2008 NFL Draft Position
Rankings
The Wide Receivers
Rankings & Breakdowns
Top 50 Players - 1 to
25 |
Top 50 Players - 26 to 50
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Quarterbacks
Running Backs |
Wide Receivers
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Tight Ends
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Offensive Tackles
Offensive Guards |
Centers
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Defensive Ends
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Defensive Tackles
Linebackers |
Safeties
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Cornerbacks
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Punters & Kickers
By
Pete Fiutak
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The Class
Is ... Loaded with No. 2s, weak on No. 1s. There's almost no
difference between the top 10-to-12 prospects. There's no
Braylon Edwards, Larry Fitzgerald of Calvin Johnson to revolve
an entire passing game around, but there are a ton of excellent
secondary targets who'll flourish next to a star.
The Best Value Pick Will Be ... James Hardy, Indiana
Most Underrated ... Andre Caldwell, Florida
Most Overrated ... Limas Sweed, Texas
The Deep, Deep Sleeper Is .. Pierre Garcon, Mt. Union |
THE FRANCHISE
1.
Malcolm Kelly, WR Oklahoma
While Kelly has the look of a No. 1 receiver and he should grow
into the role, he has a ceiling. A hard one. Without the high-end
speed needed to be a star, he'll have to use his great size to be a
physical target who outjumps and outmuscles his way for the ball.
He's tough, isn't afraid to take a shot or two, and can make some
moves in the open field, but he could potentially be shut down cold
by the fastest NFL corners. He still needs a little bit of coaching
to improve his technique and there's a knee injury that's a bit of a
concern, but if someone can light the fire, he'll be the steadiest,
surest receiver prospect. He just might not be the most spectacular.
CFN Projection: Late First Round
2. James Hardy, WR Indiana
The receiver call of the draft. A total mellonhead at times in his
Indiana career, he had a variety of off-the-field issues early in his
career, and while he's supposedly a changed man, there will always be
that question mark. However, most star NFL receivers haven't exactly
been choir boys. Hardy isn't going to blaze past anyone and will have
problems when matched up against a physical lock-down corner, but at 6-6
and 215 pounds with tremendous leaping skills and a nose for the end
zone, he could be a killer goal line option on jump ball. More than
anything else, he made plays. There's no projecting on what his could
do, like a Limas Sweed; Hardy produced.
CFN Projection:
Second Round
POTENTIAL NFL STARTERS
3. Devin Thomas, WR Michigan State
One of the biggest boom-or-bust picks of the draft, Thomas only produced
for one year after coming to MSU from the JUCO ranks. He has decent
size, excellent speed, and great moves in the open field. In a draft
full of NFL No. 2 receivers, Thomas is the one who could be a No. 1 if
everything works out. He has the make-up, the deep speed, and the
toughness to revolve a passing game around. However, and it's a huge
however, he needs the right coaching and a lot of breaking in. He might
not be ready to star right away, he'll need some polish to his route
running and he needs to prove he can handle the responsibility of being
the guy, but the sky's the limit.
CFN Projection: Late First To Second Round
4. Jordy Nelson, WR Kansas State
Ultra-productive in his senior year no matter who covered him or
what any defense tried to do, Nelson blew up into an unstoppable machine
any time he touched the ball. While he's not going to blow past anyone
and he's not as physical as his size might show, but he has functional
speed and can separate when needed. Outside of a serious injury, there's
no bust potential whatsoever. He plays hurt, has nice hands, and can be
used in a variety of ways. He'll have a ten-year career as a
complimentary receiver. If he goes to a team with a star No. 1, he'll be
outstanding.
CFN Projection:
Second To
Third Round
5. Mario Manningham, WR Michigan
While he hasn't timed like an elite blazer, he's been more than fast
enough, hovering just under the 4.5 range, to be called a speed
receiver. He's certainly not a physical one. Extremely thin, he can be
bounced around a big and he isn't going to push anyone around. While he
needs more work than many might believe as a route runner and in some
basic techniques, he's ready to contribute right away if he's not forced
to be a No. 1 target. He's a big play, big game receiver who never shied
away from the big moment, and while he's a bit of a diva, the great NFL
receivers usually are.
CFN Projection: Late First To Early Second Round
6. Andre Caldwell, WR Florida
One of the toughest calls among the receivers, Bubba has good size,
phenomenal speed, and was a dynamic playmaker at times throughout his
record-setting Florida career. How much are scouts scared off by the
broken leg suffered a few years ago? He might not have the elite skills
to blossom into a star of any sort, but he's tough, isn't going to worry
about taking a hit, and he can flat-out move either on deep balls or on
short routes to rack up big yards after the catch.
CFN Projection: Second Round
7.
