Written by: Joseph Yun
Twitter: @ItsDuckinTooYun
With the draft just a little over a week away, it’s time to take a look at the deepest position group in the 2020 NFL Draft! The receiver class from top to bottom is the deepest it has been in a few years; legitimate starters can and will be found up until the fourth round! In case you missed the previous adventures in the series, you can find the quarterbacks and running backs here.
Note: All Relative Athletic Scores (RAS) are courtesy of Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) from relativeathleticscores.com. Blitzalytics grades are a result of a comprehensive grading system.
Note 2: All charts associated with mockdraftable.com are courtesy of mockdraftable.com
- Jeudy is the top receiver on my board due to the overall package. While his RAS score wasn’t the best as seen below, the film belies a much better athlete on the field. The production dipped a bit from his 2018 highs, but that can be attributed to a variety of factors (staff changes, other receivers stepping up, and Tua Tagovailoa’s injury). He has insane lateral agility like former Chiefs return man Dante Hall. Jeudy can be a WR1 given the right situation; it won’t be a surprise if he’s the first receiver off the board.
Round Grade: Top 15
BA Grade: 7.8
- In somewhat of a surprise, Ruggs is the second-best receiver on the board here. He didn’t end up “challenging” the Combine 40 record but came mighty close with a 4.27. The speed and lateral quickness is undeniable, and he’s demonstrated two consistent years of production. I compare his game to a mix of Tyreek Hill and DeSean Jackson. HR3 is somewhat limited by the size, but with that speed, he will burn any defensive back that wants to press him. Can he play the X or is he limited to the slot? He could be in the running for a top 15 pick and has a case for the first receiver off the board.
Round Grade: Top 20
BA Grade: 7.84
- Lamb gets the bronze medal as he isn’t as explosive as the two above him but still plenty athletic. I do have some injury concerns given he suffered a foot injury in 2018. Those tend to flare up every now and then, especially for the caliber of athlete he is. Going 0 to 60 in a hurry, he possesses some of the best acceleration I’ve seen in a while, also being quick in the lateral game. A dynamo with the ball in his hands, he’s one of the best in this class at balance and contested catches (those are rare in Oklahoma’s explosive offense, I know).
Round Grade: Top 20
BA Grade: 7.92
- My first shocking pick that placed in the top ten. Hamler is an ATHLETE; he’s special with the ball in his hands. Yeah I get it- he’s smaller than what you want in a receiver, but that electric lateral quickness is great. His size will limit him to the slot at the next level. Get him on a screen and let him do work. While he didn’t test at the Combine for some reason, I think he could be an improved De’Anthony Thomas in the NFL if used right.
Round Grade: Second
BA Grade: 6.96
- Remember Justin Blackmon in college? That’s Jefferson with better route-running ability. He showed really well on tape this last season. A versatile receiver that played all over the place in LSU’s offense throughout his career, he isn’t just limited to the X. He isn’t the best laterally but it’s serviceable.
Round Grade: First
BA Grade: 7.86
- Mims assuaged any speed concerns that he had with an impressive 4.38 40 at the Combine. He tries as a blocker even if he isn’t the most technically proficient. Really big catch radius. Profiles as an X at the next level. Positional versatility isn’t the greatest. The route tree at Baylor was limited at best but the routes he did run were excellent. The deep speed is the game-changer for teams. I liken his game to a Torrey Smith. It has been reported that he played 2019 with a broken hand, making his season all the more impressive.
Round Grade: Second
BA Grade: 7.26
7. Brandon Aiyuk, Arizona State
- After a middling junior season, Aiyuk broke out as a senior, which is somewhat surprising given a true freshman quarterback and a wholly unimpressive offensive coordinator. He’s an underrated route runner who is improving in that regard but still needs coaching. The ASU offense did not live up to the hype. A versatile weapon in both the pass and return game. Blocking was an issue as it appeared that he was playing patty cake instead of engaging with the defender. He profiles as a second banana type like a Sanu or Nate Burleson. He made the top ten based on a variety of factors, namely production and being better than N’Keal Harry at the same stage.
