2023 Wide Receivers

Top 100QBRB – WRTEOTIOL – EDGEDLLBCBS

Grade Scale for Ceiling/Floor: High-End Starter: 80+ | Avg. Starter: 60-79 | Backup/Situational Starter: 40-59 | Roster Filler: 20-39 | Camp Invite: 0-19 |
NFL Readiness: Graded on 0-5 scale
Grade calculation: Average of Ceiling(x3) and Floor + NFL readiness
RkPlayerPosSchoolHtWtArmForty3-ConeVertCeilingFloorReadyGradeScouting Report
WR1Jaxon Smith-NjigbaWR Ohio State6'0"19630.5"--6.5735"9060486.5Polished receiver with WR1 potential despite lack of truly elite traits. Physical build and speed are average, but his precise route-running and elite hands more than makes up for it. Extremely productive after the catch 一 has a great sense space on the field and finds running lanes for extra yardage. He’s in the Keenan Allen mold in the sense that the final product of his game is probably greater than the sum of its parts. Experience in the slot and the outside. Benefitted from playing with Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave, but answered some questions as to his ability to be the guy with historic performance in 2022 Rose Bowl vs Utah. Lingering hamstring injury cost him most of 2022 season. The length of the injury raised speculation he was using it as an excuse to opt out of the season 一 that may not be the case, but teams will question him on it.
WR2Quentin JohnstonWR TCU6'3"20833.625"----40.5"88411.577.8Built like a traditional WR1 but doesn’t play like it. Still learning how to use his size to his advantage. Inconsistent hands and body control limits his ability to consistently win contested battles. Focus drops have also plagued him. Limited route tree, with a huge portion of production coming on screens. Per Sports Info Solutions, 37% of catches in 2022 came on throws that did not cross the line of scrimmage 一 and he lacks the explosive playmaking ability to provide value with that type of usage in NFL. Should be viewed as a developmental weapon, who has WR1 upside but may need to be eased into the offense.
WR3Jordan AddisonWR USC5'11"17330.875"4.49--34"8057377.3Undersized playmaker who wins with crisp routes. Lack of physical strength is apparent and he can get bullied by certain cornerbacks. Offensive scheme needs to create favorable matchups 一 and when he gets those matchups, he’ll consistently create separation with his routes. Hands have improved throughout his career but have never been a strength. After-catch ability has also improved, but he’s not a game-changer in that area. Has more straight-line speed than agility. Projects as a quality WR2, who likely sees significant action in the slot, but will be shut down by top-tier cornerbacks.
WR4Josh DownsWR North Carolina5'9"17130.375"4.48--38.5"7858477.0Polished slot receiver, who could also play on the outside. Wins with crisp routes. Reliable hands at all levels of the field. Productive when asked to stretch the field, but mostly used on shorter routes from the slot. Without elite speed or size, he probably won’t be a field-stretcher in NFL. After-catch production is modest 一 lacks the agility to consistently make guys miss. Ceiling might be limited, but he could carve out a Hunter Renfrow-like role as an extremely reliable, high-volume pass-catcher from the slot.
WR5Cedric TillmanWR Tennessee6'3"21332.75"4.54--37"84452.576.8Traditional No. 1 WR with nice blend of size and speed. Often used to stretch the field in Josh Heupel’s aggressive downfield offense. Mostly used on the outside with limited experience in the slot. Also played the possession-receiver role, with an extremely high usage rate on curl routes, allowing him to win with size on shorter throws. Capable of winning contested battles and knows who to use size to his advantage. Reliable hands. Displays the long speed to stretch the field, but lacks suddenness to his game. Doesn’t consistently create separation on shorter routes and after-catch production is limited. Coming off ankle surgery in 2022. Will be a 23-year-old rookie. Dad played WR for Broncos and Jaguars in early 1990s.
WR6Marvin Mims Jr.WR Oklahoma5'11"18331.625"4.386.9039.5"8050375.5Undersized receiver with balanced experience between the slot and outside. Probably fits best in the slot, but his ability to stretch the field with his speed allows him to play outside. Ran a limited route tree 一 very little at the intermediate level 一 but that will be his role in the NFL also. Could have a role as a return specialist. Ceiling is probably capped at a low-end second option, but he’ll bring a valuable skill set to an offense looking to add speed.