Limas Sweed, WR Texas
Outside of the wrist injury that cost him most of last year, he has
it all. Tremendous size, good enough speed, and fantastic athleticism,
he looks the part of a receiver to build a passing game around. He's not
a receiver to build a passing game around. Too streaky and not a
dominant player at any time at the collegiate level, he was simply
above-average, never special. To compare him to a similar sized Longhorn
receiver, Sweed isn't as fast as Roy Williams and isn't even in the same
league when it comes to home run hitting potential. He'll work his tail
off and will be a very productive ten-year pro, but while there's no
real downside, it'll take a special set of circumstances to be a star.
CFN Projection: Late First To Second Round
8. DeSean Jackson, WR California
If you're asking Jackson to be a star target to revolve an NFL
offense around, he's not going to be it. If you're asking him to go deep
five times a game to clear out the safeties and have a gaudy
yard-per-catch average, he's your guy. Make him a No. 2 or No. 3 target
against a relatively slow defensive back and he'll hit home run after
home run. The problem is his size. He's never going to be big, he's
always going to be too thin, and he's not going to be a smallish
physical receiver, like a Steve Smith. Banged up at times, he was a
major disappointment in 2007; he didn't make the Cal offense better.
Still, his blinding speed and electrifying return skills make him a fun
weapon to have in the arsenal.
CFN Projection: Late First To Second Round
9. Earl Bennett, WR Vanderbilt
Bennett faced the best of the best defensive backs in the SEC and
still produced becoming the league's all-time leading receiver in fewer
than three years. While he was great with Jay Cutler throwing to him, he
put up even better numbers working with far less talented passers. Not a
blazer, he's more quick than fast with great hands that snags everything
that comes his way; he made his Vanderbilt quarterbacks better,
including Cutler. He'll be erased at times by the speedier NFL corners,
but he'll flourish as a complementary target.
CFN Projection: Mid-Second To Third Round
10.
Dexter
Jackson, WR Appalachian State
Unreal speed, he cranked out a 4.36 to build on the brewing buzz
building after the Michigan win. Stronger and more physical than his
size, he won't be afraid to take a hit and is more than quick enough to
avoid tacklers on the move. Just get him the ball in a variety of ways
and let him go to work. The problem will be his size at 5-9 and 182
pounds. He's not going to block anyone and he'll get shoved around by
the stronger NFL corners. Even so, he'll be a killer slot receiver if
he's not the focal point of a passing game.
CFN Projection: Mid-Second To Third Round
11. Early Doucet, WR LSU
Before his senior season he was considered to be in the running for
the honor of being the top receiver taken in the draft. While he was
fine, he didn't take the next step up needed to show he could be a major
NFL producer. While he's compact and strong, and he's not afraid to
block or do the dirty work, he's not a deep threat and will disappear
for long stretches at the next level. He'll never be a prime target and
he can't change anyone's passing game by himself, but he could be a
whale of an inside possession receiver if used correctly. He's the type
of unselfish receiver you want to have as a No. 3, but he lacks the
superstar streak the truly great ones possess.
CFN Projection: Mid-Second To Third Round
12. William Franklin, WR Missouri
Lost a bit in the overall receiver shuffle because he didn't put up
huge scoring numbers at Mizzou, that wasn't his role. He was a deep
threat while the Tigers liked to throw to the tight ends, and he did his
job very well. Wit sub-4.4 wheels and great athleticism, he'll look the
part of a star from time to time, but he'll get beaten up by the
stronger corners and he needs a lot of work to be anything more than a
fly pattern receiver. He is what he is. Send him deep and hope for a big
play or two a game.
CFN Projection: Mid-Third To Fourth Round
13. Donnie Avery, WR Houston
A slight disappointment at the Combine, he was fast, but he didn't
put up the blazing sub-4.4 time expected. That could be seen as a slight
positive; that means he just played really, really fast. He's a
gamebreaker and a polished deep runner who can blow by any corner who
doesn't get a jam right away. He'll have to work on some basic mechanics
and his hands are questionable, but he's not pretending to be the next
Wes Welker; he's a long-ball hitter.
CFN Projection: Mid-Second To Third Round
14. Eddie Royal, WR Virginia Tech
An attractive prospect because of his return ability as much as his
receiving skills, he never really blew up as a college target, but that
was because Virginia Tech wasn't exactly Texas Tech when it came to
throwing the ball. He has good speed, but not elite wheels, and he's not
big enough to take any sort of a pounding across the middle. He'll bust
his tail to find a role somewhere and could eventually become a nice
option in the slot. He'll be an underwhelming No. 2 but a great No. 3
CFN Projection: Mid-Third To Fourth Round
15. Jerome Simpson, WR Coastal Carolina
With great hands, good enough size, and O.K. speed, he looks the
part of a regular starting NFL receiver. A little too thin and not a
polished or disciplined route runner, he's hardly a sure-thing and he'll
need a lot of coaching and work. However, there's upside. He'll work to
be better and he'll make plays with the ball in his hands, but he's not
going to be a deep threat and he's not going to carry anyone's passing
game. He'll be a sure-handed third down target who could quickly become
a quarterback's best friend.
