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2009 NFL Draft - Ranking The Wide Receivers
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CollegeFootballNews.com
Posted Apr 22, 2009
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The 2009 NFL Draft is almost here. From a college football perspective, here's the CFN ranking of the top 25 wide receiver prospects led by Michael Crabtree, Jeremy Maclin and Percy Harvin, along with the most overrated and underrated prospects and the deepest sleeper.
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2009 NFL Draft Position Rankings
The Wide Receivers
2009 NFL Draft Post-Workout Rankings
Quarterbacks
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Running Backs |
Fullbacks |
Receivers |
Tight Ends
Centers |
Guards |
Off. Tackles |
Def. Ends |
Def. Tackles
Inside LBs |
Outside LBs |
Cornerbacks |
Safeties
By
Pete Fiutak
- 2009 NFL Prospect Rankings
Quarterbacks |
Running Backs |
Wide Receivers
Tight Ends |
Off. Tackles |
Off. Guards |
Centers
Defensive Ends |
Defensive Tackles |
Inside LBs
Outside LBs |
Safeties |
Cornerbacks
THE FRANCHISE
1. Jeremy Maclin, Missouri 6-1, 210 (3rd year Soph.)
Does he have the ability to stay healthy and get more physical? While
he’s tough, he played through an ankle injury, he’s mostly been a
finesse target who’s been great on the move and in space. He has the
hands, he has the top-end speed, and he has the return ability to become
an instant impact playmaker in a variety of ways. It’s his speed that
sets him apart with an extra gear when he gets going. How fast is he? He
tore off a “disappointing” 4.4 at the Combine even though he had a
dinged up leg. When he’s right, he’ll be a No. 1 receiver and a big-time
playmaker, but he can’t be counted on for a full 16-game season.
CFN Projection: First Round
2. Percy Harvin, Florida 5-11, 195 (Jr.)
A smaller, better running version of Jeremy Maclin, Harvin was an elite
playmaker when he was able to stay on the field. Oh sure, Tim Tebow had
the speech and has been the signature star, but Florida doesn’t win the
SEC title or the national title without Harvin. While he’s not all that
big, he’s strong, well-built, and tough. However, he gets hurt way too
often to be a top target to build a passing game around. He’ll have to
be a complementary weapon who’ll do a little of everything for an
offense, and he’ll likely be tried out and used as a returner. A top
offensive coordinator will drool at the possibilities, and there will be
some big games when Harvin explodes, but he’ll have a tough time being
consistent and he’s not going to stay healthy.
CFN Projection:
First Round
3. Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech 6-1, 215 (3rd year Soph.)
Everyone has fallen in love with Crabtree because of his size, desire,
and his tremendous production at Texas Tech. However, there are major
warning signs that he might not be the be-all-end-all No. 1 target. For
one, he’s not as big as expected. Considered to be in the same category
as Larry Fitzgerald, Calvin Johnson, and Andre Johnson, top receivers
who went in the top three overall, Crabtree isn’t nearly as tall and
he’s nowhere near as fast. And then there’s the foot issue. No one is
considering for a second that there’s anything strange about the injury,
the timing couldn’t be better. He’s not a 4.4 runner, and he’s more
likely around a devastatingly stock-dropping 4.6. Is that for sure? No
way, but it’s asking a lot to draft a wide receiver in the top 10
without knowing if he can run. He needs to get the ball in a
quick-hitting passing attack and on the move. Randy Moss he’s not; he’s
not going to get deep on any NFL starting cornerback. Ultra-competitive,
he’s the type who’ll want to make himself better and he’s the one true
No. 1 type of receiver in the draft. All the doubters out there and all
the question marks are a major positive. It’ll all light a fire under
him that could carry into an extremely productive pro career in the
right offense.
