Wide Receivers
The were thirty-six WRs selected in the 2021 draft, as follows:
Round 1 - 5
Round 2 - 5
Round 3 - 5
Round 4 - 5
Round 5 - 3
Round 6 - 8
Round 7 - 5
The degree of WR talent in the 2021 draft was quite impressive. While twenty WRs in the first 4 rounds is good, the evaluation of said talent shows a strong group of guys that will contribute right away.
The 2022 WR draft has playmakers that will of course be sought after. However, with the insane amount of top-heavy talent taken in both the 2020 and 2021 drafts, it's hard to see 2022 matching its predecessors. The depth of this group isn't as deep, but has some very good mid-level talent.
1) Jameson Williams | 6'0 | 195 | WR | Alabama -
9/4 Miami - Had 4 catches for 126 yards, showed off his long speed on a 92-yard TD.
9/18 - Florida - Williams was solid but not great, caught 4 balls for 61 yards. His speed did show up again, however
11/20 - Arkansas - Williams had a very good game, proved to be too much for the Razorbacks to contain. He caught 8 balls for 190 yards, 3 TDs. His long speed coupled with his cutting ability was impressive.
12/5 - Georgia - Williams looked like a top-15 WR in this one, showed why he could be WR1 when it's all said and done. Even with his teammate Metchie down and drawing a ton of attention, he produced, shined. He had 7 receptions for 184 yards; 2 TDs. His best play was beating Cine and Ringo over the top for a 67-yarder. Each player is excellent, while Ringo is insanely fast. As much needs to be recognized.
2) Garrett Wilson | 6'0 | 188 | WR | Ohio State -
9/2 Minnesota - Wilson did let one deep ball slip through his hands, but he was very good otherwise. His stat line was solid, 5 catches for 80 yards, 1 TD. What stood out the most was his ability to get separation on a number of his routes.
9/11 - Oregon - Wilson had a solid game, showing that he can compromise defenders and get open. He had 8 catches for 117 yards, 1 TD.
10/30 - Penn State - Wilson had a strong outing. He had 7 catches for 82 yards, flashing excellent short area quickness and speed to match.
11/13 - Purdue - Wilson had a fantastic game. He caught 10 balls for 126 yards, scored 3 TDs. He flashed amazing speed and short area quickness, was simply too good to keep in check.
3) Drake London | 6'5 | 210 | WR | USC -
9/11 - Stanford - London was a bit up and down. He had an end zone drop and a whiffed reception attempt that ended up as an INT. While the end zone pass was a bit wide, and the latter was behind him, each hit his hands and he missed on opportunities. He went 4 for 68 with a TD otherwise.
9/18 - Washington State - London had a terrific game. When Kedon Slovis went down with an injury, London put the offense on his back and carried it home for a huge win. He had 13 receptions for 170 yards, 2 TDs. He showed the ability to separate and high point the ball. He got into the zone to where no one could cover him.
4) Chris Olave | 6'0 | 185 | WR | Ohio State -
9/2 Minnesota - Olave had a very clean game. He amassed 117 yards on 4 receptions, good for 2 TDs. He ran smooth routes, coupled with good speed and quickness. He looked like a very natural WR, one who knows how to set up coverage with a knack for getting open.
9/11 - Oregon - Aside form one drop, Olave was fantastic. He carried a gaudy stat line of 12 receptions for 126 yards, which does evidence his ability to get open. Wright is a very solid CB, but Olave had his way with him today.
10/30 - Penn State - Olave had just 3 receptions for 44 yards, one of which was a 38-yarder. While he didn't look bad, he was held in check.
11/13 - Purdue - Olave had a good game, catching 9 balls for 85 yards, 1 TD. He ran smooth routes and showed some toughness.
5) Jahan Dotson | 5'11 | 182 | WR | Penn State -
9/4 Wisconsin - Dotson really passed the test in this one. He had 5 receptions for 102 yards with 1 TD. What impressed the most was his ability to get open deep, using good route running before kicking it into high gear to stack coverage. It was a big challenge for any defender to keep him at bay.
