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McGinn’s NFL Draft Series: Scouts on top wide receivers and tight ends
Bob McGinn Apr 15, 2020
181
This is the 36th year Bob McGinn has written an NFL Draft Series. Previously, it appeared in the Green Bay Press-Gazette (1985-91), the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (1992-2017) and BobMcGinnFootball.com (2018-19). Through 2014, scouts often were quoted by name. The series reluctantly adopted an all-anonymous format in 2015 at the request of most scouts. This will be a nine-part series, starting with receivers.
So many conversations about this class of wide receivers began with a common refrain.
“This is maybe the deepest wide receiver group,” said one longtime AFC personnel man. “But as far as like a Julio (Jones) or Calvin Johnson, absolutely not.”
Johnson (6-5, 239, 4.35) had it all. When he left Georgia Tech a year early to enter the draft in 2007, he was compared by scouts to Jerry Rice, James Lofton, Randy Moss, Larry Fitzgerald and Keyshawn Johnson. Jones (6-2 ½, 220, 4.39) left Alabama after his junior year and became the sixth overall selection in 2011. People dug deep to come up with comparables for him as well. After nine seasons of superstardom, Johnson walked away from the Detroit Lions whereas Jones’ drive still burns hot after nine years in Atlanta. Their physical gifts led to a consistently unique level of play. Although this certainly rates as the year of the wide receiver, Johnson and Jones have more dominant traits than anyone in the class. Obviously, that doesn’t mean a decade from now there won’t be a player or two who deserves to stand in their company.
The sheer numbers at wide receivers are astounding. “Deepest I’ve ever seen,” said one 20-year scouting veteran. “I like so many of them, and for different reasons.”
One scout counted at least 20 wideouts that “in the right circumstance could actually become a player in this league.” Another said a starter could be uncovered in the fourth round, much like how Washington found Terry McLaurin, its top receiver, in the third round a year ago. “The first 13 or 14 names that we have are all going to play,” an AFC executive said. “There’s some wild cards beyond that. There’s not any game-changers.”
The result, of course, are the NFL’s ever-expanding scouting departments grinding endlessly at tape machines. “It’s the most over-scouted position just because there’s so damn many of them, especially in today’s game,” said one scout. All the attention makes perfect sense given the product that the league office and ownership have promulgated through rules changes favoring scoring. “That’s natural because of the evolution of football,” an executive said in reference to the scrutiny of wide receivers.
As draft boards are made final, we hear about speed, ball skills, explosiveness, run after the catch and other physical traits that are most often weighed to loosen packs of receivers with similar grades. We don’t hear a lot about intelligence, which some scouts have said often separates the haves from the have-nots.
“To me, the hardest transition from college to pro is the wide receiver position,” said an executive. “You have to be smart. Dummies won’t make it.”
The oldest method used by NFL teams to measure intelligence is the 12-minute, 50-question Wonderlic test. Many in the industry understand the test has its limitations. It’s why the continuing usage of matrices testing involving shapes and other non-reading material is thought by some to provide a clearer model of intellect. Yet, the Wonderlic has survived because teams still view it as a valuable tool in the evaluation of pro football players. The average score of the eight wide receivers voted to the Pro Bowl in 2019 was 21.6. The average score of my top 13 wide receivers in this draft is 17.1.
Two of the three lowest scores among the 2019 Pro Bowlers belonged to first-rounders DeAndre Hopkins (17) and Jones (15). Another first-round pick, Mike Evans, scored 25. The other five players, including two second-round choices, two third-round choices and one fifth, possess a wide array of strengths and weaknesses. The common bond, however, could well be their ability to think on their feet and make critical pre- and post-snap adjustments. Tyreek Hill led that group of five with a Wonderlic score of 27, followed by Chris Godwin (26), Jarvis Landry (23), Michael Thomas (21) and Keenan Allen (19).
My polling of 17 executives in personnel took place in the last 2 ½ weeks. Each scout was asked to rank the wide receivers on a 1 to 6 basis, with a first-place vote worth 6 points, a second worth 5 and so on.
CeeDee Lamb, with 87 points and 10 first-place votes, nosed out Jerry Jeudy, who had 86 and five. Following, in order, were Henry Ruggs (66, one), Justin Jefferson (28 ½), Tee Higgins (25 ½, one), Bryan Edwards (13), Brandon Aiyuk (12), Laviska Shenault (11), Jalen Reagor (10), KJ Hamler (4 ½), Denzel Mims (four), Lynn Bowden (three), Quez Watkins (three), Van Jefferson (two), Gabriel Davis (one) and Michael Pittman (one-half).
Then the personnel men were asked who among the top 10 or 12 players had the best chance to bust. Shenault led the way with eight votes followed by Mims with four, Higgins with two and Hamler, Reagor and Ruggs, each one.
“It’d be foolish for a team to sit there (in the teens) and take a wideout,” one scout said. “You can get another wideout in the second or third, a Bryan Edwards, a Michael Pittman, a Lynn Bowden … it’s a real deep pool but it’s shallow at the top. There’s nobody that’s super elite, height-weight-speed freakish Julio, Calvin Johnson.”
Could someone such as Aiyuk, Edwards, even Quez Watkins emerge as the best in the class three years from now?
“Sure,” said an AFC evaluator. “It all depends on where they go, what the system is and who’s coaching them.”
An NFC personnel director summed up the talent pool at tight end thusly: “It’s the shits.”
Before conducting the poll at tight end, the decision was made to classify Chase Claypool, a wide receiver at Notre Dame, as a tight end. This time, votes were asked to rank the tight ends on a 1-2-3-4-5 basis.
Cole Kmet easily won with 78 points and 11 first-place votes. Following, in order, were Adam Trautman (44, one), Claypool (41, two), Harrison Bryant (29, one), Albert Okwuegbunam (22, one), Devin Asiasi (16, one), Hunter Bryant (nine), Brycen Hopkins (six), Thaddeus Moss (five), Colby Parkinson (four) and Dalton Keene (one).
“It’s not a strong group,” one personnel man said, “when you’re more excited to work with a wide receiver projection (Claypool) than guys that played tight end their whole life.”
Tight ends often are divided into Y (play-side base blocker), U (back-side base blocker), F (detached as a receiver) and H (move). The numbers of conventional Y and U players continues to dwindle. As scouts debate whether a tight end has the speed to threaten a two-deep secondary or blocks well enough in-line, intelligence seems to be a very important factor for the position.
“That’s a killer at tight end,” said one scout. “They’re asked to do so much. It’s hard to play with dumb tight ends.”
My top seven tight ends posted an average Wonderlic score of 27.1.
RANKING THE RECEIVERS
(Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
WIDE RECEIVERS
1. CEEDEE LAMB, Oklahoma (6-1 ½, 198, 4.48, 1): Compared by one scout to Chad Johnson. “You throw the ball up, he’s coming down with it,” said one scout. “He’s got courage. He has better feet than (Justin) Jefferson. I had no idea he could run as good as he did. He’s a great kid on top of it. He’s a no-brainer.” A third-year junior from Richmond, Texas, he “catches the crap out of the ball,” according to another scout. “Great hands. He runs 4.48, which is way fast enough. He runs really good routes. He can go against press and off.” Finished with 173 receptions for 3,292 yards (19.0 average) and 32 touchdowns. “Just a competitive and strong guy,” said a third scout. “Almost an Anquan Boldin-type of receiver. I don’t think he’s a superstar. Lamb kind of maximizes what he has.” Jumps were pedestrian: vertical (34 ½ inches, 10-foot, 4-inch broad jump). So was the bench press (11 reps). “They scheme him up a lot,” said a fourth scout. “Bubble passes. He comes flying around in motion and catches it. It’s like watching the CFL. If you think you’re just going to line him up as a classic X or Z and he’s going to run a full route tree, no. He’s a work in progress, too.” Scored 12 on the 12-minute, 50-question Wonderlic intelligence test. “He’s wildly overrated,” said a fifth scout. “I don’t see an overwhelming trait. A lot of people point to his run after the catch, but I think you have to evaluate the guys trying to tackle him. He’s playing against some really bad Big 12 defenses. You’re just not going up against NFL people in that league. I’m just not a big believer in his skill set transitioning.”