Round Grade: Second to Third
BA Grade: 7.05
- Reagor is a speed merchant and then some. He’s an athlete in every sense of the word. The deep speed and acceleration is just incredible. Reagor isn’t the most technical of route runners out there so he will need to improve on that. There are flashes though. He’s shown the ability to make the contested catch look easy. In particular, look at the Baylor game this year. It was highlight reel after highlight reel.
Round Grade: Second
BA Grade: 7.05
9. Donovan Peoples-Jones, Michigan
- A better pro player than college player due to some horrific systems and quarterbacks he had to endure in Ann Arbor. He’s a pretty solid athlete with great RAS scores. He plays like a much bigger receiver than he is. DPJ is a contested-catch monster. Not the greatest laterally but the tools are there for an NFL team to mold. He surprised me a lot at the Combine with his athleticism.
Round Grade: Second
BA Grade: 6.61
10. Laviska Shenault Jr., Colorado
- When I watch him, I see Sammy Watkins. He has a medical history so teams will likely downgrade him for it. He’s electric with the ball in his hands. He was oftentimes the entirety of Colorado’s offense. He runs like a running back with mean intentions like Earl Campbell did back in the day. A willing and physical blocker that gets after it. He’s definitely a top ten receiver and should be drafted as such.
Round Grade: Second
BA Grade: 7.6
11. Devin Duvernay, Texas
- A much faster Kendall Wright. He didn’t really pop until his senior season. The speed is awe-inspiring. He’s not the greatest laterally but uses his track experience to the fullest. Duvernay can get going vertically in a hurry. One has to wonder what went on his first three years. Is more physical than he’s given credit for. His speed gets him ranked just outside the top ten on the board.
Round Grade: Second to Third
BA Grade: 6.46
- Higgins is a carbon copy of Mike Williams (the Clemson and Chargers version). It’s uncanny. Higgins is that kind of athlete that makes everything so smooth and effortless. The catch radius and hands are immense. He’s not quite Josh Gordon (the on-field version) physically but the flashes are there to be that. He projects to be a WR1 if not a really solid WR2 like a Mike Wallace burner type.
Round Grade: Second
BA Grade: 7.25
- Jefferson has an argument for being the best route runner in the class. A legitimate one. The recent foot injury is a concern, however. He’s not the fastest guy but he gets by with veteran guile. It’s expected of him to be a great route runner given who his father is. The production isn’t there because of Florida’s inability to put together a consistent offense. He was dominant in Mobile though. Jefferson can be a Jeremy Maclin type at the next level.
Round Grade: Second
14. Chase Claypool, Notre Dame
- Here is where it gets interesting. I was on the Claypool could be TE1 train all season in 2019. Well, that notion was blown out of the water with his excellent Combine. I still maintain that thought, though. He’s an excellent athlete given his measurements. Do I think that he would excel as a TE? Of course, he would be a matchup nightmare as a slot tight end like a Jimmy Graham or a Tony Gonzalez.
Round Grade: Second to Third
BA Grade: 7.67
15. Bryan Edwards, South Carolina
- I can see the Corey Davis comp that mockdraftable.com with Edwards. They are both similar sizes and have similar athleticism. He’s a master of the circus catch. It’s unfortunate that he couldn’t test at the Combine due to injury. It’s also unfortunate that he didn’t have more production but that’s yet another system issue. He can be a solid WR2 if healthy in the NFL.
Round Grade: Third
16. Isaiah Hodgins, Oregon State
- Hodgins is an underrated receiver from a program that has been irrelevant for at least a decade. He isn’t the fastest receiver nor the quickest laterally but is a smooth one that knows how to get open. A really good route runner. I ranked him in the top 20 because he’s that good in a deep class. Production was great given the context of the Beavers program. A willing blocker.
Round Grade: Third
- The son of former NFL running back Michael Pittman, he plays like a running back. He’s a great red zone threat and has excellent hands. Very physical at the point of attack. He has the size and physicality to be an X and stay there. The athleticism is just average, though. He will win a bunch of 50-50 balls for you. He produced well even with multiple schemes and quarterback changes. Had an excellent Senior Bowl performance.
Round Grade: Third
BA Grade: 6.81
18. Quartney Davis, Texas A&M
- I’m a huge fan of Davis and his route running ability. He’s a top-five receiver in that category. He doesn’t profile as an X at the next level but can be a fun slot WR2. Production wasn’t all that but can be expected with a scheme change and an inconsistent QB situation. He’s yet another receiver that’s fearsome with the ball in his hands.