CFN Projection: First Round
4. Darrius Heyward-Bey, Maryland 6-2, 210 (Jr.)
Speed, speed and more speed. There’s no questioning his athleticism, his
wheels, or his raw skills that everyone knew about throughout his
career, and were then shown off at the Combine and in workouts. However,
he might be a one-trick pony as a speed receiver. Not a consistent
playmaker for the Terps and not a do-it-all sort of performer, he’s a
deep threat who’ll stretch the field and create major problems for any
secondary and any top corner. However, he has work to do to become more
of a short-to-midrange target to go along with the elite wheels. He’ll
do what he has to. He’ll work his tail off to become more than just a
track guy playing football and isn’t a prima donna.
CFN
Projection: First Round
POSSIBLE NFL STARTERS
5. Brian Robiskie, Ohio State 6-3, 209
While he’s not all that fast and he’s not quite good enough to be an
elite go-to target, he’s ready to step in and be a starter right now.
He’s polished, productive, and smart. He’ll get the pro playbook right
away, will be a favorite for any quarterback because of his route
running ability, and he’ll make the plays thrown his way. What he
doesn’t have is the top-end gear to get past an NFL corner, but he
should grow into a terrific No. 2 target who thrives alongside a speedy
No. 1. While there might be a bit of a ceiling on what he can become, he
was underutilized in his final year once Terrelle Pryor took over. While
he might have disappeared at times, that’s not going to happen once he
sets foot in a pro-style offense.
CFN Projection:
Second Round
6. Hakeem Nicks, North Carolina 6-1, 212 (Jr.)
With great hands, a No. 1 target attitude, and good size and toughness,
he has the look of a possible Cris Carter-type who could grow into a
superstar if he can stay in shape. That’s been an issue since the end of
the year after beefing up, and not necessarily in a good way. His speed
is average at best as is, and he might have big problems if he’s not in
tip-top shape at all times. Even so, if it all comes together, and if he
has the right attitude, it’s all there for him to be a major steal.
He’ll demand the ball, will go get it when it’s thrown to him, and will
make the highlight reel play when he’s on a roll. He’s a difference
maker who could become special.
CFN Projection:
Second Round
7. Derrick Williams, Penn State 5-11, 195
He’ll go on the cheap compared to Jeremy Maclin and Percy Harvin,
similar players who have a better buzz. No, Williams isn’t as fast as
some of the top prospects and he was a disappointment as a receiver
considering he was considered the nation’s top high school prospect.
However, he’s a versatile playmaker who’ll be used as a returner and can
get a few carries per game. While he might not be a special NFL
receiver, he’ll likely hang around the league for a decade and be very,
very solid as a dirty work, inside target.
CFN Projection:
Second Round
8. Kenny Britt, WR Rutgers 6-4, 215 (Jr.)
There are two questions: speed and character. Everything else is there.
He produced even though he was the target of every defense, QB Mike Teel
wasn’t always great, and Ray Rice and the running game dominated the
offense until last year. Extremely strong, he’ll beat up defensive backs
fighting for the ball and as a blocker. While he doesn’t have top-end
speed, he’s a better deep threat than he probably could be. He’s a
fighter, and not just on the field. He might rub coaches the wrong way
and he could check out if he’s not a No. 1 option. However, he could be
a No. 1 option. If he can harness his energy and be focused full-time,
he has Pro Bowl potential.
CFN Projection: Second
Round
9. Demetrius Byrd, LSU 6-1, 200
The epitome of the million-dollar talent with a ten-cent head. He has it
all with size, speed, and tremendous upside. He can hit the home run,
find the hole in the seam, and do big things when he gets the ball on
the move. However, he’s not a refined route runner, will drop passes,
and didn’t produce like a superstar receiver he should’ve become. He was
plenty good, and he’ll be solid for someone on raw skills alone, but he
could be great. Special. If it all kicks in and if he finds the desire
to become the NFL’s best receiver, it’s all there for him. The world is
his if he wants it.
