The NFL combine Is almost here and it’s an incredibly important part of the draft process. This is the first real opportunity NFL teams get at evaluating most of these players up close, and it can be an important factor in determining where a player gets selected on draft day. Between medicals, interviews and on-field athletic testing, there’s an enormous amount of information generated throughout the week, so it’s important to be privy to the prospects (At least somewhat) before the week begins. In this four part series, each piece will review a full position, including a quick run through of each prospects backstory, and a general read on how their week could go.
Wide Receiver (WR) is always one of the most divisive positions to evaluate. There’s a big enough variance in both athleticism and playing style to make it one of the most difficult to master. While there are a lot of ways to break down the position, it is a solvable puzzle. While forty yard dash time and agility drills aren’t everything, they’re certainly valuable assets for WR prospects. Over the last couple of seasons there’s been a plethora of WR prospects to come into the combine, run blazing fast times, and shoot up draft boards. While NFL teams already have reads on some players, actually seeing it live makes a difference. Players like John Ross, D.J. Chark and Curtis Samuel have made their mark on the combine in recent years, and it’s no coincidence they found themselves drafted in high rounds of the NFLDraft.
MOST TO GAIN
A.J. Brown (WR, Mississippi) — Brown is one of the most productive players in the 2019 class. Brown is one of only two SEC WRs since 2000 to have two seasons with 1,200 or more receiving yards (Jordan Matthews the other). Brown’s listed size (6 foot 1 and 225 pounds) makes him one of the sturdiest prospects in the class, and even with below average athletic testing, should have an incredibly high NFL draft position floor. There’s no real expectations for Brown heading into the weekend, and with no major injuries or outside issues (barring unexpected off-field red flags), Brown is playing with house money. Players from previous years like Juju Smith-Schuster (2017), Calvin Ridley (2018) and Christian Kirk (2018) come to mind when thinking of Brown’s current status. If Brown tests out above average for his weight, it would likely guarantee him going, at lowest, late round one.
Parris Campbell (WR, Ohio State) — Ohio State has been one of the most crowded WR depth charts in the nation for going on four seasons. Campbell felt that in a huge way early in his career. After dealing with both Michael Thomas and Curtis Samuel in his freshman season, Campbell once again ceded duties to Samuel in his second year. Campbell led Ohio State in receiving yards in 2017, but only accumulated 584. 2018 is when Campbell came to fruition, posting 90 receptions, 1063 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns with Dwayne Haskins under center. Campbell is widely known as a special athlete through practice reports and timed events, so it will be very interesting to see if he can hit the optimistic numbers that are currently being rumored. If Campbell can hit 4.3s in the forty yard dash, or test out well in the vertical or agility drills, the ceiling for his projected draft round would sky-rocket. Campbell is viewed as a mid-round prospect currently (round two to four), but with a special combine could find his way into the late first round conversation
N’Keal Harry (WR, Arizona State) — Harry is one of the most well known prospects entering the combine, and for good reason. Harry is a big-bodied (listed at 6 foot 4 and 215 pounds), ball-skills-based player, who provided Arizona State with three productive seasons. Harry has shown the ability to win all over the field, including in the running game and on kick returns. One of the more interesting storylines for Harry entering the combine is his perceived lack of athleticism. How Harry runs and shows in agility drills will tell a lot of where he ends up going in the NFL draft. While a slip to round two isn’t out of the question, Harry’s most likely range of draft position outcomes are squarely in the top 32 pick range.
D.K. Metcalf (WR, Mississippi) — This shouldn’t need much of an introduction. It doesn’t even involve following the draft to have noticed the hulking mass of muscle picture that’s been circulating the internet. Metcalf is built like Adonis, and in the short span he’s been healthy in his college career, he’s played like it as well. Metcalf has been reported as big as 230 pounds, and at 6 foot 4, he’ll be the biggest WR at the combine if he hits that type of weight. All practice reports and speculation have Metcalf testing out as an elite athlete, and there’s no real reason to doubt it. Metcalf was productive in his 19 healthy college games. He was used as a red-zone and deep ball threat, scoring a touchdown on 14 of his 67 (20.9 percent) career receptions. Metcalf could easily qualify for the “Most To Lose” category, considering the severity of his two injuries he suffered at the college level, but again, all reports are that he’ll pass the medical check. A round one draft slot is likely barring something unforeseen happening.
