Home

2012 DRAFT WR PROFILES

*Note players not necessarily listed in order of grade

Alshon Jeffery, South Carolina, 6-4, 233, 4.55, JR … Physically imposing wide out coming off a remarkable season in which he caught 88 passes for over 1,500 yards last fall; possesses outstanding body control; uses his size and strength to good advantage separating in bump and run coverage; also willing to go over the middle where he does a nice job sealing off defenders from the ball; has long arms and will extend for the ball; also has great hands and concentration and can make the tough catch in traffic; also a good red-zone target who can out-jump most CBs for the ball; long strider who can deep , but lacks elite straight-line speed and explosion; also not the most precise route-runner, but is a hard worker and character player.

Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State, 6-1, 210, 4.55, JR … Isn’t going to blow anyone away with his measurables – he’s barely 6-1 and only runs in the mid-4.5 range for the 40 – but still torched Big XII secondaries to the tune of 111 catches for almost 1,800 yards and 20 TDs last fall; that despite missing a game after being suspended for a drinking offense; very consistent had over 100 yards and at least one TD in every game in 2010; big-play threat averaged over 30 yards on TD receptions; lacks elite straight-line speed, but has a thick lower body and has good power and explosion; can shrug defenders off at the line of scrimmage and uses strength to get separation downfield; tracks the ball well and is a good leaper who can outjump smaller corners when the ball is in the air; has very good concentration and hands; also a very good route-runner who creates space coming out of his break; dangerous with the ball after the catch and is very effective on bubble screens and drag routes; gets upfield quickly and is tough to wrap-up; does have a receiver’s mentality, though, and not is the retiring type.

Michael Floyd, Notre Dame, 6-3, 225, 4.52, SR … Elite prospect currently decked out in an array of red flags; was suspended after being arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated - he reportedly had a blood-alcohol level twice the legal limit – this winter after being charged with underage drinking earlier in his career; has also had durability issues as he missed playing time in 2008 with a leg injury, in 2009 with a broken collarbone and last year with an ankle injury; when healthy is a match-up nightmare for opposing defenses; big, physical receiver who uses size well to create space for himself; not a burner but has decent speed with a projected 40-time in the low 4.5 range; long strider can get deep; has averaged just under 15 yards per catch in his career and scored 28 times; also has excellent hands and will make the tough catch in traffic, although he will lose focus at times; good blocker; had 79 catches for over 1,000 yards and 12 touchdowns last season despite missing one game.

Jeff Fuller, Texas A&M, 6-3, 215, 4.52, SR … Big, physical wideout bounced back nicely from a broken leg suffered in 2009 to haul in 72 passes for over 1,000 yards and 12 TDs last fall; has excellent size and body control; also knows how to get open using his strength and length; has huge hands and will go up and catch the ball in traffic; excellent red zone target; still more of a possession receiver who figures to be a #2 guy in the NFL; has some initial quickness and an extra gear when the ball is in the air, but is not a true burner with deep speed; route-running also needs some fine-tuning; son of former A&M and later 49ers’ All-pro safety of the same name is character player with a great work ethic who is also a solid blocker..

Greg Childs, Arkansas, 6-3, 220, 4.57, SR … Productive possession wideout with good size who is coming back from a torn patella tendon suffered late last season; had 66 receptions for 1,200 yards in 2009 and was on pace to put similar numbers last before being injured; year; lacks top-end foot speed, but is a long receiver with a big wingspan and great body control; when healthy uses size to create separation, as well as beat the jam at the line of scrimmage; will also win battles for ball in the air; has big hands and snatches the ball out of the air; runs adequate routes, but doesn’t really explode out of cuts; also lacks a second gear, but is a long strider who covers a lot of ground downfield, although he isn’t going to run past many defenders; better than advertised runner after the catch who can break tackles; also is an above-average blocker.

