by 2023 NFL Draft coverage is sponsored by Gotcha Covered Medina (http://www.gotchacovered.com/medina), TNT Construction https://tntcleveland.com/), PULP North Olmsted (https://pulpjuiceandsmoothie.com/), Hinckley Roofing (https://hinckleyroofing.com/) and JBL Roofing & Construction (https://www.jblrc.com/).
Scroll to the end for the top 3 video link
- Andrei Iosivas – Princeton
Iosivas is a larger, longer wide receiver prospect in this year’s draft class. He is a threat downfield with his physicality, speed and ability to high point the football. After receptions, Iosivas is dangerous because he has good run after catch abilities. At the Senior Bowl, Iosivas also showed off his excellent body control. There is plenty of upside here but there are some concerns for me. His competition at Princeton is nowhere near what he will see in the NFL, this is not just a few steps up but rather a giant leap. Iosivas also does not have a large route tree. If he gets locked up downfield then he may not do much that game aside from just stretch the field. Lastly, his perimeter blocking and competitiveness on run plays needs to take some steps in the right direction. Any wide receiver room lacking size and speed will be improved with Iosivas on the team.
Player Comparison: Isaiah Hodgins
Projection: 3rd – 5th Round
Best Fits: Baltimore, New York Jets, Atlanta (Wild Card – Buffalo)
- A.T. Perry – Wake Forest
Perry is one of the longest, largest wide receivers in this class at 6’5”. At Wake Forest, Perry consistently drew some attention due to his massive catch radius and ability to play the football in the air. He manages to track the ball well and displays smooth body control. In the red zone Perry is a major threat. He unfortunately does lack the route running prowess plus athleticism to regularly create separation. His initial release off the line is also a bit slower because of his size. Perry is also not immune to drops and will need to add some consistency with his hands in order to see much of the football field early on.
Player Comparison: Denzel Mims
Projection: 5th Round – UDFA
Best Fits: Chicago, Green Bay, Buffalo (Wild Card – Cincinnati)
- Tre Tucker – Cincinnati
Tucker is a quick and shifty slot receiver. He also provides some versatility as a return man. Tucker may be smaller in stature in addition to having a smaller catch radius, but I am impressed with his ability at finding open space on underneath or middle routes. After catching the football, Tucker’s shiftiness allows him to pick up some additional yardage. He might not pop off the screen usually, but Tucker will be excellent depth early in his career.
Player Comparison: Trent Taylor
Projection: 4th – 6th Round
Best Fits: New England, Indianapolis, Minnesota (Wild Card – Seattle)
- Derius Davis – TCU
Davis is higher on my big board than most other big boards out there. He certainly has his limitations yet there could be a bit of a wow factor that results in him making a large impact. He is a pure speed wide receiver with the ability to vertically stretch the field. Even if Davis does not see the field on the offensive side, he is an explosive kick and punt returner which increases his value. He does have limited size and strength which results in struggles against press coverage, plus he is not the most physical in contested catch situations. Davis at best will be a fourth wide receiver on a roster.
Player Comparison: Tyquan Thornton
Projection: 6th Round – UDFA
Best Fits: Dallas, Arizona, Kansas City (Wild Card – Miami)
- Jadon Haselwood – Arkansas
Haselwood has a rather long frame and has enough strength to overpower defensive backs. During his time at Arkansas, he made plenty of nice catches. Haselwood not only can elevate and catch high passes, but he also gets down quickly and gets his hand underneath the football on low passes. He does lack explosiveness and appears to play at one speed. He does not have much of a second gear in open field. Haselwood will need to clean up some drop issues this offseason as well. In the league, he will likely be depth at an outside receiver spot.
Player Comparison: Collin Johnson
Projection: 5th – 7th Round
Best Fits: Baltimore, Green Bay, Indianapolis (Wild Card – Houston)
- Nathaniel “Tank” Dell – Houston
Dell has been a rising star between the combine and the Senior Bowl thanks to his elite shiftiness and explosiveness. He creates lots of separation and will make defensive backs look stupid by leaving them in the dust. Dell changes direction quickly because he puts his foot in the ground with tons of force and powers off instantly. In college he was highly productive as a receiver and return man. His ability to accelerate with ease makes him an intriguing prospect. I certainly see the potential with Dell and believe he could be a star. I also think there is bust potential and some limitations. Dell’s lack of size keeps him limited in alignments on the field. He also does not have a large catch radius. Even though Dell should be lining up in the slot he could be best described as a gadget receiver. If you can find a way to get him the football even on jet sweeps or reverses he will be dangerous. He needs to be in the right system with a team willing to create some plays in the playbook specifically for him.