2. JERRY JEUDY, Alabama (6-1, 193, 4.44, 1): The third-year junior is one scout’s “favorite player to watch in the draft because he’s a very accomplished, precise route runner. You don’t often see that in a draft prospect. He’s very advanced in the route-running.” Backed up in 2017 before starting the past two years. Finished with 159 catches for 2,742 (17.2) and 26 TDs. “He has more of that superstar potential than anyone,” said another scout. “Just a phenomenal route runner. Explosive. Just makes things happen. He had some drops in the LSU game but he came back after that and caught a touchdown and a 2-point conversion. So he’s a competitor and rises up.” Posted a 9 on the Wonderlic. “He was good in the interview with us,” a third scout said. “He really understands football … He’s lived life in the ultimate football playground. Speed merchants on the outside. Point guard at quarterback. 5-star offensive line. Draftable running back. He plays in the slot and was never pressed. He’s got a three-way go every route. If you draft him to be your No. 1 and you put him at X and they have a 6-1 corner rolled up in his face with a safety over the top and a linebacker buzzing from inside, life can be a heck of a lot different. All his game is instincts, getting in and out of breaks. It’ll knock your socks off against Southern Miss and New Mexico State. If you’re set everywhere and you just need a slot guy, he’s like a luxury pick.” From Deerfield Beach, Fla. “I think Calvin Ridley, his former teammate, was a little bit better of a route runner,” a fourth scout said. “He’ll be able to get open. He can really slam on the brakes and lose people. All the physical traits are good, but nothing’s elite.”
3. HENRY RUGGS, Alabama (5-11, 188, 4.24, 1): Ruggs, who’s from Montgomery, Ala., followed a similar career arc as Jeudy, backing up as a freshman and starting two years. “He has a chance to be special because he’s got the rare trait of speed,” said one scout. “But he’s not a one-trick pony. He’s not Ted Ginn, he’s not Darrius Heyward-Bey. He’s not just an outside-the-numbers guy. He’s super athletic (vertical jump of 42), he can run every route. He’s extremely tough. When you talk to the people in Tuscaloosa, he’s the most competitive kid in the program. You want to draft playmakers, and he’s got a chance to be a great playmaker. He’s a significantly better player coming out than Tyreek Hill was.” Finished with 98 catches for 1,716 (17.5) and 24 TDs. “Does that guy turn into Brandin Cooks or Ted Ginn?” said another scout. “Often, when teams try to make (speedsters) into more than they are, they struggle. He may turn into more than that. We’ll see. I don’t see Tyreek Hill.” Third-year junior with a Wonderlic of 20. “If you expect him to come in and be your No. 1 receiver I don’t see that,” said a third scout. “He was really a specialist in their offense where they designed certain plays for him … He is fast, but when people get on him you don’t see the same speed and route running. When he gets the ball, if he has a clear path, he can go. But he’s not a make-you-miss player. I don’t think he’s timid (in traffic). But he’s not a playmaker on the ball so when bodies are around him he doesn’t catch the ball. He’s a space-vertical linear route runner that needs space to catch the ball.”
4. JUSTIN JEFFERSON, LSU (6-1, 202, 4.47, 1-2): Jefferson surprised a segment of the scouting fraternity with his fast 40. “The big thing on him was going to be his speed because he’s such a smooth athlete,” said one scout. “His workout was really good. I don’t think he’ll ever be a Pro Bowl No. 1 guy, but he’s a really good No. 2.” He destroyed Oklahoma in the national semifinals not long before declaring as a third-year junior. “Polished, good hands, does most of his damage from the slot,” another scout said. “Good all-around skill set.” A two-year starter with 165 catches for 2,415 (14.6) and 24 TDs, a third scout says he’s “a solid No. 2, but I don’t see him as a good No. 2,” a third scout said. “I don’t see ultra explosiveness. I don’t see the test numbers. He had a lot of production, but the guys he plays on this level (NFL) will be able to take some of those opportunities away. He can make contested catches. I saw him go through a lot of zone and I saw a lot of clean, free access getting off the line. I want to see him beat more press. I didn’t see that.” Jefferson is from St. Rose, La and scored 19 on the Wonderlic.
“Even going back to his junior year, he only had 33 catches but just grading the flash plays he was better than N’Keal Harry,” one scout said about ASU’s Brandon Aiyuk. (Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
5. BRANDON AIYUK, Arizona State (5-11 ½, 205, 4.53): Aiyuk played in junior college for two seasons. He played second fiddle to N’Keal Harry in 2018 before breaking out in ’19. “He’s (5-11½) but he’s got an 80-inch wingspan, which is so disproportionately long for his body, so he’s really a big target for a smaller guy,” one scout said. “He has ranginess to him, yet he’s compact enough where his change of direction is great. He’s really explosive on tape. Even going back to his junior year, he only had 33 catches but just grading the flash plays he was better than N’Keal Harry.” He caught 65 balls as a senior, finishing with 98 for 1,666 (17.0) ands 11 TDs. “The first three or four games this year it was kind of whatever,” said another scout. “Then something clicked and he really turned it on. Their offensive line was horrible, so a lot of his deep routes didn’t really have time to develop because the quarterback (freshman Jayden Daniels) had to get the ball out. He became that quarterback’s best friend. He’s underrated. Early on, he comes in as your No. 1 punt returner and kickoff guy.” He has a Wonderlic score of 23. “Explosive with a 40-inch vert, excellent route runner, quickness,” said a third scout. “You could compare Greg Jennings to him. He’s better than Nelson Agholor.” From Reno, Nev.
6. TEE HIGGINS, Clemson (6-3 ½, 215, 4.58, 1-2): More than one personnel man identified him as having the best hands in the draft. “He’s an outside-only guy,” one scout said. “He’s a contested, 50-50 ball guy with strong hands and a big catching radius. He may need some help getting open, but he can catch it. He’s going to be covered a lot but he’s got the catching radius.” Arms measured a position-best 34 1/8 but hands were a small 9 ¼. “Just worried about the 40 time and his inability to separate,” said another scout. “They match up. He is really good down the field going up and getting the football. But getting off press, which you don’t see a lot at the college level, for a guy that isn’t real twitchy, he’ll have to win with size at the line of scrimmage. I think eventually he’ll be able to do it, but it’s going to be a transition for him.” Caught 135 passes for 2,448 (18.1) and 27 TDs. “Behind Ruggs, he’d be my next pick to bust,” a third scout said. “For a big, athletic kind of guy I don’t think he plays very strong. I don’t think he plays very sudden. And I don’t think he’s very tough. For the type of receiver he has to be, being that big guy making plays over people, I just don’t see that grit and toughness that you need. I wasn’t surprised at all (by the slow 40). He’s a buildup (speed) guy. Lot of that (production) was scheming him.” Wonderlic of 11. From Oak Ridge, Tenn.
7. BRYAN EDWARDS, South Carolina (6-2 ½, 212, no 40, 1-2): A four-year starter from Conway, S.C, “he excited me,” one scout said. “There’s a ceiling on him because I don’t think he’s a dynamic athlete. He’s a 4.5’s kind of guy, like a big, physical banger, a guy who will do dirty work. He can play big slot. It’s not like he’s lightning quick, but he’s fluid enough to be a good enough route runner. He’s a lot like Sterling Sharpe was except he doesn’t have the run after. You probably have to have some other pieces around him, guys that are more dynamic playmakers. But if you have that and you throw him in the mix then he’s interesting. I think he’s a great third-round pick.” His value was diminished by the broken foot he suffered while training in February, a meniscus tear in November, a concussion and sports hernia surgery in 2017. “He’s very physical, which I love about him, but it’s kind of counterproductive for him,” said another scout. “Durability is a big problem. I don’t think people give him credit for how athletic he is. I just think he does a lot of things that really matter for that position. He’s one of my favorite players.” Finished with 234 catches for 3,045 (13.0) and 22 TDs, surpassing ex-Gamecock Sharpe in several statistical categories. “He’s really lost steam because of the injury,” a third scout said. “He’s kind of your old school West Coast (receiver) catching slants, breaking tackles and go. There’s a lot of love for that guy in the league.” Edwards scored 28 on the Wonderlic and ranked second among the top 13 wideouts.
Eight. JALEN REAGOR, TCU (5-10 ½, 206, 4.46, 1-2): The third-year junior posted the best broad jump (11-6) of the top 25 wideouts. “Holy shit, he’s exciting,” said one scout. “His speed and run after … we’re looking for explosive playmakers. His punt returns were like holy hell. … His skill set is outstanding.” Finished with 148 catches for 2,248 (15.2) and 22 TDs. “He’s faster and quicker than CeeDee or (Justin) Jefferson,” said a second scout. “He’s tough, he’ll catch in the middle and he takes the ball away from people. But, if the ball’s not coming to him, he doesn’t do much. He doesn’t block. He hardly gets off the line of scrimmage sometimes. He is a talented, talented kid, but his body language and attitude, from film only, is bad. Kind of a reluctant football player. When the ball’s coming to him he’s full-speed.” He posted 13 on the Wonderlic. “He may be the most explosive guy coming out of this draft,” said a third scout. “Quick and aggressive, plays fast, quick hands. Can he be a slot receiver, too? I think he can.” From Waxahachie, Texas. Added a fourth scout: “If I want a jet sweep guy I want Reagor. That (guy) is fast.”
