We have seen some great receiver NFL draft classes of late, and this year’s class is keeping up with the trend. Led by Ohio State’s dynamic duo of Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson, this upcoming class could yield as many as five receivers in the first round. There is also not a huge drop-off after the top receivers, as many receivers have the chance to be second or third-round picks, and Justyn Ross out of Clemson and Romeo Doubs from Nevada both have the potential to be late-round steals.
The potential Wide Receiver One in this draft class, Garrett Wilson has had an amazing 2021 season. For Ohio State, he had 70 catches for 1,058 yards and 12 touchdowns. Wilson has improved extraordinarily since 2019 when he only had 30 catches for 432 yards. He has also risen above other talented Buckeye receivers in Chris Olave and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. He is a speedy slot receiver who can be a deep threat when he needs to. That versatility is key because defensive backs will have a hard time deciding if they should play him up close or prevent a big play. Wilson could be drafted as high as pick eight or nine, but a good place for him would be receiver-depleted Cleveland at pick 13.
Another top receiver set to be drafted very highly this year is Jameson Williams. He transferred to Alabama from Ohio State and he has not disappointed. Williams burst onto the scene this year with 1,572 yards to go along with 15 touchdowns for the Crimson Tide. One of the only things that will lower his draft stock is the torn left ACL that he suffered in the national championship game. While doctors do expect him to retain his 4.29 second forty-yard dash time and make a full recovery, a serious injury like an ACL tear is enough to make any general manager think about passing on him. When healthy, Williams is a big play waiting to happen, and at 6’2” and 189 pounds he is also competitive in jump balls. Perhaps the best part of his game is his run-after-catch ability. He is such a twitchy and elusive player to go along with that elite speed. As Mel Kiper’s number one receiver on the big board, Jameson Williams is a player that certainly has the potential to be picked very high in this year’s draft.
The second great receiver out of Ohio State, Chris Olave, began the season as the number one receiver for the Buckeyes, but lost that status to Garrett Wilson early on this season. Although he may not be the number one guy, he is still a very elite receiver and has the potential to go very high in the draft. At 6’1” and 190 pounds, he is not a very physical player. While he is lacking in that department, he makes up for it with his amazing speed and big-play capability. He has a 4.38 40-yard dash and had several 40+-yard catches this past season. Due to different people with different views on Olave, there are a lot of different places he could go. One place in particular that he could go is Detroit. At pick 27 or 34, it would depend if the Lions staff thinks he is the third, fourth, or even fifth-best receiver in this class. Also, the Lions are pretty deprived of dynamic players and could use one in Olave.
The fourth-ranked receiver in this draft class according to The Draft Network, Penn State’s Jahan Dotson, is yet another wide receiver who could be drafted in the first round. His ridiculous hands are definitely his number one asset, but his elite speed is not far behind. He has made so many amazing catches for the Nittany Lions this season and a lot of them have come at huge moments in games such as the white out against Auburn and the biggest rivalry game of the year versus Ohio State. His size is somewhat concerning as he is only 5’11” and 184 pounds, but his elite hands and speed will make him a hard player to pass on when draft night comes around.
Treylon Burks out of Arkansas is yet another receiver that is projected to be selected in the first round. He may be the most versatile player in this great receiver class because of his 6’3” 225-pound frame. NFL insiders also expect him to run his forty yard dash in approximately 4.3 seconds, creating an incredibly dangerous player for NFL defenses. Arkansas has taken full advantage of his versatility as he has lined up in almost every skill position there is over the course of his career including wide receiver, slot receiver, and running back. He even threw seven passes over the course of his career as well as returning punts and kickoffs for his freshman season and occasionally as a sophomore and junior. That versatile skill set has moved players up the draft board in previous years, so Burks is a player to watch out for in the first round.
The last wide receiver who could go off the board early in the draft is Drake London out of USC. With a 6’5” and 210 pound frame, he looks like a tight end but has a 4.48 second 40-yard dash and great jump ball technique that makes his skill set more like a receiver. Mel Kiper Jr. has him ranked at #7 on his draft board, just one player behind Alabama wideout Jameson Williams and second overall in wide receivers. Although Kiper Jr. and many other analysts have London as their wide receiver one or two in the class, we think that he is a bit overrated because he is the best player on a lower-tier team. Similar to Chris Olave, there are many places that London could go in the first and second rounds. A good fit for him would be the Packers. He provides a big-bodied receiving threat to add on to Davante Adams and Allen Lazard, and drafting somebody to help Aaron Rodgers in the passing game could influence his decision to stay in Green Bay or not.
These six receivers all have the potential to be drafted in the first round, and one or two could even go top ten. The NFL is a major step up from college football, but all of these players have shown the ability to play at the next level and to have very successful NFL careers.
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