Marquise “Hollywood” Brown | Oklahoma | JR | 5-foot-11 | 165 lbs. |
Games Watched: Texas (2018), West Virginia (2018), Oklahoma State (2017)
Projected Draft Range: 1st/2nd Round
Pro Comparison: DeSean Jackson
– Pros –
Legendary speed; strikes fear into press corners and deep safeties alike; can take any touch to the house.
Slick route runner who varies speeds well; can change gears at will, freezing defensive backs.
Incredible collegiate production; played a huge role in creating Oklahoma’s back-to-back Heisman Trophy winners.
Shows willingness to stalk block on tape; holds his block beyond 20 yards down field.
Position flexibility; can line up at any receiver position – inside or outside; threatens defense when put in fly motion.
Best ball tracking ability in the class; you could argue that he puts Willie Mays to shame.
Reliable hands; doesn’t try to body catch.
Almost forces double-coverage on every snap; will draw both a corner and deep safety to protect over the top.
Shows excellent concentration on sideline throws; stretches well and tip-toes with both feet.
Surprisingly strong after the catch; can shed arm tackles with a full head of steam.
Possesses an arsenal of jukes and stop-and-start moves to avoid defenders in open space.
– Cons –
Underweight; less than ideal frame; coming off of serious injury.
Limited size makes winning jump balls almost impossible.
Struggles at contested catch point; shies away from contact in traffic.
Uses stutter move at beginning of almost every release; may be predictable at NFL level.
– Summary –
Let’s not overcomplicate this one… It should come as no surprise that with a nickname like Hollywood and the game tape to go with it, most are considering Brown the next DeSean Jackson . He possesses once in a generation play speed, understandably striking fear into the hearts of every defensive back and defensive coordinator he faces. With that type of talent, Brown spent the last two seasons playing an integral role in not only contributing to a consistently top ranked program, but also in serving as the top target for back-to-back Heisman Trophy winners. The elephant in the room and really the only thing hold Brown back is his incredibly underwhelming size for the position and subsequent injury history. Many are concerned that he will struggle to stay healthy at the NFL level, however with examples of T.Y. Hilton , Tyreek Hill , and DeSean Jackson , these concerns may be a bit overblown. On talent alone, he’s the top receiver in the class.
| A.J. Brown | Ole Miss | JR | 6-foot | 226 lbs. |
Games Watched: Texas A&M (2018), Vanderbilt (2018), Auburn (2018), Alabama (2018)
Projected Draft Range: 1st/2nd Round
Pro Comparison: JuJu Smith-Schuster
– Pros –
Well built for the position; decent height with plenty of body armor.
Blended playing style that works well; plays smooth yet powerful.
Good hand-fighter against press and at the catch point; contends in all 50-50 balls; confident going over the middle and catching it in traffic.
Strong route runner; varies his speeds in and out of his cuts; sets up defenders well to his advantage.
Terrific after the catch; shows excellent blend of power, speed, and vision.
Strong and confident hands catcher; snatches the ball out of the air and doesn’t let it into his body.
Position versatile; looks confident and capable of lining up either inside or outside.
Capable stalk blocker when asked; will get nasty if necessary.
Can make acrobatic catches; high points the ball; maintains balance and taps toes on sideline.
– Cons –
Quick, but doesn’t display long speed in his routes; shows some struggles breaking away from top-level athletes in coverage; may force him to play in the slot at NFL level.
Will drop some passes that you expect him to make.
Can get lazy in some routes; at times will round out cuts when he’s not the primary receiver.
– Summary –
As you can see, Brown is a receiver with very few flaws, however his lack of the prototypical height and elite speed will prevent teams from taking him as the first wide receiver off the board. If you are looking for the safest wideout in the draft however, Brown is your guy. He is a solid route runner, a confident hands catcher, he’s strong after the catch, and is a competitor of the highest degree. Despite playing on the same offense as folklore legend D.K. Metcalf, A.J. Brown nearly doubled his production over the last two seasons, and was clearly the team’s go to option. At the NFL, he is most likely to get his start on the inside, just like JuJu Smith-Schuster has done so far in his young career.
| N’keal Harry | Arizona State | JR | 6-foot-2 | 228 lbs. |
Games Watched: UTSA (2018), Oregon (2018), Arizona (2018), Utah (2018)
Projected Draft Range: Day 2
Pro Comparison: Dez Bryant
– Pros –
Well built for the position with both good height and bulk.