Juron Criner, Arizona, 6-4,215, 4.60, SR … Tall, rangy receiver emerged as a big-play target in 2010 when he had 82 catches for over 1,200 yards and 11 TDs; has elite size and excellent balance and body control and separates well from mismatched defenders; runs crisp routes with a nice burst out of cuts; has good hands but will lose focus at times; can go up and get the ball in the air and is a good red zone target; not considered to have sprinter speed, though, but is a long strider with an extra gear when the ball is in the air; also a shifty enough runner after the catch; not very physical and has been called soft at times; also could improve as a blocker; has first-round talent potential if he can under 4.5 seconds at pre-draft testing.

Ryan Broyles, Oklahoma, 5-10, 195, 4.50, SR ... Arguably the best WR is in school history thought seriously about entering the 2011 draft, but was one of several Sooner underclassmen to return to school for a shot at the national championship; coming off an incredible season in which he caught 131 passes for over 1,600 yards and 14 scores; also a decent, though, not great punt returner who averaged 8 yards per return last fall; not all that big or fast, but is very quick, has great hands and runs precise routes; has bulked up to almost 200 pounds and has good weight-room strength, but is still not all that physical and can be jammed at the line of scrimmage so best fit at next level may be a slot receiver; has 4.50 speed and is a dangerous runner after the catch, but is not a true deep threat; missed two games in 2009 with a shoulder injury; was arrested early in his career for stealing gasoline.

DeVier Posey, Ohio State, 6-2, 210, 4.55, SR … Tall, big-play wideout with first-round physical tools, but productivity still isn’t quite there; had 53 receptions in 2010 including 7 scores; also averaged 16 yards per catch; consistent receiver has caught a pass in 27 straight games; has excellent size with long arms and can be a mismatch for smaller corners, but is not all that physical beating the jam; also tends to round off routes; lacks sprinter speed, but is a long strider that plays faster than he times; also tracks the ball well, has good body control and can adjust to the ball in the air; can make the spectacular catch in traffic, but also lets too many passes into his body; one of several Buckeyes suspended for the first 5 games of the year for accepting improper benefits.

T.Y. Hilton, Florida International, 5-9, 185, 4.45, SR … Ultra-quick slot receiver with big-play potential as a receiver, runner and return artist; last fall, for example, was the Sun Belt player of the year after averaging over 14 yards per catch on 59 total receptions, running for almost 300 yards and averaging just under 29 yards per KO return; not all that big or thick and can be jammed at the line of scrimmage, but can turn on a dime and has great acceleration in space; also has strong hands and runs nice routes; dangerous runner with the ball after the catch or working as a wildcat QB; was dinged up most of the year in 2009 with assorted minor injuries; good athlete who was also recruited as a basketball player; is engaged with a three-year old son.

Nick Toon, Wisconsin, 6-2, 215, 4.52, SR … Big possession receiver is the son of former Badger and New York Jet WR Al Toon; polished receiver with excellent hands and route running ability; will make the tough catch in traffic, but will lose focus at times and drop the odd easy one; has only average straight-line speed and is not that elusive in the open field, but has a nice burst coming out of cuts; can also extend for balls downfield; needs to stay healthy this fall after struggling with toe and thigh injuries last year when he caught 36 passes after posting 50 the year before.

Marvin McNutt, Iowa, 6-3, 215, 4.60, SR … Former dual-threat QB who has grown into a big-play wideout; lacks sprinter speed to likely ever be a #1 receiver at the next level, but is a long strider with something of a second gear when the ball is in the air; physical receiver can beat the jam at the line of scrimmage and has the size, balance and body control to outmuscle DBs when the ball is in the air; has good hands and will make the tough catch in traffic; also runs nice routes, but overall feel for the position is still developing; had 53 receptions in 2010 when he averaged over 16 yards per catch and scored 8 times; missed spring practice this year after undergoing off-season shoulder surgery.

Jermaine Kearse, Washington, 6-1, 205, 4.50, SR … Reasonably productive collegiate receiver with some big-play ability, but still has some things to prove to pro scouts; has good size and decent straight-line speed; also a competitive receiver who will make the tough catch in traffic, but also drops too many easy ones; runs crisp routes and can find the soft spot in coverage; also a good runner after the catch; however, not very explosive and struggles to get separation against solid man coverage; had 63 catches in 2010 for just over 1,000 yards and 12 scores.

