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RealGM Search
By Jeff Risdon
The WR's this year are an interesting lot, very tough to distinguish clear-cut rankings. I’ve gone back and forth between the top 3, and in the next group of 6-7 wideouts the rankings are basically interchangeable. Perhaps more than any positional group in recent years, the interviews and academic backgrounds of these WR's could make the difference between the 1st round and 3rd round, which is now second day. As with all positions, note that positional ranking does not always correlate with draft order; some teams like some guys better than others or have different needs. With this group in particular, individual traits matching up with team needs is more vital than overall talent.
1. Malcolm Kelly, Oklahoma--Junior who is the most dynamic of the bigger WR's in this draft; runs very well and has a very controlled motion; the word that always comes up when scouts watch Kelly is “smooth”; very strong hands, and he will fight for the ball; has an extra gear in the open field and is an instinctive runner after the catch; presents himself as a target quite well, a great red zone receiver who can go get the high ball; engaging blocker who chips inside very well; has a good football IQ; lacks great acceleration and can get locked up in press coverage, needs to learn to use his hands and strength better off the line; runs decent routes but his cuts aren’t always sharp; doesn’t always play as physical as he should, like he’s picking his spots at times, and reinforced the impression of a lackadaisical attitude when he showed up a little heavy and out of condition in Indy. NFL Comparison: Braylon Edwards, Larry Fitzgerald. Top 20 overall pick, could very well be the 1st WR drafted, though his stock is falling a bit as the draft approaches.
2. Limas Sweed, Texas--Big target (6’5”, 220) who catches everything near him with his hands; uses his size well and presents himself to the QB nicely; has consistently improved his route running but it’s still far from being great; long-strider who has a better first step than most guys who fit that bill; great body control which makes him an ideal red zone target; has a good understanding of what the defense is trying to do and how to attack that; not a very creative runner in the open field but he’ll take a hit and fall forward; not as good a blocker as he should be for his size, but he gets in the way effectively and blocks much better for his fellow WR's than on running plays; does not get consistent separation, especially if he’s headed across the middle; lacks great speed but lacks lateral quickness even more, does not change direction comfortably or run fluidly; has missed most of 2007 with a wrist injury that is not considered long-term; Sweed has the best hands of the big WRs in this draft and he plays faster than the comparably built Dwayne Jarrett. NFL Comparison: Roy Williams the Lion, perhaps Plaxico Burress. His impressive 40 times in recent workouts put him solidly in the 1st round, probably in the 15-25 range.
3. Devin Thomas, Michigan State. Late blooming junior with an outstanding physical package (6’2”, 216, 4.43 40); thrived under improved coaching and with the added responsibility of being the primary target; very strong hands and he reaches out and snares the ball instead of waiting for it to come to him; uses his size and strength well, a nightmare matchup for smaller or softer CBs; dynamic open-field runner with instant acceleration and exceptional balance; led the Big Ten in kickoff returns; showed outstanding conditioning and dedication, often running back the kick and then running a reverse or deep route the very next play; steadily improved his ability to separate with better footwork and shoulder positioning on shorter routes; has a nose for the end zone and a flair for the dramatic, made some spectacular catches on some lousy throws; only had one season where he did anything of note; tends to be choppy when he exits his breaks; comes from a quick one-read offense where he didn’t have to run complex routes or adjust to coverage; not much of a blocker for such a physical receiver, needs loads of work on technique; still gives the impression from time to time he’s more of an athlete than a football player. No star is rising faster than Thomas’, but he will need continued strong coaching to reach his potential. NFL Comparison: Anquan Bolden, Donald Driver. A sure-fire 1st rounder with a decent chance to be the 1st WR taken thanks in part to his KR/PR ability. Consider his heads-up comparison to Desean Jackson--Thomas had more catches with better YPC, better return stats, and he’s 5 inches taller and weighs nearly 50 pounds more yet runs almost as fast.
