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As I've said in previous previews, there is much more talent on the
defensive side of the ball than there is on the offense.
Unfortunately, of that little talent on offense, wide
receiver may have the least depth of any offensive position from
which teams can choose. There really is no gamechanger in the mold
of a
Larry Fitzgerald or
Calvin Johnson who is a sure-fire lock to go in
the top five and become an instant producer at the NFL level.
There may be one player who could work himself into such a
position if he blows everyone away at the combine and his pro day.
Let's start in Stillwater.
1. Dez Bryant, Oklahoma St., 6-2, 220 lbs
2009 receiving stats: None
NFL comparison:
Terrell Owens
Projected draft position: Top 15 overall
Jan. 20 analysis: The best we can go on for Bryant
is his 2008 season when he had 87 catches for 1,480 yards and 19
touchdowns. Not bad, is it? Sort of sounds like the stuff top
wideouts are made of. Bryant plays taller than he really is and
knows how to use his body to shield defenders from the ball. Just
about every one of his characteristics matches what you'd want in a
prototypical receiver. So why aren't we talking about him as a
top-five overall pick?
Bryant was suspended for the entire 2009 season after
"failing to fully disclose the extent of his conversation with
Deion Sanders." Translation: he may have had some improper and
premature dealings with an "agent." I don't know what PrimeTime
could have said that would constitute something illegal, but that's
the NCAA for you. However, none of that changes the fact that
Bryant is a highly dangerous receiver who could really develop into
an elite talent at the pro level. The fact that he's been out of
action for some time is probably the only thing that'll lower his
draft stock. But if he somehow slips down to a team with an already
solid passing attack in the draft, he could be someone to keep an
eye on for fantasy purposes.
2. Golden Tate, Notre Dame, 5-11, 195 lbs
2009 receiving stats: 93 catches, 1,496 yards, 15
TDs
NFL comparison: Roddy White
Projected draft position: Late first round
Jan. 20 analysis: Tate may not have the largest
frame, but he made an impact on a weekly basis. Not many defensive
backs at the college level could contain him one-on-one. Tate was
held out of the end zone only twice all season long. He finished
the year by catching at least one touchdown pass in each of his
last eight games (culminating with a 201-yard, three-TD game
against Stanford). If Tate somehow slips to the second round,
whichever team lands him may have struck gold (no pun intended).
The problem is if he does, he's likely to get taken high in the
second round, meaning he's going to go to a lousy team. But he
certainly has the physical tools to make an immediate impact at the
NFL level. It's just a question of which team selects him.
3. Brandon LaFell, LSU, 6-3, 206 lbs
2009 receiving stats: 57 catches, 792 yards, 11
TDs
NFL comparison: Santana Moss
Projected draft position: Second round
Jan. 20 analysis: LaFell isn't the type of
receiver who is going to wow you with stats on a weekly basis, but
he also finds a way to make an impact each week. He is a fearless
wideout who doesn't mind throwing everything he has into making an
acrobatic catch. The good news is LaFell had at least 48 yards in
every game last season, which means he's not the type of guy who
will disappear every so often and leave you enraged. That kind of
consistency will go a long way in the eyes of GMs and scouts who
are on the fence about whether to draft him. He'll need to add a
little bulk, but that can be done during his first training camp.
4. Arrelious Benn, Illinois, 6-2, 220 lbs
2009 receiving stats: 38 catches, 490 yards, 2 TDs
NFL comparison: Anquan Boldin
Projected draft position: Second round
Jan. 20 analysis: If you've watched Benn play, you
can see the talent is there. The problem is Illinois ran a goofy
version of a spread offense, and
Juice Williams didn't look anything like the
quarterback he once was. His passing was highly erratic all season
long, which obviously limits Benn's ablility to post numbers.
But Benn has good size and blocking ability. You'll see
everything he can do a lot more clearly at the pro level when he'll
have a QB who can get him the ball. Here's a classic example of a
player who will make more of an impact at the pro level than he did
in college.
5. Danario Alexander, Missouri, 6-5, 215 lbs
2009 receiving stats: 113 catches, 1,781 yards, 14
TDs
NFL comparison: Calvin Johnson
Projected draft position: Late third/Early Fourth
round
Jan. 20 analysis: Well, he compares to Megatron's
frame, anyway. As for the rest of his game?
