The Rookies are Coming! NFL Draft ’22: Wide Receivers

 

Rumor suggests the Eagles “went after” a number of high profile NFL receivers (unsuccessfully) via both free agency and trade (Various rumors linked them to Calvin Ridley, Christian Kirk and Robert Woods, among others).  The Birds eventually settled on Nick Sirianni favorite Zach Pascal after coming in (at best) 2^nd place in pursuit of the other aforementioned players.  Given the expensive contracts signed by Kirk in Jacksonville, as well as top echelon receivers Davante Adams and Tyreek Hill in the AFC (plus a lucrative early re-signing of Stephon Diggs in Buffalo), a new more expensive market and value has been established at the position.

Pascal would appear to be an ideal 4^th wideout in Philly.  But the Eagles, with an already expressed desire to upgrade (per perceived actions, not words), and an opportunity to lock into rookie contract value at the position, it would not be surprising to see the Birds select at least 2 receivers amongst their 10 draft selections… Perhaps one of them quite high (a premium pick). 

I referenced 8 resources (33^rd Team & their terrific staff, PFF’s Mike Renner, Jethro Lots Matt Alkire, NFL’s Daniel Jeremiah, Philly Inquirer’s EJ Smith, NY Post’s Ryan Dunleavy, Analyst Greg Cosell via Inside the Birds, and Sports Illustrated) for wideout information.  Using their knowledgeable collected opinions/quotes, here are my top 20 options (based on value at their projected draft position).  Again, all info below are quoted from those above sources:

#1: Jameson Williams, 6’2”/189, Didn’t run 40 (ACL injury) but reportedly ran a 4.39 since high school, Age: 21.1, Draft Projection- Early-Mid Day 1

• Good: Best combo of speed/explosiveness in draft, Has both route quickness and separation quickness, Best deep threat in draft, excellent skill to track the deep ball, 1 of youngest receivers in the draft (21.1), RAC (Run after catch) ability, Eagles have Alabama connections (assistant coaches, Landon Dickerson…)
• Bad: Needs to add strength, Reduce tendency as a body catcher
• Ugly: Recovering from an ACL tear

 

#2: Garrett Wilson, 6’0”/192, 4.38 forty, Age: 21.7, Draft Projection- Early-Mid Day 1

• Good: Outstanding elusiveness, Ability to make tough catches & generate separation, Can play slot or outside, great acceleration, Plays bigger than his size, Makes defenders miss after the catch, Excels through route-running and quickness, Wide catch radius, Stefon Diggs-like
• Bad: Does not have elite speed, Needs to polish his route running abilities
• Ugly: Needs to put on more muscle

 

#3: Jahan Dotson, 5’11”/184, 4.43 forty, Age: 22.1, Draft Projection- Late Day 1 or Early Day 2

• Good: Dropped only two of his 93 catchable targets, Explosive, He plays like he’s three inches taller than he is and is always open, Constantly finds soft spots in zone coverages, Wins vs. man coverage, Outstanding quickness, deep speed and hands, Ability to accelerate in and out of breaks, Fearless working in the middle of the field, Tracks the ball beautifully down the field, Mental toughness and competitiveness that cannot be taught, Ready to make an immediate impact, Definitely Terry McLaurin in his game
• Bad: Can struggle if pressed, Overall play strength- Doesn't have the strength to break tackles consistently, Some debate as to whether he can operate on the outside in the NFL
• Ugly: Has some size concerns at only 5-foot-11 and 184 pounds

 

#4: George Pickens, 6’3”/195, 4.47 forty, Age: 21.0, Draft Projection- Day 2

• Good: Wins with his above the line body control, ability to make contested catches at the high point, and outstanding straight-line speed, Explosive routes and strong hands and ball skills, Everything you want in an outside receiver, Eats space in a hurry, has both stride length & build-up speed, Ran by SEC corners, Very Young
• Bad: Needs to improve in his short-to-intermediate route running, Get bigger and stronger to be able to not get pushed around as easily by more physical cornerbacks, His insane swagger can be good and bad
• Ugly: Tore his ACL last spring and only came back for Georgia in the last game of the regular season, A potential WR1 after a massive freshman year but never built upon it

