Cole’s Corner: 2022 Wide Receiver Prospect Rankings

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25. Tre Turner – Virginia Tech

Turner is a long and lean wide receiver that glides smoothly when he runs. He can certainly become a nice third or fourth wide receiver for a wide receiver needy team. Turner will just need to protect the ball better because he has had some fumble issues.

Player Comparison: Demarcus Robinson

Projection: 5^th – 7^th Round

Best Fits: New England, Kansas City, Houston (Wild Card- Green Bay) 

24. Erik Ezukanma – Texas Tech

Ezukanma is a possession receiver that has his best success when he is coming back for the ball. He made a lot of plays for the Red Raiders, but he does not take the top off a defense with incredible speed. He also has good body control near the sideline. I do believe Ezukanma needs to add to his route tree in order to become a long-term NFL WR.

Player Comparison: Nico Collins

Projection: 4^th – 7^th Round

Best Fits: Chicago, Houston, Atlanta (Wild Card – Detroit)

23. Ty Fryfogle – Indiana   

Fryfogle is severely underrated in this class. Two seasons ago, he was dominant but this last season was a struggle due to Indiana’s quarterback issues. The significant drop in production removed Fryfogle from many radars. He is one of the most physical receivers in this class and he is a contested catch machine. Not only does he make spectacular catches, but Fryfogle torched Shaun Wade in 2020 which was an eye opener and hurt Wade’s stock for last year’s draft. Fryfogle may become a late round steal.

Player Comparison: Laquon Treadwell

Projection: 6^th Round – UDFA

Best Fits: Cleveland, Washington, Indianapolis (Wild Card – Philadelphia) 

22. Bo Melton – Rutgers   

Melton was paired with poor quarterback play during his time at Rutgers which affected his production and draft stock. Melton is a versatile receiver who can play outside or inside, contribute on special teams and he is a fantastic leader. Melton was a multi-year captain for the Scarlet Knights. When Melton gets the ball in his hands, he has excellent vision to pick up yards after the catch. If Melton can make his routes more precise, then he can be some quite valuable depth.

Player Comparison: Randall Cobb

Projection: 4^th – 6^th Round

Best Fits: Miami, New York Giants, Tennessee (Wild Card – New England)

21. Tyquan Thornton – Baylor

Thornton is a thin and long receiver with some excellent range. He is a vertical threat and can stretch the defense. The biggest question with Thornton is if he will be durable considering his thin frame.

Player Comparison: Robbie Anderson

Projection: 4^th – 6^th Round

Best Fits: Houston, Chicago, Dallas (Wild Card – New York Jets)

20. Charleston Rambo – Miami FL

Rambo was rather inconsistent at Oklahoma but the change of scenery in Miami allowed him to improve. Rambo is a natural hands catcher, not letting the ball get in on his body. He has excellent sideline awareness and operates best outside the hashes. Only one season of consistency makes it hard to tell if that was a fluke or if it will continue. If it does, he has plenty of tools to make some catches in the league.

Player Comparison: Tee Higgins

Projection: 4^th – 6^th Round

Best Fits: Chicago, San Francisco, Houston (Wild Card – Detroit)

19. Romeo Doubs – Nevada

Doubs might only be 6’2” on paper but he looks taller on the field. He is a true deep ball tracker with straight away speed. He is not the most creative as a route runner and doesn’t make many catches underneath. Some games he will likely make a hug impact and other he might not touch the football. I expect a career full of up and down production.

Player Comparison: Mike Williams

Projection: 4^th – 6^th Round

Best Fits: Los Angeles Chargers, Cleveland, Atlanta (Wild Card – Las Vegas)

18. Khalil Shakir – Boise State           

Shakir was a player Boise State wanted to give the ball to in any way possible. He was effective on jet sweeps and finding spaces in zone coverage. Shakir sometimes struggles with man coverage but is so smart against the zone. He is not the most athletic but athletic enough to warrant attention.