CFN Projection: Third Round
10. Brandon Tate, North Carolina
6-1, 185
If given time he could be great. One of the all-time great kickoff
returners in college football history, he was on his way to a special
year as a receiver as well as a return man before suffering a horrendous
knee injury that could still keep him at far less than 100% well into
the 2009 NFL season. Before the injury he was tremendously quick, hard
to get a hold of, and productive. In time, he’ll be a top-shelf special
teamer and a very, very good inside receiver once he’s healthy again. He
might have been a late first rounder if he didn’t have the knee problem.
CFN Projection: Third Round
11. Louis Murphy, Florida 6-2, 205
The skills are all there and he has tremendous upside, but he has to
work on becoming a wide receiver. His sub-4.4 speed alone makes him a
strong deep threat, and he’s a great athlete who can jump out of the
stadium. Throw in the character, he was a captain on a national
championship team, and he would seem like a near-perfect prospect.
However, he needs polish in a big way. He was good for the Gators but he
didn’t become great until his senior year. Even so, he was underrated
compared to the rest of the stars on last year’s team; he never got
enough credit for all he did for the offense. He’s not going to be
anything to count on right away unless he’s used as a pure deep threat,
but he can improve his concentration, limit the drops, a work and work
and work on his basic receiving skills, he could make a lot of money as
a long-time pro.
CFN Projection: Third Round
12. Juaquin Iglesias, Oklahoma 6-0, 205
While he’s not going to impress on the stopwatch and he might have
flourished because he played in the Oklahoma offense, he’s a flat-out
wide receiver who has an extremely low downside. He has great hands, is
a strong route runner, and plays faster than he times. Get him the ball
on the move and he’ll make something happen. While he’ll get beaten up
by physical defensive backs and he’s not going to hit the home runs he
did for the Sooners, he’s a hard worker and a good enough player to make
a coaching staff instantly happy once camp starts. He’s not going to be
one of the top receivers in the draft, but he’ll stick.
CFN
Projection: Third Round
13. Ramses Barden, Cal Poly 6-6, 205
Very big, very tall, and very, very productive, he was one of the most
dominant offensive weapons on the FCS level over the last four years.
While he played at a lower level, he caught six passes for 83 yards and
a score at Wisconsin. However, he didn’t see any other action against
FBS teams and was erased at the Senior Bowl. He’s not all that fast and
he’s not nearly as physical as he should be for a player of his size,
but he knows how to make plays and he knows how to score. It’ll take a
little while and a lot of work on his refinement, but if he hits the
weights, gets a nasty attitude, and develops a niche, like as a goal
line playmaker, he could grow into a weapon.
CFN Projection:
Fourth Round
14. Mike Thomas, Arizona 5-8, 185
If he was two inches taller he might be seen as a first rounder. Cut,
he’s extremely well built and is tough as nails. He’ll fight though
injuries and will have to be dragged off the field. Ultra-productive for
Arizona, he did a little of everything well and wasn’t afraid to catch
the ball in traffic even at his size. The size, or lack of it, is a
major factor, even though his phenomenal vertical leaping ability makes
up for it a little bit. With 4.3 wheels, he could grow into a deep
threat who punishes defenses for not paying attention to him. The
intangibles are all there, but he’ll be dragged down because he’s just
too short.
CFN Projection: Fourth Round
15. Mohamed Massaquoi, Georgia 6-1, 205
While he never lived up to the immense prep hype, he grew into a
dependable all-around playmaker for the Bulldogs by the end of his
career. He’s not going to be a star, but he’s going to be a very, very
good, reliable pro for a long time because he does all the things
coaches like. He blocks, he’s tough, he goes over the middle, and he’ll
do whatever he needs to do. A good athlete, he has just enough speed to
get by. However, he’s just not that good a receiver. He’ll make too many
drops and will disappear for long stretches. While he’ll be a nice part
of an offense, he’ll never be great.