Emanuel Hall (WR, Missouri) —If looking for a D.J. Chark of the 2019 class, Hall is the guy. Hall and Chark share similar body types, college roles in their offense and blazing speed. Both were pure deep threats for SEC teams, and found their most success in final seasons. Chark ran a 4.34 in the forty yard dash, and it’s not out of the question to see Hall put up a similar pace. Hall finished his career at Missouri with a 20.8 career yards per reception, and in eight games in his senior season averaged 103.5 receiving yards per game (He was also hurt in a few of those games he played, and was used as a decoy). Hall can jump into the round two conversation with an elite forty yard dash time.
Jalen Hurd (WR, Baylor) — Hurd could be the biggest wildcard of the 2019 WR class. After playing running back at Tennessee for three seasons, Hurd saw the writing on the wall. Hurd transferred to Baylor, sat out a year and made the transition to wide receiver. Hurd is another big-bodied WR (listed at 6 foot 4 and 217 pounds) with a true running back mentality. While Hurd displayed some ball skill abilities in his final season, he’s at his best in the open field running over players in the secondary. Hurd has bordering on elite ability after the catch, so it’s all a matter of if the full transition to WR can be made. Hurd’s almost impossible to project from a draft position perspective, but a best guess would be mid-to-late rounds (round five to seven). Hurd won’t test like an elite athlete, but above average for his size is achievable.
(UPDATE: Hurd will only participate in the bench press at the combine. Without full athletic testing, it’s tough to decide how his stock will flow, obviously. However, I wrote this write-up before that was official, so the words stay up!)
Darius Slayton (WR, Auburn) — There isn’t much appealing about Slayton’s production profile, and barring two or three games in his career, there’s not much to be optimistic about. However, there’s potentially elite athleticism here. Slaton was at Auburn for four seasons (redshirted freshman season) and became a starter in his final two seasons. The Auburn passing game was non-existent for the majority of Slayton’s career, and despite playing for an SEC school, saw few opportunities to show himself as a legitimate talent. One thing that isn’t in doubt? Slayon’s speed down the sideline is incredible, and there’s a real chance he finishes as the second or third fastest WR in the forty yard dash. Slayton should be a mid round draft pick (round four or five), but if he can test in an elite fashion, the third round isn’t out of the question.
MOST TO LOSE
Kelvin Harmon (WR, North Carolina State) — This doesn’t have as much to do with Harmon as it does the rest of the field. Considering some of the players listed above, it’s reasonable to think Harmon could slip slightly compared to where he’s currently valued. As of the current moment Harmon is viewed by many as the top wide receiver in the class, and if not there, top three. Based on the underwear olympics portion of things, it’s unlikely Harmon will be able to put up high end athleticism based on film. Either way, Harmon was a productive player for three seasons, enjoyed back-to-back 1,000 or more receiving yard seasons (2017 and 2018) and has really nice size (listed at 6 foot 3 and 214 pounds). Harmon is a bully in the air, and thrives in contested catch situations. Harmon is a guarantee to go in the top three rounds, and is very likely to settle in round two on draft day.
Hakeem Butler (WR, Iowa State) — Buttler is one of the more discussed WR prospects of the class so far. Butler is a tall and solidly build prospect (listed at 6 foot 6 and 225 pounds) who dominated as Iowa State’s deep threat in 2018. Butler put together a prolific 1,318 receiving yards on only 60 receptions (22.0 per reception), and provided a huge boost to the offense (check out the game against Oklahoma). Butler isn’t sudden, but can provide a huge presence on deep routes that opposing secondaries have to account for. Unlike some of the other top prospects in this class, Butler didn’t produce statistically before his final season, and there wasn’t much competition for targets (Undrafted WR Allen Lazard was the only incumbent). If Butler falters in some of the athleticism drills, he could see a draft round drop compared to what the current perception. Based on film and his production profile, it would be reasonable to expect Butler to find his way into round three or four.