Mohamed Sanu, Rutgers, 6-2, 218, 4.55, JR … Just maybe the most versatile player in college football who is also a very good wildcat back; good receiver also carries the ball out of the backfield; one-time high school QB can throw the ball and just for good measure can also punt in a pinch; battled nagging injuries in 2010 but still had 44 receptions, ran for over 300 yards and threw 3 TD passes; started as a true freshman the previous year when he had 51 catches; physical receiver has good size and will battle for the ball in the air; also has good hands, but is still learning some of the finer points of the position including route-running; not all that fast or explosive and is more an underneath receiver who is dangerous with the ball in his hands.

Jarrett Boykin, Virginia Tech, 6-2, 220, 4.55, SR … Big-play receiver who is a physical mismatch for a lot of DBs, especially smaller corners; has averaged over 17 yards per reception in his career and caught 53 passes last fall; has long arms and huge hands and can pluck the ball out of the air; will also make the tough catch in traffic, but will also drop the occasional gimme; also a good leaper with a reported vertical of almost 37 inches and has good body control and adjusts well to balls in the air; not all that fast, but is a long strider with an extra gear when the ball is in the air; decent runner after the catch with a thick lower body who is difficult to drag down in the open field; however, doesn’t create a lot of separation and doesn’t run particularly crisp routes.

Chris Rainey, Florida, 5-9, 175, 4.34, SR … Part receiver, part RB with the all around skills to be a big-play slash threat; sprinter on the Gators’ track team with a career best 10.6 100M clocking and the quickness to challenge the 4.3 mark over 40 yards at pre-draft testing; has decent hands, but is not a particularly skilled receiver; tends to round off routes and is physically mismatched against bigger corners; very quick in space, though, with the ability to start and stop and then explode upfield; as a result is shifty in the open field with excellent vision and good balance; has also blocked four kicks in his career; not very big and has had some injury issues in the past; had shoulder surgery during the 2007 season and was limited by a knee concern last season; was also suspended last fall after being charged with stalking an old girlfriend.

Chris Owusu, Stanford, 6-0, 200, 4.45, SR … Big-play threat and ace kick returner with excellent speed if healthy; was in and out of the line-up through-out the 2010 season, though, with a nagging knee injury, while he also suffered a torn MCL prior to the 2008 campaign; when 100% has averaged almost 28 yards per KO in his career with 3 returned for scores; has also averaged over 17 yards per reception in his career, but has never caught more than 37 balls in any one season; former track star with a PB of 10.65 seconds over 100M has very good straight-line speed and could threaten the 4.4 mark for 40 yards in pre-draft testing; doesn’t play quite as fast, but can get deep in a hurry; however, has only average hands, while route-running needs a lot of work; also somewhat stiff and doesn’t really burst out of cuts.

Lance Lewis, East Carolina, 6-1, 210, 4.50, SR … Former junior college transfer worked in the shadow of Dwayne Harris, a 6th round pick by Dallas in 2011, last season but in fact was almost as productive as he caught 89 passes for over 1,100 yards and 14 scores; physical underneath receiver with a thick lower body; tough to jam and will win battles for the ball in the air; also has just enough speed to get deep on occasion; technically solid receiver has good hands and runs nice routes; lacks explosion, though, and isn’t particularly dangerous after the catch.

James Rodgers, Oregon State, 5-7, 190, 4.50, SR … Fifth-year senior is one of the most productive all-purpose backs when healthy, but has been slow to come back from a serious knee injury suffered last season that has required two surgeries to date; has almost 5,800 total yards in his career including over 2,000 receiving and another 1,400 rushing; also an outstanding kick returner who was averaging almost 29 yards per KO return and 19 on punts at the time of his injury last fall; older brother of 2010 5th rounder Quizz Rodgers; isn’t very big at just 5-7, 190, but has a thick lower body; has adequate straight-line speed and exceptional quickness and agility; can turn on a dime and gets to top gear in a hurry; had 91 receptions in 2009, but isn’t a true wideout in that he does most of his damage on bubble screens, drag routes and assorted underneath schemes designed to get the ball in his hands and let him run; consistent receiver, though, as he’s made at least one catch in 32 straight games; durability will be a major issue in final grade though as in addition to the knee had a concussion in 2010 and broke a collarbone in 2008.

