by 2024 NFL Draft coverage is sponsored by Every Step Seniors (www.everystepseniors.com), Lou Grasso Accounting & Tax Services (www.LouGrassoTax.com), Lally’s Handyman Service (www.facebook.com/repair.replace.remodel), Gotcha Covered Avon (www.gotchacovered.com/avon), Mickey Mart (www.mickeythemoose.com) and JBL Roofing & Construction (www.jblrc.com).
Scroll to the end for the top 3 video link
- Ainais Smith – Texas A&M
Smith is a slot receiver and return man who happens to be extremely shifty with the ball in his hands. His start and stop ability is exceptional, he has a quick burst and is slippery. Smith can get to his top speed in a hurry and is not a bad blocker by any means. He is a body catcher with not great hands and he does not track the ball well enough for my liking. He will not regularly make contested catches. Smith probably won’t offer much receiver value but will suffice as depth and as a returner.
Player Comparison: Jakeem Grant / Derius Davis
Projection: 5th – 6th Round
Best Fits: Carolina, Miami, Atlanta (Wild Card – Philadelphia)
- Jordan Whittington – Texas
Whittington is a possession slot receiver with tough running ability. He does well at sitting in space and has soft hands. His balance is solid and he usually runs rather smart routes. Whittington is quicker than fast, lacking that true top end speed. He will never be a vertical field stretcher and will take some time to develop.
Player Comparison: David Moore / DeMarcus Robinson
Projection: 6th Round – UDFA
Best Fits: New England, New York Jets, Washington (Wild Card – Chicago)
- Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint – Georgia
Rosemy-Jacksaint is an outside X receiver with an excellent catch radius and good hands. He displays a good sense of the field, is physical and can be tough to tackle after the catch. When running routes downfield, Rosemy-Jacksaint does not break stride on the catch. He also has the ability to escape jams at the line of scrimmage and adds blocking value. He lacks true speed and quickness, plus has room to get stronger. He won’t be a major threat any time soon and his ceiling is lower than many other prospects.
Player Comparison: Josh Reynolds / DeVante Parker
Projection: 6th Round – UDFA
Best Fits: Detroit, Los Angeles Rams, Las Vegas (Wild Card – Minnesota)
- Cornelius Johnson – Michigan
Johnson is an outside receiver with good length, reliable hands and the willingness to catch in traffic. He is a possession receiver with decent strength, the ability to high point contested catches and can outmuscle defensive backs. He can still make guys miss in open field and does come back to the ball quite well. Johnson lacks elite playing speed and would be benefitted by increasing his route tree in the NFL. He has some room to develop and provide depth early in his career.
Player Comparison: Donovan Peoples-Jones / Austin Mack
Projection: 6th -7th Round
Best Fits: Cincinnati, New England, Dallas (Wild Card – New York Giants)
- Joshua Cephus – UTSA
Cephus is a tall slot receiver with good speed and great catch and run ability. He does well at selling his routes, gets yards after catch and his routes appear rather precise. Cephus possesses strong hands, looks agile and has the making of a potential steal. His route tree is limited and he needs to sit in space versus zone rather than running into coverage. He has some issues versus press man coverage due to a leaner build. The biggest knock on Cephus is the off the field issues that may make some teams leery.
Player Comparison: Jason Brownlee / CeeDee Lamb
Projection: 6th Round – UDFA
Best Fits: Detroit, Philadelphia, New Orleans (Wild Card – Seattle)
- Jamari Thrash – Louisville
Thrash is an outside receiver that may be able to play some slot. He has nice ball tracking skills and good hands downfield. His acceleration is solid as well as his body control. Thrash is a precise route runner with short area quickness and he rarely gets caught from behind. He does lack top end speed and struggles to gear down and create separation underneath. Thrash needs to improve on contested catches in order to see the field early.
Player Comparison: Jalen Tolbert / Jalen Guyton
Projection: 4th – 6th Round
Best Fits: Indianapolis, Buffalo, New York Jets (Wild Card – Pittsburgh)
- Javon Baker – UCF
Baker is a fluid mover for an outside receiver and he has long strides which aid him in pulling away from defenders despite only having average speed. He has good vision and tracks the ball well over his shoulder. Baker also has strong hands and gets great results on contested catches. He has enough quickness to escape jams at the line of scrimmage and his size would be deemed NFL size. Baker can block but overall is a fairly raw talent. He will need to transition to being a runner after the catch quicker in the league and has some work to do on his route running. If a team is willing to be patient, Baker may be another late round productive steal.