4. James Hardy, Indiana--Junior with great size (6’6”, 217) and great acceleration for a tall guy; great hands, looks every ball in and secures it quickly; physical receiver who uses his hands a lot to get separation and position; outstanding improv player, has an innate knack for finding the right spot on scrambles and broken plays; powerful runner after the catch; great jumper (he played hoops at IU) and with his height he’s everything you could want in a red zone target; not blessed with pure speed but he does have an extra gear; has dominated NFL-caliber corners for long stretches; adequate blocker, though he gets away with holding a lot; not the most precise route runner and doesn’t always read the coverage properly, not a West Coast offense guy; needs to improve his selling of his fakes and moves and use his hands less, as well as being more patient against zone schemes; has struggled with consistent focus and has the rep for being aloof; not very elusive or creative with the ball, he just lowers his shoulder and falls forward a lot. Adding another 8-10 pounds of more functional strength would really help Hardy. NFL Comparison: Terrell Owens, Dwayne Jarrett. His 4.45 40 and impressive workouts put him in line to be a late 1st rounder, though tall WRs with iffy ability to get open tend to slide.
5. Andre Caldwell, Florida--Average size (6’0”, 204) but has better speed (4.39) than most other guys in his size range in this class; great runner after the catch who gets good initial separation on shorter routes; good functional strength and he’s not afraid to use it; can get open down the field and adjusts well to the ball in the air; solid blocker on run plays; very good acceleration and lateral quickness and agility, plays fast; has adjusted nicely to a changing role in the offense; inconsistent hands and he lets far too many balls get to his pads; not real good at reading coverage or understanding what the defense is trying to do; has missed 14 games due to injury and is not effective at less than 100%, often looks like he’s trying to not get hurt when he comes back; one of those WRs who runs his designed route but doesn’t create well on scrambles or broken plays. NFL Comparison: Santonio Holmes, a slightly slower Bernard Berrian. Impressed enough at the Senior Bowl to solidify himself as a top 50 pick, perhaps as early as the mid 20s. Durability questions could haunt him though.
6. Earl Bennett, Vanderbilt--Prolific junior with outstanding hands and vision; has decent size (6’1”, 192) and great flexibility, a natural athlete; precise route runner who prides himself on his exactness and strives for perfection; great leaper who makes a better red zone target than most guys his height; finds holes in zone coverage well and presents himself as a target better than any wideout in this draft; has lots of successful experience playing against NFL CBs in a pro-style system; an engaging blocker, though not necessarily a good one; not very physical and can get frustrated by physical press coverage; more quick than fast, lacks the extra gear in the open field; not an instinctive or creative runner after the catch; Kind of a tweener--not big or fast enough to be a #1, on the bigger and softer side for a possession type. NFL Comparison: Marty Booker, Jericho Cotchery, but with better hands than either guy. His 4.48 40 time pretty much assures he’s in the 2nd round, though he could slide to the 70-80 range.
7. Mario Manningham, Michigan--Junior who has been a great big play threat since he got to school; plays taller than his size (6’0”, 190), presents a great target; seamless route runner who is outstanding at coming off breaks; nice hands, and can make the one-handed catch; excellent body control and footwork on the sidelines; good cut blocker who has improved his downfield blocking; not very physical or functionally strong, will get pushed off routes across the middle; lacks breakaway speed and is not hard to bring down; has not shown great durability, misses lots of drives and snaps here and there due to minor injuries; has not matured in the right way--he’s much cockier and more “big-time” than he used to be, and it has affected his play and his teammates somewhat; plays better in close games and pressure situations, which can also be read “tries harder” in those scenarios. However, he dropped 9 balls in his last two college games, several of which were perfect throws at key times. Manningham strikes some observers (myself included) as a better college WR than a pro one, though several scouts believe he’s the clear #1 WR in this class. NFL comparison: a slower Javon Walker, Donte Stallworth. Will be drafted in the 20-40 range
8. Desean Jackson, California--Dynamic junior speedster with some of the best open field ability I’ve ever seen; slightly smaller (a hair under 5’10”, 169) than Ted Ginn Jr. and not quite as top-end fast; very good on screens, short crosses, and quick outs; instant acceleration and very shifty, controlled lateral movement; has the warrior mentality and supreme confidence, reminiscent of Kellen Winslow II when at Miami; electrifying PR and a capable KR in the Devin Hester mold; runs good short routes but gets sloppier further down the field; not real physical but doesn’t shy away; inconsistent hands--has shown he can snatch the ball but doesn’t always concentrate and rarely looks the ball in, tries to run before he catches it far too often; not a very big target and doesn’t present himself as one well; gets pushed around and off routes too easily; disappears from the offense for long stretches, too easy to take off his game; doesn’t pick up coverage changes or hot reads well; inadequate blocker due to size, but he tries. NFL comparison: Steve Smith as a best-case, but more like Sinorice Moss. Because of his amazing PR/KR ability he could go in the top 15, but his tiny frame and giant ego (which he’s taming by all accounts) are legit concerns that could drop him into the 20s.