Round Grade: Late Third to Early Fourth
19. Antonio Gandy-Golden, Liberty
- The small school receiver that everyone is hyped up about lands in my top 20. He had a pretty solid Senior Bowl showing. AGG has the size to compete but not so much the athleticism.
Round Grade: Third
BA Grade: 7.42
20. Lynn Bowden, Kentucky
- The do it all weapon for the Wildcats did enough as a receiver to land in my top 20. He has experience in the return game as well. He surprisingly did not test at the Combine, which was a mistake in hindsight. While he played QB for Kentucky this past year, he’s going back to receiver in the NFL. I love his versatility. He’ll fit well in the slot.
Round Grade: Fourth
21. Quintez Cephus, Wisconsin
- He tested very poorly at the Combine as expected to some degree. Cephus was the primary receiver for the Badgers after AJ Taylor went down with injury and defenses keyed on him as a result. Not sure if he got a full development due to Wisconsin’s offensive history. He also has a sexual assault case that was dismissed against him.
Round Grade: Fifth
- A big physical prototypical X receiver type. He doesn’t have the quick-twitch as you expect with a dude his size but is serviceable enough as an athlete. If used right, he can be a WR3.
Round Grade: Fifth
BA Grade: 6.84
23. Jauan Jennings, Tennessee
- A below average athlete by any metric but there’s a junkyard dog mentality in him. He’s very physical in every facet of the game. Underrated receiver from a program that’s slowly coming back to prominence. Due to his lack of athleticism, he might be relegated to spot duties on special teams and in certain packages. I wouldn’t not be surprised if he makes it though.
Round Grade: Late Fifth to Early Sixth
24. James Proche, SMU
- Proche has great hands and is underrated as a physical threat off the line. He did not test at the Combine. He has really good ball skills and is twitched up in the short area game. As such, he profiles better as a slot. I love his production as well through multiple coaches. Mockdraftable comps him to Golden Tate but that’s a stretch. He has short arms.
Round Grade: Fourth
25. K.J. Hill, Ohio State
- As you can see, Hill did not test well athletically. A receiver that you have to scheme open because he’s Zach Randolph in terms of physical traits. Very good route runner and football IQ. He just gets open somehow, some way. That skill set gets him in the top 25.
Round Grade: Sixth
26. Joe Reed, Virginia
- Reed cracked the top 30 for me due to his versatility and athletic traits. He’s lined up everywhere on offense except for offensive line it seems. As you can see the test results below, he is an ATHLETE. He has really good speed and lateral quicks in the open field. Excellent ball skills. Reed also returned kicks for the Cavaliers so he’ll make a roster that way. One of my favorite receivers in the class. A team will get a steal if he falls anywhere near the fifth round. He’s a versatile AJ Brown in the way he plays.
Round Grade: Fifth
27. Gabriel Davis, UCF
- Davis is willing to scrap for everything and that’s an admirable trait. He might not be the most refined route runner but he just bullies defensive backs in press coverage. Production was spotty due to QB issues his last season. Looks smooth accelerating off the line but isn’t the fastest guy. Made a living off of 9 routes. UCF ran a Briles centric spread offense so the route tree is quite limited. He will need further development of the route tree as a result.
Round Grade: Fifth
28. Tyler Johnson, Minnesota
- I ranked Johnson this low due to the offseason he’s been having in which he skipped the Shrine Game and the Combine. That was a bad call by his camp given the global pandemic that we are in. On the field wise, he’s a really good route runner that gets by with veteran guile more than pure athleticism. He is fun and dangerous laterally because of his great footwork in short areas. He can last in the league as a WR3 if a team uses him right in the short and intermediate game.
Round Grade: Fourth
29. Kendrick Rogers, Texas A&M
- A much faster and more athletic Kelvin Benjamin if you will. Despite Jimbo’s offense being predicated on route perfection, I didn’t see it for the most part with Rogers. He was the go to freelance when you need something insane type of receiver.