Player Comparison: Terrace Marshall Jr. / Dontayvion Wicks
Projection: 4th – 6th Round
Best Fits: Arizona, Baltimore, Cincinnati (Wild Card – Kansas City)
- Ricky Pearsall – Florida
Pearsall is a shifty slot receiver with an explosive cut and burst up field. He can accelerate in a hurry and adds a lot of value on reverses and jet sweeps. Pearsall does a good job of tracking the ball and is dangerous against zone coverage because of his ability on safe underneath throws. Pearsall does not have overwhelming size and will not be effective outside. He does not have a big catch radius and in some ways feels like more of a runner than wide receiver. He could be a hit or miss depending on the system he lands in.
Player Comparison: Kadarius Toney / Mecole Hardman Jr.
Projection: 4th – 6th Round
Best Fits: Miami, Washington, Atlanta (Wild Card – New England)
- Isaiah Williams – Illinois
Williams is a slot receiver that had good production in college. He shows good speed, short area quickness and can threaten defenses up the seam. Williams appears to glide on routes and then accelerates quickly. He always keeps his feet active and dodges traffic in tight areas. His shake and ability to create room is excellent and he is a breakaway threat. Williams has a slight frame and does not play with any violence. Don’t expect him to be coming down with contested catches.
Player Comparison: Brandon Powell / Darnell Mooney
Projection: 5th – 7th Round
Best Fits: Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas (Wild Card – Tampa Bay)
- Jacob Cowing – Arizona
Cowing is another slot receiver who changes pace quickly and his good speed lets him stretch the field up the middle. He has good vision and can make men miss in open field due to his slipperiness and footwork. Cowing plays smooth, with balance and is a natural in the screen game. He struggles with press coverage and is not overwhelmingly physical. Cowing could afford to get better at sitting down in space versus zone coverage.
Player Comparison: Jalen Moreno-Cropper / Robert Woods
Projection: 4th – 6th Round
Best Fits: Washington, Carolina, Tennessee (Wild Card – Arizona)
- Malik Washington – Virginia
Washington is an extremely productive slot receiver with catch and run threat ability. He is a creative runner, regularly picking up yards after the catch. Washington is very quick to accelerate and his feel for space means he may be able to return kicks as well. The potential is high for Washington but his short frame with a limited catch radius may limit him a bit. He is not super-fast, so he won’t pull away from the secondary. Sometimes he lets the ball get to his body when he should just catch with his hands.
Player Comparison: Tre Tucker / Skyy Moore
Projection: 4th – 6th Round
Best Fits: Los Angeles Rams, Tampa Bay, Philadelphia (Wild Card – Washington)
- Roman Wilson – Michigan
Wilson is an excellent receiver who will probably be best in the slot but may see a little time outside. He has elite quickness, great speed and surprisingly long arms for his size. Wilson could carry more weight on his frame. He has good tracking and ball skills, is very competitive and can sit down in zone as well. Wilson is shifty, elusive and does a great job at dodging bodies in traffic which makes him an enticing prospect. He has had some issues with drops in college and press coverage can give him problems. Wilson tends to double catch too often which may be a warning signal against his hands. He is not a great blocker and also not overly physical when trying to get yards after the catch. Wilson has been highly regarded as of late but he is still a bit behind some of the top players in an extremely loaded wide receiver class.
Player Comparison: Ronnie Bell / Elijah Moore
Projection: 2nd – 3rd Round
Best Fits: Atlanta, Kansas City, Los Angeles Chargers (Wild Card – New England)
- Luke McCaffrey – Rice
McCaffrey is of course Christian’s younger brother. He will probably be best as a slot receiver at the next level but may get some reps on the outside. McCaffrey is a possession receiver with strong hands and the ability to fight for the football in the air. He contorts his body to adjust to off target throws and when running routes, he knows how to create separation. McCaffrey is a tough runner after he snatches the football and his vision then takes over. He is a savvy, natural, precise route runner and his bloodline suggests that he may be pretty good in the NFL. McCaffrey has adequate speed but is not a burner. He will need to get better at fighting back to the action and may take a little time to develop.
Player Comparison: Puka Nacua / Trenton Irwin
Projection: 4th – 6th Round
Best Fits: Carolina, New England, Philadelphia (Wild Card – San Francisco)
- Johnny Wilson – Florida State
Wilson is a big X receiver at 6’7” and 240 pounds. The best way to describe him is like an athletic tight end lined up on the outside of the formation. His wingspan helps him have an elite catch radius and makes him a high point specialist. Wilson is a mismatch in the red zone and he is a freak at hauling in 50/50s. His run after catch ability is good and he keeps his legs churning when trying to break a tackle. Wilson has some spatial awareness and will be utilized as a blocker due to his toughness. He does struggle to gain separation and his route tree is rather limited. Wilson has limited flexibility and he is not a burner. He lacked consistency in college and may struggle with the same issue in the league despite flashes of brilliance.