9. DENZEL MIMS, Baylor (6-3, 207, 4.38, 1-2): Among his many achievements at the combine was a position-best 6.66 3-cone. “The 6.6 3-cone is crazy for a guy with that lever system,” said one scout. “He can really go up and make acrobatic plays on the ball. He showed at the Senior Bowl he can beat press coverage and get open at the top of routes. He’s better than Lamb and maybe better than Jeudy. He’s bigger, faster, longer. You’ve got a chance to really hit on Denzel Mims.” Mims was a three-year starter for a Baylor program that has never had a receiver make it big in the NFL. “He’s big, but I see a finesse guy who dropped too many balls in traffic,” a second scout said. “He’s got the height, weight, speed. I’ve seen too many guys with traits like that come in and fail out, and he doesn’t play special teams. I don’t see that kind of dog in him.” A three-year starter, he finished with 186 receptions for 2,925 (15.7) and 28 TDs. “He’s got vertical speed, he does have tracking skills and he understands how to use his size in the red zone,” said a third scout. “He’s an outside receiver. He’s going to need a lot of work on how to run routes. He has tight shoulders. Better high-ball catcher than low-ball catcher. More of a 400-meter guy. He’s got inconsistent hands. He’s going to need work on how to get off press. He’s just got average body control. I got him in the second round.” He’s from Daingerfield, Texas and posted a Wonderlic score of 17.
10. LAVISKA SHENAULT, Colorado (6-0 ½, 227, 4.58, 2-3): Classic boom-or-bust prospect. “Mental and injury,” one scout replied when asked why Shenault was his choice to bust. “He’s always been the best guy on his team. You put him in one position and he’s just going to flounder. He’s head and shoulders in the bust factor above everyone else. I wouldn’t be surprised if he has a big fall.” Played split end for the Buffaloes but also did extensive damage as a ‘wildcat’ quarterback. “Little bit immature but, my God, is he big and powerful,” a second scout said. “His ’18 film was way better than his ’19 film. He’s a power guy, and those guys play.” He’s coming off of core muscle surgery in late February and also has had shoulder and turf toe surgery. “He’s kind of got some Cordarrelle Patterson to him in terms of his role,” a third scout said. “Not as explosive. With that body type, I don’t see A.J. Brown. A.J. made so many contested catches and was so productive for three years. A.J. was a receiver when he came out. This guy is an athlete. He’ll have to make a transition to a receiver, and I think he’s going to have a tough time.” Finished with 149 catches for 1,943 (13.0) and 10 TDs. “He’s not bad, just not a lot of personality,” said a fourth scout. “Kind of low-key.” Wonderlic of 14. Small hands (9). A third-year junior from DeSoto, Texas.
“Van Jefferson is not just some polished kid, an overachiever. He’s got serious juice. He’s got a lot more speed than I thought he had. He can break people off and get open,” one scout says on the Florida WR. Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
11. VAN JEFFERSON, Florida (6-1 ½, 200, no 40, 2-3): His father, Shawn, has been an NFL wide receivers coach for most of the past 20 years after a 13-year career in which he caught 470 passes for 7,023 (14.9) and 29 TDs. “Arguably he’s the best route runner in the class, and he’s got great hands and he’s mature and his dad is one of the best wide receivers coaches in the league (now with the Jets) and was a good player in his own right,” said one scout. “You knew he’d have some of that stuff just being a coach’s kid. Van is not just some polished kid, an overachiever. He’s got serious juice. He’s got a lot more speed than I thought he had. He can break people off and get open.” Jefferson started 41 of 48 games, finishing with 175 catches for 2,159 (12.3) and 16 TDs. He was unable to work at the combine after doctors discovered a foot fracture that required surgery. “He had a really good game against LSU,” another scout said. “Just kind of thin. Not really a speed guy. He’ll be a good backup. Your worry about Van is this guy is maxed out.” Wonderlic of 12. From Brentwood, Tenn. “Interesting guy,” said a third scout. “Terrible quarterback, terrible offense, but did really well at the Senior Bowl. He’s got size, really good quickness and route savvy. He can separate. He’s going to be a really good pro. He doesn’t have that explosive speed so he’s going to slide. This guy really knows how to play.”
12. MICHAEL PITTMAN, USC (6-4, 223, 4.52, 2-3): His father, Michael, played 11 years as an NFL running back gaining 5,627 yards (4.0 average) and scoring 25 TDs. “Doesn’t get a lot of love because he’s on the West Coast,” said one scout. “But he’s a big-body guy that belongs in the top-10 conversation (at wideout). Tough guy in traffic.” Started 30 of 48 games over four seasons, catching 171 passes for 2,519 (14.7) and 19 TDs. “Same type of guy as Bryan Edwards,” a second scout said. “Makes most of his catches in traffic. Strong after the catch. He surprised me with his speed. He and (Tee) Higgins are basically the same guy. Higgins played with a better team. I remember Pittman’s father in the Super Bowl when he played hard and tough even though the Raiders got beat badly. The son has that type of attitude as well. It’s going to be tough to stop him.” He led the leading wideouts with a Wonderlic of 29 and hails from Woodland Hills, Calif.
13. KJ HAMLER, Penn State (5-8 ½, 178, no 40, 3): Third-year sophomore. “He’s small, but his speed is rare,” said one scout. “He is electric after the catch. He’s a human joystick. He has home-run ability. You’re going to have to scheme him a little bit to get him the ball.” One scout said he had the worst hands in the draft. “He’s like a 50-50 guy,” said a second scout. “He probably has the best chance to bust because he can’t catch. He can stretch the field. He played tough. He went up for balls. The thing that killed me is he can be a return guy, but he just didn’t perform, which is weird. He was just average in every sense of the word.” Finished with 98 catches for 1,658 (16.9) and 13 TDs. “He would run across the formation and he wouldn’t even look and the quarterback is looking at him,” said another scout. “After seeing that three, four, five times, something was up with this kid. He’s a slot receiver. To play outside I think would be ridiculous. He is tiny. Third round.” From Pontiac, Mich, with a Wonderlic of 15.
OTHERS, in order: Lynn Bowden, Kentucky; Quez Watkins, Southern Mississippi; Gabriel Davis, Central Florida; Devin Duvernay, Texas; Isaiah Hodgins, Oregon State; Isaiah Coulter, Rhode Island; James Proche, SMU; Darnell Mooney, Tulane; Collin Johnson, Texas; K.J. Hill, Ohio State; Dezmon Patmon, Washington State; John Hightower, Boise State; Donovan Peoples-Jones, Michigan; Joe Reed, Virginia; Antonio Gandy-Golden, Liberty; Trishton Jackson, Syracuse; Quintez Cephus, Wisconsin; Tyler Johnson, Minnesota.
TIGHT ENDS
“If you want an all-around guy, kind of a Kyle Rudolph-type guy, he’s it,” a scout says of Notre Dame TE Cole Kmet. (Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports)
1. COLE KMET, Notre Dame (6-5 ½, 262, 4.68, 1-2): Kmet reminded one scout of ex-Cowboy Jason Witten (6-5 ½, 260, 4.67). “If you want an all-around guy, kind of a Kyle Rudolph-type guy, he’s it,” said another scout. “He’s faster than Kyle, but he doesn’t have the ball skills. He’s had some durability issues. He’s got great intangibles. He can run. He can catch. He doesn’t have an elite trait but you really love the body type and everything about him.” Third-year junior with 60 catches (43 in 2019) for 691 (11.5) and six TDs. “He’s not a talent like Vernon Davis or Evan Engram,” a third scout said. “He’s more of a throwback, classic Y tight end. He’s solid. He won’t fail.” From Lake Barrington, Ill. “I don’t see a great blocker and I don’t see a great receiver,” said a fourth scout. “I see a guy that’s more of a U. I don’t see a great Y. He reminds me a lot of the (Drew) Sample guy that came out last year out of Washington and plays with the Bengals. Some of the workout (numbers) were better than the player he is. I don’t see first round. I think he’s always going to be a solid No. 2 (tight end), maybe a good No. 3.” Wonderlic of 28.
