Welcome to draft season! This is the second of 11 positional breakdowns leading up to the NFL draft (April 29-May 1). Here are my top 10 wide receivers:
———
1. Ja’Marr Chase (Jr., LSU, 6-foot-0, 201 pounds)
Chase had a historic sophomore season (1,783 yards and 20 touchdowns) before opting out last season due to COVID-19. He dominates jump balls, breaks tackles and showcases elite toughness for a receiver. Projected: Top 10
2. Devonta Smith (Sr., Alabama, 6-0, 170)
Smith glides across the field like Fred Astaire on wet pavement and took Wite-Out to Chase’s single-season conference records during his Heisman campaign. The only critique is he’s slightly bigger than a Micro Machine. Projected: Top 15
3. Jaylen Waddle (Jr., Alabama, 5-9, 180)
Waddle is a special athlete and elite playmaker whose mere presence puts pressure on a defense. He’s capable of being a dynamic return man as well, but that’s how he broke his right ankle last season. Projected: Top 15
4. Elijah Moore (Jr., Ole Miss, 5-9, 178)
Moore is a three-year starter who is explosive in the open-field and thrives on slants, screens and jet sweeps. He only had one drop on 101 targets in 2020. Projected: 1st or 2nd round
5. Rashod Bateman (Jr., Minnesota, 6-0, 190)
Bateman is a productive route technician with excellent hands. He was a three-year starter on his high school hoops team and received scholarship offers from several Division I programs. Projected: 1st or 2nd round
6. Terrace Marshall Jr. (Jr., LSU, 6-2, 205)
Marshall is a capable deep threat with prototypical size/speed traits. Almost a quarter of his 94 receptions the last two seasons were touchdowns (23). He has broken his left foot (2019) and fibula (2017). Projected: 2nd round
7. D’Wayne Eskridge (Sr., Western Michigan, 5-8, 190)
There are durability concerns with Eskridge because of his size, and he’s still underdeveloped as a route runner, but he was Indiana’s Mr. Track and Field as a senior in high school. He’s a proven playmaker who is tough as nails. (He also played cornerback and lined up as a gunner on punt coverage for the Broncos.) Projected: 2nd or 3rd round
8. Kadarius Toney (Sr., Florida, 5-11, 193)
This former high school quarterback is a dangerous playmaker outside, in the slot or in the backfield. Multiple off-field incidents and durability concerns could offset immense talent. Projected: 1st or 2nd round
9. Tylan Wallace (Sr., Oklahoma St., 5-11, 194)
Wallace is a dynamic playmaker who has mastered the route tree. He produced a first down or touchdown on almost 74% of his 205 collegiate receptions. He suffered a torn ACL in his right knee in 2019. Projected: 2nd or 3rd round
10. Rondale Moore (So., Purdue, 5-7, 181)
Moore is a powerful creator after the catch, almost running back-like, who could thrive in the slot at the next level, but he’s unproven as a downfield threat and has missed 11 of 18 games the past two seasons due to injury. Projected: 1st or 2nd round
BONUS: Amon-Ra St. Brown (Jr., USC, 5-11, 197)
St. Brown doesn’t feature top-end speed, but his balance, route-running and physicality remind me of Steve Smith Sr. Projected: 2nd or 3rd round
BONUS: Amari Rodgers (Sr., Clemson, 5-9, 212)
Rodgers is physical after the catch, similar to Deebo Samuel. He spent the last three seasons as the Tigers’ featured punt returner. Projected: 2nd or 3rd round
BONUS: Nico Collins (Sr., Michigan, 6-4, 215)
Collins features an impressive height/speed combination and isn’t afraid to make plays over the middle of the field. His production at Ann Arbor was underwhelming considering his talent. Projected: 3rd round
BONUS: Dyami Brown (Jr., North Carolina, 6-0, 189)
Brown oozes big-play ability — he had five receptions of 50-plus yards in 2020 — and has developed into an advanced route runner. He needs to work on his inconsistent hands (15 drops the last two seasons). Projected: 2nd or 3rd round
BONUS: Tutu Atwell (Jr., Louisville, 5-8, 155)
Obviously, Atwell is undersized and he drops too many balls, but you can’t teach his type of speed. Only Alabama’s DeVonta Smith had more yards after catch in 2019. Projected: 3rd or 4th round
BONUS: Cade Johnson (Sr., South Dakota St., 5-10, 184)
Johnson is a former walk-on with decent quicks who was super productive for the Jackrabbits — he had 139 receptions, 2,554 yards and 25 touchdowns his last two seasons. The only real question mark is his lack of experience against top competition. Projected: 4th to 7th round
BONUS: Simi Fehoko (So., Stanford, 6-3, 222)
Fehoko features elite size/speed combination and specializes in difficult catches, but he’s still very raw despite him turning 24 in 2021. He committed to a two-year religious mission before attending school. Projected: 3rd to 5th round
BONUS: Frank Darby (Sr., Arizona St., 6-0, 201)
Darby’s career production was mediocre, but he can make plays at every level and has some of the best ball skills in this class. He was a team captain his senior season and is a bona fide leader on and off the field. Projected: 5th to 7th round
BONUS: Anthony Schwartz (Jr., Auburn, 6-0, 186)
Schwartz is a developmental project with world-class speed. He won the silver medal in the 100 meters (10.22) at the IAAF world championships in Finland, taking the gold medal in the 4×100 relay (38.88) for Team USA. Projected: 4th to 7th round
BONUS: Seth Williams (Jr., Auburn, 6-3, 211)
Williams is a ball-winner who could develop into a productive red zone threat in the NFL. Projected: 3rd to 5th round
___
(c)2021 The San Diego Union-Tribune
Visit The San Diego Union-Tribune at www.sandiegouniontribune.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
