WR rankings (1 Viewer)

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Here are my WR rankings for this year's NFL draft. Notice, that this is NOT a list of WRs that I'd like the Saints. It's a list of WRs that I'd select if I was a neutral team. For instance, I'm going to have Shenault lower on my list that I would if I was the Saints, because I think there's a better chance that he'd pan out for the Saints. So...here we go here's my top 30.

Tier 1)
1. Jerry Jeudy, Alabama

Tier 2)
2. Henry Ruggs, Alabama
3. CeeDee Lamb, Oklahoma

Tier 3)
4. Justin Jefferson, LSU

Tier 4)
5. Tee Higgins, Clemson
6. Michael Pittman, USC
7. Brandon Aiyuk, Arizona State

Tier 5)
8. KJ Hamler, Penn State
9. Jalen Reagor, TCU
10. Denzel Mims, Baylor
11. Lavisha Shenault, Colorado

Tier 6)
12. Van Jefferson, Florida
13. Tyler Johnson, Minnesota
14. Chase Claypool, Notre Dame
15. Quartney Davis, Texas A&M

Tier 7)
16. Gabriel Davis, UCF
17. Devin Duvernay, Texas
18. Bryan Edwards, South Carolina
19. Antonio Golden-Gandy, Liberty

Tier 8)
20. Quez Watkins, USM
21. Donovan Peoples-Jones, Michigan
22. Kalija Lipscomb, Vanderbilt

Tier 9)
23. Lynn Bowden, Kentucky
24. Stephen Guidry, Miss State
25. Quintez Cephus, Wisconsin

Tier 10)
26. Jauan Jennings, Tennessee
27. KJ Hill, OSU
28. Collin Johnson, Texas
29. Omar Bayless, Arkansas St
30. John Hightower, Boise State



I'd be happy to explain my rationale for my rankings if you have specific questions. Instead of doing a write up of every player on my list, which would take forever, I'll summarize some players who I feel that I am either much higher or much lower than most draftniks out there.

MOST UNDERRATED:
1. Michael Pittman, Jr.
- There just so much to like about Pittman. Obviously he is a size/speed freak but he's much more than that. He is incredibly fluid and can make catches on every level. I was expecting to see a Michael Thomas type player, and I can understand the comparisons, but I see more of Vincent Jackson in his game. His NFL bloodlines show. He blocks, he plays special teams, he looks like he is going to put in the work to be great. Most have him around the #10-15 range, which translates to a 2nd-3rd round pick in this draft. I see late first round talent. If I'm the Saints I consider him at #24, or if you want to grab the LB first, you think about trading up in either the 2nd-3rd round to snag him. I don't think he'll be there for our 3rd round selection.

2. KJ Hamler
- Complete speed demon. He is somewhere between Brandin Cooks and Marquis Brown. You give him an inch of daylight and he is GONE. He was surprisingly physical for his size and can catch footballs on all three levels of the field. He is NOT a great route runner but he has natural ball skills and a nose for the endzone, and I'm pretty confident that the Saints offense would allow him room to grow as a technician. His speed has to be respected by opposing defense more than any other guys in the draft not named Jeudy and Ruggs.

3. Van Jefferson
- Another WR with NFL blood lines. If we are looking at 2020 alone, I expect Van to be one of the very best next season. He is VERY NFL ready. If you like Justin Jefferson and want to get something close to him if he's gone at #24, Van Jefferson is the closest thing to Justin Jefferson in the draft. Very smooth athlete, superb route runner, natural hand catcher. He's not an athletic freak, but he wins contested catches and his route running is so good that it allows him to win on every level. The only reason he isn't going to go higher in the draft is because he will be 24 this year and many feel that he may have peaked athletically. He'd be a phenominal mid-to-late round selection for our future slot WR.

4. Quez Watkins
- I'm a USM fan and have always been a big fan of Watkins. He is NOT a polished WR, but boy he has the potential to be a special downfield receiver in the NFL. He is a legitimate 4.3 WR who plays like it on the field.

MOST OVERRATED:
1. CeeDee Lamb
- Lamb is a heck of a football player. In most other drafts, I'd be all over him being the best WR in draft. But not in a draft with Jeudy and Ruggs. He is not quite as athletic, and there have been numerous reports of him not taking the game of football seriously when he's off the field. He's a partier. There's just no margin of error when you are talking about a guy who you are drafting in the top 15. Things like work ethic and desire to be great is enough to make the difference between a great player and a bust. Not saying that Lamb will be a bust, but I'm not taking him before Jeudy and Ruggs.

2. Chase Claypool
- This is absolutely nothing against Claypool. I think that he is a good player, just not as high as many others. He is a HUGE guy who is rather nimble for a big man, but I'm always nervous when someone doesn't fit a particular body type that has demonstrated success. Claypool may have run a 4.4 forty, but he doesn't play like it on the field. He is a bit heavy footed and while he does a solid job on short to intermediate passes, he doesn't make many plays downfield and doesn't always use his size to his advantage. I honestly think that he is a tight end at the next level, and he could be a very good move TE. If that's what you are looking for, then that's great. But I wouldn't draft him with the expectation that he's going to be a 1st round WR...that's crazy talk.