Expert runner after the catch; shows toughness, elusiveness, and vision with the football in his hands; used frequently on screens and stay patterns for this reason.
Combative at the catch point; physical and fearless when going after 50-50 balls.
Capable of out-jumping defenders; high points and tracks the ball well; presents a nice red zone target.
Physical against press coverage; fights off contact and wins at the line of scrimmage.
Can play outside or in the slot.
Shows effort and competitiveness as a blocker.
– Cons –
Doesn’t show elite play speed; struggles to separate from ultra-athletic corners.
Reckless at times as a ball carrier; thinking moves ahead of his legs, causing an unbalanced track.
Prone to focus drops; this stems from same issue of thinking too far ahead.
Not the cleanest route runner; without elite speed, he needs more polish in this area to win consistently at the NFL level.
– Summary –
When turning on the tape, immediately comes rushing back into the memory banks is highlight clips of a young Dez Bryant . Simply put, Harry is a power forward, split out wide of the formation -- a guy who loves bullying defensive backs. If a corner plays off of him, the quarterback would be stupid not to just throw Harry a stay pattern, as he can almost guarantee you a grind-it-out first down. If the corner plays him in press, then he better be in for the dog fight of his life, as Harry will not be out physicaled. Also like Dez, however, Harry is not the most sudden or explosive athlete and instead relies on posting guys up and wanting the ball more than the defender. That works for guys like Bryant, Allen Robinson , and DeAndre Hopkins to an extent, however the list of average athletes at the wide receiver position in the NFL is slim.
| Deebo Samuel | South Carolina | rSR | 5-foot-11 | 214 lbs. |
Games Watched: Clemson (2018), Florida (2018), Texas A&M (2018), Missouri (2018)
Projected Draft Range: Day 2
Pro Comparison: Golden Tate
– Pros –
Thick cut with a running back’s frame; doesn’t detract from speed or wiggle however.
Combative at the line of scrimmage; will hand fight with press corners; recovers well and finishes off routes when jammed.
Disciplined route runner; deceptive cuts and stutters at the snap of the football; Keeps defenders guessing.
Confident hands catcher; will battle defenders over the middle.
Has experience both outside and in the slot.
Excels with the ball in his hands; Shows patience, vision, power, speed, and elusiveness as a ball carrier; used often on bubble screens because of this.
Angry blocker downfield; looks for contact and will finish after the whistle if necessary; not afraid to blindside someone..
Ultimate competitor; treats every touch like it’s his last.
Offers return value.
– Cons –
Less than ideal height; may struggle against physical corners and press coverage at the next level; may be slot only player.
Questionable long speed; struggles to separate in 1v1 coverage on fly routes.
Not someone you would expect to come down with spectacular jump balls or one-handed catches; limited catch radius.
Extensive injury history; evaluators worry that health problems are long term and may follow him throughout his career.
– Summary –
While Deebo is likely to primarily play the slot at the NFL level, he is anything from your stereotypical undersized finesse player that usually mans that position. Trying to find a comparison for Samuel was tough, truth be told, because quite frankly there aren’t that many players -- let alone wide receivers -- that play with that much intensity and physicality. An obvious comparison in that regard was Steve Smith, but their play styles in terms of the wide receiver position don’t exactly match up. Deebo isn’t a burner like Smith was, nor does he have the finesse that Smith was so well known for. The best I could do was Golden Tate , as like Tate, Samuel is essentially a running back playing in the slot. Sure he’s a great receiver of the football, but his best skills are seen when the ball is in his hands. He also has accolades as a return man and is a noted warrior as a blocker.