Round Grade: Sixth
30. Tyrie Cleveland, Florida
- Cleveland had been having a great offseason until the shutdown after a somewhat mediocre career (thanks to Florida’s litany of offensive problems). He was Florida’s primary deep ball specialist. He was excellent at the Senior Bowl, showing a lot more to his game than the deep speed. He’s a crafty route runner when given the chance to show it off.
Round Grade: Sixth
31. Quez Watkins, Southern Mississippi
- A big play specialist that has really good contested catch ability due to his QB being not ideal. Call him 7-11 because he’s always open for business. The speed is obviously impressive and he accelerates in a hurry. He’s not the biggest dude, frame wise so he will be limited to the slot. He’s special when he has the ball in his hands as the short area burst and agility is great. The speed will get him drafted a round earlier than he should be.
Round Grade: Fifth
32. Juwan Johnson, Oregon
- Entering the 2019 season, the Penn State transfer was plagued with drop issues that threatened to overwhelm him. Well, no longer. He turned into a reliable weapon for Justin Herbert later on in the season after missing some time due to injury. He can be a matchup nightmare due to his long arms (longest in the class) and hand size (biggest in the class). He tested well athletically compared to his profile. His size will get him places in the league.
Round Grade: Fifth
33. Isaiah Coulter, Rhode Island
- One of more underrated receivers in the class due to the depth of it and Rhode Island’s status as a program. I watched his Virginia Tech tape and he balled out. Has great size to speed ratio. He could teach a class on contested catch ability, it’s that good. Great ball skills and strong hands. Competition level kind of precludes his ability to separate against tougher defensive backs. He will likely need a redshirt year to get used to the NFL speed.
Round Grade: Sixth
34. Binjimen Victor, Ohio State
- Huge catch radius with good ball skills. Victor has a bit of an issue with his frame as he’s a skinny 6’3 198 that probably can’t add more weight without losing too much. A contested catch monster. Victor is a raw route runner as a prospect like former Volunteer Justin Hunter.
Round Grade: Seventh
35. John Hightower, Boise State
- This dude can SCOOT. A monster on 9 routes as evidenced by the 40 time. He’s not just a deep ball specialist either as he was used on sweeps and screens quite frequently. Short area agility is a thing to watch. He looks a skinny 189 like Victor above him. Can he turn into discount Percy Harvin at the next level?
Round Grade: Seventh
36. Aaron Parker, Rhode Island
- Not the best athlete clearly. He will need to improve upon those poor numbers below in order to have a shot at sticking at the next level. There’s some potential there, hence the ranking within the top 40. He profiles as a classic go up and get it X receiver but has been used inside as well.
Round Grade: Seventh
37. Stephen Guidry, Mississippi State
- As you can see by the RAS scores, Guidry isn’t the most athletic of receivers in the world. His production was somewhat limited by the quarterback issues and ultimately system issues at Mississippi State. Still, his potential was just enough to warrant a look in the top 40. A willing blocker. He compares athletically and size wise to DeVante Parker.
Round Grade: Seventh to UDFA
38. Freddie Swain, Florida
- The last of the trio of draftable Gators receivers is a good one. He has an excellent burst off the line. Good enough lateral agility to make defenders work for it with the ball in his hands. He isn’t the biggest dude so frame might be an issue. I really like his speed and agility. Those guys have a tendency to get open no matter the coverage. A tough runner with the ball and seeks contact. Given the issues at quarterback, he’s had to work for anything productive.
Round Grade: Seventh to UDFA
39. Kalija Lipscomb, Vanderbilt
- Lipscomb is a really good route runner and is top ten in this class for that category. He didn’t have the best of years in 2019 but that could be said for Vanderbilt as a whole. The veteran route running will get him a place in the league but can he stay there with improved athleticism? He has great footwork but not enough quickness to make anything much of it. WR4 with the potential to move up to WR3 if things break right. Bigger Marqise Lee perhaps?
Round Grade: UDFA
40. Marquez Callaway, Tennessee
- A great athlete overall that played very well in his career for the underachieving Volunteers. He also has return experience so that will help make a roster. The lateral athleticism is really good and it’s quite evident on the tape. He’s a YAC monster when Tennessee QBs can actually hit a pass. Contested catch machine since he’s had plenty of practice at it. The footwork at the release is fun. He slides in at 40th overall on my board over other competitors as a result.
Round Grade: UDFA