2. CHASE CLAYPOOL, Notre Dame (6-4, 238, 4.44, 1-2): Made 33 starts at WR over four seasons. Some teams are vociferous about him playing outside in the NFL. Others see him as a TE. “I think he’s big enough to be a tight end,” said one scout. “He’s every bit as big as Travis Kelce. He’s faster than Kelce. That’s who I saw.” His combine numbers were the best by a tight end. “I just don’t see the blocker at tight end,” a second scout said. “I don’t see how he holds up. People had the same conversation with Devin Funchess. You’re talking about the Jared Cook’s of the world. That’s just a different body type.” Finished with 150 catches for 2,159 (14.4) and 19 TDs. “The big ones that don’t make it, like Jonathan Baldwin, is because they’ve got a long ways to go because of (lack) of polish,” the second scout continued. “He’s not that far away. He’s fast, aggressive, has good hands. He was a dog on special teams. If you try to make him a multi-cut route runner, it’s going to be a problem. Let him be a big, fast, vertical, take-the-lid-off, contest-catch-winning guy. Mike Evans is a vertical route runner. I’m not calling this kid Mike Evans, but there are some comparable traits.” From Abbotsford, B.C., Claypool is the first Notre Dame signee from Canada since 1994. He posted a Wonderlic score of 27.
3. ADAM TRAUTMAN, Dayton (6-5, 255, 4.78, 2-3): Often compared to TE Adam Shaheen (6-6 ½, 278, 4.81), the Bears’ disappointing second-round pick in 2017 from NCAA Division II Ashland (Ohio), Dayton is a member of the FCS but non-scholarship Pioneer League. “It looked like (NCAA Division III) when I showed up at practice,” said one scout. “Some of the teams they played down south were good. I liked him. He didn’t back down at the Senior Bowl. They (the Flyers) kind of just used him as a pass-catching tight end. He has a big catch radius, soft hands. Needs to work on his lower-body strength and his blocking.” Started 40 of 44 games, catching 178 passes for 2,295 (12.9) and 31 TDs. “He played against little people, but he dominated that level of competition as a receiver and a blocker,” a second scout said. He ran a blazing 3-cone of 6.78. “He’s a poor man’s Cole Kmet,” said a third scout. “He does a lot of things well. He doesn’t do things great. He’s not that fast, not that strong. He’s a good route runner but he’s better laterally than stretching the field.” He scored 27 on the Wonderlic. “If the guy from the Bears (Shaheen) goes in the second, this guy goes in the third,” a fourth scout said. “He’s got a lot of football to learn but he’s got a lot of upside. Good blocker. Works to finish.” Trautman is from Elk Rapids, Mich.
4. HARRISON BRYANT, Florida Atlantic (6-4 ½, 243, 4.73, 3-4): “I have him shadowed across tight end and fullback,” said one scout. “He’s not an old-school thumper where you can run iso with him. With the way it is now, I could see him in a West Coast (offense) almost like San Fran uses their fullback (Kyle Juszczyk). He can line up on the wing, the edge of a formation and run across the formation and you can throw him the ball. He functions enough as a blocker.” Played a flex position under FAU coach Lane Kiffin, surpassing 1,000 yards as a senior. Finished with 148 receptions for 2,137 (14.4) and 16 TDs. His major negative might be an arm length of 30 5/8, shortest at the position. “Not real high on him,” said another scout. “He doesn’t have top size. He has no length. He’s not real strong. The athletic traits are just average.” He posted a Wonderlic of 26 and is from Gray, Ga.
5. ALBERT OKWUEGBUNAM, Missouri (6-5 ½, 258, 4.50, 3-4): A fourth-year junior, one scout said Okwuegbunam is “kind of an enigma to me. Really talented human being in terms of size and athleticism but just doesn’t put it all together. Someone’s going to take him based off potential. If they can get through to the mind to get it out of the body he’ll have a chance. It’s a risk-reward pick that I don’t have interest in. Someone might be silly enough to go second round.” He caught 43 passes from Drew Lock in 2018 but nabbed just 26 in 2019 to finish with 98 for 1,187 (12.1) and 23 TDs. “You’re talking about a 6-6 guy that runs 4.5,” another scout said. “He had a really good junior year. The senior year was off. At least he has dominant traits. You see guys like that go in the third, fourth and fifth rounds and become really good players.” His father emigrated from Nigeria. Okwuegbunam, from Springfield, Ill., posted a Wonderlic of 28 and has the longest arms among tight ends (34 1/8). “He oozes around on routes, lots of drops, timid blocker,” said a third scout. “Non-factor.”
6. DEVIN ASIASI, UCLA (6-3, 257, 4.79, 3-4): He spent one year at Michigan before departing for off-field reasons. He sat out at UCLA in 2017, backed up in ’18 and started in ’19. Almost all of his production (44 catches, 789, 15.2, six TDs) came as a fourth-year junior. “He is a ball-playing Jesse,” said one scout. “You love watching him. He is a competitive kid that will block. He’s tough, he finishes and he’ll go down inside. He’s got good hands, although they didn’t use him much as a receiver. He can run a little bit. He can flex, but he’s not going to challenge the safeties. He is a great utility player to have on your team.” He scored 25 on the Wonderlic and has had weight problems in the past. “He’s one of those dumpy-body looking guys that makes you think he isn’t athletic but he is,” another scout said. “Really good all-around player.” From Shoreview, Calif.
7. HUNTER BRYANT, Washington (6-2, 248, 4.75, 4-5): Personnel men for several teams expressed considerable concern about Bryant, a third-year junior with a long medical history (knee, back, hamstring). He missed time in his first two seasons but started all 12 games in 2019. “He’s a sawed-off, muscled-up dude,” said one scout. “Definitely a receiving tight end. He’s somebody you can move around and kind of take advantage of some mismatches against linebackers. Really good hands. Gives effort in the run game. He does enough. He gets in the way or seals people off. You can put him in the backfield. He’s not going to be that physical root-somebody-out kind of guy when you line him up at fullback. The versatility is what attracts me to him.” Finished with 85 catches for 1,394 (16.4) and five TDs. “I didn’t like him,” said another scout. “Most of these guys will try. He doesn’t even try to block. I don’t think he’s that athletic for being that small. Very inconsistent. Late pick.” He scored 29 on the Wonderlic and is from Issaquah, Wash.
OTHERS, in order: Brycen Hopkins, Purdue; Thaddeus Moss, LSU; Colby Parkinson, Stanford; Dalton Keene, Virginia Tech; Sean McKeon, Michigan; Cheyenne O’Grady, ex-Arkansas; Jared Pinkney, Vanderbilt; Stephen Sullivan, LSU; Charlie Taumoepeau, Portland State; Jacob Breeland, Oregon; Ahmad Wagner, Kentucky; Kyle Markway, South Carolina; Mitchell Wilcox, South Florida.
THE SKINNY
UNSUNG HERO
Isaiah Coulter, WR, Rhode Island: Bidding to become the Rams’ first drafted player since 1986 when T Bob White went in the seventh round to the Jets. Lightly recruited, he improved each of his three seasons before surprisingly declaring a year early. Lean at 6-2, 198, but ran fast (4.42) and is a smooth route runner.
SCOUTS’ NIGHTMARE
Thaddeus Moss, TE, LSU: As the son of Hall of Fame WR Randy Moss, there are advantages and disadvantages. Moss played just one season for the Tigers as the fifth wheel in a wildly explosive offense, so scouts wonder how much of his production (47 receptions, four TDs) was the result of defenses basically ignoring him. Medically excluded at the combine, Moss’ 40 time has been estimated at 4.85 and 4.9. At his size (6-2, 250), that type of speed won’t cut it.
SCOUT TO REMEMBER
C.O. Brocato: Anyone who ever scouted the Southwest knew him and no doubt liked him. For more than 40 years he worked for the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans, driving from his home in Arlington, Texas to colleges throughout Texas, Arkansas and elsewhere. Not only was Brocato an engaging personality, he also was a pioneer in terms of drills used at the combine and elsewhere. He deserves credit for coming up with the 3-cone run of today that replaced the outmoded four-square run. He died in 2015 at age 85.
QUOTE TO NOTE
NFC personnel executive: “Lamb, Shenault and Aiyuk aren’t your natural, traditional, fluid, route-running receivers. They’re almost Anquan Boldin types, but today people say Deebo Samuel. You get the ball out quick, run after catch, end around, slip screens, that kind of stuff they’re doing so much more now of with receivers.”