CFN Projection:
Third Round
16. Jarett Dillard, Rice 5-10, 185
Ultra-productive, he was unstoppable even when everyone was focused on
stopping him. Part of the equation was the wide-open spread attack, and
part of it was that Dillard was simply that good. He makes every catch,
takes his game to another level when he’s trying to score, and will work
his tail off. While he’s too small to not get beaten up, and he’s not a
blazer, he jumps out of the stadium and plays much bigger than he is.
He’ll stick on a roster because he’ll run every route needed, will catch
every pass, and will do everything asked of him. But there’s a ceiling
on what he can do because of his size and lack of top speed.
CFN Projection: Fourth Round
17. Deon Butler, Penn State 5-10, 185
Always seen as part of the receiving corps, nothing more, he busted out
this off-season with a jaw-dropping 4.36 that had everyone at the
Combine buzzing. With his superior quickness and his great hands, he
could explode as a slot receiver if he can get the ball in space on a
regular basis. While he’s not a returner, he’ll work to try to become
one. If he can bust out one nice return in practices, he could stick
around for a while and will get a lot more attention. The problem is his
size; this is it. He bulked up this off-season, but he doesn’t have any
room to get any bigger and he isn’t all that physical.
CFN
Projection: Fourth Round
BEST OF THE REST
18. Greg Carr, Florida State
6-5, 215
Why didn’t Florida State throw jump balls to
Carr on every other play? If nothing else, he scared the heck out of
secondaries. Underutilized at times, he had one thing he could do and he
did it very well. However, he’s a one-trick pony. He’s not nearly
physical enough for his size, doesn’t go over the middle, and he’ll get
shoved around. It’s all about what he can do on the goal line and if he
can become a specialist. Throw it up, let him go get it as a possible
matchup nightmare, and let him work outside the hashmarks.
CFN
Projection: Sixth Round
19. Patrick Turner, USC 6-5. 220
He went from being undraftable to
an interesting late round prospect after the season. Way too slow and
not nearly productive enough considering his high school résumé, and the
offense he played in, he opened up eyes at the Combine and in Senior
Bowl practices. More fluid this off-season than he ever appeared to be
at USC, his combination of size and hands make him a safe flier.
CFN Projection: Sixth Round
20. Brandon Gibson,
Washington State 6-0, 200
Very productive despite all his
limitations, Gibson works hard, was productive for some bad teams, and
is tough. He’ll be a good possession receiver who’ll block anyone needed
to be hit, but he doesn’t have enough speed to be anything more than a
complementary target. While he didn’t stand out this off-season, he
could be a big surprise once he gets an NFL quarterback throwing his
way.
CFN Projection: Fifth Round
21. Kevin Ogletree, Virginia
6-2, 190 (Jr.)
It was a bit of a shock when he said he was
leaving early, and no one at Virginia appeared to be too upset. A brutal
knee injury limited a one-time promising career, but he did a decent job
and had some big games when he was on the field. Extremely fast, he had
a great Combine and now could be used as a deep threat, even though he
didn’t do much field-stretching for the Cavaliers.
CFN
Projection: Sixth Round
22. Austin Collie, BYU 6-2,
200 (Jr.)
While everyone just assumes Michael Crabtree
led the nation in all the top receiving categories because of the
offense he was in, but it was Collie who led the nation in receiving
yards. While he doesn’t run all that well and he’s not all that quick,
he’s a pure receiver who runs great routes, catches everything, and goes
after the ball well. He’s a polished target, but he doesn’t have a lot
of upside.
CFN Projection: Fifth Round
23. Brian Hartline,
Ohio State 6-2, 185 (Jr.)
He should’ve come back for another
year, but the writing was on the wall that the Buckeye offense just
wasn’t going to do much with the passing game with Terrelle Pryor under
center. Hartline went from undraftable to a possible No. 3 inside
receiver after showing phenomenal quickness at the Combine. Far more
quick than fast, he’s not going to burn anyone deep and he’s not going
to shove anyone around, but he has the potential to be decent.
CFN Projection: Sixth Round
24. Jeremy Childs, Boise
State 6-0, 195 (Jr.)