Player Comparison: Wan’dale Robinson
Projection: 2nd – 4th Round
Best Fits: Las Vegas, Minnesota, Los Angeles Chargers (Wild Card – Dallas)
- Jalen Cropper – Fresno State
Cropper was one of the most consistent college receivers when it comes to production the past few years. In all four years, he found ways to contribute to his team. He displays some excellent short area quickness and is incredible at finding soft spots in the other team’s coverages. Cropper can be defined as quicker than fast because he does lack elite top end speed. He also has a lean frame that he might want to add more muscle and weight to this offseason. Cropper will be best suited as a slot receiver but thanks to his consistent production in college, he may have the potential to produce right away.
Player Comparison: Keelan Cole
Projection: 4th – 6th Round
Best Fits: New Orleans, Detroit, Seattle (Wild Card – Denver)
- Ronnie Bell – Michigan
Bell was a veteran leader at Michigan who possesses some great awareness on the football field. He may not be an overly explosive receiver, yet he is a solid route runner, knows where the sticks are and finds open spaces well. When he does find an open spot, he sits down and remains patient when necessary. Bell has some plucky hands which results in plenty of excellent grabs. Bell is not a deep/vertical threat and only offers modest production from his college days. I would like to see him develop some quicker release off the line of scrimmage which may also assist with his production. Bell is a guy that will be good for your depth, but also good for the locker room.
Player Comparison: Demarcus Robinson
Projection: 4th – 5th Round
Best Fits: Buffalo, Baltimore, Jacksonville (Wild Card – Green Bay)
- Dontayvion Wicks – Virginia
Wicks has some excellent ball skills and provides plenty of speed on the outside. On vertical routes, he likes to get on top of corners then manages to separate and pull away. He locates and tracks the football well in the air and then finishes the catch with physicality in the air when necessary. Despite the promise Wicks has, especially as a vertical threat, he had a drop in production this past season and showed there are some ball security issues. If those same ball security issues show up in camp, he may struggle to see the field quickly. If that part of his game is cleaned up then he may get some reps sooner rather than later.
Player Comparison: Marquez Valdes-Scantling
Projection: 3rd – 5th Round
Best Fits: Houston, New York Giants, Atlanta (Wild Card – Chicago)
- Trey Palmer – Nebraska
Palmer is a longer striding wide receiver with some great length. At Nebraska he was a home run threat and a touchdown machine. Unfortunately for Palmer, he played in a struggling offense but managed to be one of the lone bright spots. Palmer is a bit slow when turning out of some breaks but that may not be too huge of a concern. My question is whether Palmer shined at Nebraska because the offense struggled so much or because he has the ability to shine even around top tier players. If it is the latter, Palmer may find himself as a WR2 with the potential to become a WR1 in the future. He will be a nice addition on the outside for a team looking for some extra “pop”.
Player Comparison: Joshua Palmer
Projection: 3rd – 4th Round
Best Fits: Cleveland, Tennessee, New Orleans (Wild Card – Carolina)
- Rakim Jarrett – Maryland
Jarrett would not be considered a big receiver but does have a rather sturdy frame. He is an extremely talented prospect with versatility between the outside or the slot. He has good quickness and plenty of strength to deal with press man coverage. Jarrett is also a high IQ route runner with solid strength in his hands. At Maryland, he was even useful on jet sweeps. Jarrett’s limitations only come from not being a burner when it comes to speed and also having a smaller catch radius. Overall, there aren’t many concerns but rather just a curiosity about how much of an impact he can actually make immediately.
Player Comparison: Dyami Brown (size) / Russell Gage (ability)
Projection: 3rd – 5th Round
Best Fits: San Francisco, Minnesota, Indianapolis (Wild Card – Baltimore)
- Tyler Scott – Cincinnati
Scott is an explosive wide receiver with elite speed and soaring draft stock at the moment. He is lethal in open field and is quite smooth in his cuts. He does an excellent job of separating from defenders and has no issues adjusting to the football in the air. Scott may not be the biggest receiver, but he does do well at extending his catch radius. He does have a lean frame and needs to play a bit stronger. Despite not having major drop problems, Scott has not been fully immune to them throughout his time in college. A team in need of a vertical field stretcher would be wise to consider Scott. He has the ability to play on the outside or even work out of the slot as well.