Bob McGinn Apr 15, 2020
This is the 36th year Bob McGinn has written an NFL Draft Series. Previously, it appeared in the Green Bay Press-Gazette (1985-91), the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (1992-2017) and BobMcGinnFootball.com (2018-19). Through 2014, scouts often were quoted by name. The series reluctantly adopted an all-anonymous format in 2015 at the request of most scouts. This will be a nine-part series, starting with receivers.
So many conversations about this class of wide receivers began with a common refrain.
“This is maybe the deepest wide receiver group,” said one longtime AFC personnel man. “But as far as like a Julio (Jones) or Calvin Johnson, absolutely not.”
Johnson (6-5, 239, 4.35) had it all. When he left Georgia Tech a year early to enter the draft in 2007, he was compared by scouts to Jerry Rice, James Lofton, Randy Moss, Larry Fitzgerald and Keyshawn Johnson. Jones (6-2 ½, 220, 4.39) left Alabama after his junior year and became the sixth overall selection in 2011. People dug deep to come up with comparables for him as well. After nine seasons of superstardom, Johnson walked away from the Detroit Lions whereas Jones’ drive still burns hot after nine years in Atlanta. Their physical gifts led to a consistently unique level of play. Although this certainly rates as the year of the wide receiver, Johnson and Jones have more dominant traits than anyone in the class. Obviously, that doesn’t mean a decade from now there won’t be a player or two who deserves to stand in their company.
The sheer numbers at wide receivers are astounding. “Deepest I’ve ever seen,” said one 20-year scouting veteran. “I like so many of them, and for different reasons.”
One scout counted at least 20 wideouts that “in the right circumstance could actually become a player in this league.” Another said a starter could be uncovered in the fourth round, much like how Washington found Terry McLaurin, its top receiver, in the third round a year ago. “The first 13 or 14 names that we have are all going to play,” an AFC executive said. “There’s some wild cards beyond that. There’s not any game-changers.”
The result, of course, are the NFL’s ever-expanding scouting departments grinding endlessly at tape machines. “It’s the most over-scouted position just because there’s so damn many of them, especially in today’s game,” said one scout. All the attention makes perfect sense given the product that the league office and ownership have promulgated through rules changes favoring scoring. “That’s natural because of the evolution of football,” an executive said in reference to the scrutiny of wide receivers.
As draft boards are made final, we hear about speed, ball skills, explosiveness, run after the catch and other physical traits that are most often weighed to loosen packs of receivers with similar grades. We don’t hear a lot about intelligence, which some scouts have said often separates the haves from the have-nots.
“To me, the hardest transition from college to pro is the wide receiver position,” said an executive. “You have to be smart. Dummies won’t make it.”
The oldest method used by NFL teams to measure intelligence is the 12-minute, 50-question Wonderlic test. Many in the industry understand the test has its limitations. It’s why the continuing usage of matrices testing involving shapes and other non-reading material is thought by some to provide a clearer model of intellect. Yet, the Wonderlic has survived because teams still view it as a valuable tool in the evaluation of pro football players. The average score of the eight wide receivers voted to the Pro Bowl in 2019 was 21.6. The average score of my top 13 wide receivers in this draft is 17.1.
Two of the three lowest scores among the 2019 Pro Bowlers belonged to first-rounders DeAndre Hopkins (17) and Jones (15). Another first-round pick, Mike Evans, scored 25. The other five players, including two second-round choices, two third-round choices and one fifth, possess a wide array of strengths and weaknesses. The common bond, however, could well be their ability to think on their feet and make critical pre- and post-snap adjustments. Tyreek Hill led that group of five with a Wonderlic score of 27, followed by Chris Godwin (26), Jarvis Landry (23), Michael Thomas (21) and Keenan Allen (19).
My polling of 17 executives in personnel took place in the last 2 ½ weeks. Each scout was asked to rank the wide receivers on a 1 to 6 basis, with a first-place vote worth 6 points, a second worth 5 and so on.
CeeDee Lamb, with 87 points and 10 first-place votes, nosed out Jerry Jeudy, who had 86 and five. Following, in order, were Henry Ruggs (66, one), Justin Jefferson (28 ½), Tee Higgins (25 ½, one), Bryan Edwards (13), Brandon Aiyuk (12), Laviska Shenault (11), Jalen Reagor (10), KJ Hamler (4 ½), Denzel Mims (four), Lynn Bowden (three), Quez Watkins (three), Van Jefferson (two), Gabriel Davis (one) and Michael Pittman (one-half).
Then the personnel men were asked who among the top 10 or 12 players had the best chance to bust. Shenault led the way with eight votes followed by Mims with four, Higgins with two and Hamler, Reagor and Ruggs, each one.
“It’d be foolish for a team to sit there (in the teens) and take a wideout,” one scout said. “You can get another wideout in the second or third, a Bryan Edwards, a Michael Pittman, a Lynn Bowden … it’s a real deep pool but it’s shallow at the top. There’s nobody that’s super elite, height-weight-speed freakish Julio, Calvin Johnson.”
Could someone such as Aiyuk, Edwards, even Quez Watkins emerge as the best in the class three years from now?
“Sure,” said an AFC evaluator. “It all depends on where they go, what the system is and who’s coaching them.”
An NFC personnel director summed up the talent pool at tight end thusly: “It’s the shits.”
Before conducting the poll at tight end, the decision was made to classify Chase Claypool, a wide receiver at Notre Dame, as a tight end. This time, votes were asked to rank the tight ends on a 1-2-3-4-5 basis.
Cole Kmet easily won with 78 points and 11 first-place votes. Following, in order, were Adam Trautman (44, one), Claypool (41, two), Harrison Bryant (29, one), Albert Okwuegbunam (22, one), Devin Asiasi (16, one), Hunter Bryant (nine), Brycen Hopkins (six), Thaddeus Moss (five), Colby Parkinson (four) and Dalton Keene (one).
“It’s not a strong group,” one personnel man said, “when you’re more excited to work with a wide receiver projection (Claypool) than guys that played tight end their whole life.”
Tight ends often are divided into Y (play-side base blocker), U (back-side base blocker), F (detached as a receiver) and H (move). The numbers of conventional Y and U players continues to dwindle. As scouts debate whether a tight end has the speed to threaten a two-deep secondary or blocks well enough in-line, intelligence seems to be a very important factor for the position.
“That’s a killer at tight end,” said one scout. “They’re asked to do so much. It’s hard to play with dumb tight ends.”
My top seven tight ends posted an average Wonderlic score of 27.1.
RANKING THE RECEIVERS
(Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
WIDE RECEIVERS
1. CEEDEE LAMB, Oklahoma (6-1 ½, 198, 4.48, 1): Compared by one scout to Chad Johnson. “You throw the ball up, he’s coming down with it,” said one scout. “He’s got courage. He has better feet than (Justin) Jefferson. I had no idea he could run as good as he did. He’s a great kid on top of it. He’s a no-brainer.” A third-year junior from Richmond, Texas, he “catches the crap out of the ball,” according to another scout. “Great hands. He runs 4.48, which is way fast enough. He runs really good routes. He can go against press and off.” Finished with 173 receptions for 3,292 yards (19.0 average) and 32 touchdowns. “Just a competitive and strong guy,” said a third scout. “Almost an Anquan Boldin-type of receiver. I don’t think he’s a superstar. Lamb kind of maximizes what he has.” Jumps were pedestrian: vertical (34 ½ inches, 10-foot, 4-inch broad jump). So was the bench press (11 reps). “They scheme him up a lot,” said a fourth scout. “Bubble passes. He comes flying around in motion and catches it. It’s like watching the CFL. If you think you’re just going to line him up as a classic X or Z and he’s going to run a full route tree, no. He’s a work in progress, too.” Scored 12 on the 12-minute, 50-question Wonderlic intelligence test. “He’s wildly overrated,” said a fifth scout. “I don’t see an overwhelming trait. A lot of people point to his run after the catch, but I think you have to evaluate the guys trying to tackle him. He’s playing against some really bad Big 12 defenses. You’re just not going up against NFL people in that league. I’m just not a big believer in his skill set transitioning.”