9. Early Doucet, LSU--Average size and speed (6’0”, 210, 4.55), though he does show good strength and quickness for his size; excellent feet in route running, makes very clean cuts and turns; catches everything with his hands; supremely confident, in a good team-centric way, a natural leader; good blocking technique and tenacity; not afraid to go across the middle; has shown some open-field running ability and is excellent at reading his blocks; lacks great speed, often looks much slower than his 40 times; tends to get lazy on his routes, especially when he is not the primary receiver; does not get good separation down the field; The latest in a long line of LSU wideouts, Doucet is more difficult than most to evaluate because of limited opportunity due to playing behind 07 1st rounders Bowe and Davis, plus missing time in 07 due to injuries. The more I watch Doucet the more I’m reminded of Joe Jurevicius or Amani Toomer--solid complementary wideouts that coaches love and teammates respect, and who can step up with a huge game when called upon. The hype is fading and though it hurts his draft stock it’s probably a huge boon to his overall career expectations. 2nd rounder.
10. Donnie Avery, Houston--Blazing speedster who has shown across-the-board improvement as a receiver; has run a 4.31 40 with great splits and his speed translates to the field; has worked hard on his hands, but will still double-catch some balls; gets great separation and has learned how to set up routes with his speed; not very strong and not at all physical, struggles with physical coverage; route running has improved but is still raw except for fly and post routes; needs loads of work on his blocking; doesn’t always attack the ball, had several plays where the DB made plays on what should have been catches; easy to tackle if you can catch him (a big if!), doesn’t move laterally real well. Comes from an offense that will require adjustment to the NFL and probably best fits in a Mike Martz-style system. NFL Comparison: a smaller Devery Henderson, Shaun McDonald. 2nd-3rd rounder.
11. Jordy Nelson, Kansas State--Draft board riser with a good combo of size (6’3”, 220) and speed (4.51 officially, but he plays faster in pads); has shown consistent, strong hands; great athlete, starred in basketball and track and is a converted QB; one of those guys to whom everything athletic seems easy; has improved route running and precision with his feet; plays physical and does better against press/man coverage than zone; showed the ability to produce in the clutch; not real quick acceleration, but once he’s moving Nelson is very hard to catch; great instinctive runner after the catch, not afraid to bowl over a safety; has not always shown great separation or burst; has a tendency to telegraph his routes and moves; not much of a blocker for a guy his size; has fared well against NFL corners (ask Aqib Talib!) but hasn’t really stood out until the 07 season. NFL Comparison: Justin Gage, a faster Ernest Wilford. Late 2nd-mid 3rd rounder, propped up in part by potential as a PR/KR.
12. Lavelle Hawkins, California--classic West Coast offense WR; good underneath receiver who excels at short slants and drag routes between layers of zones; excellent hands, and Hawkins transitions from receiver to runner very well, though he will look to run before he catches the ball more than you like to see; has adequate size for a slot/drag WR (5’11”, 187) though he lacks the great speed characteristic (mid 4.5s) of most guys in that role; route running has steadily improved but it often appears he slows a little to think about what he’s going to do instead of instinctively running crisp routes; not very physical, can be pushed around by bigger DBs; probably the worst blocker of any WR in this draft, winds up on his back way too often; has good return man ability and the mentality to thrive as a kick returner. NFL Comparison: Mike Furrey, Josh Reed. Return ability might push him into the top 50, but likely in the 60-80 range.