J.J. Arcega-Whiteside (WR, Stanford) — Arcega-Whiteside is similar to Butler in that he didn’t become a dominant college threat until his final season. After redshirting his freshman season, Arcega-Whiteside slowly but surely worked his way up the depth chart and target ladder over 2016 and 2017. This culminated in a 63 receptions 1,059 receiving yard and 14 (!) Touchdown season. Arcega-Whiteside was an absolutely dominant threat in the red-zone, and if there’s one thing he can hang his hat on, it’s that. There isn’t much speed here, and Arcega-Whiteside will struggle with separation, but whichever team drafted him should know exactly what they’re getting. It’s unlikely Arcega-Whiteside tests out well, especially compared to some of the other big WRs in this class, but he should find a way to get drafted in the top three or four rounds by the time it’s all said and done.
Greg Dortch (WR, Wake Forest) — It’s unclear how the draft process will treat Dortch, but based on some recent mock drafts by notable writers (Matt Miller and Daniel Jeremiah), there’s skepticism on how high he’ll end up going. Dortch is seeing round projections in the round five to seven range currently, and while some evaluators like him considerably more than that, he’ll have exceed expectations in athletic testing to achieve his once lofty goals. Dortch is an all-around weapon who dominated as a receiver and special teams player at Wake Forest. Dortch is on the smaller side of the WR spectrum (listed at 5 foot 9 and 170 pounds), but the skills he brings to the table negate some size concerns. Dortch redshirted his freshman season, so he technically only played his Freshman and Sophomore seasons, accumulating 1,829 yards from scrimmage in that span. Dortch is a talented player, but the draft process isn’t likely to treat him well, and he’s likely to find himself being drafted in the later rounds.
Riley Ridley (WR, Georgia) — There is no wider range of opinions on a prospect than Ridley. Ridley was a three year player at Georgia, who constantly struggled to get playing time and production. Some of those reasons were legitimate. Georgia had a bunch of NFL caliber receiving weapons in Ridley’s career, including Isaiah McKenzie, Javon Wims and two 2019 WRs Mecole Hardman and Terry Godwin. Add in the fact that Georgia was one of the most run heavy teams in the nation from 2016-to-2018 and some of the pieces fall together. However, even still, Ridley doesn’t have a top end profile, and does not have the look of a prospect that will be drafted in the top three rounds. While lacking production makes sense, never having a season above 700 receiving yards (highest was 559), REGARDLESS of how run-heavy the offense was, is a BAD macro indicator of future NFL success. Ridley is unlikely to test out above average, and it seems likely he ends up in round four or five.
Cody Thompson (WR, Toledo) — Thompson is a somber tale. After 2016, Thompson was viewed as one of the more quirky deep threat prospects in the country. While he certainly wasn’t imposing physically (listed at 6 foot 2 and 205 pounds), his speed and quickness were a huge asset to the high-flying Toledo offense. In 2015 and 2016 Thompson put up 2094 receiving yards on only 101 receptions (20.7 per reception), and as mentioned previously, had the eye of NFL evaluators. However, after choosing to stay for his senior season, Thompson was lost only five games into the year to a broken leg. While he did rehab and make a full recovery in 2018, he simply didn’t look like his old self (also switched roles in the offense). Medicals will be enormous for Thompson, and that leg could be a sticking point for NFL teams. A late round selection will be on the line.
OTHERS
Miles Boykin (WR, Notre Dame) —Boykin put together a productive final season at Notre Dame, but it’s unclear if that will boost him into a draft-able range. Boykin came into Notre Dame as a big time prospect, and through three seasons had been largely been a disappointment. With that said, after Ian Book was imported into the starting lineup over Brandon Whimbush, things changed considerably (for the better). Boykin became a true top receiving threat in the offense, and became one of the main reasons they had such a successful 2018. Based on film it doesn’t appear Boykin is a plus athlete, and he’ll have to surprise to get on NFL draft boards.