Looking purely at his numbers, it's clear Alexander can play.
You don't post that kind of production in the Big 12 without the
ability to make big plays from start to finish. The problem is
Alexander's speed, or lack thereof. He can outrun defenders in
space, but he looks like the kind of wideout who can get caught
from behind by a defensive back with even mediocre speed. He's just
too tall and lanky to ever become a true WR1 at the NFL level. That
doesn't mean he won't be a nice red zone target for whoever drafts
him, though. Let's see how good of a 40-time he posts at the
combine. My personal over/under is set at 4.6.
6. Mardy Gilyard, Cincinnati, 6-1, 187 lbs
2009 receiving stats: 87 catches, 1,191 yards, 11
TDs
NFL comparison: Josh Cribbs
Projected draft position: Late second/Early third
round
Jan. 20 analysis: Gilyard is the kind of guy who you
love to have on your team and hate going against. He's a little too
light to become a prototypical WR1, but give him the ball in space
and he can make things happen - think
Percy Harvin. The majority of his yardage came
after he caught the ball, and he is also a terror to defend on
special teams. Look at how much of an impact Josh Cribbs made for
the Browns. Gilyard is the type of player who can do exactly the
same thing.
If only he could find a pill that would increase the length
of his legs.
7. Damian Williams, USC, 6-1, 190 lbs
2009 receiving stats: 70 catches, 1,010 yards, 6
TDs
NFL comparison: Mike Sims-Walker
Projected draft position: Second round
Jan. 20 analysis: Williams has nice speed and good
mechanics in general. This may sound a little simplistic, but one
of his best characteristics is he's always looking to head upfield
the instant the ball is in his bread basket. He rarely drops passes
he shouldn't and has a neat knack for timing his runs well so he's
able to catch the ball perfectly in stride. Williams probably won't
be more than a possession receiver in the NFL, but he has the
potential to be a reliable set of hands who might amass 50-plus
yards per game.
8. Demaryius Thomas, Georgia Tech, 6-3, 230 lbs
2009 receiving stats: 46 catches, 1,154 yards, 8
TDs
NFL comparison: Roy Williams
Projected draft position: Third round
Jan. 20 analysis: A wide receiver in a
triple-option offense? Not always easy to judge since he doesn't
get the ball thrown to him, and when he does, he usually has single
coverage since most defenders are selling out to stop the run.
However, Thomas is a big and physical wide receiver who has
speed. He knows how to make catches in traffic, then stiff-arm
defenders away from him. Just imagine what kinds of numbers he
would have posted in a more conventional offense. He seems to win
more competitions for jump ball passes than he loses. He's
definitely someone who could improve his draft stock a great deal
between now and the combine.
9. Jordan Shipley, Texas, 6-0, 190 lbs
2009 receiving stats: 116 catches, 1,485 yards, 13
TDs
NFL comparison: Wes Welker
Projected draft position: Third round
Jan. 20 analysis: Shipley's big performance in the
BCS title game may have caught your attention, but scouts and GMs
are already well aware of what this guy can do. How many NFL
coaches wouldn't want a guy on their offense who has a reliable set
of hands and isn't afraid to go over the middle and make every
catch? Shipley's huge game (with a backup QB, mind you) against
Alabama may have set the stage for him to improve his draft stock a
little.
10. Riley Cooper, Florida, 6-3, 215 lbs
2009 receiving stats: 51 catches, 961 yards, 9 TDs
NFL comparison: Malcolm Floyd
Projected draft position: Late third/Early Fourth
round
Jan. 20 analysis: Cooper is one of those
industrious, physical wide receivers who plays more like a tight
end than a wideout. But he's another player whose stats are a bit
more difficult to judge since he played in such a non-conventional
offense. Riley's speed is a little better than that of an average
tight end, so he might line up in the slot in the NFL, then go over
the middle to try and create mismatches with linebackers in
coverage. Chances are he's not going to be a gamebreaker, though,
and you shouldn't really have him on your fantasy radar next year.