2. JERRY JEUDY, Alabama (6-1, 193, 4.44, 1): The third-year junior is one scout’s “favorite player to watch in the draft because he’s a very accomplished, precise route runner. You don’t often see that in a draft prospect. He’s very advanced in the route-running.” Backed up in 2017 before starting the past two years. Finished with 159 catches for 2,742 (17.2) and 26 TDs. “He has more of that superstar potential than anyone,” said another scout. “Just a phenomenal route runner. Explosive. Just makes things happen. He had some drops in the LSU game but he came back after that and caught a touchdown and a 2-point conversion. So he’s a competitor and rises up.” Posted a 9 on the Wonderlic. “He was good in the interview with us,” a third scout said. “He really understands football … He’s lived life in the ultimate football playground. Speed merchants on the outside. Point guard at quarterback. 5-star offensive line. Draftable running back. He plays in the slot and was never pressed. He’s got a three-way go every route. If you draft him to be your No. 1 and you put him at X and they have a 6-1 corner rolled up in his face with a safety over the top and a linebacker buzzing from inside, life can be a heck of a lot different. All his game is instincts, getting in and out of breaks. It’ll knock your socks off against Southern Miss and New Mexico State. If you’re set everywhere and you just need a slot guy, he’s like a luxury pick.” From Deerfield Beach, Fla. “I think Calvin Ridley, his former teammate, was a little bit better of a route runner,” a fourth scout said. “He’ll be able to get open. He can really slam on the brakes and lose people. All the physical traits are good, but nothing’s elite.”
3. HENRY RUGGS, Alabama (5-11, 188, 4.24, 1): Ruggs, who’s from Montgomery, Ala., followed a similar career arc as Jeudy, backing up as a freshman and starting two years. “He has a chance to be special because he’s got the rare trait of speed,” said one scout. “But he’s not a one-trick pony. He’s not Ted Ginn, he’s not Darrius Heyward-Bey. He’s not just an outside-the-numbers guy. He’s super athletic (vertical jump of 42), he can run every route. He’s extremely tough. When you talk to the people in Tuscaloosa, he’s the most competitive kid in the program. You want to draft playmakers, and he’s got a chance to be a great playmaker. He’s a significantly better player coming out than Tyreek Hill was.” Finished with 98 catches for 1,716 (17.5) and 24 TDs. “Does that guy turn into Brandin Cooks or Ted Ginn?” said another scout. “Often, when teams try to make (speedsters) into more than they are, they struggle. He may turn into more than that. We’ll see. I don’t see Tyreek Hill.” Third-year junior with a Wonderlic of 20. “If you expect him to come in and be your No. 1 receiver I don’t see that,” said a third scout. “He was really a specialist in their offense where they designed certain plays for him … He is fast, but when people get on him you don’t see the same speed and route running. When he gets the ball, if he has a clear path, he can go. But he’s not a make-you-miss player. I don’t think he’s timid (in traffic). But he’s not a playmaker on the ball so when bodies are around him he doesn’t catch the ball. He’s a space-vertical linear route runner that needs space to catch the ball.”
4. JUSTIN JEFFERSON, LSU (6-1, 202, 4.47, 1-2): Jefferson surprised a segment of the scouting fraternity with his fast 40. “The big thing on him was going to be his speed because he’s such a smooth athlete,” said one scout. “His workout was really good. I don’t think he’ll ever be a Pro Bowl No. 1 guy, but he’s a really good No. 2.” He destroyed Oklahoma in the national semifinals not long before declaring as a third-year junior. “Polished, good hands, does most of his damage from the slot,” another scout said. “Good all-around skill set.” A two-year starter with 165 catches for 2,415 (14.6) and 24 TDs, a third scout says he’s “a solid No. 2, but I don’t see him as a good No. 2,” a third scout said. “I don’t see ultra explosiveness. I don’t see the test numbers. He had a lot of production, but the guys he plays on this level (NFL) will be able to take some of those opportunities away. He can make contested catches. I saw him go through a lot of zone and I saw a lot of clean, free access getting off the line. I want to see him beat more press. I didn’t see that.” Jefferson is from St. Rose, La and scored 19 on the Wonderlic.
“Even going back to his junior year, he only had 33 catches but just grading the flash plays he was better than N’Keal Harry,” one scout said about ASU’s Brandon Aiyuk. (Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
5. BRANDON AIYUK, Arizona State (5-11 ½, 205, 4.53): Aiyuk played in junior college for two seasons. He played second fiddle to N’Keal Harry in 2018 before breaking out in ’19. “He’s (5-11½) but he’s got an 80-inch wingspan, which is so disproportionately long for his body, so he’s really a big target for a smaller guy,” one scout said. “He has ranginess to him, yet he’s compact enough where his change of direction is great. He’s really explosive on tape. Even going back to his junior year, he only had 33 catches but just grading the flash plays he was better than N’Keal Harry.” He caught 65 balls as a senior, finishing with 98 for 1,666 (17.0) ands 11 TDs. “The first three or four games this year it was kind of whatever,” said another scout. “Then something clicked and he really turned it on. Their offensive line was horrible, so a lot of his deep routes didn’t really have time to develop because the quarterback (freshman Jayden Daniels) had to get the ball out. He became that quarterback’s best friend. He’s underrated. Early on, he comes in as your No. 1 punt returner and kickoff guy.” He has a Wonderlic score of 23. “Explosive with a 40-inch vert, excellent route runner, quickness,” said a third scout. “You could compare Greg Jennings to him. He’s better than Nelson Agholor.” From Reno, Nev.
6. TEE HIGGINS, Clemson (6-3 ½, 215, 4.58, 1-2): More than one personnel man identified him as having the best hands in the draft. “He’s an outside-only guy,” one scout said. “He’s a contested, 50-50 ball guy with strong hands and a big catching radius. He may need some help getting open, but he can catch it. He’s going to be covered a lot but he’s got the catching radius.” Arms measured a position-best 34 1/8 but hands were a small 9 ¼. “Just worried about the 40 time and his inability to separate,” said another scout. “They match up. He is really good down the field going up and getting the football. But getting off press, which you don’t see a lot at the college level, for a guy that isn’t real twitchy, he’ll have to win with size at the line of scrimmage. I think eventually he’ll be able to do it, but it’s going to be a transition for him.” Caught 135 passes for 2,448 (18.1) and 27 TDs. “Behind Ruggs, he’d be my next pick to bust,” a third scout said. “For a big, athletic kind of guy I don’t think he plays very strong. I don’t think he plays very sudden. And I don’t think he’s very tough. For the type of receiver he has to be, being that big guy making plays over people, I just don’t see that grit and toughness that you need. I wasn’t surprised at all (by the slow 40). He’s a buildup (speed) guy. Lot of that (production) was scheming him.” Wonderlic of 11. From Oak Ridge, Tenn.
7. BRYAN EDWARDS, South Carolina (6-2 ½, 212, no 40, 1-2): A four-year starter from Conway, S.C, “he excited me,” one scout said. “There’s a ceiling on him because I don’t think he’s a dynamic athlete. He’s a 4.5’s kind of guy, like a big, physical banger, a guy who will do dirty work. He can play big slot. It’s not like he’s lightning quick, but he’s fluid enough to be a good enough route runner. He’s a lot like Sterling Sharpe was except he doesn’t have the run after. You probably have to have some other pieces around him, guys that are more dynamic playmakers. But if you have that and you throw him in the mix then he’s interesting. I think he’s a great third-round pick.” His value was diminished by the broken foot he suffered while training in February, a meniscus tear in November, a concussion and sports hernia surgery in 2017. “He’s very physical, which I love about him, but it’s kind of counterproductive for him,” said another scout. “Durability is a big problem. I don’t think people give him credit for how athletic he is. I just think he does a lot of things that really matter for that position. He’s one of my favorite players.” Finished with 234 catches for 3,045 (13.0) and 22 TDs, surpassing ex-Gamecock Sharpe in several statistical categories. “He’s really lost steam because of the injury,” a third scout said. “He’s kind of your old school West Coast (receiver) catching slants, breaking tackles and go. There’s a lot of love for that guy in the league.” Edwards scored 28 on the Wonderlic and ranked second among the top 13 wideouts.
Eight. JALEN REAGOR, TCU (5-10 ½, 206, 4.46, 1-2): The third-year junior posted the best broad jump (11-6) of the top 25 wideouts. “Holy shit, he’s exciting,” said one scout. “His speed and run after … we’re looking for explosive playmakers. His punt returns were like holy hell. … His skill set is outstanding.” Finished with 148 catches for 2,248 (15.2) and 22 TDs. “He’s faster and quicker than CeeDee or (Justin) Jefferson,” said a second scout. “He’s tough, he’ll catch in the middle and he takes the ball away from people. But, if the ball’s not coming to him, he doesn’t do much. He doesn’t block. He hardly gets off the line of scrimmage sometimes. He is a talented, talented kid, but his body language and attitude, from film only, is bad. Kind of a reluctant football player. When the ball’s coming to him he’s full-speed.” He posted 13 on the Wonderlic. “He may be the most explosive guy coming out of this draft,” said a third scout. “Quick and aggressive, plays fast, quick hands. Can he be a slot receiver, too? I think he can.” From Waxahachie, Texas. Added a fourth scout: “If I want a jet sweep guy I want Reagor. That (guy) is fast.”