WR7Jalin HyattWR Tennessee6'0"17632.5"4.40--40"7948273.3Slightly undersized speedster who mostly lined up in the slot at Tennessee. Quick acceleration creates issues for most corners in man coverage. Did not run a full route tree 一 heavy use of screens and go routes. Routes are not crisp, and he relies almost exclusively on pure speed. Consistently produced after the catch and the type of player you want to find ways to get the ball in his hands. Probably not a WR1 given lack of size and one-dimensional nature of his game, but should provide immediate value as a WR2 with slot/outside versatility. That said, his game requires a coaching staff that knows how to create opportunities for him 一 he’s not the type of talent that just steps into any generic WR2 role.
WR8Zay FlowersWR Boston College5'9"18229.25"4.42--35.5"74563.573.0Small, quick receiver who mostly played in the slot but has experience on the outside as well. Incomplete route tree 一 primarily used on short throws and deep ball with limited opportunities at the intermediate level. Lacks the frame to win contested battles. Ball skills are lacking 一 has some bad drops and doesn’t consistently position himself to make plays on poorly-placed balls. Elusive runner with the ball in his hands, but YAC production wasn’t as elite as you might expect due to his size 一 if you can get your hands on him, he’s going down. Could be a nice complementary weapon in an offense, but probably lacks the skill set to be a true WR1 or WR2.
WR9Rashee RiceWR SMU6'0"20432.75"4.51--41"75423.570.3Three year starter and saw significant action over his four years at SMU. Highly productive in a pass-heavy offense. Significant experience on the outside and the slot. Ran a full route tree with plenty of downfield opportunities. Has the speed to stretch the field from the outside, but he’s got more straight-line speed than quickness. In the slot, he’s just a “big slot” with minimal after the catch ability. Ordinary hands 一 not a huge concern, but he’ll misplay some easy ones. Has a knack for difficult catches, but sometimes makes them harder than they need to play and will misplay some easier ones within his catch radius. Rice could be starting outside receiver, but lacks the special traits to set a high ceiling. He’ll need to win with precise routes, and needs to improve his hands.
WR10Tyler ScottWR Cincinnati5'9"17730.875"4.44--39.5"7544269.3Two-year starter as an outside receiver who wins with pure speed. Dangerous after the catch 一 he played running back in high school and it shows. Routes are unpolished but it’s somewhat understandable given his limited experience at receiver (three years in college). Lacks ideal size and some teams will have hesitations about playing on the outside 一 he’ll need to learn a slot role as well. Hands are a concern 一 he drops too many. Lack of size gives him a small catch radius, and he even struggles to position himself to maximize his already limited range. He’ll never run a full route tree (limit him to underneath and deep routes) but his speed can make him a useful weapon in that role. He’s a bit of a project given concerns with hands and routes, but you’ll want to get his speed on the field quickly.
WR11Andrei IosivasWR Princeton6'3"20532"4.436.8539"8032169.0Two-year starter who was also a track star at Princeton. Ideal size speed combination to stretch the field on the outside. Somewhat limited route tree 一 not much at the intermediate level and will need to refine those routes to develop into a starting X receiver. A bit of body catcher 一 didn’t lead to too many drops, but it could become more of an issue in NFL. Testing numbers show you’ve got a ton of raw athleticism to work with. Turns 24 during his rookie year. Expect him to see some action stretching the field immediately, but it may take time to develop the full route tree. He’s got high-end starter potential, but probably starts his career as a fourth or fifth option.
WR12Jonathan MingoWR Ole Miss6'2"22032.125"4.46--39.5"73442.568.3Four-year starter, primarily playing on the outside, but saw some action in the slot as a senior. Played in Lane Kiffin’s friendly offense which created easy opportunities. Tested surprisingly well 一 rarely looked as fast on the field as his testing numbers. Productive after the catch, but mostly because he runs hard and can break tackles 一 not an elusive runner. Doesn’t play up to his size 一 needs to learn to better use his body to win in contested situations. Hands are inconsistent 一 makes some tough grabs, but also lets catchable balls fall incomplete to due an inability to adjust to slightly off-target throws. Ideal role will be as a big slot, but he does have the flexibility to play on the outside. Likely serves as a third or fourth option.