Tyron Carrier, Houston, 5-9, 170, 170, 4.35, SR … Track star who has competed at the NCAA national championships in the 200M and 4x100M relay; has a personal best of 10.4 for 100M and could run close to 4.30 at pre-draft testing; underrated receiver on the football team with over 220 career receptions; had 1,000 receiving yards as both a freshman and sophomore, but slipped to just 53 receptions last fall with QB Case Keenum injured; not very big and can be jammed at line of scrimmage, but very quick working out of the slot; has adequate hands, but doesn’t run many downfield routes; dynamic kick returner who has 6 career TD returns on KOs, one short of all-time D1A record; isn’t all that dangerous with the ball in his hands as a receiver, though, as he goes down too easily when contacted.

Marquis Maze, Alabama, 5-9, 180, 4.50, SR … Steady senior receiver with good hands and the speed and quickness to get deep; also a decent punt returner who averaged almost 13 yards a return last fall; not very big or physical though and struggles to get off tight man coverage; knows how to get open underneath when working out of the slot; also dangerous with the ball in his hands after the catch; averaged almost 15 yards per catch on 38 total receptions last fall.

Dwight Jones, North Carolina, 6-4, 225, 4.57, SR … Former star recruit had a breakout year in 2010 when he caught 62 passes for almost 1,000 yards after barely playing his first two seasons; big target is a physical mismatch for most corners; also has good hands, but doesn’t run the crispest routes and lacks the explosion to get deep on a consistent basis; physical blocker.

Rishard Matthews, Nevada, 6-2, 215, 4.55, SR … Originally signed with Oregon, but ended up at Nevada after going the junior college route; emerged last fall as former star QB Coli Kaepernick’s go-to receiver when he caught 56 passes, including 5 for scores; has NFL size and uses frame well to get off the line of scrimmage as well as create separation; also has decent hands, but isn’t a polished route-runner; also needs to improve ability to track the ball, as well get off the ground in jump-ball situations; lacks sprinter speed, but has a burst when the ball is in the air; good runner after the catch who doubles as a solid punt returner.

Kendall Wright, Baylor, 5-9, 180, 4.45, SR … Very athletic receiver who also played on the Baylor basketball team and was a state long and triple jump champion in high school; not all that big, but has good speed and a 42-inch vertical leap; has good hands and runs decent routes, but is still more of an underneath possession receiver who doesn’t get deep too often; also isn’t all that dangerous with the ball in his hands; averaged 12.2 yards per catch on 78 total catches last fall.

Dyrell Roberts, Virginia Tech, 6-2, 185, 4.45, SR … Vertical threat who could be something of a sleeper this coming April; was having something of a breakout season last fall, but missed the last 5 games after suffering a compartment syndrome thigh injury that required surgery and also forced him to sit out spring practice this year; tall receiver with the good size and speed; long strider with an extra gear when the ball is in the air; also a former high school RB who is a dangerous runner after the catch; has also been effective running reverses and is a very good KO returner who has averaged over 25 yards per return in his career; however, is somewhat wiry and not very physical; also has only adequate hands and needs to run crisper routes.

Derek Moye, Penn State, 6-4, 205, 4.45, SR … Long, angular receiver with surprising speed; big-play threat averaged almost 17 yards per catch on 53 catches in 2010 despite the fact PSU struggled to throw the ball down the field; not all that quick off the snap, but is a long strider who covers a lot of ground once he gets underway; was a former state high school sprint champion at both 200 and 400Ms; not all that physical and can be jammed at the line of scrimmage, but has great hands and will catch the ball in traffic; good red zone target who had 8 TD receptions last fall; former high school RB is also dangerous with the ball in his hands; suffered a concussion in spring practice this year.