As for his work as an actual receiver of the football... Samuel runs some crafty routes and typically gets a good release off of the line of scrimmage. While he, at times, will struggle with press coverage, on tape Samuel has shown the ability to stay on his routes while adjusting his body position after contact. He’s not going to wow you with spectacular catches on fade routes and 50-50 balls, but you won’t find a more competitive player going over the middle with the confidence to win at the catch point.
Truth be told, his potential as an outside receiver in the NFL is limited, but imagining a career like Golden Tate or JuJu Smith-Schuster isn’t out of the question.
| Jalen Hurd | Baylor | SR | 6-foot-5 | 226 lbs. |
Games Watched: Oklahoma State (2018), Oklahoma (2018), Texas (2018)
Projected Draft Range: 3rd/4th Round
Pro Comparison: Terrance Williams
– Pros –
Excellent size; a prototype build for the position; plays like a smooth-looking athlete.
Explodes off of the line of scrimmage when lined up at receiver; Uses long arms and huge hands to slap away and separate from press coverage.
Most positional versatility in the class; can lineup inside, outside, wing, tight, even played a large portion of snaps at running back.
Thoughtful route runner; stacks and combines breaks with head fakes and stutters; Deadly double-move; Instinctual understanding on how to keep defenders on their heels.
Incredible with the ball in his hands; could truly transition to a full-time running back position; possesses excellent vision, patience, elusiveness, power, and speed.
Plays with a sense of urgency; looks every bit of an NFL athlete on tape compared to college competition.
High effort blocker; even picked up blitzes when lined up in the backfield.
Tracks the ball well on deep passes; Size allows him to just locate the ball and ignore corner/safety presence.
– Cons –
Possesses long speed but is lacking in short area quickness.
Is incredibly raw for the position and it can show on tape at times; limited route tree, plays at only one speed, doesn’t always present the quarterback a clear target, etc.
Still learning how to win with size at the catch point.
Some questionable drops on tape; again, learning the craft.
– Summary –
As I have made abundantly clear, Hurd is still learning the wide receiver position, but at a massive 6-foot-5, 226 lbs. it makes you wonder why? He was a back at Tennessee, but because of their stubborness and refusal to transition him to wideout, Hurd decided to transfer to Baylor. Now, while he still played plenty of back for the Bears, his position in the NFL will undoubtedly be at wide receiver…
While raw, Hurd’s receiver tape was actually very impressive. Despite limited work split out, Hurd showed the natural instincts for route running, by setting up corners with dead steps, head fakes, and depth leverage. These are advanced nuances of NFL route running and he was doing it in year one at Baylor. On top of that, Hurd is not only the prototypical size asked for out of NFL receivers, but he also plays with a never quitting motor. He likely will offer special teams value while he further refines his craft as a receiver early on in his NFL career. After that, I honestly think that he has a chance to be the best receiver in this class.
Coming up with a comparison for Hurd was nearly impossible. Think about it… Can you remember any 6-foot-5 former running backs that look like natural route runners? Thought so. Just pairing up some similarities, Terrance Williams of the Dallas Cowboys sort of works. He too is big, fast, a smooth athlete, played for Baylor, and isn’t the most natural pass catcher. It is not the best comp to be honest, but it’s what we’ve got.
| D.K. Metcalf | Ole Miss | rSO | 6-foot-3 | 228 lbs. |
Games Watched: Alabama (2018), LSU (2018), Texas Tech (2018), Louisiana-Monroe (2018), Kentucky (2017), Arkansas (2017)
Projected Draft Range: 1st Round
Pro Comparison: Kevin White
– Pros –
Ideal size for the position; built like a greek god, to be quite frank.
Elite long speed that shows after the catch; can separate from anyone on the field in a straight sprint.
Rare size and speed blend that will play in the NFL.
Will cause a lot of defensive pass interference calls.
Can take the top off of a defense; forces safety help over the top.
High points the ball well and can go over the top of defenders; shown ability for one-handed catches.