 

#5: Chris Olave 6’1”/188, 4.39 forty, Age 21.8, Draft Projection- Day 1

• Good: Wins with outstanding intelligence, instincts, and above the line route running abilities, Was 1 of the best route-runners in college football, 13 of his 65 catches ended in scores last season, Knack for creating separation, Always open, His understanding of timing routes and being precise on his breaks would be an ideal fit with Sirianni’s offense, First receiver multiple Ohio State quarterbacks looked to when plays broke down, Very smooth mover, Fine as a space wr outside the numbers.  Like Kenny Stills.
• Bad: Needs to improve his play against more physical cornerbacks, needs to add upper-body strength, More a complementary receiver / Not a #1, Can’t work between numbers, Does not like contact, Lacks yac capability, Won’t offer much in terms of play strength or blocking
• Ugly: Slim frame, He’s on the smaller side

 

#6: Treylon Burks, 6’3”/225, 4.55 forty, Age: 22.1, Draft Projection- Late Day 1

• Good: On tape, a top notch size/speed combo, Impressive body control, Outstanding contested catch ability, Has twitch for his size, RAC ability, fluid athlete, Plays faster than his 40 time (was able to run away from Alabama D), Physical, Eagles wr coach Aaron Moore led his pro day, Mismatch for corners, Lines up anywhere, Big Hands, Comparable to AJ Brown with his physical presence, Described as Deebo Samuel like
• Bad: Has looked stiff in drills, A bit raw- He wasn't asked to run a full complement of routes, Likes to cradle-catch balls on his frame which leads to some drops, Will need some time to develop
• Ugly: Bad NFL combine metrics, Did not run at pro day, When looking at Burkes vertical jump (bottom 20% of receivers) and short shuttle (bottom 8%) only 39 wide-outs have scored that low, and only 2 of those (Anquan Boldin and A.J. Green) have had successful NFL careers. 

 

 

#7: Alec Pierce 6’3”/213, 4.41 forty, Age 21.8, Draft Projection- Day 2

• Good: One of the most polished route-runners in the draft class, Combo of above the line size / speed & ball skills, Outstanding threat over the top, can contribute on special teams, Can go up and get the ball
• Bad: Lacks the short area-agility to be a dynamic route runner, projects best as a complementary starting outside receiver
• Ugly: Will probably be a limited route tree guy at the next level

 

#8: John Metchie III 6’0”/195, Did not Run, Age 2.7, Draft Projection- Second Round

• Good: A really good refined polished receiver, Wins with his outstanding route running abilities, his release off of the line, and his ability to get low against more physical corners.  Understands leverage and will be a nightmare to cover in the slot.  If healthy can line up and play in the slot week 1, A lot like Robert Woods.
• Bad: Needing to improve his hands to make more contested catches at the high-point, Needs to add weight in order to become a more physical receiver and be able to take hits over the middle
• Ugly: An ACL tear suffered in the SEC championship game throws a wrench into his evaluation

 

#9: Drake London, 6’5”/210, Forty- Did Not Run, Age 20.7, Draft Projection- Early to mid-Day 1

• Good: Strong contested catch ability, outstanding contact balance, and overall body control.  Long athletic savvy receiver, size/length/hands guy.   Led college football w/19 contested catches, Jumbo-sized wideout with a rare catch radius & outstanding toughness, After the catch he seeks out contact & fights for extra yards.  Movement is smooth & fluid, knows how to position his body, great body control and great hands.  One of the youngest receivers in the draft.  Averaged 11 catches per game last season, The guy I see most is Plaxico Burress.  (Other) comparable is more Marques Colston, not Mike Evans. 
• Bad: Must become more refined as a route runner, Needs to strengthen his lower half, Questions linger about top-end speed, No "juice" to Drake London ... He can't run by guys. 
• Ugly: A Pac-12 receiver commended for his contested-catch ability will evoke dark memories for plenty of Eagles fans (JJ Arcega Whiteside), Recovering from a fractured ankle after only eight games