CFN Projection: Mid-Third To Fourth Round
16.
Josh
Morgan, WR Virginia Tech
With a great size/speed combination he has the tools to become a
sleeper who comes up with a productive ten-year career as a third or
fourth receiver. He was never used enough at Virginia Tech, but he
didn't always do well when he was forgotten about and disappeared at
times. Basically, he went to the wrong school. Had he been a featured
No. 1 receiver with all the attention that comes with it, he would've
been a college superstar. While his numbers improved over his career, he
never made the jump from good to fantastic. That could quickly change in
the pros.
CFN Projection: Mid-Third To Fourth Round
17. Marcus Smith, WR New Mexico
With a good combination of size and speed, he's a nice all-around
prospect who can make plays deep and also make things happen on short to
intermediate routes. While he wasn't quite the deep threat as a senior
he was as a junior, he was more reliable, caught 38 more passes, and
produced against the better defensive backs when he had a shot. He'll
need to be in the right system and in the right situation to stick
around, but there's a good chance he could grow into a special
teams/third receiver role.
CFN Projection: Fifth Round
18. Anthony Alridge, WR Houston
The former running back is smaller than your kid, but he's the
ultimate gamebreaker. A flashy running back who averaged over ten yards
per carry as a junior and 6.2 yards per pop as a senior, he can be used
in a variety of ways including return specialist and as a part time
running back. He'll be a novelty as a wide receiver and will have to
carve out a niche, but his speed will always get him a long look from
several teams.
CFN Projection: Fifth Round
19.
Kenneth Moore, WR Wake Forest
The former running back turned into an ultra-productive receiver in
a non-passing offense. Despite being the focus of every secondary, he
still caught 98 passes for 1,101 yards and five touchdowns with a few
monster games when he caught everything in sight. He still needs some
work to be a pro level route runner and he could use some overall
fine-tuning, but he could become a very nice possession receiver who
keeps the chains moving.
CFN Projection: Fourth Round
BEST OF THE REST
20. D.J. Hall,
WR Alabama
An ultra-productive college player who never got his national due,
he should be a productive pro in a rotation. Tall, thin, and not as fast
as he played at Alabama, he doesn't really fit. He's not fast enough to
be a speed receiver on the outside, and he's not physical enough to be a
star on the inside. However, he produced in the SEC on a regular basis.
He's just a player, even if he doesn't appear to be the prototype.
CFN Projection: Fourth Round To Fifth Round
21. Davone Bess, WR Hawaii
One of the stars of the Hawaii passing show, former head coach June
Jones once called Bess the best receiver he ever coached. With fantastic
hands and tremendous quickness, he'll fit in for anyone looking for a
short to midrange possession receiver. His problem will be the
measurables. He's only 5-9 and 194 pounds and was timed at a painfully
slow 4.76.
CFN Projection: Sixth Round
22. Mario Urrutia, WR Louisville
A disappointment considering what he could've been, the 6-5, 229
pounder cranked out 21.5 yards per catch and seven scores as a freshman
and had Brian Brohm throwing to him. He was fine as a sophomore, but
couldn't endear himself to the new coaching staff as a junior. He needed
to stay for another year to boost his stock.
CFN Projection: Fifth Round To Sixth Round
23. Adarius Bowman, WR Oklahoma State
Extremely physical at 6-3 and 223 pounds, he should be a fantastic
H-Back or a smallish second tight end. He's just too slow to be a
regular wide receiver, but he's strong enough and tough enough to make
the tough catches as a good third option. While he was productive over
his last two years at OSU, after transferring from North Carolina,
reputation-wise he's living off one monster half against Kansas in 2006.
CFN Projection: Fourth Round
24. Lavelle Hawkins, WR California
He needed to time off the charts, and he barely ran under 4.6. He
picked up the slack at times when DeSean Jackson was underachieving, but
he was most effective as a number two target in the slot. He's not a
good enough athlete, and he's not big enough, to be a regular, but he
could stick as a kick returner and a fourth receiving option.
CFN Projection: Fifth Round To Sixth Round
25. Pierre Garcon, WR Mount Union
At around 6-0 and 210 pounds with 4.4 speed, he has the measureables
to merit a long look. He's tough, plays fast, and isn't afraid to block.
While he'll need work to become an NFL receiver, and only produced
against D-III competition, he might be worth the time and effort.