– Cons –
Despite chiseled frame, dealt with ample injuries in college.
Lacks urgency at the snap of the football; isn’t a sudden athlete.
Despite incredible speed, struggles to separate from cornerbacks outside of fly routes; isn’t a thoughtful route runner.
Posted worse combine agility numbers than Tom Brady .
Plays smaller than build; doesn’t overwhelm defenders with physicality.
Can be an inconsistent hands catcher; too many concentration drops on tape.
Doesn’t show effort as a blocker downfield.
– Summary –
There’s been a lot of social media buzz and subsequent sports media buzz surrounding Metcalf after he posted his shredded workout picture on instagram. Tall tales and legends began to come out about the wide receiver. Some harmless – “he has negative body fat” – and some egregious – “he’s the next Calvin Johnson .”
First, let me be positive… There are a lot of things to like about D.K. Metcalf as a prospect, most notably is his rare size and speed combo for the wide receiver position. With just those two traits, Metcalf has Pro Bowl potential in the NFL. He also can high point the ball like someone of his size should be able to, making him a consistent red zone presence.
Contrarily though, on tape, there is a lot to be concerned with the prototype prospect. Ultimately, I see a guy who is not the sum off all of his parts. Sure he’s tall and jacked, yet on tape he plays far less physical than you would hope to see. Sure he ran a 4.33 at the Combine, but on tape he struggles to separate from cornerbacks. He shows very inconsistent hands and runs underwhelming routes, raising some serious questions on just how well he may translate to the NFL game. Most concerning should be the fact that he suffered season-ending injuries in two of his three years at Ole Miss.
Because of all of this, a fair comparison that came to mind was Kevin White . While White has been a massive disappointment in the NFL due to durability and inconsistency issues, there is no question that he is one of the most physically gifted receivers in the league today. That sounds a lot like Metcalf to me, and I fear that without sharpening the nuances of his craft, White’s career bust could end up being Metcalf’s reality as well.
| Parris Campbell | Ohio State | SR | 6-foot | 205 lbs. |
Games Watched: Michigan (2018), Washington (2018), Indiana (2018)
Projected Draft Range: 1st/2nd Round
Pro Comparison: Curtis Samuel
– Pros –
Legendary long speed; when watching Dwayne Haskins’ tape, you keep getting sidetracked by just how fast Campbell is… (ran a 4.31 at the Combine).
Running back with the ball in his hands; excellent after the catch and on jet sweeps; shows incredible vision and has a knack for getting North and South.
Looks and plays much bigger than he’s listed; well built upper body and powerful leg drive.
Willing and capable blocker in the run game; will also finish up plays as a blocker.
Combative at the catch point; a true hands snatcher, rarely body catching; can make a play in contested coverage.
– Cons –
Underwhelming route runner; tends to round his cuts; powers down into and out of his breaks.
Limited route tree; may enter the league with a limited playsheet; will be held to specific packages in the worst case scenario.
A lot of production came on gadget plays; i.e. jet sweeps, bubble/tunnel screens, etc.
Lacks overall position refinement of top receiver prospects.
– Summary –
Campbell is another in a long line of esteemed names having played in the Urban Meyer “hybrid” position. A list that includes Chris Rainey, Percy Harvin, Braxton Miller , and Curtis Samuel ; all have excelled under Meyer as the offensive focal point and to an extent the team’s gadget player. While all aforementioned players can be classified as “world class athletes” it can be argued that Campbell is the most physically gifted of all. On the one hand, his speed and agility numbers match up with any of the others, while his overall physique is by far the most well built to handle the grind of an NFL season. Aside from his jersey number (#21), when watching the tape you can often forget that he’s a wide receiver and not a running back; that isn’t a knock on him, but rather a compliment on his build and overall skill with the football in his hands.
It is no secret that Campbell has a ways to go in terms of total command of the wide receiver position and the complete route tree that comes with it, but his football I.Q., field vision, and gamebreaking speed is more than enough to get him taken early in this year’s draft.