Tyre Brady (WR, Marshall) — The former Miami Hurricane transformed himself into a target-hog on a MAC team. Brady put together back-to-back productive seasons at Marshall over the past two seasons, accumulating 1,958 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns in that span. With a tall and lanky frame (listed at 6 foot 3 and 205 pounds), and a weak conference quality, Brady was able to dominate lesser competition. It’s tough to gauge how much NFL scouts value his small school production, but there’s no denying Brady as an NFL caliber player. Brady should test out relatively well, and fit right in with WRs from power five conferences, but it’s tough to gauge where he’ll land in the draft. As a current projection, expect later rounds (rounds five to seven)
Emmanuel Butler (WR, Northern Arizona) — Butler is a small school player, but far from small in stature (listed at 6 foot 4 and 220 pounds). Butler is one of the favorite small school prospects of 2019, and there’s legitimate reasons to be interested. Beyond imposing size, Butler was a highly productive player, putting up 187 receptions, 3,222 receiving yards and 33 receptions in his career. Again, this MUST be scaled by the level of competition, which was not Division I caliber, but he produced the best he could given the circumstances. Butler is a total wildcard, and while his size is nice, the athleticism portion is a big unknown. If Butler tests well, he could find himself in being drafted in the mid-rounds of the NFL draft. Beyond Chad Williams (round three) a few seasons ago, most small school prospects have to work their way up from a non-draft route.
Jamal Custis (WR, Syracuse) —Custis was next in line to dominate targets in the Syracuse offensive system. Custis joined Steve Ishmael (2017) and Amba Etta-Tawo (2016) as the alpha dog target in the Syracuse offense. Custis is listed at 6 foot 5, and provides excellent length in tightly contested situations. Unfortunately for Cutis, if Etta-Tawo and Ishamel are any indication, the NFL doesn’t value that system’s production very much. Even after producing a huge final season (1,482 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns) and running a 4.49 forty yard dash, Etta-Two went undrafted and has struggled to find an NFL opportunity. Custis could find a similar fate. While Custis displayed NFL potential, some of his flaws (concentration drops) could limit his opportunities.
Felton Davis (WR, Michigan State) — Davis was a four year player for Michigan State that never rounded into the potential he displayed. After a strong junior season, Davis lost his final season to injury after only six games. He was highly productive in those games, averaging 79 receiving yards per game (he also added 50 rushing yards in those games), but ultimately the injury stunted any growth. Davis is another tall and lanky prospect (listed at 6 foot 4 and 200 pounds) who didn’t have quite enough moments to warrant early round praise (from a draft position perspective). The injury Davis suffered was a torn achilles, so obviously medicals will an important factor with his profile.
Ryan Davis (WR, Auburn) — Davis is going to have to test out in an elite fashion to make a mark on NFL evaluators. While Davis has been a volume machine over the last two seasons, it’s tough to tell how many NFL caliber skills he’s displayed. Davis was utilized as a true close to the line of scrimmage weapon in the clunky Auburn offense, and was forced to grind out tough yards after the catch. It’s rare to say “grind out” when referring to a wide receiver, but averaging 8.6 yards per reception for his career hopefully paints some of the picture. Davis has slot wide receiver skills and the requisite athleticism to make his mark in the NFL, but it will likely come in an undrafted avenue barring him running in the 4.3s in the forty yard dash.
Johnnie Dixon (WR, Ohio State) — Much like Parris Campbell, Dixon was stunted from a production perspective by choosing Ohio State. Dixon was a fifth year senior in 2018, and it was the first and only season he crested 500 receiving yards (669 in 2018). Dixon is a solidly built slot receiver prospect who thrived in the wide open passing offense. Dwayne Haskins used Dixon quite a bit as his safety blanket, and Dixon showed solid athleticism making the most out of his opportunities. Ultimately though, it’s tough to envision a situation where Dixon sees the first four rounds on draft day. If Dixon can test out in an above average fashion (weight-adjusted), he could see a similar range to where another production pinned Ohio State prospects (Evan Spencer and Noah Brown) have gone in recent years. Round six or seven.
Keelan Doss (WR, Cal Davis) — Doss is a solidly sized (listed at 6 foot 3) small school prospect. Doss was dominant at UC Davis in 2018, accumulating 118 receptions, 1,345 receiving yards and 9 touchdowns. It’s tough to evaluate those numbers considering the competition, but it’s good to see he produced at an extremely high level. Doss fit right in at the Senior Bowl, playing well in the game and hauling in four receptions for 55 receiving yards. It’s unclear how Doss will test athletically, though it’s not expected to be in an elite fashion. Its most likely Doss is fighting for one of the final 2019 WR draft picks.