Player Comparison: A.T. Perry / Allen Lazard
Projection: 4th – 5th Round
Best Fits: Cincinnati, New York Jets, Miami (Wild Card – Dallas)
- Jalen McMillan – Washington
McMillan is a multi-role wide receiver with the ability to align outside or inside. He has a good feel for finding space and can run after the catch. McMillan is best when working in space. He has excellent acceleration and body control combined with long arms and clean hands. McMillan can also stretch the field. He does not offer enough size to consistently win on the outside and he does struggle at making sharp cuts. Last season was injury plagued for McMillan but he will look to bounce back and has the talent to produce early.
Player Comparison: Rashee Rice / Joshua Palmer
Projection: 3rd – 5th Round
Best Fits: Indianapolis, Tennessee, Tampa Bay (Wild Card – Washington)
- Devontez Walker – North Carolina
Walker is an outside receiver with solid length and natural playmaker abilities. His run after catch is impressive and he boasts a rather large catch radius. Walker can make adjustments to the football and his good hands help him haul in tough passes. He has smooth movements but lacks elite speed and explosive separation. Walker has a limited route tree and the elite traits are missing. He could be a very good receiver but likely not a number one.
Player Comparison: Michael Wilson / Alec Pierce
Projection: Late 2nd – 3rd Round
Best Fits: New Orleans, Carolina, Detroit (Wild Card – Jacksonville)
- Brendan Rice – USC
Rice is an outside receiver with a good frame and size. He displays plenty of speed, an alpha dog mentality like his father, Jerry, and his catch radius is ideal in the NFL. Rice shows plenty of suddenness and burst coming off the line of scrimmage. He is a hands catcher with boundary awareness and he tends to be clutch in high pressure situations. As a runner, he is elusive, picks up yards after the catch and could even offer value as a returner. Rice does struggle to play through contact and dances too much at the line of scrimmage. He has the bloodline and plenty of flashes, but the consistent output is still to be desired.
Player Comparison: Cedrick Wilson Jr. / Rashod Bateman
Projection: 3rd – 4th Round
Best Fits: New England, Cleveland, Chicago (Wild Card – Dallas)
- Ja’Lynn Polk – Washington
Polk is a possession receiver that can play on the outside or in the slot. He is a tough runner after the catch and is very good at working inside the numbers. Even when outside the numbers, he finds ways to make plays. Polk shows admirable effort as a blocker, moves well and happens to be a very precise route runner. His start and stop ability is excellent and he seems to make plays happen at every level of the field. He lacks the twitch and elite athleticism of many of the very top prospects in this class. Even though he is not explosive, he is developing into a good, quality receiver.
Player Comparison: Romeo Doubs / Michael Gallup
Projection: Late 2nd – 4th Round
Best Fits: Baltimore, Houston, Miami (Wild Card – New York Jets)
- Jermaine Burton – Alabama
Burton is an undersized outside receiver with great speed, quickness and elite home run threat potential. He adjusts to the ball well in the air due to excellent aerial skills. Burton can juke and burst off the line of scrimmage before finding weak spots in the defense. He happens to lack route running precision and making his cuts more abrupt would help with that. Burton needs to sell his routes better and give consistent effort on plays even when not being the primary option. If Burton can mature, then he will dazzle at the next level.
Player Comparison: Jalin Hyatt / Jahan Dotson
Projection: 2nd – 3rd Round
Best Fits: Arizona, Carolina, Atlanta (Wild Card – Buffalo)
- Ladd McConkey – Georgia
McConkey is an intriguing slot receiver and return man. He knows when to sit down at the sticks and when to continue his route. McConkey displays short area quickness, good acceleration and has a knack for creating separation. He is a precise route runner and adds some value as a willing run blocker. McConkey is a coordinated hands catcher who attacks the ball in the air despite being on the smaller side. He lacks the straight-line speed of many other top prospects and is not great at contested catches which will limit him to just playing inside.
Player Comparison: Charlie Jones / John Metchie III
Projection: Late 1st – Early 3rd Round
Best Fits: Kansas City, Tennessee, Tampa Bay (Wild Card – Carolina)
- Brian Thomas Jr. – LSU
Thomas is an outside X receiver with great length and plenty of buzz around his name. He is a long strider with decent speed and exceptional start/stop ability. His agility and control is an asset, which helps with his fluid movements in creating separation. Thomas has some nice release, excellent ball tracking skills and is a natural red zone target. He has room to get better at short and intermediate routes as he grows his underdeveloped route tree. He will need to work on adding muscle and strength in order to compete against physical corners in the NFL. Thomas has some room to improve his footwork as well. The traits are there to be really good immediately, but he may need a little time to settle in.