 

#10: Jalen Tolbert, 6’1”/195, 4.49, Age 23.1, Draft Projection- Late Day 2 / Early Day 3

• Good: Comfortable lining up anywhere and excelled using short crossing routes mixed with vertical routes.  Prototypical mix of strength, speed, and size for the NFL.  Has good body control.  Long naturally fluid receiver, a finesse receiver, Small School Wonder- Had seven 100-yard receiving games but saved his best for last and for big challenges.  One of the best big-play threats in college football.
• Bad: Needs free access off the ball which maybe does not make him an X, Not a physical (X) receiver in press or middle of field. 
• Ugly: Catching ability is his biggest red flag.

 

#11: Christian Watson, 6’5”/208, 4.36 forty, Age 22.9, Draft Projection- Day 2

• Good: Definition of a height-weight-speed guy.  Ran by people like they were 9th graders.  Crushed the combine with the athleticism that will allow him to jump over coverage.  Can adjust to balls easily outside his frame.  Elite size/speed receiver who separates with IQ and spee. Work ethic suggests he will put in the time to polish off routes.  Long, rangy wideout with excellent fluidity and explosiveness.  Large catch radius.  Father was an NFL safety.  Could emerge as one of the best pass-catchers in this class.  He may end up being a ridiculous steal, even if he goes late 1^st. 
• Bad: Lacks standout statistics due to scheme & decision-making of QB, Flashes high-level ball skills.  Slow to get to top speed and lacks COD to separate at break. Inconsistent ball skills and has some injury history.   Significant amount of projection involved in Watson’s game.
• Ugly: The drop issues and ball tracking are (more than) a tad concerning.  Looks more like a track athlete.

 

 

#12: Calvin Austin III, 5’7”/170, 4.32 forty, Age 23.1, Draft Projection- Day 2

• Good: Matchup WR you can win with as a versatility piece. Tiny track star who can absolutely fly.  Separates with speed/acceleration and ability to adjust body to make catches.  May be a gadget player but Austin can be one of the best in that mold in the league.  Put up the most impressive testing numbers of any receiver at the combine.  Surprising nuance to his route running for an "attack" guy, he's a "Move & motion" guy too.  He is sudden, with explosiveness & real speed… Is there a Tyreke Hill element to his game? 
• Bad: Will struggle against Zone and doesn't break any tackles.  Needs to perfect ability to avoid jam in order to stick in the NFL.
• Ugly: Durability/strength is the obvious concern. 

 

#13: Khalil Shakir, 6’0”/196, 4.43 forty, Age 22.2, Draft Projection- Day 3

• Good: Was top option in a varied offense, Human highlight reel, His body control and hands are the stuff of legend.  He’s got versatility, he’s a refined and detailed route runner.  Given a significant number of rush attempts from Jet motion and even in the backfield, 70% of his catches were out of the slot.  Really good RAC guy.  Real high level competitiveness.  4th WR you can win with on short to intermediate routes.
• Bad: Some injury history
• Ugly: Huge effort issue, jogging when he doesn't expect to be involved.