If you’re looking for a good comparison, pick one of the other Urban Meyer hybrid players of years past… Curtis Samuel is probably the closest in terms of skill right now, but a Percy Harvin ceiling and beyond is not out of the question.
| Emanuel Hall | Missouri | SR | 6-foot-2 | 201 lbs. |
Games Watched: Wyoming (2018), Florida (2018), Tennessee (2017), Georgia (2017)
Projected Draft Range: Day 2
Pro Comparison: Michael Thomas
– Pros –
Adequate size to lineup inside or outside in an NFL offense.
Sudden release off of the line of scrimmage; drives strong into defenders and can make sudden cuts; one time on tape he completely turned a pressing corner around with his release.
Knows how to set up corners to his advantage; presses inside with sudden turn for back shoulder throws.
Consistently wins against press; has an arsenal of “get off” moves; Defenders have to guess right to beat him.
Will beat corners deep; has ample long speed.
Strong after the catch; breaks arm tackles, has solid vision, turns upfield.
– Cons –
Inconsistent hands; tries to trap the ball against his body at times.
Still learning how to post up smaller defenders on jump balls.
Would benefit from varied speeds in routes.
Shows overall rawness at the position; needs more polish overall before realizing full potential.
– Summary –
While this may be controversial, there is a lot of Michael Thomas to Hall when you turn on the tape, while Thomas is a little bit bigger than Hall and is also now one of the best receivers in the NFL, let’s not forget that coming out of Ohio State, Thomas was far from a sure thing. Many were concerned with his lack of overall polish and production in college, however the traits were clearly there. What was apparent of Thomas, even back then, was that he had natural instincts as a press beater and route runner. Hall has those same traits, but is almost a full two tenths of a second faster than him in the 40-time. Hall’s potential is scary, but he just has to put it all together.
| Hakeem Butler | Iowa State | rJR | 6-foot-5 | 227 lbs. |
Games Watched: Washington State (2018), Kansas State (2018), Kansas (2018)
Projected Draft Range: Day 2
Pro Comparison: Vincent Jackson
– Pros –
Calvin Johnson build; towering size, body bulk, still carries decent speed.
Uses size advantage to high point the football; has no problem winning 50-50 balls, fade routes, jump balls; has a flair for the spectacular.
Out physicals corners in press; utilizes whopping hand slap to create space at the line of scrimmage; tends to release well.
Punishing blocker downfield and at the line of scrimmage.
Made the most of a bad quarterback situation; adjusted frequently to a weak-armed, poor decision making quarterback.
Presents a wide catch radius for quarterback.
– Cons –
Doesn’t come back to the ball as strong as someone of his size should; fails to square off and allows the defender to jump the route.
Generally doesn’t appear urgent on the field; will take some plays off; not always hustling.
Doesn’t create much after the catch; more of a possession receiver and jump ball threat.
Inconsistent hands; unnatural catcher of the football.
– Summary –
Butler is a sky-scraping receiver with some solid mass to him as well, most resembling receivers of yore including Plaxico Burress and Vincent Jackson . While many will be quick to make the Calvin Johnson comparisons because of his height and bulk, Butler doesn’t come even close to Megatron in the speed department. What I will say is that he’s quick enough to get the job done in the NFL, and while his tape isn’t exactly indicative of potential splash plays, you have to understand that the quarterback throwing him the football in college will struggle to even get a tryout for the XFL.
In terms of skill-set, Butler provides exactly what you would expect… He’s incredibly powerful when blocking or when faced in press, he releases well, and can haul in the contested jump ball over pretty much any defensive back.
Where he needs refinement is as a route runner, after the catch, and in overall motor. I question whether he can ever become a “hustle guy” especially when the play isn’t going in his direction.
| Riley Ridley | Georgia | JR | 6-foot-1 | 199 lbs. |
Games Watched: Alabama (2017), LSU (2018), Vanderbilt (2018), Missouri (2018)
Projected Draft Range: 3rd/4th Round
Pro Comparison: Calvin Ridley
– Pros –
Solid size for the position; plays more physical than his measurables indicate.