Ashton Dulin (WR, Malone University (Ohio)) —Dulin was a surprise when it was announced he’d been invited to the combine, but clearly NFL scouts had their eye on him. Dulin is listed at (6 foot 2 and 210 pounds) and produced in a big way over the last couple of seasons. 2018 included 1,947 all purpose yards and 15 touchdowns. Dulin is a total wildcard heading into the week, and has a lot to prove when stacked up against NFL competition. Considering the complete lack of interest the NFL has had in division II players over the last decade, it seems unlikely he’ll be drafted, but the combine will tell us a lot about his stock.
Jovon Durante (WR, Florida Atlantic) — Durante is a West Virginia transfer who thrived in Lane Kiffin’s 2018 system. While Durante is certainly on the lighter side (listed at 165 pounds), there’s certainly an NFL level skill set. Before transferring, Durante was a legitimate part of West Virginia’s future plans, getting significant playing time as both a Freshman and Sophomore (25 receptions in 2015 and 35 in 2016). As the tides turned, and it appeared David Sills and Garry Jennings were ready to take over, Durante searched for new Territory at Florida Atlantic. Durante can work all over the field, and has provided upside in multiple roles, in multiple systems. It’s unlikely Durante will test out above average for his weight (obviously), and will ultimately struggle to get drafted beyond round six or seven.
Jazz Ferguson (WR, Northwestern St. (LA)) — Ferguson was a player that struggled mightily to get playing time at LSU before transferring to Northwestern State. Ferguson came to LSU as a solid three star recruit, but simply couldn’t break into the starting lineup in his two seasons at LSU, amassing only 17 receiving yards. After sitting out 2017, Ferguson broke out after moving down in conference competition, producing 1,117 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns in only 11 games. This is the double-edged sword of college football. Moving down in competition allows for better production and opportunity, but NFL scouts and decision-makers will not forget the inability to break through at a power-5 conference school. Ferguson is listed at 6 foot 5 and 223 pounds, so there’s a solid body type involved. It’s unknown how he’ll test, but his ceiling for draft position is likely of the round six or seven variety
Travis Fulgham (WR, Old Dominion) — Old Dominion had a solid 2018 season, and Fulgham was a big reason behind that offensively. Fulgham is a senior who hadn’t seen much usage until 2018, where he produced 63 receptions, 1,083 receiving yards and 9 touchdowns. Fulgham had 9 receptions for 188 receiving yards and a touchdown in Old Dominion’s enormous upset victory over Virginia Tech. Fulgham is a solidly built prospect, but it’s unlikely he’ll be able to keep pace with most of the higher pedigree prospects in this WR class. Fulgham getting drafted isn’t out of the question, but it’s a long shot.
Terry Godwin (WR, Georgia) — Godwin came into Georgia as a five star recruit with unlimited potential. He left as a player who was stuck balancing a run-heavy offense that had a difficult WR depth chart to find opportunity. Godwin played primarily slot wide receiver in his first two seasons, averaging a much lower yards per reception (10.8 in 2015 and 10.4 in 2016) because of close to the line of scrimmage targets. In his final two seasons, Godwin switched to a more vertical weapon, averaging 16.8 and 16.7 yards per reception. Players don’t shift yards per reception that wildly without a major role change. Godwin is a great athlete and should test out well. Middle rounds (round four to six) seem like the most likely destination.
Mecole Hardman (WR, Georgia) — Hardman is obviously in a similar situation to Godwin. Both are built in a similar fashion (Godwin is listed at 5 foot 11 and 185 pounds, Hardman is listed at 5 foot 11 and 183 pounds), and produced in similar ways. Though Hardman is an early entrant, their final two seasons were almost identical (Godwin had 1,024 receiving yards and Hardman had 961 over 2017 and 2018), and they were used in similar ways. While they aren’t actual clones, they should test out similar, and get drafted in a similar range. Hardman is probably a little more explosive, and will test out slightly better in agility drills, but overall they’re cut from the same cloth.
Lil’Jordan Humphrey (WR, Texas) — Humphrey is one of the more intriguing prospects in the 2019 class. He’s a complete wildcard in terms of athleticism, but his versatility was certainly on display in his final season at Texas. Humphrey is built like an outside wide receiver (listed at 6 foot 4 and 225 pounds), but plays like a running back. It’s a special combination that brings back memories of Cordarrelle Patterson at Tennessee. The good news is that Humphrey displayed real ability as a wide receiver, and has real deep threat ball skills if called upon. Athleticism will be huge for Humphrey, and if he can test out as a solid weight-adjusted athlete, there’s real potential for him to jump into the top three round conversation. If he tests out in an average fashion, he’ll likely slot in somewhere between round four and five.