Player Comparison: Chris Olave / Darnell Mooney
Projection: 2nd – 4th Round
Best Fits: Cleveland, Los Angeles Chargers, Kansas City (Wild Card – Buffalo)
- Cedric Tillman – Tennessee
Tillman is a big bodied, physical possession receiver. He not only sits down in space well, but also willingly comes back to the ball rather than wait for it to reach him. Tillman is a calm and patient route runner with excellent spatial awareness. He also offers some value as a decent run blocker on the outside. At Tennessee, Tillman was overshadowed by Jalin Hyatt so he has slipped under some radars. Tillman does not yet have an extensive route tree and will need to continue to develop his handwork and footwork. He will likely be starting outside early for a receiver needy team.
Player Comparison: Noah Brown
Projection: 3rd – 4th Round
Best Fits: Atlanta, Dallas, Chicago (Wild Card – New York Giants)
- Puka Nacua – BYU
Nacua is one of my favorite true possession receivers in this class because of his consistency. Not only does he have great hands and an ability to make contested catches, but he also possesses some surprising speed in open field. After the catch Nacua can pick up some yardage and is very aware of the first down marker. Nacua displays top tier sideline awareness and some fantastic body control as well. He also adds value as a good blocker. Nacua’s limited separation ability may result in him having a lower ceiling, but he could immediately be a solid perimeter possession receiver. If Nacua can sharpen up his routes then that will also elevate his game.
Player Comparison: Alec Pierce
Projection: 3rd – 5th Round
Best Fits: New England, Denver, Houston (Wild Card – Jacksonville)
- Jayden Reed – Michigan State
Reed is a quick receiver with additional speed that turns him into a big play threat. He is also a smooth route runner with shiftiness and an ability to change directions quickly. Reed is dangerous with the ball in his hands and is able to turn a short catch into a big play because of his run after catch ability. Reed was not in a high powered offense with the Spartans and does struggle when he is surrounded by lots of traffic. In the NFL he could either be a starting Z or slot receiver.
Player Comparison: Brandin Cooks
Projection: 3rd – 4th Round
Best Fits: Minnesota, Los Angeles Chargers, Tennessee (Wild Card – Pittsburgh)
- Zay Flowers – Boston College
Flowers has a lot of buzz surrounding his name at the right time. He is the human joystick of this class with his elite shiftiness. He has made some amazing grabs in recent history and is lethal with the ball in his hands. He runs very fast routes and fights his way to the football. Flowers does have a smaller frame, but he has already worked hard to add muscle and weight prior to the draft. Flowers does have too many drops for my liking and does not add any value as a blocker. He does add tons of value either lined up inside or outside as a pass catcher. He will need to sure up his hands in order to elevate to the level many expect him to get to.
Player Comparison: Kadarius Toney / Tyler Lockett
Projection: 2nd – 3rd Round
Best Fits: Cleveland, Baltimore, Atlanta (Wild Card – New England)
- Marvin Mims Jr. – Oklahoma
Mims was a playmaker at wide receiver and as a punt returner at Oklahoma. He looks like he is gliding as he runs yet he is moving pretty quickly. As a receiver he makes plays at every level. Mims tracks the football well, adjusts his body and attacks the ball in the air. He has elite open field vision coupled with some excellent twitch. Mims has the tendency to be a body catcher which makes him juggle the ball. He is also not super long. In the NFL Mims could play slot but his style of play is best suited for lining up on the outside. He may not demand a huge target share.
Player Comparison: Donovan Peoples-Jones
Projection: 3rd – 5th Round
Best Fits: Cleveland, Carolina, San Francisco (Wild Card – New Orleans)
- Xavier Hutchinson – Iowa State
Hutchinson is an excellent possession receiver with a knack for running clean/precise routes. He generates some solid leverage with his physicality and body control. Hutchinson can turn quickly at the top of routes which creates some added separation. As a blocker he is tough when able to latch on, but he is not a consistent blocker yet. Sometimes Hutchinson tends to catch the tough passes but then ends up dropping the easy ones because of a lack of concentration. He will add value as an outside receiver on day one.
Player Comparison: Michael Pittman Jr.