Releases well from the line of scrimmage; fights through press and maintains good route balance after contact.
Reliable hands catcher with top-notch concentration throughout the process.
Polished route runner with both footwork and I.Q. matching up throughout the play art; can both gain separation in man and find a soft spot in zone.
Ballerina precision on sideline throws; dots his toes on the last blade of grass if necessary.
Fearless over the middle; battles at the contested catch point; not afraid of bearing down contact.
Very little left to learn at the position; looks like a professional playing in college.
– Cons –
Just average deep speed; won’t take the top off of a defense.
Underwhelming collegiate production.
Shows more possession receiver traits than a “RAC” guy.
Can be bullied by more physical corners.
– Summary –
Rather than overcomplicating things, understand that when you turn on the tape, you’ll immediately get Calvin Ridley vibes. Riley plays a lot like his brother, and that should only help his stock considering the success that Calvin had in his rookie year last season.
On tape, Ridley shows all of the traits of a finished product that is ready to step on the field as a number two or three receiver for most teams. While that is incredibly valuable to any team right away, understand that this might also be his ceiling. What you see is what you get with Ridley and what you get is a pretty solid receiver. You could certainly do a lot worse...
| Andy Isabella | UMass | SR | 5-foot-9 | 188 lbs. |
Games Watched: Georgia (2018), Boston College (2018), South Florida (2018), Mississippi State (2017)
Projected Draft Range: Day 2
Pro Comparison: Tavon Austin
– Pros –
Lightning fast; can easily blur by defensive backs coming out of the slot; almost immediate acceleration the second he starts running.
Experience as a high-volume target; can take the hits and can handle the workload.
Good sense of where to sit in a zone; despite limited size, presents a good target for the quarterback.
Sharp, exacting, route runner, with sudden and deceptive cuts; defenders struggle to stick with him.
Capable of serving as a gadget player; took plenty of reverse handoffs; lined up in backfield; used as a motion player often.
Willing blocker who latches onto defender through the whistle; shows surprising play strength for his size.
– Cons –
Very limited size; slot only player; creates small target for quarterback; has to alligator arm many passes thrown his way.
Not a hands catcher; short arms forces too many body catches.
Runs very heavy-footed; forward lean makes him struggle with balance; has to power down to make cuts with the ball in his hands.
Not a red zone target.
May struggle to separate when lined up against athletes of his caliber.
– Summary –
Built in the mold of Cole Beasley , Wes Welker, and Julian Edelman , Isabella is a pint sized slot only receiver who relies on incredible speed and route savvy to get open. There are obvious limitations to drafting Isabella, but keep in mind that differently from the aforementioned slot guys, the UMass product is actually an incredible athlete as well – he ran a blazing 4.31 at the Combine. Because of this, a comparison to Tavon Austin makes more sense, as the two posted nearly identical numbers at the Combine while they also are both known for their gadget plays and return skills.
With a little more bulk on his frame, the hope is that Isabella can remain healthier and subsequently see more volume in his NFL career than Austin has so far.
| J.J. Arcega-Whiteside | Stanford | rJR | 6-foot-2 | 225 lbs. |
Games Watched: Oregon (2018), Washington State (2018), Oregon (2017), USC (2017), TCU (2017)
Projected Draft Range: 3rd/4th Round
Pro Comparison: Delanie Walker
– Pros –
Strong build is a true representation of the sum of his parts (height and weight).
Uses frame to body cornerbacks at catch point; plays like a power forward against a point guard in the post.
Wins in the red zone on fades and slants.
High energy, high effort player.
Hard-nosed at the catch point; will mix it up with linebackers and safeties.
Strong hands and usually wins contested passes.
Tough after the catch and will break more tackles than most wide receivers.
Carries himself like a captain; will likely have a long career because of special teams effort if nothing else.