Andy Isabella (WR, UMass) —Isabella really caught onto the national season with his huge game against Georgia at the end of 2018. Isabella roasted the Georgia secondary for 219 receiving yards and two touchdowns. While his team lost, this went a long way in improving his stock heading into the offseason. Isabella led the nation in receiving yards in 2018, and finished the year with 174 receiving yards or more in five of his last seven games. Isabella is built solid for a smaller prospects (listed at 5 foot 10 and 190 pounds) and based on all reports, should test out extremely well. Isabella’s ceiling for draft round is directly tied to just how well he tests out. The second round isn’t out of the question if he posts a special 40 yard dash time.
Gary Jennings (WR, West Virginia) — Jennings Is a solidly built prospect (listed at 6 foot 2 and 215 pounds) who produced in a solid way in his final two seasons. While Jennings is far from a top-end prospect, there’s something to be said for multiple 900 or more receiving yard seasons in the Big 12. Jennings was one of the leaders of the potent West Virginia passing attack, and showed versatility in utilization, switching from a slot role in 2017 to a more deep threat-ish role in 2018. Jennings isn’t likely to test out in more than an average fashion, and will probably end up being a mid to late round selection (round four to six).
Anthony Johnson (WR, Buffalo) — Johnson is a player who garnered a lot hype heading into the 2018 season. Not only was Buffalo an up and coming offense, but Johnson was playing with a legitimate NFL quarterback prospect in Tyree Jackson. The combination was dominant in the MAC for two seasons, allowing Johnson to produce 2,367 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns in that span. While that’s certainly exciting production, his lack of production early in his career, compounded with playing for a small school makes it tough to argue him as a top end 2019 prospect. With that said, Johnson should test out around average, and find himself as a mid round prospect. There’s enough meat on the bone in Johnson’s profile to have teams intrigued, but unfortunately his ceiling for draft position is capped at around round five.
Bisi Johnson (WR, Colorado State) — Johnson has been the wing man on two straight dates (seasons). In 2016 and 2017 it was Michael Gallup, and 2018 it was Preston Williams who claimed the crown of Alpha dog in the offense. Through no fault of his own, Johnson has played most of his career with legitimate NFL weapons (Rashard Higgins was a senior his freshman season as well). Johnson never crested 800 receiving yards in a season, but came close in 2018 (796). Players from small conferences who don’t meet that threshold tend to not produce at the NFL level, and there’s absolutely going to be skepticism from NFL evaluators. However, Johnson has shown enough to get a combine invite, and should test out around average compared to the field. If Johnson can make a positive impression in interviews and individual drills, he could find himself being drafted in the late rounds.
Diontae Johnson (WR, Toledo) — One of the main reasons Cody Thompson was relegated to slot duty in 2018 was Johnson. Johnson set up as the top deep route threat for Toledo over his final two seasons, and despite a regression in total yards in his final season, set enough of a positive sample size to prove he had NFL talent. Johnson is small-ish (listed at 5 foot 11 and 181 pounds) and will likely need to bulk up to play the same role in the NFL. Based on film, it’s unlikely Johnson tests out in an elite fashion, and it’s hard to find ways he gets drafted beyond the sixth or seventh round.
KeeSean Johnson (WR, Fresno State) —Johnson was a prolific producer in his college career at Fresno State, and ended his career with 3,463 receiving yards. After playing a solid but not dominant role in his Freshman season, Johnson took the reins of the offense in his Sophomore year and never looked back. Johnson is likely a limited athlete and won’t impress in athletic testing, but is a savvy route runner and has a big sample size of success. Johnson’s ceiling is capped because of his (likely) athletic profile, but there’s certainly a place in the NFL for him. In terms of projecting a draft round, Johnson should end up in round four to six barring a medical red flag or surprising athletic testing.