3. Gabriel Davis
- Another very solid WR, but there are going to be better WRs drafted after him. He has nice size and good hands, but he looks like limited athletically, I don't love his route running, and he does very little with the ball in his hands. Again, in other drafts I would be completely fine with him being a 2nd round pick, but just not in this monster WR class.

INTRIGUING PROSPECTS:
1. Devin Duvernay
- What an odd shaped WR. Imagine Maurice Jones-Drew if he was a WR. He a short ball of muscle with ridiculous 4.3 speed. I think that most scouts struggle with him because there is not a great precedent for someone like him being great. He's tight hipped, so he wouldn't be an ideal slot guy, though his size would make you think that is his best spot. I'm intrigued to see his landing spot and how he is utilized. I'm always nervous about drafting someone with an atypical body size (see Claypool) but at least with Duvernay, he'll probably be drafted in the mid-to-late rounds, so he's probably worth the gamble.

2. Lynn Bowden
- There aren't many WRs that are athletic and explosive as Bowden. He is a very selfless guy. His team was in need of a QB, so he played there significantly over the past few years. It didn't allow for an easy evaluation of his WR ability. What you can see is that he is a nice hands catcher on limited attempts, and he is super dynamic with the ball in his hands. If the Saints go the Taysom Hill route in 2021, Lynn Bowden is an intriguing depth QB/WR option.

3. Jauan Jennings
- He's a guy in rankings who is much lower than I want him to be. He's not a great athlete. He ran in the 4.7's and his lack of deep speed was evident on the field. But the guy is a really fun guy to watch. He was the heart and soul of the Tennessee team. He will block and he is the most vicious runner after the catch that I saw this year in my eval process. I honestly think that he is a move TE at the next level. He is a hard worker and a capable blocker. I'd draft him late and consider him at FB/TE. He would also be a natural special teams contributor.
 
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Claypool did more in college than DK Metcalf. Lol


Crazy talk indeed.

He and Mims are hands down the best of this bunch.


Also,

Joe Reed
Hasise Dubois
KJ Osborn
Kirk Merritt

weren't even listed.
 
Good list, hard to argue with.

I think Lamb and Reagor are the real deal and would raise both a spot or 2. Very tough choice between Lamb and Jeudy as the most likely to light up the NFL. Maybe they will both light it up.

If things go as usual, someone you or I never expected will have the most rookie catches and yardage.
 
I really like your opinions on most of these guys.

My tiers for the Saints specifically would be quite a bit different than my tiers as overall players. For New Orleans I would say:

Tier 1:

1. Jerry Jeudy - Can align anywhere along the formation and has the skill set to win down the field or at the break point. Quickest feet off the snap I’ve seen in a long time. I don’t think comps to Marvin Harrison or even Jerry Rice are that far off. He’s scary good and I really hope SF doesn’t grab him.

2. Justin Jefferson - Not as purely talented as Jeudy but the experience in what is basically the Saints’ offense can’t be understated. He would probably be just as good as a rookie in this offense as Jeudy would be, but doesn’t have the long term ceiling. Still, the way New Orleans utilizes the slot role in their offense suits Jefferson perfectly and he would crush it. Cooper Kupp, but he’s faster.

Tier 2:

3. CeeDee Lamb - He’s probably best suited as an X, but he can play some Z. All in all I’m kind of iffy on him. I like his versatility and play making ability after the catch, but how much of that is going to translate with much, much better defenders in the NFL. I still feel like he’s just a better Robby Anderson, and not as well rounded as he’s made out to be.

4. Denzel Mims - Just really like the quickness and smooth hips, he’s got speed to get by and size to box out downfield. He bubbles a bit, but I think it’s habit and not capabilities. Guys don’t have to run tight routes in the Big 12. Some guys can fix it and I think Mims can. DJ Chark.

5. Henry Ruggs - He can fly but can we get the ball to him? #2 WR in the class IMO but Saints are a bad fit. Not a WR that fits Brees right now. I think even in past deep threats when Brees did have the arm to go deep, he was more of a touch, layup passer that better utilized larger burners. Ruggs is insanely good but he would not be in the best situation for him in New Orleans. Somewhere between Brandin Cooks & Tyreek Hill.

Idk if I can continue to go into the detail going through. The rest for me would be:

6. Tee Higgins
7. Michael Pittman Jr
8. Laviska Shenault
9. Brandon Aiyuk
10. Jalen Reagor
11. Tyler Johnson
12. Lynn Bowden/KJ Hill
 
The way I would rank the top 15 WR in the class in talent, without regards to the Saints would be:

1. Jeudy
2. Ruggs
3. Jefferson
4. Lamb
5. Higgins
6. Pittman
7. Mims
8. Shenault
9. Aiyuk
10. Tyler Johnson
11. Reagor
12. Bowden
13. Claypool
14. Gandy-Golden
15. KJ Hill
 
Anyone paying attention the last 20 years would notice that It's the Chase Claypool and Mims Body types in Metcalf, AJ Brown, MT, Mike Evans, Marques Colston, Kelvin Benjamin who excel early as rookies.