Marvin Jones, California, 6-2, 200, 4.52, SR … Consistent Pac-12 receiver has caught at least one pass in 25 straight games; solid all-around receiver with adequate size and speed; also runs nice routes and is a very good blocker; will make the tough catch in traffic, but will also drop the occasional pass; caught 50 passes in 2010 when he averaged almost 16 yards per catch, but only scored 4 times;

Brian Quick, Appalachian State, 6-4, 220, SR … Physically gifted small school receiver just beginning to tap his potential; big-play threat averaged 18 yards per catch on 47 receptions in 2010 when he also scored 9 times; former basketball star who played only one year of high school football; great leaper with excellent hands and concentration who will make the tough catch in traffic; also an excellent red zone target who can out-jump most DBs; hard worker whose route-running continues to improve, but still tends to round off some cuts; can block kicks; missed all but two games in 2007 because of back injuries.

Patrick Edwards, Houston, 5-9, 175, 4.42, SR … Very quick receiver with 200 career receptions including 71 last fall; was originally recruited by the track team and walked on for football; not very big or physical and has problems beating the jam, but is explosive when he gets into space; has good hands and runs crisp routes; can also get deep and scored 13 TDs last fall; also a good punt returner who averaged over 15 yards per pop last season; suffered a severe broken leg in 2008, though, in a well-publicized collision with a cart during a game at Marshall; had a rod inserted in the leg and will have to be checked during pre-draft testing.

Donovan Varner, Duke, 5-9, 175, 4.52, SR … Combines with junior Conner Vernon, a former high school teammate, to give the Blue Devils one of the better 1-2 receiving combinations in the country; not all that big, but a well-conditioned underneath receiver with good hands who will make the tough catch in traffic; also really understands the offense and runs nice routes; more quick than fast and isn’t a deep threat, but is a dangerous runner with the ball is in his hands; has 146 career receptions for almost 2,000 yards.

LaRon Byrd, Miami, 6-3, 220, 4.45, SR … Long, rangy receiver with a huge catch radius; has the kind of size, combined with sub-4.5 speed, that NFL offensive co-ordinators dream about, but to date has been more steady than flashy; had 41 receptions in 2010, but averaged less than 11 yards per scored and scored just once; big target uses body well to create mismatches; also has reliable hands and runs good routes, but is more doesn’t play as fast as he times; missed spring practice this year recovering from a leg injury.

LaVon Brazill, Ohio, 5-10, 190, 4.45, SR … Game-breaking punt returner with 4 career returns for TDs who doubles as a solid slot receiver; not very big or physical and struggles to beat the jam; also isn’t going to break many tackles in the open field, but is very quick with an explosive first step; also has good hands and runs crisp routes; caught 53 passes in 2009 when he also averaged 13.5 yards per punt return; durability is an issue though as he had season-ending hand surgery last fall after missing the early part of the season with a sprained knee.

D.J. Woods, Cincinnati, 5-11, 180, 4.50, SR … Skilled slot receiver with soft hands and the sneaky quickness to get deep; averaged 15.6 yards per catch on 57 total receptions last fall; not very big or physical and can be jammed at the line of scrimmage, but runs very crisp routes and can find the open space in coverage; also a dangerous runner with the ball in his hands; will lose focus at times in traffic though and isn’t going to win many battles when the ball is in the air; has also returned punts and kicks, but has never put up huge numbers.

Bert Reed, Florida State, 5-9, 175, 4.40, SR … One-time high school option QB has evolved into fast, elusive slot receiver; has sub-4.4 speed, an explosive first step and can turn on a dime; also has the potential to be very dangerous with the ball in his hands, but has only averaged around 12 yards per catch in his career; also not very big or physical and is unpolished as a receiver; hands are inconsistent and doesn’t run very crisp routes; had 58 receptions in 2010.

Jarius Wright, Arkansas, 5-9, 180, 4.30, SR … The deep threat in what may be the deepest receiver corps in the country; averaged almost 19 yards per catch in 2010 when he had 42 receptions including 5 for scores; not all that big or physical and struggles to beat jam at line of scrimmage as well as get separation from tight press coverage downfield; however, is very fast with reported 4.3 speed; also a very good route-runner with excellent balance and body control who explodes out of cuts; understands the offense and can find the soft spots in coverage; is shifty and elusive after the catch; has adequate hands, but lets too many balls get into his pads.