13. Jerome Simpson, Coastal Carolina--very athletic small-school talent who played with a now-NFL QB (Tyler Thigpen); 6’2” but plays like he is at least 3 inches taller, an incredible jumper blessed with solid receiving skills and great timing instincts; has improved the crispness of his routes, but he still needs work; catches everything with his hands and can make the acrobatic catch in traffic; absorbs contact well for a guy without a lot of bulk; adequate blocker, though the level of competition is weak; fiery, emotional leader who plays with a chip on his shoulder; not real quick laterally, his speed is very straight-linish; will have to prove he can get separation and break away from big-time competition. One scout I talked with sees a lot of Joe Horn in him. Really helped himself at the East-West game and by timing well in workouts, probably enough to get into the 3rd round.
14. William Franklin, Missouri--Speedy (4.37 40) outside threat with solid hands and great athleticism; excellent leaper who can make the acrobatic catch and plays taller than his 6’1” body; good runner after the catch who turns and accelerates quickly; very sudden, plays like his hair is on fire all the time; has improved his route running but still needs work; will try to run before he catches the ball at times; not real physical and does not go over the middle well; will get alligator arms when a safety is closing in; a dancer-blocker but he’s pretty effective at it; has been “needy” at times and isn’t afraid to hide his displeasure when he’s not getting the ball enough. NFL Comparison: Javon Walker, Terry Glenn but not as polished as either guy. His uncle is former NFL WR Darnay Scott, and Franklin could wind up much like his uncle, a quality 50-catch a year deep threat. In the mix anywhere between picks 70 and 100.
15. Eddie Royal, Virginia Tech--very physical smaller (5’10”, 185) wideout who was a 4-year starter; strong football IQ, possesses outstanding intangibles; very quick and balanced; runs precise routes with very clean breaks and turns; finds holes in zones very well and has the patience to sit in the hole on broken plays; very willing, tough blocker, almost to a fault; has some ability as a PR and KR; lacks top end speed and doesn’t have the extra gear; often seems too willing to engage physically and he doesn’t have the explosiveness or size to make the defense pay; has fought with drops and consistency; not very big and has maxed out his frame, which paired with his physical style makes long-term durability a question; played as part of a deep rotation of WRs and never really stood out despite being the most naturally gifted, though spotty QB play was a factor. Should develop into a solid #3 WR and has added value as a PR, and his character and work ethic will endear him to coaches and teammates. 3rd rounder who could sneak into the late 2nd with a great pro day.
Others in some semblance of order:
Dexter Jackson, Appalachian State--diminutive (5’9”, 182) speedster (4.37 40) who has a lot of the same qualities of Desean Jackson, no relation; very quick, shifty slot/drag type WR who is a tremendous open-field threat; has shown good hands at times and the ability to hold onto the ball in tight quarters; strong leader who pushes his teammates in a positive, well-received manner; can flat-out fly and has the extra gear in the open field; very confident and he thrived when playing better competition; has small hands and lets balls get to his pads too readily; comes from a one-read offense where he wasn’t asked to run route trees or adjust to coverage; ineffective blocker; lack of size and experience in a pro-style offense will limit him to 3rd-4th round status.
Keenan Burton, Kentucky--Explosive athlete with great leaping ability; plays bigger than his 6’0” 212 pound size, in part thanks to his amazing hops; catches the ball with his hands; has good straight line speed and can hit the extra gear in the open field or when running down a deep ball; aggressive, effective blocker; has tremendous body control, can make the acrobatic catch; absorbs hits well; runs good routes and can make adjustments based on coverage; will drop some balls, and doesn’t catch low balls real well; does not get consistent separation, lacks the sudden-ness and acceleration off the line; gets caught looking for the ball early too much, which allows the coverage to catch up and read plays easier; can return kicks with some aptitude; has a pretty lengthy injury history, though nothing that lingers. NFL Comparison: a poor man’s Chad Johnson, Drew Carter. Mid 2nd round to late 3rd, depending on 40 times and postseason workouts.
