The Receivers:
10- Adonai Mitchell, Texas
6’4 195
All he does is catch 1st downs! Adonai is a vertical and sideline threat. A Georgia transfer who may fall some in the draft due to only having 1 year of elite play on film and sustaining a few injuries. Mitchell uses his size to create space and relies on an above-average ball-tracking ability and his very strong hands to reel them in. Without a lot of speed, he relies on those traits to create space and windows for the QB. He is a very strong runner once the ball is in his hands and is rarely caught from behind.
9- Xavier Legette, South Carolina
6’2 220
Legette has the size teams desire and the combination of speed to boot, which will catapult him into one of the top 10 WRs off the board. Xavier was very good at planting his feet, but not as quick to change direction. His ability to break routes showcases his agility and body control and he uses his strong hands to fight for balls that end up in his chest more often than not. Most of his production came this past season as a 23-year-old playing against younger competition. He was consistent and always in the game plan. He averaged over 5 catches per game.
8- Troy Franklin, Oregon
6’3 187
Franklin has good speed which demands respect and enables him to create separation and be a reliable vertical threat. He is also a smooth receiver who can play inside or outside. He has shown elite on-field awareness, especially on the sidelines with his footwork. Troy has proven to be a durable and tough guy despite his thinner frame, something the Eagles are not scared to invest in.
Would seem to be a great fit for a team that utilizes the spread offense more frequently which would showcase his skill set. He will not be for everyone. Will need to be schemed to get open consistently. Works best in the middle of the field. He is one of the younger receivers in the class.
7- Xavier Worthy, Texas
6’1 172
Xavier is one of the fastest receivers in the draft. He became more of a downfield threat this season and has proven to be a big YAC guy. He also runs very clean routes. Some will shy away from him in the draft due to his size, but teams like the Eagles have already proven they are willing to gamble on talent, DeVonta Smith, for players with similar builds. Worthy is reminiscent of Devonta in the way that he uses his route running to set up defensive backs for bigger plays later in the game. His elite speed will be very desired in the draft.
6- Keon Coleman, Florida St
6’4 215
I know a lot of “industry” lists are going to have Coleman much higher than the 6th overall receiver in the draft, and maybe he is deserving. There are many qualities to like about him. Throwing him 50/50 balls is more like 70/30. He’s like the bully in the schoolyard when it comes to getting the ball. My concerns stem from facing elite competition. He had trouble with CB Nate Wiggins this season, 0–4 when targeted, and came up small versus Devon Witherspoon last year. Keon will face a lot of elite corners in the NFL. His weeks could be boom or bust, or he could keep developing and be a top 4 player in this class. He comes with a little more risk than the other receivers higher than him, in my opinion. He will also need to work on his footwork and route running. Keon is very good and could be a nightmare in the right offense.
5- Emeka Egbuka, Ohio St
6’1 206
Egbuka runs with long strides, while also being quick and exhibiting great acceleration. He also has a knack for finding the soft spot on defenses. Egbuka can run all the routes and uses jukes and head fakes to draw DBs in. Has shown above-average hands to secure the catch and can break the initial tackle to pick up solid gains. He does everything well but is slightly underrated due to playing in the shadow of MHJ. For teams, like the Eagles, which value receivers with above-average run-blocking ability, Emeka will be higher on their boards. Egbuka has had a solid college career and has even more potential to unleash in the pros. A very exciting prospect.
4- Brian Thomas Jr, LSU
6’3 205
One of the best slot WRs in the class. Brian is agile and has a good wingspan and catch radius. His quickness creates space and separation and is a hard matchup in the middle. Thomas makes grabbing the ball out of the air look effortless. Good YAC, and should be able to win routes with his body in the red zone.
3- Rome Odunze, Washington
6’3 215
Odunze has a large wingspan aiding in his catch radius, great body control, very strong, great size, mental toughness, good footwork, and sells routes very well. He uses his size to box out DBs, and wins most 50/50 balls. Earns the trust from his QB to give him the chance. He does not win on strength alone, he is also very quick and beats defenders to the catch point of the route. Elite awareness.
2- Malik Nabers, LSU
6’0 200
Speed, Speed, speed!!! He is quick, creates separation, has very good balance, and strong hands. He displays great vision once the ball is in his hands. Above average lateral movement, flexible body to the extent of appearing as a contortionist when going for the ball. Malik is versatile and can play inside or outside. The best slot receiver in the class.
Jayden Daniels and he benefited from playing with one another.
1- Marvin Harrison Jr, Ohio St
6’4 205
MHJ can do it all, and do it better than everyone else.
The best WR prospect I have watched in the 3 years I have been doing this, that honor was previously bestowed upon Ja’Marr Chase, I know he was honored.
Name a trait or skill, he has it. Productive, great hands, body contortionist, competitive, breaks tackles, elite speed, great acceleration, bloodlines and versatile.
Not much more can be said, he is the best WR in class and that has come out in the draft this decade.
10 More:
Devontez Walker, North Carolina
Tracks the ball well, has good speed for his size, and has elite coverage recognition. Limited route tree usage at UNC and speed may not play at the NFL level.
Ladd McConkey, Georgia
Great initial burst and a very good route runner. He is extremely versatile and can beat you with his crisp routes, as a deep threat or being used in several gadget-style formations. His size holds him back from dominating contested balls and snatching receptions at the point of the catch, but if used properly can be a great WR2 in many NFL offenses.
Malachi Corley, Western Kentucky
5’10 211
The YAC, Monster, God, King, by any name, we get it, he is great at getting yards after the catch.
Not just great, historically great! He forced the most missed tackles at 40 right behind on the list only had 27. Per PFF this was good for the 2nd most missed tackles in a season since they started charting in 2014.
As expected for a player with such a high YAC and tackle-breaking ability, Corley has elite balance, agility, and toughness. His compact frame makes him very hard to get down, coupled with those traits and it becomes a chore for the defense every time he has the ball in his hands. Malachi did a lot of damage from screen passes out of the slot. His usage did not show off a large route tree, though the times he did go downfield he looked good. He has strong hands and exhibits a good ability to locate the ball. Corley is one of the most exciting receivers in the draft, how he is utilized on his next team will go a long way in determining how successful he is.
Ja-Lynn Polk, Washington
A very good route runner and a menace once the ball is in his hands. H edisplayed good vision and the ability to break tackles. Plays violent.
Malik Washington, UVA
One of my favorite sleepers in the draft. An elite slot receiver for the Cavaliers all year. Came in as a transfer and will leave after havig one of the greatest seasons in ACC history.
Johnny Wilson, Florida St
Very large catch radius. Good burst and surprising speed for someone his size. Athletic and displays above-average YAC ability. He could be deployed as a slot or outside receiver or even a hybrid Tight End in the NFL.
Tory Horton, Colorado St
Good ball tracking and displays the ability to recover and adjust on balls over or underthrown. He uses his arms well to extend and make catches on vertical routes. A reliable deep threat, despite not having elite speed. Tory is expected to go back to school.
Jermaine Burton, Georgia
Good at locating and catching deep balls. Elite awareness on the field, especially going up to bring balls down. Displays the speed needed for shot plays. He would be a very nice WR3, with the upside for more, on most NFL teams.
Jamari Thrash, Louisville
GA St transfer. Good route runner who exhibits run-after-the-catch ability and smooth motions, and does not waste effort. can be a vertical threat when asked. Could surprise as a 2nd rd. 6’1 185
Ainias Smith, Texas A&M
Uses his speed and twitch to create mismatches and can line up all over the line to create more. RB/WR also returns punts and kicks. A later round sleeper that could interest the Eagles.
David
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