10/30 - Ohio State - Dotson looked as good as any WR in this one. He was able to get open, catching 11 balls for 127 yards. His speed and smooth route running was noticeable.
11/13 - Michigan - Dotson had a very good game. He had 9 receptions for 61 yards, proving to be quite dangerous out of the slot. He ran razor sharp routes and flashed a great blend of speed and quickness.
6) Treylon Burks | 6'3 | 225 | WR | Arkansas -
9/11 - Texas - Burks underwhelmed in the game. He caught 5 balls for 37 yards, doing all of his work within the first 20 minutes of play. He was only targeted early on in the short to intermediate passing game.
9/25 - Texas A&M - Burks really looked good today, making his game against Texas look like nothing more than an off day. He had 6 catches for 167 yards, 1 TD. He showed off good long speed for a guy of his size.
11/20 - Alabama - Burks had a great game. Jobe is a good CB, and Burks overwhelmed him at times. He was powerful through his routes, won contested catches and showed breakaway speed for a big dude. He caught 8 balls for 179 yards, 2 TDs.
7) David Bell | 6'2 | 205 | WR | Purdue -
9/4 - Oregon State - Bell had an excellent game. He had 8 receptions for 134 yards. He was targeted throughout the game, and the entire opposing secondary struggled to keep him at bay. he was excellent on crossing routes, using elusive route running and speed to separate from coverage. He also got yards in chunks after the catch.
10/16 - Iowa - Bell had an amazing game, one where he was truly in the zone. He had 11 catches for a whopping 240 yards, 1 TD. Going into this game, Matt Hankins was statistically one of the very best CBs in the nation. Bell got the upper hand on him and others throughout the game.
11/6 - Michigan State - Bell had a monster game. While you can't or shouldn't pin a win on one guy, Bell is the reason his team upset the Spartans. He had 11 receptions for 217 yards, 1 TD. He torched the defense at every level, showing too much speed and overall ability to contain.
8) Jalen Tolbert | 6'3 | 195 | WR | South Alabama
9) John Metchie | 6'0 | 195 | WR | Alabama -
9/4 Miami - Metchie turned in 6 receptions for 76 yards, good for 1 TD. He flashed very good play speed, was able to free himself of coverage to get open.
9/18 - Florida - Metchie looked rather average today. He hauled in 6 catches for 49 yards, his long being just 12 yards. He was locked up often and got most of his yards on mash up crossers.
11/20 - Arkansas - Metchie had a great game. He caught 10 balls for 173 yards, 1 TD. He showed a great blend of speed, toughness and route-running.
10) Wan'Dale Robinson | 5'10 | 195 | WR | Kentucky
11) George Pickens | 6'3 | 200 | WR | Georgia -
12) Justyn Ross | 6'3 | 205 | WR | Clemson -
9/4 Georgia - Ross ran solid routes and forced a P.I. one one play. He had 4 catches for 26 yards. He was heavily keyed on. That said, he couldn't get much of any separation.
13) Romeo Doubs | 6'2 | 200 | WR | Nevada
9/4 California - Doubs had a good game. He had 6 receptions for 83 yards, 1 TD. He displayed the ability to operate at all levels of the field. He was solid as an underneath possession target, while flashing the ability to stack coverage and get atop of the defense. He ran good routes and was routinely able to create enough separation to make himself an open target. He looked like a Day 2 prospect.
14) Erik Ezukanma | 6'3 | 220 | WR | Texas Tech
9/4 - Houston - Ezukanma had a banner night. He was targeted early and often, and was too much to contain. He had 7 catches for 179 yards. He moved very well for a guy of his size, using his frame, speed and overall quickness to create separation.
10/30 - Oklahoma - Ezumanma had a great outing. He had 8 receptions for 123 yards, 1 TD. He flashed an excellent blend of size, speed and the athletic ability to simply overwhelm CBs. He was targeted often, was dangerous at all levels.
15) Alec Pierce | 6'3 | 207 | WR | Cincinnati
16) Dontario Drummond | 6'1 | 220 | WR | Ole Miss
9/5 Louisville - Coming into this game, Drummond wasn't on my radar. He now is. His stat line is gaudy, as he secured 9 catches for 177 yards, scoring 1 TD. He flashed good speed and the ability to use his larger frame to box out defenders and give himself a catch radius to work within. He was easily Coral's favorite target.