Projection: 2nd – 4th Round
Best Fits: Atlanta, Buffalo, Green Bay (Wild Card – Arizona)
- Kayshon Boutte – LSU
There is no doubt about Boutte’s big play ability. He is the master of stiff arms and breaking tackles after getting the football. He has excellent hands in addition to a very strong and sturdy frame. Boutte has all the ability to become a number one wide receiver on almost any team. There are questions as to what actually happened at LSU a few months ago. He said he was returning to school and everyone anticipated that he would play in the bowl game. Not long after announcing his intentions to return to school, he was ruled out for the bowl game and supposedly asked to leave the program. Boutte then declared for the NFL. Are there underlying character issues? I don’t think most people actually know enough about this story but I can guarantee that NFL team scouts will do their homework.
Player Comparison: Christian Kirk
Projection: 2nd – 3rd Round
Best Fits: New York Giants, Baltimore, Chicago (Wild Card – Houston)
- Parker Washington – Penn State
Washington possesses some top tier hands and absorbs hits in traffic better than most receivers. At Penn State he was a consistent player week in and week out. Washington also displays excellent ball skills. As a runner, he is slippery and rumbles like a running back despite not being super fast. I have heard the question circling around as to whether Washington has already reached his ceiling. I do not believe that is the case. He will be an excellent slot receiver if given the chance right away.
Player Comparison: David Bell / Amari Rodgers
Projection: 3rd – 5th Round
Best Fits: Carolina, Minnesota, New Orleans (Wild Card – Washington)
- Josh Downs – North Carolina
Downs is a true possession slot receiver with the ability to extend routes in order to help out a scrambling quarterback. At North Carolina he had some high production volume thanks to his ability to change pace and alternate speeds. As a route runner he likes to lull defenders to sleep then attacks when they aren’t expecting it. Downs does well at winning contested catches because he is not afraid to attack the ball in the air. Downs may not actually be an every down type of player because he is limited as a blocker. He is also limited to the slot and wouldn’t be much of a factor lined up on the outside. Downs does have some drop issues that he will need to work on this offseason.
Player Comparison: Jaxon Smith-Njigba (discount version)
Projection: 2nd – 3rd Round
Best Fits: Seattle, San Francisco, Pittsburgh (Wild Card – Baltimore)
- Charlie Jones – Purdue
Another Purdue receiver has managed to land himself significantly higher on my big board than on most other draft boards. Jones has fantastic hands and runs extremely smooth routes. It felt like he was always open last season as the primary target at Purdue and as a result put up excellent numbers. His awareness and body control matches the best of all other prospects. Unfortunately for Jones, he is extremely underrated because he doesn’t jump off the page as an elite athlete. Beware of the fact that Jones may be a mid-round steal.
Player Comparison: Cooper Kupp / Jarvis Landry
Projection: 3rd – 5th Round
Best Fits: New Orleans, Minnesota, Chicago (Wild Card – Cincinnati)
- Jalin Hyatt – Tennessee
Hyatt is an explosive home run hitter and a constant touchdown threat. He displays good route timing and also has pretty soft hands. Hyatt tracks the deep ball with ease and can even turn screens or slants into huge plays. Despite having a limited route tree, Hyatt can always stretch the field and excel on vertical go routes. The adjustment process to the NFL may actually be tougher for Hyatt than the other top prospects in this class. He has a very slender build which results in some durability questions. Hyatt is absolutely a boom or bust type of player. His big play potential lined up on the outside will warrant respect.
Player Comparison: D.K. Metcalf (big plays) / Jalen Tolbert (boom/bust)
Projection: Late 1st – Early 2nd Round
Best Fits: Cleveland, Kansas City, Tennessee (Wild Card – Indianapolis)
- Rashee Rice – SMU
Rice is a long strider with long arms and excellent hands. He is a true hands catcher and doesn’t let the ball get to his body very often. Rice is quite dynamic and can even break off some massive plays off of jet sweeps. He displays fast acceleration combined with strong body control and great sideline awareness. He is a true outside wide receiver but is not yet a diverse route runner. As soon as a team selects him, they will want to get to work on cleaning up his route running.
Player Comparison: Brandon Aiyuk / Chris Godwin
Projection: Late 1st – 2nd Round
Best Fits: Baltimore, New England, Houston (Wild Card – Los Angeles Chargers)
Watch as Cole unveils the top 3 – highlights included!
