Official 2021 WR Thread

[jrry32]

48 minutes ago, TJM217 said:

While I disagree, I think some people are thrown off by his weight. Some people believe he is closed to maxed out too. 

Yeah, he might be close to maxed out, but that's because he's already a polished route runner with outstanding hands, body control, speed, and suddenness. He can always continue to improve the subtleties and nuances in his routes, but this is a dude who has the skillset to come in and immediately be a 1000+ yard WR in the NFL.

He definitely has a thin frame, but he's competitive and doesn't play weak. The only real time I notice it getting him into trouble is when LBs are able to get physical with him on crossing routes. IMO, he's a better prospect and will be a better player than Calvin Ridley, who is a very good WR himself.

4 minutes ago, showtime said:

Thanks for the response. I can see that "closed to maxed out" argument, I guess. Having him as the 3rd receiver kind of seems insane, though.

He might just be that high on Waddle. Waddle has off-the-charts athleticism, but him getting injured in the only year he was a starter in college would keep me from even considering him over Devonta.

[Ragnarok]

23 minutes ago, showtime said:

It was Daniel Jeremiah. I've heard his name before today, but I don't now much about him.

He kinda took over the Mayock role a few years back.  I generally like his stuff.  He can at least defend his positions, unlike a lot of guys who post that kinda stuff for clickbait.

[TJM217]

8 minutes ago, jrry32 said:

Yeah, he might be close to maxed out, but that's because he's already a polished route runner with outstanding hands, body control, speed, and suddenness. He can always continue to improve the subtleties and nuances in his routes, but this is a dude who has the skillset to come in and immediately be a 1000+ yard WR in the NFL.

He definitely has a thin frame, but he's competitive and doesn't play weak. The only real time I notice it getting him into trouble is when LBs are able to get physical with him on crossing routes. IMO, he's a better prospect and will be a better player than Calvin Ridley, who is a very good WR himself.

OH my bad. By maxed out I mean his weight it maxed out. I definitely agree with you there is always room for a rookie to grow and he has a chance to step into the NFL as a 1000 yard WR but I can understand why people will be apprehensive. 

[TJM217]

30 minutes ago, showtime said:

Thanks for the response. I can see that "closed to maxed out" argument, I guess. Having him as the 3rd receiver kind of seems insane, though.

Man I agree with you. Him and Chase really should be 1a and 1b. People have their own preferences I guess. 

[jrry32]

Here are my thoughts on the WR prospects I've seen (generally not in any exact order):

Ja'Marr Chase - You have to be one hell of a talent to beat out Smith in this class, and Chase is that. He's the full package. He is strong, physical, fast, explosive, quick, has a good frame, and has excellent body control. The nuances he has at such a young age are especially impressive (an example of being how long he waits to show his hands to keep the defender from playing the ball). While he doesn't have elite speed, he has this extra gear that seems to kick in when he needs to separate late, and he understands how to create separation with his physicality. 

Devonta Smith - Fast, sudden, smooth, and very polished. He has elite hands and runs great routes. Outside of his thin frame, I don't really see any real weaknesses. He can play any WR spot at a high level. He should be a consistent 1000+ yard WR. He reminds me of Marvin Harrison.

Jaylen Waddle - Waddle is very explosive, fast, and twitchy. His contact balance at his size is impressive. He has good hands. He's a good route runner and has the talent to be great at it. Durability is my big concern with him. He reminds me of DeSean Jackson.

Terrace Marshall Jr. - He's a very smooth WR with good length, speed, and quickness. His 2020 film concerned me. He seemed lackadaisical at times, dropped a few too many passes, and looked to be coasting when the ball wasn't going his way. He has a lot of upside because of his length, athleticism, and natural ability, but I am concerned about the intangibles.

Kadarius Toney - He's a special athlete who can do things with the ball in his hands that few others can. Toney has good speed, but his twitch, contact balance, and ability to start and stop are truly special. He's likely to play in the slot in the NFL and could be one of the NFL's biggest YAC threats, but there are legitimate concerns about his intangibles, durability, and scheme fits. He freelances on routes and will need a creative OC to adapt the system to Toney's skills. As for Toney's intangibles, prior to this season, there were questions about his dedication to the game and whether he'd give up football to pursue a rap career.