If I had to make a list for the quickest transition into the pro game then the giant athletic wrs is where I would start based on history.

1) Chase Claypool
2) Denzel Mims
3)Ceedee Lamb
4) Jerry Jeudy
5)Justin Jefferson
6)Jalen Reagor
7)Bryan Edwards
8)Leviska Shenault
9)Michael Pittman Jr
10)Henry Ruggs IIi
11)Tee Higgins
12) Joe Reed
13) Hasise Dubois
14) Isaiah Hodgins
15) Binjimin Victor
16)Darrell Stewart
17) Lynn Bowden
18) Aaron Parker
19) James Proche
20)Kirk Merritt
21)Mason Kinsey
22) Darnell Mooney
23) Quez Watkins
24) Maurice Ffrench
25) Devin Duvernay
26)Antonio Gandy-Golden
 
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Anyone paying attention the last 20 years would notice that It's the Chase Claypool and Mims Body types in Metcalf, AJ Brown, MT, Mike Evans, Marques Colston, Kelvin Benjamin who excel early as rookies.

Several of those guys don’t have the same body types.

AJ Brown (6’0, 226) vs Michael Thomas (6’3, 212)

Why are you so low on Tee Higgins & Michael Pittman (6’4, 216 & 6’4, 223) if body type is what you’re looking for and they’re close to Michael Thomas?

And Laviska Shenault (6’1, 227) is extremely close in body type to Brown.

I am not saying these guys are anything similar as prospects from a skill set perspective. But basing wide receivers likelihood of success off of something like “body type” is questionable.

Terry McLaurin led rookie WRs in yards per game and he is 6’0, 208 pounds.
 
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The way I would rank the top 15 WR in the class in talent, without regards to the Saints would be:

1. Jeudy
2. Ruggs
3. Jefferson
4. Lamb
5. Higgins
6. Pittman
7. Mims
8. Shenault
9. Aiyuk
10. Tyler Johnson

This is very close to how I would rank the top 10. The biggest differences are that I would drop Lamb due to character concerns and I would drop Higgins below Pittman. Shenault would be much higher for me if he weren't injured so much. Claypool would likely be eighth on this list if I weren't convinced he will eventually be a TE.

Addressing your earlier concerns about Ruggs, it isn't necessary to throw him bombs for him to be effective and productive. Some of the prettiest running I saw a WR do this season was Ruggs catching a slant then running away from defenders. If memory serves, during a game against South Carolina, he caught one pass about eight yards from the line of scrimmage with four or five defenders between him and the goal line. Ruggs just found a crease, turned on the afterburners and left everyone in his dust for around a 60 yard TD. The play was over after around 15 yards or so, because no one was catching him. Brees can throw an eight yard slant. It doesn't matter though, because Ruggs will be long gone before the Saints pick.
 
Addressing your earlier concerns about Ruggs, it isn't necessary to throw him bombs for him to be effective and productive. Some of the prettiest running I saw a WR do this season was Ruggs catching a slant then running away from defenders. If memory serves, during a game against South Carolina, he caught one pass about eight yards from the line of scrimmage with four or five defenders between him and the goal line. Ruggs just found a crease, turned on the afterburners and left everyone in his dust for around a 60 yard TD. The play was over after around 15 yards or so, because no one was catching him. Brees can throw an eight yard slant. It doesn't matter though, because Ruggs will be long gone before the Saints pick.

You’re 100% right. That Alabama offense was basically slant/go, good luck stopping us. They had 4 elite WRs that could fly and break off those slants seamlessly. Tua throws both routes incredibly well. He can rip the ball down the field with amazing touch and he can rocket them accurately in stride on those slants.

Because of that, you saw a ton of corners in off-coverage, with outside leverage on Ruggs. It was essentially giving up the slant release with the acceptance that if they played him inside or tried to press him too often, they were sure to get burnt for the home run on the boundary. Bama kept it so simple because they knew what they had. I definitely think Brees could pop some off, but NFL corners would play Ruggs inside and force him to the boundary if he were playing with 2020 Brees.
 
You’re 100% right. That Alabama offense was basically slant/go, good luck stopping us. They had 4 elite WRs that could fly and break off those slants seamlessly. Tua throws both routes incredibly well. He can rip the ball down the field with amazing touch and he can rocket them accurately in stride on those slants.

Because of that, you saw a ton of corners in off-coverage, with outside leverage on Ruggs. It was essentially giving up the slant release with the acceptance that if they played him inside or tried to press him too often, they were sure to get burnt for the home run on the boundary. Bama kept it so simple because they knew what they had. I definitely think Brees could pop some off, but NFL corners would play Ruggs inside and force him to the boundary if he were playing with 2020 Brees.

Yeah, come to think of it, I don't ever remember paying attention to him in press coverage, so I have no idea how well he does with it. He is pretty strong though, so I feel like he should handle it well. He is going to be a good receiver to have in the pros, so I am definitely hoping he doesn't end up on the 49ers (who are rumored to love him), Vikings, Eagles or any NFC South team that doesn't wear black and gold.
 

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