Player Comparison: Robert Woods

Projection: 3^rd – 5^th Round

Best Fits: San Francisco, Houston, Atlanta (Wild Card – Los Angeles Rams) 

17. Wan’Dale Robinson – Kentucky

Robinson is one of the tougher receivers to read in this class. He runs with short choppy steps like Tyreke Hill and despite being a receiver, he plays like a shifty running back in the open field. Robinson translates best as a slot receiver who can run on jet sweeps and reverses. He still needs work developing his route tree. Robinson is a boom or bust prospect.

Player Comparison: Lynn Bowden Jr.

Projection: 3^rd – 5^th Round

Best Fits: New York Giants, New York Jets, New Orleans (Wild Card – Chicago)

16. Justyn Ross – Clemson

Ross gives a team a taste of good and bad with snagging difficult catches but then dropping some easy ones. As a route runner, Ross has a sudden burst at the snap and plants his foot hard into the ground to change direction. Ross also boasts some nice body control. If he can eliminate the drops then the potential could turn to a successful, coveted NFL wide receiver.

Player Comparison: Donovan Peoples-Jones

Projection: 3^rd – 5^th Round

Best Fits: Miami, Atlanta, Washington (Wild Card – Jacksonville)

15. Kyle Phillips – UCLA   

Phillips is intriguing because he was extremely productive in college. He is a small but savvy slot receiver who is so reliable on third downs. Phillips is so slippery that he just gets lost in the shuffle. If his quarterback has an underthrow, Phillips is also quick to get down and make the low catch. Philips lacks versatility as a receiver and is not a receiver who will be a game breaker. What he can offer is Cooper Kupp like productivity and serve as a punt returner.

Player Comparison: Danny Amendola

Projection: 3^rd – 5^th Round

Best Fits: New England, Tennessee, Jacksonville (Wild Card – Minnesota)

14. Alec Pierce – Cincinnati

Pierce might be one of the bigger receivers in this year’s class, yet he is still deceptively fast. Pierce adds a certain toughness to the position and he excels when fighting over a jump ball in part because of his strong mitts. Pierce can also separate from his defensive back with the best of them. He might have one of the lower ceilings in the group, but he also has a high floor. I truly believe that Pierce will have a long career.

Player Comparison: Jordy Nelson

Projection: 3^rd – 5^th Round

Best Fits: Green Bay, New England, Philadelphia (Wild Card – Kansas City) 

13. Calvin Austin III – Memphis

Austin caught eyes at the Senior Bowl and the combine due to his flashy speed. The 5’9” receiver is a track star and lethal with the ball in his hands. Due to his size, he has a small catch radius and at 170 pounds it is questionable if he can hold up for long in the league. Austin is a smart player and perhaps he can use his speed to avoid incoming big hits.

Player Comparison: Steve Smith

Projection: 3^rd – 4^th Round

Best Fits: Los Angeles Chargers, Las Vegas, Tennessee (Wild Card – Minnesota)

12. Jalen Tolbert – South Alabama

Tolbert is an exciting prospect because he is a big play waiting to happen. He picks up a ton of yards after the catch. Tolbert also has some great body control but could use some coaching on route running. As a two-star prospect coming out of high school, Tolbert has been slept on. If he can touch up a few things, I expect people will be shocked because his film reminds me of a new star in the NFL.

Player Comparison: Jamar Chase

Projection: 3^rd – 4^th Round

Best Fits: Houston, Indianapolis, New Orleans (Wild Card – Cleveland)

11. Skyy Moore – Western Michigan

Moore is an excellent slot receiver who needs the ball quickly. He gashes defenses on slants and bubble screens. Moore also has surprising speed in the open field. Moore will strictly be a slot receiver or even get some carries, perhaps even be a returner. He reminds me of Jalin Marshall at Ohio State but has much more potential to succeed in the NFL.

Player Comparison: Deebo Samuel

Projection: 2^nd – 4^th Round

Best Fits: New England, Tennessee, New Orleans (Wild Card – Detroit)

10. George Pickens – Georgia

Pickens might be a wide receiver, but he run blocks like a tight end. He has some massive pop and pushes defenders back with pride. As a receiver, Pickens has a huge catch radius and pops off the screen. His only hold up is his extensive injury history.