Productive when he was on the
field, Childs had problems off the field, mainly in school. He’s very
tough with excellent hands and will fight for the ball, but he doesn’t
have special skills. The speed isn’t there and he’ll struggle to
separate from a good defensive back at the next level. Even so, he’s a
good receiver who’ll be where he needs to be, will run solid routes, and
could make a roster as a possession target.
CFN Projection:
Fifth Round
25. Kenny McKinley, South Carolina
5-11, 185
Fantastic for the Gamecocks and extremely
productive in SEC play, he’ll have problems finding a role at an NFL
level. While he’s very fast and he did a good job against bigger
defensive backs, he’ll get beaten up if he’s not always in space. He
doesn’t play up to his speed and he’ll get shoved around, but he has
good hands and he’s a fighter who’ll be tough to cut.
CFN
Projection: Sixth Round
26. Aaron Kelly, Clemson
6-5, 195
With great size and leaping ability he could
find a niche as an inside target and a possession receiver, and he could
also grow into a goal line target if he’s given a chance. However, he’s
not physical enough to be a regular blocker and there will be durability
concerns. There isn’t enough of a burst to do anything on the outside.
CFN Projection: Seventh Round
27. Brooks Foster, North
Carolina 6-0, 211
Could be the best of the Tar Heel lot that’ll
be drafted with a good blend of size and speed. However, he didn’t stand
out often enough.
CFN Projection: Fourth Round
28. Sammie
Stroughter, Oregon State 5-9, 190
Tremendously productive when
healthy, he’ll make his money as a returner and a fourth receiver.
CFN Projection: Sixth Round
29. Johnny Knox, Abilene
Christian 5-11, 185
He’ll make a roster on his 4.34
speed alone, but he’s not big enough. He’ll get beaten up and won’t be
able to use his wheels.
CFN Projection: Fifth Round
30. Mike Wallace,
Ole Miss 6-1 200
Extremely fast, he should be tried out as a
returner and a deep threat. Very, very raw as a receiver.
CFN
Projection: Sixth Round
31. Quan Cosby, Texas 5-9 195
A very small, very old (he’s 27)
slot receiver, he’s polished and could bounce around the league for
several years.
CFN Projection: Free Agent
32. Tiquan Underwood,
Rutgers 6-1 185
The running mate next to Kenny Britt, he’s a
phenomenal athlete with jaw-dropping speed and leaping ability. He’s not
nearly physical enough and will be knocked off a route by a soft breeze.
CFN Projection: Seventh Round
33. Darius Passmore, Marshall
6-1 188
Character and durability issues overshadow how
fluid he is. Very thin and not physical, he needs to use his athleticism
to find a role as a returner.
CFN Projection: Free
Agent
34.
Jaison Williams, Oregon 6-5 235
Huge, he needs to establish himself as a
possible H-Back. He’s a good athlete with nice hands, but he’s way too
slow.
CFN Projection: Sixth Round
35. Jordan Norwood, Penn
State 5-11 180
Too small, too slow, and not strong enough, he
doesn’t have NFL talent. However, he’s a good football player who’ll run
good routes.
CFN Projection: Free Agent
36. Brennan
Marion, Tulsa, 5-11 185
37. Eron Riley, Duke 6-3 200
38. Michael
Jones, Arizona State 6-3 205
39. Nate Swift, Nebraska 6-2 205
40. David Richmond, San Jose State
6-2 196
41. Derek Kinder, Pitt 6-0 215
42. Deon Murphy, Kansas
State 5-10 170
43. Dicky Lyons, Kentucky 5-10 180
44. Rodgeriqus
Smith, Auburn 5-11 195
45. Dominick Goodman, Cincinnati 5-11 205
46. Marcus Herford, Kansas 6-1 200
47. Quentin Chaney, Oklahoma 6-4
48. Greg Orton, Purdue 6-3 207
49. Taurus Johnson, South
Florida 6-0 200
50. Andrew Means, Indiana 6-1 215
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