10/30 - Auburn - Drummond was a bit banged up, only caught 4 balls. However, he certainly looked the part of a high-production type of WR. He was good on go routes as well as underneath crossers.
11/13 - Texas A&M - Drummond had a solid game, served as a big target across the middle and short routes. He had 6 receptions for 49 yards, 1 TD.
11/25 - Mississippi State - This was the game Drummond needed to show people just how productive and even dangerous he can be when targeted. He hauled in 14 catches for 138 yards. While very good at all levels, he was a beast on short to intermediate routes.
17) Khalil Shakur | 6'0 | 188 | WR | Boise State
9/2 UCF - Shakur had a solid game. It was clear that he was Boise's main target in the passing game. He finished with 5 receptions for 91 yards, 2 TDs. He showed some good toughness after the catch, was a reliable weapon.
18) Skyy Moore | 5'10 | 195 | WR | Western Michigan
19) Christian Watson | 6'4 | 208 | WR | North Dakota State
20) Calvin Austin | 5'9 | 162 | WR | Memphis
21) Danny Gray | 6'1 | 180 | WR | SMU
22) Reggie Roberson Jr. | 5'11 | 202 | WR | SMU
24) Charleston Rambo | 6'1 | 175 | WR | Miami
9/4 Alabama - Rambo had 7 catches for just 33 yards. While he looked fluid in his routes and solid overall, there was little time given to get him the ball.
23) Kyle Philips | 5'11 | 184 | WR | UCLA
8/28 - Hawaii - The QB play from DTR was subpar overall, which was one reason why Philips only had two catches for 12 yards. He did flash quickness on his routes, showing the ability to get open.
9/4 - LSU - Philips only caught two balls for 49 yards, but his 45-yard TD on a crossing route to beet CB Stingley was significant in terms of closing out this game. In doing showing, he ran a great route with speed to match.
10/30 - UTAH - Philips had a good game. He had 7 receptions for 86 yards. He ran very fluid routes, showed good hands and was a willing blocker on the outside.
11/20 - USC - Philips was Wes Welker-like at times in this game. He caught 6 balls for 80 yards, displayed great quickness and route-running ojn underneath crossers.
24) Jerreth Sterns | 5'9 | 195 | WR | Western Kentucky
12/3 - UTSA - Aside from a drop, Sterns had an impressive game. He caught 10 balls for 179 yards, good for 2 TDs. He showed of nice long speed, couple with a lost of shiftiness and quickness on his routes. UTSA struggled to stay with him.
25) Emeka Emezie | 6'2 | 208 | WR | NC State
9/2 South Florida - Emezie wasn't real flashy or dynamic, but he used his plus length to get separation and free himself of coverage. He finished with 5 receptions for 71 yards, was a good possession target.
9/11 - Mississippi State - Emezie had a solid game. He had 6 receptions for 92 yards. His long ball was for 38 yards, a play where he was able to get position on the sideline against Emerson. The coverage was tight, he just made a great catch. He once again showed his value as a big-bodied target who can stack well against coverage.
9/25 - Clemson - Emezie had a monster game. He caught 14 balls for 116 yards, 1 TD. He used his big frame and long arms to gain superior position and gobble up passes.
11/6 - Florida State - Emezie had a quiet game, caught just 2 balls for 7 yards. He didn't perform poorly, the ball was just heavily distributed.
26) Bo Melton | 5'11 | 195 | WR | Rutgers
27) Ty Fryfogle | 6'2 | 214 | WR | Indiana
28) Devon Williams | 6'4 | 207 | WR | Oregon
29) Jaivon Heiligh | 6'2 | 200 | TE | Coastal Carolina
9/10 - Kansas - Heiligh had a very respectable game. He caught 6 balls for 123 yards, 1 TD. He consistently showed the ability to get open on intermediate routes. He carried a good frame, was a reliable target.