WR13Charlie JonesWR Purdue5'11"17531.625"4.43--36.5"6648465.5Undersized receiver who spent six years in college (two at Buffalo, two at Iowa, one at Purdue). Flourished in Jeff Brohm’s system at Purdue, where they took advantage of his speed. Regularly used to stretch the field 一 has the pure speed to run past corners. Among the best route runners in this class and ran a fairly full route tree at Purdue. Gave Joey Porter Jr. trouble in 2022, even in a game in which Porter was otherwise fantastic. Although his speed is exciting, it’s all straight-line speed 一 not a threat after the catch unless he has a clear running lane. Would likely benefit from moving to a more permanent role in the slot, though his speed keeps the outside an option for him. Turns 25 in October. Jones can be starter, but his inconsistent production after the catch limits his ceiling.
WR14Parker WashingtonWR Penn State5'9"20429"------6545464.0Starter during all three seasons at Penn State, though his role slightly diminished over time. Almost exclusively played in the slot and was rarely used to stretch the field. Wins with reliable hands and decent YAC production. Essentially a running back in the slot and should be used in that role as an extension of the run game. Never going to be the focal point of an offense, but could potentially be a productive slot receiver as a third or fourth option in the right offense.
WR15Kayshon BoutteWR LSU5'11"19531.375"4.50--29"820263.5Top-tier talent with explosive traits, but teams will need to dig into his background and determine if he wants to maximize his talent 一 he was tough to figure out at LSU, and the staff probably isn’t too disappointed he’s gone. Even at his peak as a freshman he never excelled and coming down with the ball 一 ordinary hands, and doesn’t always position himself to make plays on poorly placed balls. Elite weapon after the catch early in his career but was a non-factor in final season. Junior year in 2021 ended with an ankle injury and his 2022 season was a disaster. He looked like a completely different player and it was tough to tell if he was mentally checked out or if the injury was continuing to hold him back (potentially both). At one point Boutte looked like he could develop into a Jaylen Waddle-like playmaker, but his college career ended with a whimper. He’lll still be 20 years old on draft day, so maybe he turns it around… or maybe we’ll never hear from him again.
WR16Dontayvion WicksWR Virginia6'1"20632.375"4.62--39"6830361.5Explosive downfield weapon who thrived in Robert Anae’s aggressive passing attack in 2021, but took a step back in UVA’s mess of an offense in 2022 after Anae left. Testing numbers weren’t anything special, but he has the acceleration ability and then the size to be a legit deep threat. Wins with crisp routes and that acceleration which seems to catch defensive backs off guard. Terrible hands 一 constantly dropping catchable passes. He does have big hands though (10”) so there’s at least some reason to think he could turn that around. Not much of a threat after the catch, but he can break some tackles. Due to his size and ability to stretch the field, he’s definitely worth taking a chance on 一 but make sure your coaching staff is willing to be patient with drops, or else they’ll bury him on the depth chart. He fits best in an offense that likes to stretch the field.
WR17Xavier HutchinsonWR Iowa State6'2"20331.375"4.536.9136"63423.561.3Three-year starter after spending two seasons in JUCO. Mostly played on the outside but has some experience in the slot. Breakout year in 2021 with Brock Purdy 一 raw numbers were elevated in 2022 when the offense ran through him, but his efficiency took a big hit. Lacked the ability to create consistent separation when the defense was keyed on him during senior year. Acceptable straight-line speed but not enough agility to consistently make defenders miss in the open field. With limited ability to create separation and lacking elite size and play strength, he’s probably best suited for a role as a big slot.
WR18A.T. PerryWR Wake Forest6'3"19833.25"4.47--35"68302.561.0Big possession receiver with a huge catch radius. Good body control. Hands improved significantly late in career after struggling with drops. Regularly used as a deep threat, but primarily won with size rather speed. Routes are fine, but lacks a suddenness to his game to create consistent separation. Not a threat after the catch - can break an occasional tackle but lacks the ability to make DBs miss in the open field. May draw some DK Metcalf comparisons as a big deep threat, but lacks that level of pure speed. Better comparison may be former NYG third-round pick Ramses Barden, who flashed some talent but never quite panned out. This type of big WR with minimal athletic traits has zero margin for error in his game - Perry needs to perfect his routes and maintain reliable hands to stick in the league.