Adarius Bowman, Oklahoma State--draft board plummeter who might project better as an H-back; very big (6’3”, 227), physical receiver with great power and knows how to use it; has good hands but will cradle catches into his pads more than he should; is often a devastating blocker but will also whiff from time to time; decent runner for a guy with poor speed; finds flat spots in zones very well and presents himself nicely; route running isn’t bad but could be more fluid and precise; doesn’t show much flexibility, doesn’t bend well and often looks stiff; one of those guys who plays better when he feels disrespected or angry; has had some off-field issues; his pronounced lack of speed (4.7 40) severely limits his usefulness. NFL Comparison: Roy Hall from the Colts, Mike Williams. 4th-5th rounder who could wind up being a useful red zone target, but just as easily might not survive final cuts.
Harry Douglas, Louisville--Undersized, underneath-type possession receiver with great burst and agility; creates good separation and can stop or turn on a dime; good hands and secures the ball well after the catch; plays at full speed all the time and is very good at creating havoc over the middle; extremely small (5’10” in cleats, 175 soaking wet) and his frame won’t allow much added bulk; not much of a runner or blocker, shies away from physical contact; durability is a major question, has missed time with ankle and wrist injuries; can return kicks and might be best suited as a return specialist and backup WR, a la Dante Hall. Could be very productive as a slot WR in a 4WR set, a la Shaun McDonald, but probably has a limited role offensively otherwise. The team that drafts his college QB, Brian Brohm, would be wise to spend a 4th/5th rounder on Douglas, his security blanket.
DJ Hall, Alabama--Good size/speed combo (6’2.5”, 4.48 40) and is a natural playmaker; good acceleration even though he’s got a long stride; often makes the spectacular catch, shows great body control and athleticism; good at diagnosing coverage and finding the open spot; gets good downfield separation and plays the ball in the air quite well; strong, willing blocker; has quick feet for a guy his size; not very physical and allows CBs to dictate his movement too much; will drop some balls, especially throws above the chest, doesn’t look the ball in consistently; often looks stiff and very upright; has had numerous discipline and academic issues and has a rep for not always giving 100% and the game tapes back that up. NFL Comparison: Jerry Porter, Troy Williamson. If he shows maturity and intelligence in workouts and interviews, Hall could sneak into the 3rd round, but he’s more likely a 4th-5th rounder. Another guy that could really reward the right team but just as easily not survive the summer.
Paul Hubbard, Wisconsin--Prolific track star (he’s a NCAA champion long jumper) with very good size (6’3”, 221) and toughness; good route runner for a guy who took up football late; attacks the ball in the air and positions his body well to make the catch and shield the defender; strong blocker who twice pancaked NFL LB Lamarr Woodley back in 2006; his hands come and go, and Hubbard struggles maintaining control and absorbing contact; not very quick and lacks top-end speed; bad knee injury cost him most of his senior year and won’t help his limited lateral quickness; does not get separation easily and doesn’t show great balance all the time. Has loads of potential but needs a patient team with a real accurate QB to scratch that potential. 3rd round wouldn’t surprise me but neither would a fall to the 5th.
Josh Morgan, Virginia Tech--Intriguing package of size (a hair under 6’1”, a Power Bar away from 220) and toughness with just enough speed to make him dangerous; very physical both with the ball in his hands and at getting off jams and presses; explodes out of breaks, shows great leg strength; very fiery, emotional guy who likes to play on the edge of frothing at the mouth; inconsistent in pretty much every phase of playing WR--there are games he looks like the next TO, and games where you wonder how he got a scholarship to play football; has a rep for being needy and has had off-field issues. In a West Coast offense with a strong locker room Morgan could be a very good #3 WR and will likely be drafted as such, in the 100-125 range.
Dorien Bryant, Purdue--Highly prolific possession-type WR coming from a pass-happy system; outstanding hands and his body control to catch tough throws is very good; energetic quickness and very shifty with the ball in his hands, great runner after the catch; excels at finding holes in zones and gaps underneath coverage; dynamic kick/punt returner, very elusive and savvy in setting up his blocks; undersized (5’10”, 170) and plays small; will look to run before he catches the ball at times and drop it, often at the worst possible times; has some character questions, has been arrested for fighting and has been in and out of coaches doghouses; NFL Comparison: a less sure-handed, less humble Mike Furrey, a #3/underneath WR in a West Coast or pass-happy offense. Should be drafted in the 120-150 range but his size and character are major issues.