Player Comparison: A.J. Green

Projection: 2^nd – 3^rd Round

Best Fits: New York Jets, Kansas City, Washington (Wild Card – Dallas)

9. John Metchie III – Alabama

Metchie best translates to a slot receiver where he can run underneath routes and find open windows. Metchie does have some speed after he makes the catch. Hopefully he has recovered well from his recent ACL tear. If he can improve on his ball skills and have more consistent hands, then Metchie will quickly become a high-volume possession receiver.

Player Comparison: Hunter Renfrow

Projection: 2^nd – 3^rd Round

Best Fits: Minnesota, New York Giants, Philadelphia (Wild Card – Atlanta) 

8. Christian Watson – North Dakota State

Watson quickly rose up draft boards this offseason and really looked excellent during the week of the Senior Bowl. He has some excellent speed and can take the top off the secondary. He is not just one dimensional though and displays nice body control and agility. Watson has one of the best catch radiuses in the group due to his length and athleticism. Perhaps his only weakness at the moment is the fact that he isn’t an elite separator. Watson will be able to not only serve as an outside wide receiver, but also as a returner on special teams.

Player Comparison: Courtland Sutton

Projection: 2^nd – 3^rd Round

Best Fits: Washington, Chicago, Baltimore (Wild Card – San Francisco)

7. Drake London – USC   

London seems to be a top three receiver for most experts out there. I cannot deny that he is a talented player, but there are weaknesses in his game that are still glaring compared to the other top receivers. The good things about London come from his height. As a former basketball player, he goes up and wins jump balls like is he grabbing a rebound. He is physical and certainly will serve as a redzone target. London does not get a ton of separation and he looks slow with pads on. London will likely be a first rounder, but he has the highest likelihood of being a bust.

Player Comparison: Michael Pittman Jr. (boom)/J.J. Arcega-Whiteside (bust)

Projection: 1^st Round

Best Fits: New Orleans, Detroit, Jacksonville (Wild Card – Dallas)

6. Treylon Burks – Arkansas

Burks is the physical freak of the group. He is built like a small tight end with breakaway speed north and south. Burks wins most 50/50 passes headed his direction. As good as Burks is, the concern is his lack of ability to separate in tight spaces and continue routes off script. This will limit Burks, but I don’t feel it will limit him quite like London due to having more speed. I expect Burks to make a lot of big plays in the NFL.

Player Comparison: Mike Evans/A.J. Brown

Projection: 1^st – 2^nd Round

Best Fits: Cleveland, Buffalo, Green Bay (Wild Card – Chicago)

5. Jahan Dotson – Penn State

Dotson is a smaller wide receiver that can play both in the slot or outside. He is speedy, shifty and can climb the ladder. Dotson is a fantastic route runner and can make corners look foolish. He is also a willing blocker but struggles with the physicality at times. The lack of physicality can limit him outside which is where he is best suited.

Player Comparison: Dionte Johnson/Marquise “Hollywood” Brown

Projection: 1^st – 2^nd Round

Best Fits: Dallas, San Francisco, Baltimore (Wild Card – Washington) 

4. Jameson Williams – Alabama

Williams didn’t get many receptions during his time at Ohio State due to the target share going to a few better wide receivers. The move to Alabama was an excellent move for Williams and it allowed him to be the primary target. His game improved and he turned himself into a first round pick. Williams has always been a burner that stretches the field. Last season he started to become less one dimensional and add to his route tree. Williams is a big play maker and can gash a defense for big yardage. He did tear his ACL at the end of the season but seems to be recovering quickly. Williams still needs some work on his route running to continue to expand his capabilities.

Player Comparison: Henry Ruggs

Projection: 1^st Round

Best Fits: Las Vegas, Miami, Tennessee (Wild Card – Los Angeles Chargers)

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