Top 10 Wide Receivers in the 2018 NFL Draft

The 2018 draft is probably going to be remembered for its production of Quarterbacks and Offensive Lineman. However, that’s not to mean we should forget about the plethora of Wide Receivers who have entered the 2018 draft. There are some incredible athletes within this class, and there are some projected to go late on in the 1st round and high in the 2nd round depending on team needs.

Here are my top 10 (pre-combine) Wide Receivers in the 2018 NFL Draft:

Courtland Sutton – SMU – 6’4 – 216

2017 Stats – 68 Catches – 1,085 Yards – 12 TD’s

2016 Stats – 76 Catches – 1,246 Yards – 10 TD’s

Courtland is a big receiver who has impressive body control and amazing leaping ability which makes him an immense red zone threat. A number of scouts have commented on how much his tape stood out to them very early on in the draft process. Sutton has decided to skip his senior year to enter the 2018 NFL Draft and scouts say that this is defiantly the right decision for him. Some have even commented that if he skipped his junior year in 2017 and entered the 2017 NFL Draft he would have been taken in the 1st round. There are two main cons with Sutton, he lacks quickness and struggles to separate and has inconsistent hands. I think we will see Sutton go in the late 1st round or early 2nd round group.

James Washington – Oklahoma State – 6’0 – 205

2017 Stats – 74 Catches – 1,549 Yards – 13 TD’s

James is built like a running back making him an impressive deep threat. Whilst he lacks explosive speed on the jump, he quickly builds this speed up and is deceptively fast. He is a great route runner with some true talent and awareness and has good hands. One thing that has been commented on by scouts is his size, some reports have put him at 5’10 and some at 6’0 meaning this will most certainly be a factor at the combine and will be watched closely. He is projected to go in the 2nd round.

Calvin Ridley – Alabama – 6’1 - 188

2017 Stats – 55 Catches – 967 Yards – 4 TD’s

2016 Stats – 72 Catches – 769 Yards – 7 TD’s

Calvin is often looked at in this draft as a top 15 pick and the number 1 receiver in this draft and its clear to see why when you watch his tape. He has great hands and is an impeccable route runner. In 2016 he had big shoes to fill when he replaced Amari Cooper, but he quickly rose to the challenge and became Crimson Tides number one receiver. Whilst his numbers look low, this is mainly due to the Tide having Jalan Hurts at QB who struggled in the passing game and compensated with the run game, which of course took targets away from the WR’s One of the main concerns raised over Ridley is his weight and thin body which some scouts think could hurt him in the NFL, but we will see at the combine if he has done anything to change that.

Marcel Atemen – Oklahoma State – 6’4 – 220

2017 Stats – 59 Catches – 1,156 Yards – 8 TD’s

Marcel has great size and uses this to his ability, which he often has to as he doesn’t gain any separation. However, he does have great hands and is a solid route runner with great awareness and good speed. His speed is only considered “good” and is often looked at as not being explosive enough. During his week at the Senior Bowl, he did not stand out which may have affected his draft stock. He is projected to go in the 2nd round, and I think he will go towards the end of the 2nd round or even early 3rd round.

Equanimeous St.Brown – Notre Dame – 6’4 – 205

2017 Stats – 33 Catches – 515 Yards – 4 TD’s

2016 Stats – 58 Catches – 961 Yards – 9 TD’s

Equanimeous has some impressive speed and this is made even more special with his body control and athletic body. He has good hands and made some impressive catches during his time at Notre Dame. During the 2017 season he was limited by Notre Dame’s QB issues and passing game struggles. Scouts have said that he goes down too easily and they have some issues with his frame/strength which has contradicted what other scouts have said about St.Brown. One thing that is an issue is consistency and production, and this needs to improve for the NFL. I think we will see St.Brown go in the late 2nd round maybe even early 3rd round depending on individual evaluations.

Auden Tate – Florida State – 6’5 – 225

2017 Stats – 40 Catches – 548 Yards – 10 TD’s

Austin is considered a very impressive receiver according to scout reports. This evaluation is gifted to him by his sheer size and athleticism. His size really gives him an edge when jumping for high balls offering the QB a safe passing option, put it high and let the receiver get it. Because of this, he gives defensive backs a lot of problems and this can be seen when you watch his tape. His size makes him a real red zone threat. His 2017 numbers are not great but this is really due to Florida State using a back-up QB. His route running has been seen as a problem by some scouts, and during the combine this will be a major focus for Tate to get right. Late 1st round early 2nd round is where I place Tate going.

Christian Kirk – Texas A & M – 5’11 – 200

2017 Stats – 71 Catches – 919 Yards – 10 TD’s

2016 Stats – 83 Catches – 928 Yards – 9 TD’s

Christian has been utilized as a kick-off and punt returned for most of the 2017 season and has been impressive at it to. He has seen a lot of double coverage which is testament to how the opposition see Kirk as a threat. He is a fast play and has amazing NFL potential with some scouts saying they have nicknamed him “Baby Beckham” in reference to Odell Beckham Jr. He is an average route runner and his inconsistent hands have caused a problem. However, I think we can still expect Kirk to go late 2nd round early 3rd round.

Simmie Cobbs – Indiana – 6’4 – 220

2017 Stats – 72 Catches – 841 Yards – 8 TD’s

In 2017 Cobbs played exceptionally well and gained a lot of credit within his division. In particular his game against Ohio State which really bolstered him up the draft ladder. He got the better of every corner and went for 149 yards, 11 receptions and 1 TD. He has good size, great hands and has good route running abilities. In 2016 he was ruled out with an ankle injury which im sure will be on the minds of NFL scouts. Some have commented one fact that he is not a playmaker after the catch, possibly due to his lack of explosive speed.

Anthony Miller – Memphis – 5’11 – 190

2017 Stats – 92 Catches – 1,462 Yards – 18 TD’s

2016 Stats – 95 Catches – 1,434 Yards – 14 TD’s

Anthony is a great route runner and has impressive speed once the catch is made. He has very reliable hands and is a consistent playmaker. He has been linked to playing in the position of slot in the NFL. The only negative that can really be seen is his size. The combine will tell more on this and whether it will be a problem in the NFL. I think we will see Anthony Miller go in the 1st round.

Keke Courtee – Texas Tech – 5’11 – 180

2017 Stats – 93 Catches – 1,429 Yards – 10 TD’s

2016 Stats – 55 Catches – 890 Yards – 7 TD’s

Keke is an extremely fast and very productive WR and gets good separation. He has been tipped by some scouts to make a very good NFL Slot Receiver. The one negative that is consistently stated is his strength, its felt he could use more.

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