– Cons –
Looks like more of an effort player than an NFL level athlete; running style appears clunky and tight.
Struggles to shake corners with route running; relies on physicality to create separation.
Average speed; average acceleration; doesn’t win deep often.
Oversteps with wasted movements in routes.
– Summary –
While he isn’t the tallest receiver in this class, Arcega-Whiteside still carries himself like a power forward on the field. Especially in the red zone, smaller cornerbacks have almost no chance against him. With the demeanor of a general and an on-field I.Q. of a Stanford alum, Arcega-Whiteside possesses a rare mental combination that will keep him in this league for many years. The downside to his game is that he doesn’t play like a natural athlete, while he also doesn’t seem to fully grasp the nuances needed to be a successful starting wideout in the NFL. Some see a future at tight end? regardless, he’s tough, he’s powerful, and he’ll rarely be outworked – the former Stanford Cardinal at the very least will have a place in this league as a special teams stalwart for many years to come, while his upside is a depth receiver.
| Hunter Renfrow | Clemson | rSR | 5-foot-10 | 184 lbs. |
Games Watched: North Carolina State (2018), Texas A&M (2018), Syracuse (2018), Alabama (2017)
Projected Draft Range: Day 3
Pro Comparison: Cole Beasley
– Pros –
Sudden and slick route runner; smooth in and out of his breaks, while making unexpected changes of direction.
Experienced high-volume target; Consistent hands; battles over the middle for contested catches.
Wins with first move after the catch; turns upfield quickly; chain mover.
Always finds soft spot in zone coverage; sinks and sets anchor naturally, while fooling defenders.
Best under pressure; incredible production in two national title games against Alabama.
– Cons –
Undersized for the position; slot only player.
More quick than fast.
Small catch radius; body catcher; baby sized hands.
Will not win deep; relegated to screens, stay patterns, and over the middle work.
Press coverage will frustrate him.
– Summary –
Renfrow put together a storied collegiate career, including two legendary national title games, while he easily became the go to target for every quarterback he ever played for. At the NFL level – while he’s not the best athlete – the same will likely be true for the slot expert, closely built in the mold of Cole Beasley and Julian Edelman . Like those two, Renfrow wins with short area quickness and presents a small – but reliable – target. His role at the next level is clear, and while he’s unlikely to be drafted highly for it, he will almost assuredly have a big impact.
| Penny Hart | Georgia State | JR | 5-foot-8 | 180 lbs. |
Games Watched: Troy (2018), Coastal Carolina (2017), Kennesaw State (2018)
Projected Draft Range: Day 3
Pro Comparison: Jamison Crowder
– Pros –
Senior Bowl stand out; shined in a setting where the quarterbacks could actually throw and the offensive line could actually block.
Expert route-runner with the full arsenal of moves, breaks, and speeds.
Creates space with more than just jab steps; creates physical leverage, despite limited size.
Special teams contributor; will be a return guy at the NFL level.
Punishing blocker, especially for his size; plays with a chip on his shoulder.
Does damage in the middle of the field, beating man coverage and sitting in zones.
– Cons –
Incredibly undersized; even for a slot only receiver.
Not going to win deep.
Struggles against press; won’t handle NFL corners in bump-and-run.
Small catch radius.
Doesn’t win many jump or 50-50 balls.
– Summary –
Looking for a comparison to a severely undersized slot guy, Jamison Crowder was the first one that came to mind. After watching the tape, the comparison pretty much stuck, as Hart plays with the same suddenness and route savvy. Beyond that though, his tape was really underwhelming. Luckily for Hart, the Senior Bowl exists, which helped him show off his skills operating in an offense that actually has a line that can block and a quarterback that can actually throw. For anyone that followed the festivities at the Senior Bowl, Hart was the clear winner, as he dominated everyone across from him during practice all week. Despite this, he was still somehow a Combine snub. Hopefully this will just place an even bigger chip on his shoulder going into his NFL career.
| Greg Dortch | Wake Forest | r-SO | 5-foot-7 | 173 lbs. |
Games Watched: Boston College (2018), North Carolina State (2018)
Projected Draft Range: Day 3
Pro Comparison: Tyler Lockett
– Pros –
Combative at the catch point; wins contested balls, despite limited size; fearless over the middle.
