Which wide receivers will matter in the 2019 NFL Draft, and what’s the college perspective on all of the top prospects?
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It’s the best group of receivers since the 2014 class of Odell Beckham Jr., Mike Evans and Sammy Watkins with an interesting few calls needing to be made.
There are all-timer freakish tools among the top guys, and they’re mixed in with a few rock-solid types who should and could turn into No. 1 targets as great value gets just outside of the top 50.
15. Miles Boykin, Notre Dame
6-4, 220: With a great combination of size and 4.4 speed, he’s an impressive all-around prospect with elite tools and excellent upside. There’s a whole lot of technique work to do, and he disappeared a bit too often, but it all kicked in last season catching 59 passes for 872 yards and eight scores. The sky’s the limit.
Projected Round: Third
14. Terry McLauren, Ohio State
6-0, 208: He was just another good-looking Ohio State receiver with speed and upside, and then he tore off a 4.35 and worked out really, really well to crank up the stock in a big hurry. This is a value pick – he’s still got room for improvement running a full route tree – with the ability to be a home run hitter right away.
Projected Round: Fourth
13. Emanuel Hall, Missouri
6-2, 201: The raw tools are there to be excellent. He’s big, runs a sub-4.4, and he can explode and attack the ball. Nah, he’s not going to do much over the middle, and he’s not going to be a 100-catch producer, but as a No. 3 receiver on the outside, look out. Wind him up, let him go, throw it deep, and enjoy the 20+ catch average.
Projected Round: Fourth
12. Mecole HarDman, Georgia
5-10. 187: 4.33. He wasn’t all that productive with just 60 catches with the Bulldogs, and he’s too small, but he’ll be a good return man, he’ll always be able to get deep with unteachable speed, and he could grow into a yards-after-catch killer. Still emerging and improving, he’s going to be a mid-round chance on greatness.
Projected Round: Third
11. Hakeem Butler, Iowa State
6-5, 227: A big play matchup nightmare at Iowa State, he’s got a big frame and was great at using to battle away in the Big 12. And then he got to the offseason workouts ran a sub-4.5, and his stock blew up. There’s a whole lot to work on – route running, consistency, needing to spend days with a JUGS machine – but if and when it all comes together, look out.
Projected Round: Fourth
10. JJ Arcega-Whiteside, Stanford
6-2, 225: Throw the ball and let him go get it. The athleticism is just okay, but he’s a deep threat because he’ll beat up defensive backs to go get the ball. He’s a power forward who’ll position himself to get the rebound, playing a whole lot bigger and stronger than his size.
Projected Round: Third
9. Kelvin Harmon, NC State
6-2, 221: There’s a big boom-or-bust aspect to his game. He’s got the bulk, and he’s fast enough, but he’s not going to blaze past anyone at the next level and might just be a midrange target who fits in as a No. 2 or 3 guy. He’ll catch everything, and he’ll win his share of 50/50 balls, but he’s not going to generate a whole lot of separation.
Projected Round: Third
8. Andy Isabella, UMass
5-9, 188: Size is a problem, and he’s not going to be the volume catcher he was at UMass, but the guy can fly with 4.3 wheels and elite quickness. He’ll get erased by anyone who gets a hand on him, but put him on the outside and watch him blow past a secondary. If you make 229 career catches with 30 touchdowns despite being keyed on, you’re doing something right.
Projected Round: Third
7. Riley Ridley, Georgia
6-1, 199: The high-end speed isn’t there to be a dangerous top target like his brother, Calvin, and there isn’t a whole lot of flash, but he’s got good size, he’s tough, and he’ll make the big grab when needed. As a midrange target and blocker with almost no bust potential, he’s a easy pick somewhere in the top 100.
Projected Round: Third
6. Deebo Samuel, South Carolina
5-11, 214: Shifty, fun, and a baller who goes all out on every play, just get the ball in his hands and watch him go. Line him up in the backfield, use him as a kick returner, or send him deep. His physical style will get him banged up, but he’s no lightweight when it comes sacrificing his body to make a play.
Projected Round: Second
5. AJ Brown, Ole Miss
6-0, 226: It’s totally not fair to compare Brown to another Ole Miss star with the same body type, but take the good parts of Laquon Treadwell and add more speed to the equation.
No one thought Brown was going to be a blazer in the offseason workout circuit, but the sub-4.5 40 was more than good enough. There were 4.7 concerns, and he blew those away without a problem.
D.K. Metcalf is everyone’s No. 1 guy because of his freakish tools, but Brown was the top target in the high-octane Rebel attack with 189 career catches for close to 3,000 yards and 19 scores.
