 220 lbs, he isn't a dominant athlete. He doesn't get as much separation as one would like and will need his quarterback to trust him to come down with contested catches. He needs to use his frame more efficiently in order to improve his blocking. Williams is also coming off of a broken neck in 2015 that caused him to miss the entire 2015 season. 

PRO COMPARISON: A.J. Green, Cincinnati Bengals

FINAL GRADE: 7.15/9.00 (Top-15 Player Potential—Round 1)

Advanced stats courtesy of Pro Football Focus; Athleticism Scores courtesy of Mockdraftable