9. DENZEL MIMS, Baylor (6-3, 207, 4.38, 1-2): Among his many achievements at the combine was a position-best 6.66 3-cone. “The 6.6 3-cone is crazy for a guy with that lever system,” said one scout. “He can really go up and make acrobatic plays on the ball. He showed at the Senior Bowl he can beat press coverage and get open at the top of routes. He’s better than Lamb and maybe better than Jeudy. He’s bigger, faster, longer. You’ve got a chance to really hit on Denzel Mims.” Mims was a three-year starter for a Baylor program that has never had a receiver make it big in the NFL. “He’s big, but I see a finesse guy who dropped too many balls in traffic,” a second scout said. “He’s got the height, weight, speed. I’ve seen too many guys with traits like that come in and fail out, and he doesn’t play special teams. I don’t see that kind of dog in him.” A three-year starter, he finished with 186 receptions for 2,925 (15.7) and 28 TDs. “He’s got vertical speed, he does have tracking skills and he understands how to use his size in the red zone,” said a third scout. “He’s an outside receiver. He’s going to need a lot of work on how to run routes. He has tight shoulders. Better high-ball catcher than low-ball catcher. More of a 400-meter guy. He’s got inconsistent hands. He’s going to need work on how to get off press. He’s just got average body control. I got him in the second round.” He’s from Daingerfield, Texas and posted a Wonderlic score of 17.
10. LAVISKA SHENAULT, Colorado (6-0 ½, 227, 4.58, 2-3): Classic boom-or-bust prospect. “Mental and injury,” one scout replied when asked why Shenault was his choice to bust. “He’s always been the best guy on his team. You put him in one position and he’s just going to flounder. He’s head and shoulders in the bust factor above everyone else. I wouldn’t be surprised if he has a big fall.” Played split end for the Buffaloes but also did extensive damage as a ‘wildcat’ quarterback. “Little bit immature but, my God, is he big and powerful,” a second scout said. “His ’18 film was way better than his ’19 film. He’s a power guy, and those guys play.” He’s coming off of core muscle surgery in late February and also has had shoulder and turf toe surgery. “He’s kind of got some Cordarrelle Patterson to him in terms of his role,” a third scout said. “Not as explosive. With that body type, I don’t see A.J. Brown. A.J. made so many contested catches and was so productive for three years. A.J. was a receiver when he came out. This guy is an athlete. He’ll have to make a transition to a receiver, and I think he’s going to have a tough time.” Finished with 149 catches for 1,943 (13.0) and 10 TDs. “He’s not bad, just not a lot of personality,” said a fourth scout. “Kind of low-key.” Wonderlic of 14. Small hands (9). A third-year junior from DeSoto, Texas.
“Van Jefferson is not just some polished kid, an overachiever. He’s got serious juice. He’s got a lot more speed than I thought he had. He can break people off and get open,” one scout says on the Florida WR. Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
11. VAN JEFFERSON, Florida (6-1 ½, 200, no 40, 2-3): His father, Shawn, has been an NFL wide receivers coach for most of the past 20 years after a 13-year career in which he caught 470 passes for 7,023 (14.9) and 29 TDs. “Arguably he’s the best route runner in the class, and he’s got great hands and he’s mature and his dad is one of the best wide receivers coaches in the league (now with the Jets) and was a good player in his own right,” said one scout. “You knew he’d have some of that stuff just being a coach’s kid. Van is not just some polished kid, an overachiever. He’s got serious juice. He’s got a lot more speed than I thought he had. He can break people off and get open.” Jefferson started 41 of 48 games, finishing with 175 catches for 2,159 (12.3) and 16 TDs. He was unable to work at the combine after doctors discovered a foot fracture that required surgery. “He had a really good game against LSU,” another scout said. “Just kind of thin. Not really a speed guy. He’ll be a good backup. Your worry about Van is this guy is maxed out.” Wonderlic of 12. From Brentwood, Tenn. “Interesting guy,” said a third scout. “Terrible quarterback, terrible offense, but did really well at the Senior Bowl. He’s got size, really good quickness and route savvy. He can separate. He’s going to be a really good pro. He doesn’t have that explosive speed so he’s going to slide. This guy really knows how to play.”
12. MICHAEL PITTMAN, USC (6-4, 223, 4.52, 2-3): His father, Michael, played 11 years as an NFL running back gaining 5,627 yards (4.0 average) and scoring 25 TDs. “Doesn’t get a lot of love because he’s on the West Coast,” said one scout. “But he’s a big-body guy that belongs in the top-10 conversation (at wideout). Tough guy in traffic.” Started 30 of 48 games over four seasons, catching 171 passes for 2,519 (14.7) and 19 TDs. “Same type of guy as Bryan Edwards,” a second scout said. “Makes most of his catches in traffic. Strong after the catch. He surprised me with his speed. He and (Tee) Higgins are basically the same guy. Higgins played with a better team. I remember Pittman’s father in the Super Bowl when he played hard and tough even though the Raiders got beat badly. The son has that type of attitude as well. It’s going to be tough to stop him.” He led the leading wideouts with a Wonderlic of 29 and hails from Woodland Hills, Calif.
13. KJ HAMLER, Penn State (5-8 ½, 178, no 40, 3): Third-year sophomore. “He’s small, but his speed is rare,” said one scout. “He is electric after the catch. He’s a human joystick. He has home-run ability. You’re going to have to scheme him a little bit to get him the ball.” One scout said he had the worst hands in the draft. “He’s like a 50-50 guy,” said a second scout. “He probably has the best chance to bust because he can’t catch. He can stretch the field. He played tough. He went up for balls. The thing that killed me is he can be a return guy, but he just didn’t perform, which is weird. He was just average in every sense of the word.” Finished with 98 catches for 1,658 (16.9) and 13 TDs. “He would run across the formation and he wouldn’t even look and the quarterback is looking at him,” said another scout. “After seeing that three, four, five times, something was up with this kid. He’s a slot receiver. To play outside I think would be ridiculous. He is tiny. Third round.” From Pontiac, Mich, with a Wonderlic of 15.
OTHERS, in order: Lynn Bowden, Kentucky; Quez Watkins, Southern Mississippi; Gabriel Davis, Central Florida; Devin Duvernay, Texas; Isaiah Hodgins, Oregon State; Isaiah Coulter, Rhode Island; James Proche, SMU; Darnell Mooney, Tulane; Collin Johnson, Texas; K.J. Hill, Ohio State; Dezmon Patmon, Washington State; John Hightower, Boise State; Donovan Peoples-Jones, Michigan; Joe Reed, Virginia; Antonio Gandy-Golden, Liberty; Trishton Jackson, Syracuse; Quintez Cephus, Wisconsin; Tyler Johnson, Minnesota.
TIGHT ENDS
“If you want an all-around guy, kind of a Kyle Rudolph-type guy, he’s it,” a scout says of Notre Dame TE Cole Kmet. (Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports)
1. COLE KMET, Notre Dame (6-5 ½, 262, 4.68, 1-2): Kmet reminded one scout of ex-Cowboy Jason Witten (6-5 ½, 260, 4.67). “If you want an all-around guy, kind of a Kyle Rudolph-type guy, he’s it,” said another scout. “He’s faster than Kyle, but he doesn’t have the ball skills. He’s had some durability issues. He’s got great intangibles. He can run. He can catch. He doesn’t have an elite trait but you really love the body type and everything about him.” Third-year junior with 60 catches (43 in 2019) for 691 (11.5) and six TDs. “He’s not a talent like Vernon Davis or Evan Engram,” a third scout said. “He’s more of a throwback, classic Y tight end. He’s solid. He won’t fail.” From Lake Barrington, Ill. “I don’t see a great blocker and I don’t see a great receiver,” said a fourth scout. “I see a guy that’s more of a U. I don’t see a great Y. He reminds me a lot of the (Drew) Sample guy that came out last year out of Washington and plays with the Bengals. Some of the workout (numbers) were better than the player he is. I don’t see first round. I think he’s always going to be a solid No. 2 (tight end), maybe a good No. 3.” Wonderlic of 28.