Damarkus Lodge (WR, Mississippi) —Lodge and his NFL stock could go either way at the combine. In terms of depth chart competition, no prospect has a bigger gripe than Lodge. Between Evan Engram, A.J. Brown, D.K. Metcalf and young guns Braylon Sanders and Elijah Moore, Lodge has had no room to breath his entire college career. Despite that, his final two seasons actually played out well. Lodge finished his final season second on the team in receiving yards with 877, and made plenty of eye-popping plays down the field. Lodge is a traditional possession wide receiver who can make catches in tightly contested areas and also make things happen after the catch. Lodge should test out above average athletically, but watch the agility drills closely. That could be an area that Lodge thrives in, and boosts his NFL draft round projection. Lodge will likely settle in the fourth or fifth round.
Terrry McLaurin (WR, Ohio State) — McLaurin is the third Ohio State wide receiver to be mentioned as a combine invite. Add in K.J. Hill, a highly talented WR who chose to stay for his senior season, and the pieces to the production puzzle truly start to make sense. While McLaurin has an unappealing production profile, he made a huge splash in his final season. McLaurin averaged 20.0 yards per reception in 2018, producing 701 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns on 35 receptions. Part of that was Dwayne Haskins being incredibly talented, but McLaurin deserves credit. McLaurin should test out well and find his way into the mid rounds (round five or six) of the draft.
Jakobi Meyers (WR, North Carolina State) — Meyers played second fiddle to Kelvin Harmon for most of his career, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Playing with a high end prospect can sometimes skew negatively towards prospects, but it shouldn’t. Meyer was very productive in his senior season, accumulating 92 receptions, 1047 receiving yards and four touchdowns as the big slot for North Carolina State. Meyers isn’t a special athlete by any means, but displayed solid ability to find holes in zones and beat man-to-man coverage. Meyers transitioned from quarterback initially, so the transformation into a legitimate NFL WR prospect is impressive, and the last two years have shown he belongs in the conversation. It’s unlikely Meyers finds pay-dirt in the early rounds, but with average athletic testing will certainly be taken before the draft is over.
Dillon Mitchell (WR, Oregon) — Quarterback Justin Herbert came into the season as a highly touted QB prospect, and quickly made it known Mitchell was his top target. Almost to a fault, Herbert had Mitchell as his first read on seemingly every play, and Mitchell thrived. Mitchell struggled for playing time in his first two seasons, but set a great tone by putting together a 1,184 receiving yard and 10 touchdown Junior season. Mitchell wins with savvy and route-running, constantly confusing future NFL cornerbacks (For proof, check out his performance against California cornerback Camryn Bynum). Mitchell is on the thinner side of the WR spectrum, and compounding that with lacking athleticism, his draft position range is capped. Expect Mitchell to land in the round five to seven range.
Stanley Morgan (WR, Nebraska) — Morgan is one of the more intriguing prospects in the 2019 draft class. Despite being listed at only 200 pounds, Morgan has a similar physical stature to some recent Nebraska prospects like Niles Paul and Quincy Enunwa. They much have a fantastic conditioning program over there. Anyhow, Morgan slowly but surely found his way into a featured role, and thrived in his final two seasons. Morgan will likely be used as an intermediate weapon in the NFL, as a third or fourth option in the passing game. Morgan should test out well, and find himself being drafted in the fourth or fifth round range. Considering the disarray of the Nebraska passing game over his four year career, there could be more upside to Morgan’s profile than meets the initial eye.
Nyqwan Murray (WR, Florida State) — Murray is a player that led an uninspiring Florida State offense over the last couple of seasons. Things have really fallen apart for Florida State after Jimbo Fisher left (and even inn his final seasons there), and the offense has been abysmal. The offensive line has gotten multiple quarterbacks decapitated (most notably Deondre Francois), and the quarterback play itself has been awful. This is a far cry from the Jameis Winston days. Anyhow, Murray is a productive slot receiver who played all over the field in his four seasons. Murray thrives on short routes and with the ball in his hands. Murray will need an exceptional combine to get drafted, otherwise he’ll be a first priority for teams as an undrafted free agent.
Hunter Renfrow (WR, Clemson) —Renfrow had teammate issues throughout his career, but ultimately got enough attention from big games that NFL teams are very aware of his skills. Renfrow is a pure slot receiver who’s thrived (in context) in Clemson’s highly potent passing attack for four seasons. Renfrow showed a consistent ability to get open with quickness and agility. While his forty yard dash time wont be elite, as mentioned, his agility could be special. Renfrow never finished with more than 602 receiving yards in a single season, but never finished with below 492 either. That’s about as steady as it gets. Renfrow is unlikely to hit the early rounds, and it’s debatable if he’ll even find his way into the middle rounds. Barring elite agility testing (which is possible), Renfrow will end up in the round six or seven range.