Player Comparison: George Pickens / Quentin Johnston
Projection: 1st – 2nd Round
Best Fits: Buffalo, Baltimore, Cincinnati (Wild Card – New Orleans)
- Troy Franklin – Oregon
Franklin is a burner at outside receiver. At Oregon, he was a big play maker and home run threat. Throughout his career, his production continued to increase every year as he became a better route runner and stretched the field effectively. Franklin is one to put constant pressure on defensive backs and often times two-high coverage is needed against him. He can make challenging catches, is long and also agile as well. Franklin has a light frame which means he struggles with physicality and does not offer blocking value. He is also a body catcher that tends to turn up field before always securing the football. He will need to secure the ball before trying to run. Franklin has some boom or bust qualities.
Player Comparison: Jameson Williams / Robbie Anderson
Projection: 2nd – 4th Round
Best Fits: San Francisco, Indianapolis, Jacksonville (Wild Card – New England)
- Adonai Mitchell – Texas
Mitchell is an outside receiver with great length, strong hands and excellent body control. He has no issues elevating and high pointing the football. Mitchell can track the ball downfield and his catch radius is on the larger side. He does well at escaping jams and moves with a lot of fluidity. When he has the football, Mitchell also tends to be a violent runner. His frame could carry some more weight because he is rather lean. Mitchell could get better at sharp cuts and needs to get more comfortable at staying outside rather than always drifting to the middle. His speed is only average but his ceiling is likely pretty high in the NFL.
Player Comparison: Isaiah Hodgins / Michael Pittman Jr.
Projection: Late 1st – 2nd Round
Best Fits: Cincinnati, Miami, Chicago (Wild Card – Atlanta)
- Malachi Corley – Western Kentucky
Corley is a slot receiver but moves like a running back. He is lethal after the catch. Corley is extremely tough to tackle because he is savvy, has pop upon contact and knows how to make people miss. He is a freak athlete, can create separation and possesses soft, reliable hands. Corley is not afraid to hit defenders as a downfield blocker as well. Sometimes he lets the ball get to his chest and Corley also does not offer much length. Despite the numerous outstanding traits, he is not a burner. Corley will likely be selected on day two, but he will still manage to be a sneaky steal in this class.
Player Comparison: Deebo Samuel / Rondale Moore
Projection: 3rd – 4th Round
Best Fits: Tampa Bay, Carolina, Philadelphia (Wild Card – New York Jets)
- Xavier Legette – South Carolina
Legette is a legit outside receiver in this draft. He could even play a little as a bigger slot receiver in the right scheme. Legette has a very solid frame, strength, great open field speed and he can stay at that top speed while weaving through traffic. He is usually pretty reliable, plays tough and rips the ball away from defensive backs on contested catches. Against press man he does well at battling through the contact and is quick off the line of scrimmage. When near the sideline, he does well at tight roping to get extra yardage. Legette will sometimes let the ball get to his chest and against zone coverage he needs to sit down more in space. Sometimes he goes towards the traffic rather than avoiding it because he seeks contact.
Player Comparison: A.J. Brown / D.K. Metcalf
Projection: Late 2nd – 4th Round
Best Fits: Cleveland, Buffalo, Houston (Wild Card – Arizona)
- Xavier Worthy – Texas
Worthy is an electric slot receiver who broke the 40-yard dash record at the combine this year. He is pure speed and with the ball in his hands, he is extremely dangerous. He is great on slants and his first step is unbelievably fast. Worthy’s elite acceleration, sharp cuts and good routes make him hard to stick with all game. His balance is also solid and he can track the ball downfield. Worthy does really well over the middle and can also sit in space against zone coverage. Some teams may also consider having him return punts. Worthy’s slight frame limits him to the slot and he can clean up his hands this offseason. He will be coveted in the coming weeks leading up to the draft.
Player Comparison: Tank Dell / Zay Flowers
Projection: 2nd – 3rd Round
Best Fits: Washington, Kansas City, New York Jets (Wild Card – Miami)
- Keon Coleman – Florida State
Coleman is an outside X receiver with a sturdy frame, great length and overall just prime NFL size. His acceleration is solid, twitch is surprising and he can separate well. Coleman displays great timing and excellent ball skills, especially in the way he can contort his body in the air. His hand strength is excellent and he is a multi-sport athlete in college, also playing basketball for Michigan State prior to transferring to FSU. Coleman does have just limited sharpness on his routes and could be a better run blocker. He needs only a slight bit of technique work and his speed will never be elite.
Player Comparison: Nico Collins / Cedric Tillman
Projection: Mid 1st – 2nd Round
Best Fits: Cincinnati, Kansas City, Detroit (Wild Card – Dallas)
Watch as Cole unveils the top 3 – highlights included!