2. CHASE CLAYPOOL, Notre Dame (6-4, 238, 4.44, 1-2): Made 33 starts at WR over four seasons. Some teams are vociferous about him playing outside in the NFL. Others see him as a TE. “I think he’s big enough to be a tight end,” said one scout. “He’s every bit as big as Travis Kelce. He’s faster than Kelce. That’s who I saw.” His combine numbers were the best by a tight end. “I just don’t see the blocker at tight end,” a second scout said. “I don’t see how he holds up. People had the same conversation with Devin Funchess. You’re talking about the Jared Cook’s of the world. That’s just a different body type.” Finished with 150 catches for 2,159 (14.4) and 19 TDs. “The big ones that don’t make it, like Jonathan Baldwin, is because they’ve got a long ways to go because of (lack) of polish,” the second scout continued. “He’s not that far away. He’s fast, aggressive, has good hands. He was a dog on special teams. If you try to make him a multi-cut route runner, it’s going to be a problem. Let him be a big, fast, vertical, take-the-lid-off, contest-catch-winning guy. Mike Evans is a vertical route runner. I’m not calling this kid Mike Evans, but there are some comparable traits.” From Abbotsford, B.C., Claypool is the first Notre Dame signee from Canada since 1994. He posted a Wonderlic score of 27.
3. ADAM TRAUTMAN, Dayton (6-5, 255, 4.78, 2-3): Often compared to TE Adam Shaheen (6-6 ½, 278, 4.81), the Bears’ disappointing second-round pick in 2017 from NCAA Division II Ashland (Ohio), Dayton is a member of the FCS but non-scholarship Pioneer League. “It looked like (NCAA Division III) when I showed up at practice,” said one scout. “Some of the teams they played down south were good. I liked him. He didn’t back down at the Senior Bowl. They (the Flyers) kind of just used him as a pass-catching tight end. He has a big catch radius, soft hands. Needs to work on his lower-body strength and his blocking.” Started 40 of 44 games, catching 178 passes for 2,295 (12.9) and 31 TDs. “He played against little people, but he dominated that level of competition as a receiver and a blocker,” a second scout said. He ran a blazing 3-cone of 6.78. “He’s a poor man’s Cole Kmet,” said a third scout. “He does a lot of things well. He doesn’t do things great. He’s not that fast, not that strong. He’s a good route runner but he’s better laterally than stretching the field.” He scored 27 on the Wonderlic. “If the guy from the Bears (Shaheen) goes in the second, this guy goes in the third,” a fourth scout said. “He’s got a lot of football to learn but he’s got a lot of upside. Good blocker. Works to finish.” Trautman is from Elk Rapids, Mich.
4. HARRISON BRYANT, Florida Atlantic (6-4 ½, 243, 4.73, 3-4): “I have him shadowed across tight end and fullback,” said one scout. “He’s not an old-school thumper where you can run iso with him. With the way it is now, I could see him in a West Coast (offense) almost like San Fran uses their fullback (Kyle Juszczyk). He can line up on the wing, the edge of a formation and run across the formation and you can throw him the ball. He functions enough as a blocker.” Played a flex position under FAU coach Lane Kiffin, surpassing 1,000 yards as a senior. Finished with 148 receptions for 2,137 (14.4) and 16 TDs. His major negative might be an arm length of 30 5/8, shortest at the position. “Not real high on him,” said another scout. “He doesn’t have top size. He has no length. He’s not real strong. The athletic traits are just average.” He posted a Wonderlic of 26 and is from Gray, Ga.
5. ALBERT OKWUEGBUNAM, Missouri (6-5 ½, 258, 4.50, 3-4): A fourth-year junior, one scout said Okwuegbunam is “kind of an enigma to me. Really talented human being in terms of size and athleticism but just doesn’t put it all together. Someone’s going to take him based off potential. If they can get through to the mind to get it out of the body he’ll have a chance. It’s a risk-reward pick that I don’t have interest in. Someone might be silly enough to go second round.” He caught 43 passes from Drew Lock in 2018 but nabbed just 26 in 2019 to finish with 98 for 1,187 (12.1) and 23 TDs. “You’re talking about a 6-6 guy that runs 4.5,” another scout said. “He had a really good junior year. The senior year was off. At least he has dominant traits. You see guys like that go in the third, fourth and fifth rounds and become really good players.” His father emigrated from Nigeria. Okwuegbunam, from Springfield, Ill., posted a Wonderlic of 28 and has the longest arms among tight ends (34 1/8). “He oozes around on routes, lots of drops, timid blocker,” said a third scout. “Non-factor.”
6. DEVIN ASIASI, UCLA (6-3, 257, 4.79, 3-4): He spent one year at Michigan before departing for off-field reasons. He sat out at UCLA in 2017, backed up in ’18 and started in ’19. Almost all of his production (44 catches, 789, 15.2, six TDs) came as a fourth-year junior. “He is a ball-playing Jesse,” said one scout. “You love watching him. He is a competitive kid that will block. He’s tough, he finishes and he’ll go down inside. He’s got good hands, although they didn’t use him much as a receiver. He can run a little bit. He can flex, but he’s not going to challenge the safeties. He is a great utility player to have on your team.” He scored 25 on the Wonderlic and has had weight problems in the past. “He’s one of those dumpy-body looking guys that makes you think he isn’t athletic but he is,” another scout said. “Really good all-around player.” From Shoreview, Calif.
7. HUNTER BRYANT, Washington (6-2, 248, 4.75, 4-5): Personnel men for several teams expressed considerable concern about Bryant, a third-year junior with a long medical history (knee, back, hamstring). He missed time in his first two seasons but started all 12 games in 2019. “He’s a sawed-off, muscled-up dude,” said one scout. “Definitely a receiving tight end. He’s somebody you can move around and kind of take advantage of some mismatches against linebackers. Really good hands. Gives effort in the run game. He does enough. He gets in the way or seals people off. You can put him in the backfield. He’s not going to be that physical root-somebody-out kind of guy when you line him up at fullback. The versatility is what attracts me to him.” Finished with 85 catches for 1,394 (16.4) and five TDs. “I didn’t like him,” said another scout. “Most of these guys will try. He doesn’t even try to block. I don’t think he’s that athletic for being that small. Very inconsistent. Late pick.” He scored 29 on the Wonderlic and is from Issaquah, Wash.
OTHERS, in order: Brycen Hopkins, Purdue; Thaddeus Moss, LSU; Colby Parkinson, Stanford; Dalton Keene, Virginia Tech; Sean McKeon, Michigan; Cheyenne O’Grady, ex-Arkansas; Jared Pinkney, Vanderbilt; Stephen Sullivan, LSU; Charlie Taumoepeau, Portland State; Jacob Breeland, Oregon; Ahmad Wagner, Kentucky; Kyle Markway, South Carolina; Mitchell Wilcox, South Florida.
THE SKINNY
UNSUNG HERO
Isaiah Coulter, WR, Rhode Island: Bidding to become the Rams’ first drafted player since 1986 when T Bob White went in the seventh round to the Jets. Lightly recruited, he improved each of his three seasons before surprisingly declaring a year early. Lean at 6-2, 198, but ran fast (4.42) and is a smooth route runner.
SCOUTS’ NIGHTMARE
Thaddeus Moss, TE, LSU: As the son of Hall of Fame WR Randy Moss, there are advantages and disadvantages. Moss played just one season for the Tigers as the fifth wheel in a wildly explosive offense, so scouts wonder how much of his production (47 receptions, four TDs) was the result of defenses basically ignoring him. Medically excluded at the combine, Moss’ 40 time has been estimated at 4.85 and 4.9. At his size (6-2, 250), that type of speed won’t cut it.
SCOUT TO REMEMBER
C.O. Brocato: Anyone who ever scouted the Southwest knew him and no doubt liked him. For more than 40 years he worked for the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans, driving from his home in Arlington, Texas to colleges throughout Texas, Arkansas and elsewhere. Not only was Brocato an engaging personality, he also was a pioneer in terms of drills used at the combine and elsewhere. He deserves credit for coming up with the 3-cone run of today that replaced the outmoded four-square run. He died in 2015 at age 85.
QUOTE TO NOTE
NFC personnel executive: “Lamb, Shenault and Aiyuk aren’t your natural, traditional, fluid, route-running receivers. They’re almost Anquan Boldin types, but today people say Deebo Samuel. You get the ball out quick, run after catch, end around, slip screens, that kind of stuff they’re doing so much more now of with receivers.”
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