He’s not as exciting as a Metcalf, or a Hollywood Brown, but he’s a good, sound target who’s simply a really good technical wide receiver.
Nah, he’s not going to take the top off an NFL defense, but he’ll fight for the ball, he’ll get the first down, and be a reliably quick go-to midrange target with No. 1 guy upside.
Projected Round: Second
Real Value: Second
NEXT: Don’t be shocked if he turns into the top target in the draft …
4. N’Keal Harry, Arizona State
6-2, 228: The raw speed might not be there, but he’s a tough guy playmaker who caught 213 passes for 2,889 yards and 22 scores in his excellent career.
Considering his bulk, frame and style, ad 4.53 40 isn’t bad, especially with the 27 reps on the bench and the explosive jumps in various drills. He’s more than athletic enough, and best of all – unlike most of the other top receivers in this draft – he’s a No. 1. He can turn into a go-to target to build a passing game around.
So what’s the problem? He’s not going to get away from NFL corners and he’s not going to blow past anyone. However, he’s going to win almost every 50/50 ball, and just get the ball close to him and he’ll find a way to get to the ball.
There’s nothing soft about his game. He’ll block, he’ll want the ball in key situations, and he’ll take over games from time to time. The team that gets him in the second round will fall in love in a hurry.
Projected Round: Second
Real Value: Second
NEXT: The most fun first round pick in the draft? …
3. Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, Oklahoma
5-9, 166: Too electrifying and too good to worry about his lack of bulk, get the ball in Hollywood’s hands and let him go off.
The deep speed is there to rip defenses apart on the outside, but where he’ll make his money is through a defense getting the ball on the move. Oh sure, there’s going to be a big blasting shot that comes his way once in a while, but he’s tough as nails.
The competitive fire and attitude are there, and his quickness is at a game-changing elite level, but is he a No. 1 target? Can a you justify spending a first round draft pick on a dangerous part of a puzzle?
Of course. The guy averaged over 18 yards per catch with 17 touchdowns on 132 career grabs with the Sooners. That’s what he’s going to be – he’s going to be the No. 2 receiver you have to gameplan for.
Think Brandin Cooks, but with more upside as an all-around target.
Projected Round: Second
Real Value: Second
NEXT: If it’s possible to have negative body fat …
2. DK Metcalf, Ole Miss
6-3, 228: Is it just about the cartoonish wow factor, or can he really play up to the otherworldly tools?
Already a social media sensation by looking like someone out of 300, he took his profile and hype up a few notches by tearing off a 4.33 and vertical jumping over 40″ at the combine.
For all of the excitement and all of the upside, there are three massive question marks.
Can he stay healthy? He missed a whole lot of time at Ole Miss and ended up only catching 67 passes. However, those grabs went for over 18 yards per pop with 14 touchdowns.
Can the bodybuilding and workout warrior routine translate into being a franchise-making No. 1 receiver? Yeah, because he was amazing when he was on the field for the Rebels. And finally …
Is teammate AJ Brown really the better receiver? He was at Ole Miss, but the tools aren’t there compared to Metcalf.
Make no mistake about it – he’s a projection. The resumé just isn’t there compared to several other key guys on this list. But he’s right out of wide receiver central casting with too much size, too much speed, and too much talent to pass up.
No team wants to be the one that passes on greatness or a guy with all-timer tools, but that college production …
Projected Round: First
Real Value: First
NEXT: Quietly, at least in this draft, this one’s going to be The One …
1. Parris Campbell, Ohio State
6-0, 205: While DK Metcalf was tearing up the combine and looking the part of the perfect wide receiver prospect, Campbell was doing his thing, too.
All he did was rip off a 4.31 in Indy and blow out a 40″ vertical, and all that did was cement that the tools are there to go along with what everyone saw in college and the scouts noticed at the Senior Bowl – no one can cover the guy.
He’s not as big as you might like a No. 1 wide receiver to be, but the raw wheels and skills make up for it, showing up in a huge way last season with 90 catches for 1,063 yards and 12 touchdowns once the Buckeye passing attack kicked in full force.
Not just a speed receiver, he’ll do the grunt work needed to make himself better and improve his game, and that includes throwing his body around as a blocker, too.
At worst, he’s an elite home run hitter on the outside who can take the top off any pro D. But once it all comes together and he polishes everything up a bit more as a route runner, he has the potential and upside to turn into a top five NFL receiver.
Projected Round: Second
Real Value: First