Gets a quick and clean release off the line of scrimmage out of the slot; can string together evasive moves quickly and unpredictably.
Intelligent route runner; one of the best in this class; sudden and slick cuts; changes direction at will.
Plays with incredible toughness; he’s smallest guy on the field, takes the most hits, plays through pain.
Willing and capable blocker; will drive through defender until the whistle blows.
Strong after the catch; runs with vision and plus speed.
Despite limited wingspan, he reaches out and completes catches with his hands instead of body catching.
Offers return value and other special teams contributions.
– Cons –
Natural route running skills will lead to laziness when play is not designed for him.
Offers a small target for quarterback.
Struggles when trying to come back to the football; doesn’t adjust routes on the fly; ignores play reality and stubbornly sticks to play design.
– Summary –
… And if you thought Penny Hart was small, just check out Greg Dortch! He’s not even 5-foot-8, yet somehow he’s generating plenty of draft buzz as a slot receiver. And for good reason too, as Dortch shows incredibly natural route running skills, special teams experience, and NFL level athleticism. Most impressively, despite his miniscule size and wingspan, Dortch is frequently seen on tape reaching out and triangle grabbing poorly thrown footballs. He excels at hands catching, which is something that is rare for a slot receiver of his size. While his pro comparison – Tyler Lockett – is a bit bigger than he is, Dortch most closely mirrors Lockett with natural route running ability and ball skills. Both players can win deep and offer plus return value. Though he may never develop into the starter that Tyler Lockett has become, Dortch will eventually make an impact on an NFL roster.
| Mecole Hardman | Georgia | JR | 5-foot-10 | 187 lbs. |
Games Watched: LSU (2018), Alabama (2018), Vanderbilt (2018)
Projected Draft Range: 3rd/4th Round
Pro Comparison: Phillip Dorsett
– Pros –
Elite level speed; instant acceleration.
Slippery athlete; difficult to stick with through routes and as a runner.
Comes up with more contested catches than you would expect for someone of his size.
Adds return value and overall special teams contributions.
– Cons –
Undersized; plays smaller than measurables.
Small catch radius; body catcher; alligator armed receiver of the football.
Struggles when asked to go over the middle.
Will take plays off.
Doesn’t offer much as a blocker.
– Summary –
Hardman is a legendary athlete, but he is still lacking refinement for the receiver position. Beyond that, he’s undersized and doesn’t offer much other than beating guys deep. Now, there is a ton of value in that, even in the NFL, but Hardman is going to have to become a top-notch special teams player if he plans on having a long career in the NFL.
| Miles Boykin | Notre Dame | SR | 6-foot-4 | 220 lbs. |
Games Watched: Stanford (2018), Clemson (2018), Northwestern (2018)
Projected Draft Range: 2nd - 4th Round
Pro Comparison: Demaryius Thomas
– Pros –
Well built; prototypical size for the position.
Uses leverage to gain a clean outside release.
Jump ball expert; high points well and will come down with spectacular grabs.
Hands catcher with large radius.
Shows effort as a blocker; some potential in that area.
– Cons –
Will run rounded routes from time-to-time; must get sharper in and out of breaks.
Plays timid; needs to become more alpha; lacks physicality for someone of his size.
Hands can be inconsistent.
Needs to work on blocking technique.
– Summary –
Boykin is as raw as sushi, which is surprising considering his senior status at Notre Dame. Regardless, someone blessed with his measurables and talent should have no problem finding an organization that will fall in love with his natural traits. If he can learn to play tougher in relation to his size and to become a more polished route runner there is a chance that Boykin could see a career resembling that of Demaryius Thomas . Thomas too was raw coming out of college, but he was naturally big, could beat guys deep, and could win the jump ball. They have a lot more in common than you would imagine