Rashod Bateman - He's a polished player who really shines when it comes to his separation quickness. He's like a Z or a slot in the NFL, but he'll be productive at either one. He has a diverse set of releases, is physical with and without the football, and really explodes out of his breaks. He's not a burner, but he accelerates well, which allows him to create separation. Had some drops this year, but he's a natural plucker who should be reliable in the NFL.

D'Wayne Eskridge - He's small and older (24 years old), but you can't teach his speed, acceleration, and quick-twitch athleticism. Eskridge runs good routes, is surehanded, and can create after the catch due to his explosive acceleration. He's a threat to house it whenever he has space. He reminds me a lot of Brandin Cooks.

Elijah Moore - Moore has enough speed to threaten you deep, but he's not a burner. He's an undersized guy with impressive quicks and very sure hands. He has good contact balance and vision as a runner. He has the potential to be a very dangerous guy out of the slot because of his sure hands, toughness, and quicks. He reminds me of Jamison Crowder.

Amon-Ra St. Brown - St. Brown is a polished WR who doesn't have dominant physical traits but has the right traits to be a productive NFL WR. He reminds me a lot of Robert Woods in terms of his skillset and competitiveness. He's not a burner but has enough speed and acceleration to threaten DBs. Where he really shines is in his separation quickness and nuanced route running. He also has a high football IQ, which makes him very effective against zone coverage. His hands are good but not elite.

Rondale Moore - Moore is an intriguing player who has a lot of upside in the slot, but his durability is very concerning, especially considering his play style. He's a physical YAC WR who can be electric with the ball in his hands. He's twitchy, quick, and has good speed. But he has struggled to stay healthy due to his small stature and physical play. He also is more athlete than WR at this stage.

Tutu Atwell - There's no doubting Tutu's speed and quickness. He can fly, and he changes directions well. But he is small with a thin frame, isn't a very nuanced route runner, struggles with physical play/contact, and isn't going to make a ton of catches in traffic. There's definitely developmental potential here, but I don't see an immediate impact player.

Nico Collins - He's a big and strong WR. I loved his physical blocking in college. However, separation doesn't come easy. If he's going to make a living in the NFL, it'll be outside the numbers with a lot of contested catches. Has some vertical speed but he doesn't change directions easily. In college, the contested catches were a bit more hit and miss than I'd like. He showed better in that regard at the Senior Bowl. Seems like a boom/bust guy to me.

Tylan Wallace - Wallace is very intriguing for me as a Z or a Slot. He isn't an explosive or speedy athlete, but he's quick off the line, changes directions well, has great body control, is tough to tackle after the catch, and catches the ball well. He's also a very competitive player before and after the catch. He's nuanced in his routes and releases despite the college scheme. Could have Doug Baldwin esque upside in the right environment.

Dyami Brown - He has the speed to threaten defenses vertically, he runs good routes, and he is a very competitive, effective blocker. But I am having a hard time getting past all the dropped passes. His hands just aren't consistent, and he struggles to play through contact.

Marquez Stevenson - He's very, very fast and has the speed to be a legitimate deep threat. That'll entice teams on Day 2. Unfortunately, I was unimpressed by the rest of his game. He lacks play strength, physicality, toughness, and durability imo. And he's not very polished.

Jhamon Ausbon - I didn't like his game when I watched him. Didn't see a lot of separation quickness, and he didn't have the dominant hands and physicality needed to make up for it.

Seth Williams - He's a guy I really wanted to like, but I just couldn't. He's a big-bodied WR who has flashed ability, but he doesn't run great routes, doesn't possess a ton of separation quickness, and doesn't have the hands to consistently win on contested catches in the NFL.

Shi Smith - Here's another guy I really wanted to like, but he didn't blow me away. Could be a decent enough player in the slot, but I didn't really see the sort of dynamic ability some of the other slot WRs in this class have. He has some good traits and is competitive, but I'm not sure he'll be more than a guy who contributes as a #4 WR and on special teams. I think you can get similar ability from Cade Johnson much later in the Draft.

Tamorrion Terry - Terry has first round physical talent in my mind. He's long, he's explosive, he's sudden, he has contact balance, and he has take the top off of the defense speed. Unfortunately, Terry had some injuries in 2020, did not mesh well with the new coaching staff, and has poor hand technique (which leads to drops). He was also victimized throughout his career by poor QB play. Still, Terry's talent make him a more and more worthy risk the deeper he falls in the Draft. He reminds me of Tyrell Williams.