However, he's at least two years from playing on offense; he needs to
make an early mark on special teams.
CFN Projection: Sixth Round
26. Harry Douglas, WR Louisville
It's all about his return ability. While he's very tough and he
proved he could be a No. 1 receiver at the collegiate level, he's not
big enough or fast enough to be more than a No. 3 on anyone's offense.
However, he could blossom as a kick and punt returner. Even though he's
tough as nails, he'll get beaten up by NFL defensive backs
CFN Projection: Sixth Round
27. Keenan Burton, WR Kentucky
Tall, fast, and productive, he showed flashes of big-play talent
throughout his college career, Durability is an issue and he doesn't use
his speed well enough; he plays slower than he actually is. However, if
he's in the right system and he's asked to be a backup, occasional No.
3, and emergency No. 2, he could hang around the league for a little
while.
CFN Projection: Sixth Round
28. Adrian Arrington, WR Michigan
At 6-2 and 202 pounds with 4.58 speed, he has a good size/speed
ratio and he looks the part of an NFL receiver. Very physical, he'll
block, make catches in traffic, and will beat up smaller defensive
backs. However, he's not a natural receiver and he doesn't use his speed
to his advantage. He also has off-the-field character issues to get
past.
CFN Projection: Fifth Round To Sixth Round
29.
Jabari Arthur, WR Akron
The former quarterback turned into one of the MAC's best receivers. Huge
at 6-3 and 227 pounds with decent 4.6 speed, he's an intriguing prospect
who could be the deep sleeper of the receiver class. While he's not a
great blocker, he uses his size to outmuscle defensive backs. For some
reason he's not on the radar, but he has the upside to potentially be a
nice No. 3 receiver.
CFN Projection:
Sixth Round To Free Agent
30. Paul Hubbard, WR Wisconsin
He looks the part and he should've been a major factor in the Badger
offense, but he wasn't. An elite all-around athlete with sub-4.6 speed
in a 6-3, 221-pound frame, he was a track star for Wisconsin excelling
mostly at the triple jump and the long jump. He's not a natural
receiver, but if someone wants to put in the time and the investment and
work on him for a year, he has the tools to be a nightmare of a mismatch
for most defensive backs.
CFN Projection:
Sixth Round To Free Agent
31. Arman Shields, WR Richmond
Eyes open up when you run a 4.41. One of the quickest most
productive prospects at the Combine, he showed he could cut on a dime,
run as well as anyone, and put up the kind of numbers many of the top
ten receiver prospects would love to have. He hurt his knee in college
and we never an ultra-productive player, even at the lower level. He'll
have to find a niche on special teams and he'll have to something
special early in training camp to stick around.
CFN Projection:
Sixth Round
32. Darius Reynaud, WR West Virginia
While he would've benefited from a senior season, no one was shocked
that he came out early. Undersized, his game is all about quickness and
being elusive. For his size, he's a tough target who'll block and will
get down and dirty; he's not just a home run hitter. He's not a
pro-caliber receiver in terms of skills and technique, and he'll need
coaching and development which he likely won't get unless he does
something special early in practices.
CFN Projection:
Sixth Round To Free Agent
33. Kevin Robinson, WR Utah State
A return man. One of the great returners in the history of college
football, Robinson was the lone bright spot on some woeful Utah State
teams. At just under six feet and 200 pounds, he has decent size, but
he's slowwwwww. Like around 4.8 slow, mainly because he bulked up before
the off-season workouts. He can be used as a slot receiver, but he'll
have to make it on special teams.
CFN Projection:
Sixth Round To Free Agent
34. Dorien Bryant, WR Purdue
One of the Big Ten's all-time great all-around producers, even if no
one knows who he is, Bryant was a reception machine who'll need to
become a returner to make it in the NFL. He's very quick and could be a
good slot receiver if he becomes better at hanging on to the ball, but
he's not a gamebreaker and he isn't a scorer. Again, his career will be
made or broken on special teams.
CFN Projection:
Sixth Round To Free Agent
ON
THE RADAR
35. Maurice Purify, WR Nebraska
36. Marcus Henry, WR Kansas
37. Mark Bradford, WR Stanford
38. Ryan Grice-Mullen, WR Hawaii
39. Chaz Schillens, WR San Diego State
40. Darnell Jenkins, WR Miami
41. Marcus Monk, WR Arkansas
42. Brandon Breazell, WR UCLA
43. Marcell Reece, WR Washington
44. Todd Blythe, WR Iowa State
45. Steve Johnson, WR Kentucky
46. Travis Brown, WR New Mexico
47. Lance Leggett, WR Miami
48. Ed Williams, WR Lane
49. Keith Brown, WR Alabama
50. Taj Smith, WR Syracuse
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