30) Jaylon Robinson | 5'9 | 163 | WR | UCF
9/2 Boise State - Robinson really flashed in this contest. Things stated off slow as the team opted to run the ball early, also had some pass pro issues. Once that got worked out, Robinson was targeted heavily. He ended up with 6 catches for 140 yards, 1 TD. Despite being undersized, he played big. He won on a 50/50 ball for his TD, and took a nasty targeting shot and continued to play. His quickness and overall speed stood out.
31) Joseph Ngata | 6'3 | 220 | WR | Clemson -
9/4 - Georgia - Ngata had a nice game. Despite constant pressure on his QB and great secondary play, Ngata was able to create enough separation at times to give his QB a window. Ngata ended up with 6 receptions for 110 yards. His combination of length and speed avialed him opportunities to flash.
32) Johnny Johnson III | 6'0 | 198 | WR | Oregon
9/11 - Ohio State - Johnson had a very forgettable game, as he failed to get separation to himself a viable target. His play has really seemed to fade compared to prior seasons.
33) Mike Harley | 5'10 | 180 | WR | Miami
9/4 Alabama - Harley had 3 catches for 23 yards. Aside from the allowance of easy catches in soft zone, he didn't do much.
999) Zay Flowers | 5'11 | 178 | WR | Boston College
999) Ainias Smith | 5'10 | 190 | WR | Texas A&M
9/4 Kent State - Smith had a fantastic game. He ended up with 8 receptions for 100 yards, 2 TDs. He was targeted throughout the night, simply had too much speed for the defense to contain. He did have one drop and double-caught a pass, but was otherwise clean.
9/11 - Colorado - Smith wasn't looked to much, caught just 3 balls for 19 yards. When he did get the ball, he looked very fast, slippery.
11/13 - Ole Miss - Smith was solid, catching 5 balls for 77 yards. While not always clean with his hands or routes, his speed was on display.
999) Jadan Blue | 6'0 | 185 | WR | TBD
999) Frank Ladson | 6'3 | 205 | WR | Clemson -
9/4 Georgia - Ladson had just 1 catch for 4 yards, was unable to get free of tight coverage.
999) Chris Autman-Bell | 6'1 | 215 | WR | Minnesota
9/2 Ohio State - DNP
11/13 - Iowa - Autman-Bell had a good game. He ran good routes and showed off good hands, even in traffic. He had 5 receptions for 109 yards. His most impressive grab was his 68-yard TD, one where he beat Hankins badly on a go route.
999) Jadon Haselwood | 6'2 | 208 | WR | TBD
9/4 Tulane - Haselwood had a decent game, catching 4 balls for 47 yards. While OU's game plan is to spread the ball around, I did expect more. When you take out his long reception of 24 yards, he was left with short, quick-hitters. In games going forward, he has to flash more as a downfield threat.
10/30 - Texas Tech - Haselwood had a somewhat quiet game, catching just 3 balls for 40 yards. However, he ran good routes and showed nice speed to separate from defenders.
999) Jake Smith | 6'0 | 200 | WR | USC
999) Jayden Reed | 6'0 | 185 | WR | Michigan State
999) Calvin Turner Jr. | 5'11 | 195 | WR | Hawaii
8/28 - UCLA - Turner was one of the very few bright spots for Hawaii. He played with good speed and quickness, looked dangerous when he had some room to work. Even with great plays from the UCLA defense, he amassed 50 yards on five receptions.
999) Jaquarii Roberson | 6'1 | 182 | WR | Wake Forest
11/20 - Clemson - Despite going against a fierce defense, Roberson held his own. He caught 6 balls for 93 yards, showed a lot of toughness on his underneath routes.
999) Samori Toure | 6'3 | 193 | WR | Nebraska
8/28 - Illinois - Toure showed a good coupling of speed and quickness. He carried a slight frame, didn't look like the weight the roster has him listed at. He had just 3 receptions for 37 yards, but the ability to get open and get yards was apparent.
999) Corey Sutton | 6'2 | 200 | WR | Appalachian State
999) Jalen Cropper | 6'0 | 173 | WR | Fresno State
10/30 - San Diego State - Cropper had a solid game, catching 6 balls for 84 yards. He did round out some routes, but was still able to get open while showing some good quickness in space.