Over the summer it is important to establish a baseline for the up and coming potential NFL draft class. You scout the players and take notes on what their strengths and weaknesses are as well as what they can improve on to increase their potential draft stock. This is how you can better access a player’s growth over a season. It also gives you a better understanding of who they are as a player.
Below I have highlighted my early top wide receivers for the 2019 NFL draft going into the college football season. It is important to remember that these rankings are subject to change throughout the season and most definitely will as players either improve or decrease their stock based on in-season performance.
Check out my 2019 NFL Draft Quarterback Preview here.
2019 NFL Draft Wide Receiver Preview
A.J. Brown, Ole Miss
Playing most of his snaps as a slot receiver at Ole Miss, Brown’s skill set translates nicely to an outside receiver at the NFL level. His versatility is a bonus though. Brown is a very well-rounded receiver, meaning he does a lot of things well.
One of his biggest strengths come as a route runner. He is very explosive out of his breaks and has experience with all sorts of route patterns. Brown also does a great job processing the field. He has a very good understanding of where on the field he is, how the defense is lined up and what coverages they are in and can track the ball well in the air.
As mentioned above, Brown is a well-rounded prospect with little weaknesses in his game. Still, no one is perfect. The biggest area Brown needs to work on is his blocking. Often, he seems to stop blocking after initial contact or looks to give up halfway through the block.
N’Keal Harry, Arizona State
Listed at 6’4” and 216 pounds, Harry offers a good combination of size, body control, and contested catch ability to have scouts drooling over him. Harry can process the field very well and has A-plus boundary awareness. Boundary awareness points to a receiver’s ability to understand where the on the field they are, where the sideline is so they can properly come down with sideline catches or run out of bounds if needed, and where the chains are so they can get the first down.
From a route-running standpoint, Harry often fails to separate and lacks great explosion out of his route breaks. He is, however, able to make up for lacking technique in his routes with his incredible catch radius, strong hands, and contested catch ability on all three levels of the field. One of the biggest attributes that pop off the screen when watching Harry is his catch radius and contested catch ability. No matter where the ball is if it is in his general area he will catch it nine times out of ten.
Harry is smooth through his routes though he does lack the ability to separate often. He uses a variety of different speed variations in his routes. This allows him the ability to gain leverage and space throughout his route when needed. In press coverage, he does struggle to get off the line of scrimmage and is thrown off his route easily. This allows the defensive back to gain leverage by throwing the timing of the route off. Harry also lacks the strength and technique to make a difference as a blocker.
Deebo Samuel, South Carolina
Samuels’ versatility on the field should boost his stock. He has produced as a receiver, return man, and as a runner throughout his college career. As a return man, he has had three career kick return touchdowns on only 19 career kickoffs. Managing seven career rushing touchdowns on only 17 carries he is also very effective in the run game.
As a receiver, one of his biggest strengths is his acceleration in routes and out of breaks. Samuel does a great job managing his acceleration rate to create separation from the defensive backs. He has natural strong hands and can win on 50/50 balls. He also processes the field well and has good yards after catch ability due to this.
Perhaps one of the biggest assessments for Samuel will be his durability and injury history. Samuel has only played in 18 games through three seasons at South Carolina, including missing ten games last season. Staying healthy and producing for a full season could be the most beneficial thing for Samuels draft stock approaching the draft next April.
Kelvin Harmon, N.C. State
Harmon is a receiver that does a few things well, but those few things will give him great success. He is a superb route runner who knows how to manipulate coverages and get open. His ability to understands and dissect coverages at a fast rate points to his A-plus processing ability both pre-snap and through the play. His refined route-running and understanding on how to contort his body to move defensive backs away from his route helps him gain separation effectively. Harmon also does a good job incorporating different speed variances in his route to keep the defensive backs on their toes.
His release from the line of scrimmage needs some improvement. He also struggles to get off press heavy corners well. Harmon could improve by showing stronger hands and an ability to consistently come down with contested catches, something he didn’t have to do much. Also, he could improve on high pointing the ball more often and showing he can turn upfield and gain yards after the catch more consistently.
Anthony Johnson, Buffalo
Coming out of a smaller school like Buffalo, Johnson is relatively unknown to the average college football fan. Johnson is listed at 6’2” 207 pounds. As a true junior, he managed to put up a whopping 1,356 yards and 14 touchdowns last season.
As a receiver, Johnson’s biggest strengths lie in his ability to adjust to the ball late and with his natural hands. He shows the ability to track the ball in the air well and adjust his body late to make the catch. Him adjusting to the ball late benefits him by preventing the defensive back from trying to read and react to Johnson’s movements.
Johnson isn’t a bad route-runner but will need to show NFL teams that he can run complex routes consistently. Improving and refining his route-running skills could take away from his lack of elite athleticism for the position. He looks to be lacking in the short area quickness and explosiveness many teams want.