Steve Johnson, Kentucky--late bloomer who is one of the most improved players in the country as a senior; a lanky 6’2.5” but Johnson has strong hands and plays more physical than you expect; has really worked on his suspect footwork and route running, but he’s still got lots of room for improvement; not real fast, but can plant and turn quickly; had a good chemistry with his QB and is a willing learner; much more mature than in prior years and has consistently risen to the challenge this year; not a real instinctive receiver or runner, but if he continues to develop he could be a mid-round steal.
Marcus Monk, Arkansas--Very tall (6’5.5”), very smart natural receiver who suffered a nasty knee injury that has derailed his development. Not real fast or quick, and the knee issue won’t help; not very physical or strong and not a fighter by nature; his playing style is that of a very light TE, except Monk is a subpar blocker; has good hands and can go get a poorly thrown ball, but his ability to get open and stay open are not of an NFL caliber. NFL Comparison: a skinny Mike Williams, a slow Matt Jones. Some team will see his size and listen to him in interviews and take a 5th-6th round chance on him, and if he ever gets healthy he could be a real find.
Pierre Garcon, Mount Union--Small school wonder who put up great numbers at an elite program; has very nice hands and secures the ball quickly; good athleticism and body control both as a runner and coming off breaks; plays smart and with confidence; lacks great size (5’11”, 210) and does not have breakaway speed, though he does have “sneaky” speed off the line; not a lot of lateral quickness; needs polish on route running and blocking--neither is poor but both need improvement to compete at a higher level. How quickly (if at all) he can adjust to the huge jump from DIII to the NFL is a big question, though he’s performed well at workouts and postseason games. 5th-6th rounder who will likely need a year on the practice squad.
Marcus Smith, New Mexico--Very raw physical prospect with lots of athletic potential and upside; a real scrapper who tries very hard but does not have a great deal of innate ability; very strong receiver who likes contact and can really block like a lineman; will need to keep working at catching the ball with his hands and running better routes. His mentality is perfect for special teams and he’s played well in that role, and if he continues to develop the intricacies of playing WR he could be a real find. 6th-7th rounder who could interview his way a few spots higher.
Justin Harper, Virginia Tech--Big possession receiver with decent athleticism; plays with a lot of finesse and presents himself as a target nicely; hands are inconsistent but he does attack the ball in the air; not very physical for such a big (6’3”, 221) guy and it often looks like he’s playing afraid to get hurt; slow and lacks any sort of suddenness. He’s more like an undersized H-Back than a WR, except he’s not nearly physical enough. Could make it as a 4th WR and red zone target. 6th-7th rounder.
Davone Bess, Hawaii--The best of the lot of Hawaii wideouts in this draft, but he’s undersized (5’10”, 194) and runs in the 4.7s. He does have very good quickness and decent hands, but he often struggled to get open in the wide-open run and shoot sets they ran in college, and he’ll see a lot more traffic and size across from him in the NFL. 50/50 that he hears his name called.
Sammie Stroughter, Oregon State--Undersized, speedy receiver who projects in the NFL as an Eddie Drummond-type, a dynamic PR/KR who can fill in as a #4 WR in a pinch. Late 2nd day pick.
Mario Urrutia, Louisville--Draft board plummeter after starting the season no worse than the #2 WR in the country. Very tall (6’5.5”) WR with good leaping ability and superb athleticism; has better speed than he often shows but does not accelerate well; when he focuses he has good strong hands and body control; transitions from receiver to runner well for a big guy; runs a great fade route to the corner and can make the tough one-handed grab; plays upright and soft, not a physical bone in his body; freelances far too much, makes poor cuts and rounds off routes; has a needy diva persona, has clearly not heard the word “No” much in his life; suffers too many mental lapses and dumb penalties, and he’s not known for practicing hard. With his physical tools and preseason promise some team might be infatuated enough to take a 4th-5th round flier on him. They’ll likely be disappointed.