WR19Tank DellWR Houston5'8"16530.5"4.49----6240460.5Tiny gadget receiver who can be a dangerous weapon after the catch. Elite acceleration and start-stop ability 一 he’s so hard to corral in the open field. Very limited route tree, and that will hold true in NFL due to size. Might be a slot-only weapon, but his speed could allow for some routes on the outside . Turns 24 during his rookie year. Ceiling is limited because he’ll never be a WR1 or WR2 at his size, but certain offenses will covet his ability to create mismatches with his quickness from the slot.
WR20Jayden ReedWR Michigan State5'11"18730.5"4.45--33.5"6043257.8Four-year starter (one at Western Michigan, three at MSU). Average size and an ordinary athlete for the position 一 the type of receiver who needs perfect routes to create separation. He’s a polished route runner if allowed to run free, but struggles against physical corners. Lacks the elusive agility or physical running style to consistently produce after the catch. Inconsistent hands 一 too many drops and doesn’t have much of a catch radius. Experience as a return specialist could boost his value, although he’s not the ideal dynamic athlete for that role. Reed has the ability to win with his routes if you can move him around to create ideal matchups, but modest athleticism, hands and YAC ability sets his ceiling as a third or four option.
WR21Trey PalmerWR Nebraska6'0"19231.875"4.33----64251.555.8Former five-star recruit at LSU at who failed to find a role in three seasons. Transferred to Nebraska in 2022 and finally flashes some potential. Mostly played in the slot at Nebraska, but has enough size/speed for the outside. Former track star who has far more straight-line speed than all-around athleticism. Not much YAC ability 一 fairly common issue for track stars who are straight-line athletes. Routes are extremely raw 一 relies on speed to get open and has very little nuance to his routes. Hands are a concern 一 too many drops. Also does not maximize his catch radius and doesn’t come down with nearly enough balls that are off-target but catchable. Experience returning kicks boosts his value and will likely be his immediate role as he develops his receiving technique. Worth a shot as a developmental prospect, especially since he’ll have some special teams value to justify his roster spot.
WR22C.J. JohnsonWR East Carolina6'1"22432"------0.0
WR23Elijah HigginsWR Stanford6'3"23531.75"4.547.0135"0.0
WR24Dontay Demus Jr.WR Maryland6'2"21234.25"4.57--35.5"0.0
WR25Ronnie BellWR Michigan5'11"19131"4.546.9838.5"0.0
WR26Jake BoboWR UCLA6'4"20632.25"------0.0
WR27Keylon StokesWR Tulsa------------0.0
WR28Rakim JarrettWR Maryland6'0"19231.375"4.44--35.5"0.0
WR29Jacob CopelandWR Maryland5'11"20131.625"4.427.0133"0.0
WR30Puka NacuaWR BYU6'1"20131.5"------0.0
WR31Michael JeffersonWR Louisiana6'4"19932.5"4.567.0337"0.0
WR32Jalen WayneWR South Alabama6'1"21032.125"4.51--34.5"0.0
WR33Jalen CropperWR Fresno State5'11"17230.125"4.40----0.0
WR34Derius DavisWR TCU5'8"16529.25"4.36----0.0
WR35Keytaon ThompsonWR Virginia------------0.0
WR36Jadon HaselwoodWR Arkansas6'2"21531.25"4.666.9837"0.0
WR37Tre TuckerWR Cincinnati5'9"18228.875"4.40--37.5"0.0
WR38Joseph NgataWR Clemson6'3"21733.125"4.54--34.5"0.0
WR39Jaray JenkinsWR LSU6'2"20431.75"4.60--29.5"0.0
WR40Josh VannWR South Carolina------------0.0
WR41Deuce WattsWR Tulane------------0.0
WR42Michael WilsonWR Stanford6'1"21331"4.58--37.5"0.0
WR43Taye BarberWR TCU------------0.0