 

#14: Skyy Moore, 5’10”/195 4.41 forty, Age 21.6, Draft Projection- 2^nd Round

• Good: Wins with explosiveness and his release off of the line from the slot.  Has elite shiftiness.  Quicker than a hiccup, just puts guys in a blender.  Makes defenders miss ease- Broke an FBS-high 26 tackles last year.  Excellent quickness and route polish.  Strong hands to attack the ball.  Bounces off tacklers on quick hitters & jet sweeps.  Bounces up from big hits.  Has excellent top speed when he gets in the open field.  Should emerge as a dangerous playmaker very early in his career.  Called “most underrated player in this draft” by ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr.
• Bad: Needs to expand route tree.  Does not play to his timed speed or play like a speed receiver.  Does not snap out of breaks, Limited per what he was asked to do in college. 
• Ugly: Undersized, needs to add more muscle.  May not be able to separate from quality NFL man coverage. 

 

#15: David Bell, 6’0””/212, 4.64 forty, Age 21.3, Draft Projection- 3^rd Round

• Good: Has outstanding body control, above the line route running, and ability to break leg tackles in the open field.  He’s “one of those guys” with an understanding how to attack coverage.  He has really good footwork.  He’s a professional receiver, a refined receiver.  The classic case of this is Anaquan Boldin who ran a 4.72 at the combine.  The smart teams say let the tape tell the story- Bells game is much more about detail and nuance as opposed to high level athleticism and explosiveness.  The process of route running and receiving is important to him.  He has made himself into a technician and a natural receiver.  Can play the slot since he’s physical and big.  Young player in this draft.
• Bad: Not a great athlete for the position.  His athletic traits do not suggest he’ll be a match up issue for the defense.  Measured & methodical in his movement as opposed to being sudden or explosive.
• Ugly: A “1 speed” receiver.

 

#16: Kyle Philips, 5’11”/189, 4.58 forty, Age 22.8, Draft Projection- 3^rd Round

• Good: Wins with his shiftiness, run after the catch ability, and impressive contact balance.  Projects primarily as a slot receiver who can run good routes, block with an edge in the run game, and be a reliable target in the red zone (10 touchdowns last season).  ability to come in right away and contribute.  Most common NFL comparison is Hunter Renfrow. 
• Bad: Lack of elite upside
• Ugly: Size/Speed

 

#17: Danny Gray, 6’0”/196, 4.33 forty, Age 23.0, Draft Projection- Day 3

• Good: Possesses phenomenal speed and acceleration.  A big play waiting to happen.  Can make things happen with the ball in his hands.  More than a track man as a wr.  Can attack all 3 levels of the defense.
• Bad: Light frame, limited route tree, and raw release package give him a learning curve at the next level.
• Ugly: Not highly refined as a route runner.  Not much use as a rookie except in specific scenarios.

 

#18: Tyquan Thorton, 6”2”/181, 4.28 forty, Age Not available, Draft Projection- Day 3

• Good: Great straight-line speed.  Wins with his long speed, deep threat ability, and above the line body control. 
• Bad: Needs to improve as a route runner on intermediate routes, Needs to be able to change direction smoother
• Ugly: Needs to put on more muscle to fight through contact better to make his way up the depth chart. 

 

#19: Wan'Dale Robinson, 5’8”/178, 4.44 forty, Age 21.3, Draft Projection- Early Day 3

• Good: Slot receiver with the versatility to take snaps at RB, wins with his run after the catch ability, shiftiness, and explosiveness.  Young player in this draft.
• Bad: On the smaller side for a receiver, Needs to become more refined as a route runner
• Ugly: Will need to put on more weight in order to be able to take hits over the middle of the field

 

#20: Venus Jones Jr., 5’11”/204, 4.31 forty, Age 24.9, Draft Projection- Day 3

• Good: Quick, a playmaker after the catch.  Really good short area quickness and separation quickness to develop into an efficient route runner.  Can be a motion receiver or a jet sweep guy.  4.31 forty!  Good 10 yd. Split score too (So tested quite well).  A very good returner who can make an immediate impact as a return specialist. 
• Bad: Inexperienced and raw as a route runner, despite playing 6 years of college football.  Space receiver needing room to catch the ball.  Needs to learn more of the subtleties and nuances in the slot.
• Ugly: Nearing 25, one of the older players in the draft.