Deebo Samuel (WR, South Carolina) — Samuel is one of the most talked about prospects in the 2019 class, and there’s no consensus. First of all, Samuel is a very versatile prospect who’s thrived in the running game (seven career rushing touchdowns) and on kick returns (1219 career kick return yards). Of course, he’s also played very well as a receiver in spurts, but versatility is the redeeming quality of this profile. Samuel isn’t built like a normal versatile prospect either. His 210 pound frame creates a feeling that there’s untapped upside to this skillset that can be unleashed. Samuel is a great after the catch runner, and has legitimate speed to go along with powerful tackle breaking ability. While its unlikely Samuel will be at the top of any combine test, his weight-adjusted athleticism will almost certainly be above average. Samuel seems destined to land in the second to fourth round range.
David Sills (WR, West Virginia) — Sills was a touchdown machine at West Virginia, accumulating 35 touchdowns in 28 career games. Sills had a bit of a strange career that involved him transitioning from quarterback to wide receivers, but the important factor is that he DID make the transition. Sills put up 1,980 receiving yards in his final two seasons, and provided a big target for quarterback Will Grier to target down the field and in the red-zone. Sills has solid route running ability and length to win in contested catch situations. Sills is unlikely to provide upside in athletic testing, but he should find his way into the middle rounds (round four to five) of the NFL draft. There’s enough production and size on this resume to have NFL teams interest piqued.
Jaylen Smith (WR, Louisville) — Smith was a once promising prospect who got blindsided in his final season by an ugly offense. Louisville crumbled without Lamar Jackson (and a few other players who left), and it left players like Smith without a paddle. After posting career highs across the board (60 receptions, 980 receiving yards and seven touchdowns) in 2017, Smith chose to stay for his senior season to improve his draft stock. Unfortunately, the opposite happened. Smith posted 36 receptions, 550 receiving yards and 1 touchdown in 2018, plummeting his stock to the point where it was somewhat surprising he received a combine invite. Smith is a hulking presence (listed at 6 foot 4 and 223 pounds) and certainly has shown upside as a down field target. Smith could surprise in the forty yard dash, but his draft position ceiling is probably sealed at around round five.
Jamarius Way (WR, South Alabama) — Way has an all around unimpressive production profile, and doesn’t fit the bill as a draftable prospect. Way struggled to be productive in his two seasons at South Alabama, in one of the worst division one conferences. Considering that, it’s intriguing that the NFL gave him an invite, they must see something? Way is big (listed at 6 foot 4 and 220 pounds), but that alone will not get him drafted. Way has shown some upside in contested catch situations, but ultimately leaves a lot to be desired as an NFL prospect.
Alex Wesley (WR, Northern Colorado) — Wesley is a fifth year senior out of Northern Colorado. After struggling for playing time in his first two seasons, Wesley posted back-to-back 1,000 receiving yard seasons (1,010 in 2017 and 1,050 in 2018). Wesley is on the smaller side of things, being listed at only 184 pounds, but can certainly add weight to his frame. Wesley is probably best known for his track background, and will likely test out well athletically. Despite that, it’s very rare that undersized, small school WR prospects get drafted. If Wesley is going to get drafted, he’ll have to run in the 4.3s in the forty yard dash (or better).
Antoine Wesley (WR, Texas Tech) — Wesley Is a tall and lanky prospect who barley had a blip on the radar until his explosive Junior season. Wesley broke out in 2018 with 88 receptions, 1410 receiving yards and 9 touchdowns. Wesley was the clear go-to option in the passing game, and thrived in that role. It’s tough to figure why Wesley didn’t play a role in his first two seasons, but 2018 Is enough to warrant NFL scout evaluation. The issue for Wesley currently is his weight. There’s almost no sample size of WRs who played the position in the NFL at his BMI. 185 pounds for player listed a 6 foot 5 simply isn’t sustainable, even in todays NFL. If he can gain even ten pounds before combine weigh-in day, that’d be huge for his draft stock. As things stand currently, Wesley is very likely to go in the round four or five range.