Damaris Johnson, Tulsa, 5-8, 170, 4.40, SR … Arguably the best-kept secret in college football; indeed, is already the NCAA’s all-time leader in all-purpose yards with 2,600 career receiving yards and another 1,000 plus rushing while averaging close to 26 yards per KO return and 12 bringing back punts; not all that big, but fast, with close to 4.4 speed,as well as quick and shifty; doesn’t run great routes, but has very good hands and is explosive after the catch.

Da’Jon McKnight, Minnesota, 6-2, 215, 4.55, SR … Emerging receiver with good size and speed; led the team with 48 catches last fall when he averaged almost 16 yards per catch and scored 10 times; very raw, unpolished receiver who played just one season of high school football, primarily as a DB and then didn’t redshirt; still learning how to run routes, but has decent hands; good athlete with a long stride; also a good leaper who will go up and get the ball; physical mismatch for a lot of CBs as he uses body well to protect the ball; sat out much of this spring with a knee injury, although it is not believed to be serious.

Joe Adams, Arkansas, 5-10, 190, 4.40, SR … Underrated vertical threat who doubles as a very good punt returner; averaged over 16 yards per catch on 50 receptions last fall when he scored 6 times; also averaged 15.6 yards on punt returns; not all that big or physical, but is a tough kid who was originally recruited as a CB and RB; is somewhat wiry, but has some wiggle and can get off the line of scrimmage; has legitimate 4.4 speed and has a real burst when the ball is in the air; also very dangerous with the ball in his hands after the catch; has a quick first step and can make people miss in the open field; still needs to refine receiving skills; is not a great route-runner and has inconsistent hands; missed three games in 2009 with an undisclosed medical condition.

Danny Coale, Virginia Tech, 5-11, 195, 4.45, SR … One of several of big-play Hokie receivers and reminds some scouts of star Patriots’ WR Wes Welker; hard-working versatile player who can also return kicks and also kick in a pinch; has sub-4.5 speed, but is still more of a possession receiver who runs nice routes and has good hands; also a dangerous runner after the catch; has over 100 career receptions and averaged close to 20 yards per catch over the past couple of seasons; good athlete was an all-state lacrosse player in high school.

Travis Benjamin, Miami, 5-9, 175, 4.35, SR … Big-play threat with legitimate track speed; runs sprints for the UM track team with a PB of 10.4 in the 100M; has averaged almost 17 yards per catch during his career; had 43 catches last fall; dangerous with the ball in his hands after the catch; while improving his skills, he’s still essentially a track guy playing football who doesn’t catch the ball all that well and drives coaches crazy with physical and mentor errors; he’s also not that big or physical and struggles at times to get off the line of scrimmage and isn’t going to win many jump balls.

Jordan White, Western Michigan, 6-0, 215, 4.55, SR … Was granted a 6th year of eligibility after missing two full years (2006, 2008) with knee injuries; has bounced back nicely and had a career year last fall when he caught 94 passes for over 1,300 yards and 10 TDs; also a competent punt returner; not real fast, but has some quickness off the line; still more of a possession-type receiver with good size and better hands, although route-running could be polished.

Jeremy Ebert, Northwestern, 6-0, 195, 4.65, SR … Lacks great speed, but still could be something of a sleeper; has been very productive catching 62 passes for almost 1,000 yards and 8 TDs last fall; only runs in the mid-4.6 range, but plays faster and has a burst when the ball is in the air; has good hands and runs very crisp routes.

******

If you have comments or suggestions, e-mail the Editor, Great Blue North Draft Report. The GBN can also be reached by phone at (613) 692-1088 or regular mail at 320 Shadehill Crescent, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K2J 0L6.

Great Blue North Draft Report Privacy Policy.

The GREAT BLUE NORTH DRAFT REPORT is a division of SQUITERLAND ENTERPRISES, Ottawa, Ontario,Canada