Simi Fehoko - Simi is a project WR who has a mountain's worth of upside. At 6'4" 225ish pounds, Simi has great size and is physical with the ball in his hands. He has the speed to take the top off a defense and to house plays if he has a seam. He is more of a long strider than a guy who explodes off the ball, though. But he has the ability to make contested catches due to his generally good pair of mitts and his large frame. I'd like to see him become much more physical in his routes and when the ball is in the air. HIs route running also needs a lot of development. But his upside makes him a good developmental pick early on Day 3.

Josh Palmer - Here's another guy I really wanted to like who just didn't blow me away. He had a strong week at the Senior Bowl, competes hard, and does a lot of things well, but I didn't see any standout traits. He didn't create separation with ease when I watched him. He certainly was hurt by Tennessee's poor QB play, but he just didn't jump off the screen in games the way he did at the Senior Bowl. But he might be a guy who proves to be a better NFL player than a college player.

Amari Rodgers - He has more of a HB's body than a WR's body, but I like his game. He's a slot guy, but he's a little different than your typical slot guy and will need a scheme that uses him the right way. He competes hard, runs effectively after the catch, has consistent hands, and has the quickness and speed to separate. But he's more smooth than twitchy. I'd like to see him do a better job in contested catch situations, as he'll have to make more catches in traffic at the NFL level.

Sage Surratt - He's very physical and can come down with contested catches. What concerns me about him is his lack of separation quickness and speed. He's going to have to make a living in the NFL with defenders on his back. It's harder to project how guys like him will transition. 

Tre Nixon - He's one of my favorite under the radar players. He reminds me of Paul Richardson. He is a smooth WR who has the speed to run by defenders. He's a very legitimate deep threat. He also has the change of direction skills to be an effective route runner once he learns a more diverse route tree. His hands are generally solid, but he misplays the football every now and then. He has a thin frame, so play strength and durability might be issues in the NFL. 

Trevon Grimes - He's an interesting pick on Day 3 because of the upside. He's more potential than anything at this point. He's a long WR who has enough speed to threaten you down the field and enough quickness to be respected on speed cuts. But there's not a lot of consistency to his game at this point. He can go up and get the ball when he's on his game against the best defenders. But I get the feeling he's coasting at times.

Cornell Powell - Here's another sleeper pick at WR who intrigues me a lot on Day 3. Powell has a solid frame, runs good routes, has good hands, runs well after the catch, and is a competitive blocker. He does everything well, but he doesn't blow you away in any one aspect. He's also a decent but not great athlete. Still, I get the feeling he's a guy who will stick and have some decent years in the NFL. There's something to be said for well-rounded, reliable WRs.

Austin Watkins Jr. - He has some talent, but he didn't impress me. I just didn't see the sort of standout traits in his game that I'd want to see when a guy is playing inferior competition.

Jonathan Adams Jr. - Here's another under the radar player on Day 3 who really impressed me. When I'm looking at developmental WRs, I am looking for winning traits. Adams's physicality, hands, body control, and contested catch dominance are winning traits. His route running and releases need a lot of development, but he looks to have enough quickness to do both things decently. But where he really shines is his ability to bully CBs when the ball is in the air. He impressed me more than Sage Surratt.

Whop Philyor - I wasn't that impressed by him. He struck me as a backup WR who will contribute on special teams. He has some twitch and quicks, but there were too many plays where he wasn't a real factor or threat.

Jaelon Darden - Boy is Darden fun to watch. His twitch and hip fluidity are both elite attributes. It's hard to tell how fast he is because of his competition. If he's a legit 4.3 guy, he'll fly up draft boards. But I have a feeling he's quicker than fast. He's very undersized, but it's hard not to be intrigued by some of the rare things he can do on the field. He appears to be a guy who could make an impact as a slot WR and returner in the NFL. He reminded me a bit of Deonte Harris, but I think Darden is a little bigger and has more upside at WR.

Cade Johnson - I liked his game for a guy who will go late on Day 3. He runs good routes, he has good agility, he catches the ball well, and he competes hard. Should also contribute as a punt returner. He seems like a solid enough slot guy. Probably won't be a difference maker, but he ought to stick as a backup WR and could potentially have some decently productive years as a #3 WR. 

