I did something a little different this season at the request of someone that comes around every year to discuss my rankings. Instead of posting up the baseline scores for each group and showing the progression, this is a flash ranking based off of nothing more than going through the list and giving a quick heirarchy that will undoubtedly change, but gives a glance at how early perceptions can be both right and wrong. In full disclosure - There's no way CeeDee Lamb wouldn't end up at the top of this list because I'm on record going back to his first collegiate season stating that I believed he displayed all of the traits necessary to become a first round pick. There's really no way I could do a quick list like this without that bias being included, lol.
No Austin Mack? He's probably a 4th round pick....I expect he'll crack your top 30 before this is over.
In all honesty I don’t remember doing a quick review of him before slashing out this 30. This is done so haphazardly that it makes me grit my teeth, and I’m failing to understand why this was requested in the first place, lol. I mean, I get it, because it’s something someone wanted to discuss with me, but it just is completely foreign to how I do things so I don’t know what is to be learned from this...
What about Lynn Bowden? Someone mocked him to the Ravens in the third, so I was curious. He seems to have that "football player" ability and could potentially be interesting in the backfield with Jackson. My guess is that he can't catch a cold.
There’s always names that don’t appear on the first list but I feel like a damn streaker running through this one, lol. I’ll have a more thorough ranking based off of some actual scoring after I punch out another one of these shit lists for tight ends.
I actually thought maybe you were going to project him as some type of RB, so I looked at that list too before I asked.
It's all good brother. Your work is VERY much appreciated by this draftnik.... You know I'm only bustin balls because he's a Buckeye... You actually had several on that list that I was kinda surprised to see. Quentez Cephus in particular.... Seems like a great guy. Any thoughts on his acquittal
South Carolina, WR Bryan Edwards broke his foot... South Carolina receiver Bryan Edwards announced on social media that he recently broke his foot, which will prevent him from preventing in Combined drills. Edwards left South Carolina as the school’s all-time leading receiver. He is projected as a Day Two prospect. “Ever since I was a kid my DREAM has been to play in the NFL,” Edwards tweeted. “I remember being a kid and watching A.J. Green highlights all day. I always saw him as hope that a small-town kid from South Carolina could make it and be mentioned as one of the best. I’ve always carried a chip on my shoulder being that small-town kid that people overlook. I was itching for my chance to show the world what I could do at the Combine and felt like I was going to silence a lot of doubters and solidify myself as one of the best receivers in this draft. Unfortunately, I broke my foot preparing for the Combine and will need a couple months to recover. This has been extremely disappointing for me. Just because how diligent I worked to get back to 100 percent. But that’s life. I’m no stranger to adversity or hard work. I did not write this for attention. I just wanted to have something to look back on when I catch those dreams I been chasing since a youngin!!!!” In four seasons, Edwards made 234 receptions for 3,045 yards and 22 touchdowns. NBC
The receiver rankings have been updated. Quick notes - It looks like 7 receivers have a chance for a first round score. I believe that to be a first since we started this site in 2012. To mirror that, it looks like there is potential for 7 receivers to end up with a second round score. I have 40 players on the current list and there is potential to have all 40 end up with at least a draftable score. That is insane depth at the WR position.
Six receivers are going to get a first round score. Five in the top 25 since 2012. Two of those are top 10 since 2012. And one of those is top 3 since 2012.
Top 6 - CeeDee Lamb Oklahoma 736 Henry Ruggs III Alabama 727 Jerry Jeudy Alabama 724 Justin Jefferson LSU 712 Denzel Mims Baylor 709 Tee Higgins Clemson 705
The next 6 - Jalen Reagor TCU 697 Brandon Aiyuk Arizona State 681 Bryan Edwards South Carolina 674 Laviska Shenault Colorado 663 Michael Pittman Jr. USC 660 Antonio Gandy-Golden Liberty 655
The next 8 - Gabriel Davis UCF 644 Donovan Peoples-Jones Michigan 632 Chase Claypool Notre Dame 627 Van Jefferson Florida 621 Devin Duvernay Texas 617 K.J. Hamler Penn State 612 K.J. Hill Ohio State 608 John Hightower Boise State 604
That's 20 receivers that end up with scores that would place them in the equivalent of the first 3 rounds.
The next 8 - Tyler Johnson Minnesota 576 James Proche SMU 560 Quez Watkins Southern Mississippi 542 Isaiah Hodgins Oregon State 538 Joe Reed Virginia 524 Lynn Bowden Kentucky 517 Kalija Lipscomb Vanderbilt 514 Quartney Davis Texas A&M 505
Best of the rest - Easop Winston Jr. Washington State 477 Binjimen Victor Ohio State 470 Dezmon Patmon Washington State 458 Austin Mack Ohio State 442 K.J Osborn Miami 415 Trishton Jackson Syracuse 413 Stephen Guidry Mississippi State 398 Aaron Fuller Washington 390 Nick Westbrook Indiana 388 Quintez Cephus Wisconsin 350 Kendrick Rogers Texas A&M 336 Tyrie Cleveland Florida 319
Antonio Gibson (Memphis) was ultimately listed with the RB group as his score there was significantly higher than what his score was here. Being that these scores are based on perceived transferable skill (traits for successful transition from college to pro) his likely ability to stick to a roster long term is better served within that position listing, IMO.
There were about 20 other receivers that I either fully or partially scored that didn't end up with what I consider to be a draftable number for this particular class. The average number of receivers drafted a year is right around 32 (since 2012) so there will likely be a handful of guys with a good enough score in most years to hear there name called end up disappointed at the end of Saturday.