Damonte Coxie - Didn't like his game at all. He's a lanky guy who lacked separation quickness. Looked like a JAG to me.

Blake Proehl - He intrigues me for the same reasons that Cade Johnson does. He's a well-schooled kid with a thin frame who runs good routes, has good agility, has solid speed, and catches the ball well. He ought to contribute as a punt returner. And looks like he could be an effective #4 WR with the potential to be a decently productive Z or slot. He seems like a forgotten man in the process.

Warren Jackson - I didn't like him. He's very long, but he's not very fast, doesn't have much separation quickness, isn't that physical, and didn't dominate in contested catch situations like I'd expect against his level of competition.

 

Here is my list of guys I plan to watch next (let me know if you think I am missing anybody):

Ihmir Smith-Marsette

Anthony Schwartz

Dazz Newsome

Tyler Vaughns

Frank Darby

Tim Jones

Dez Fitzpatrick

Marlon Williams

[BrownLeader]

12 hours ago, jrry32 said:

Jhamon Ausbon - I didn't like his game when I watched him. Didn't see a lot of separation quickness, and he didn't have the dominant hands and physicality needed to make up for it.

Shi Smith - Here's another guy I really wanted to like, but he didn't blow me away. Could be a decent enough player in the slot, but I didn't really see the sort of dynamic ability some of the other slot WRs in this class have. He has some good traits and is competitive, but I'm not sure he'll be more than a guy who contributes as a #4 WR and on special teams. I think you can get similar ability from Cade Johnson much later in the Draft.

Damonte Coxie - Didn't like his game at all. He's a lanky guy who lacked separation quickness. Looked like a JAG to me.

Disagree the most on these three.

 

I thought Ausbon had light feet and really good cod for a bigger WR. He wins regularly in traffic but doesn't know how to run routes. Never seen a guy run more consecutive inside slants. Reminds me of a raw Juju Smith Schuster and I think he'll be a mid round steal if gets a route tree.

Smith's an efficient, physical mover and clutch catcher. He's a guy I liked but didn't think his tools were all that good. Then he looked like the quickest guy in Mobile throughout his route. I think he's the type that'll be a better pro than college player. Reminds me of Santonio Holmes.

Coxie doesn't have the greatest separation ability but he's got size and strong hands. He can also be a devastating blocker at times. He's another Zach Pascal to me.

[goldfishwars]

 

[Ozzy]

1 hour ago, goldfishwars said:

 

Good for him, not a real surprise though, and during his career he played with a QB who consistently threw passes that were not always accurate and were pretty wobbly.

 

 

 

 

Oh and the dude played during a respiratory disease pandemic and Bateman has Asthma.  Did opt out later in the season once the team had an outbreak and missed the last two games.  Still kudos for him for playing this year when if anyone should not have played for health reasons, it would have been him, shows a lot.  

 

 

Going to be a weird draft process, what one has to check the twitter of all the prospects to see their freaking 40 times when the post it.  Going to be strange as hell not to mention the verification and correctness of those numbers are going to clearly come into question.

 

[Scoundrel]

So Tylan Wallace reportedly under 4.40 also at the Exos combine?  hmmm...

[jrry32]

20 minutes ago, Counselor said:

So Tylan Wallace reportedly under 4.40 also at the Exos combine?  hmmm...

Yeah, I definitely don't trust that. Neither guy plays that fast. 

[kingseanjohn]

On 2/26/2021 at 11:17 PM, jrry32 said:

Here is my list of guys I plan to watch next (let me know if you think I am missing anybody):

Josh Imatorbhebhe

Samori Toure

Reggie Roberson

 

[jrry32]

2 minutes ago, kingseanjohn said:

Josh Imatorbhebhe

Samori Toure

Reggie Roberson

 

I believe Roberson and Toure are staying in college (with Toure transferring to Nebraska).

[Jeezla]

10 hours ago, jrry32 said:

I believe Roberson and Toure are staying in college (with Toure transferring to Nebraska).

I don't know the other guys, but Roberson definitely returned to school.

[Jeezla]

Some Exos combine  #'s that I'm stealing from reddit: 

 

 

[kingseanjohn]

10 hours ago, jrry32 said:

I believe Roberson and Toure are staying in college (with Toure transferring to Nebraska).

Thanks. I somehow missed that.