2022 NFL Draft: WR Rankings

1

Strengths

Pickens is a tall receiver who is extremely dangerous through the air, but also has top notch athleticism. For a 6’3” receiver, his speed is outstanding, as is his fluidity. He has quick feet and can create early separation from his opponent. His speed allows him to maintain separation down the field, limiting the number of times he needs to make contested catches. That said, he still does very well when these situations do pop up. With his height, he is able to elevate and high point the football. He has strong hands, and his body control in the air is outstanding. Pickens does well to flip around as he elevates, and then finish off the catch as he hits the ground. The Georgia wideout has also put diving catches on his resume, and can bail out the QB after a poor pass. His quick feet allow him to create separation in tight spaces, and this, combined with his high pointing ability, makes him a big threat in the red zone. Pickens can do damage with the ball in his hands after the catch, weaving his way around defenders and picking up speed as he goes.

Weaknesses

The injury history, which includes a recent ACL tear, is the biggest draw back with Pickens. He recovered at an impressive pace to return at the end of the season, but teams will be looking into the long term outlook. Football wise, I don’t see too many downsides. I will say that his football strength was a bit below where I was expecting when I saw his measurements. He certainly doesn’t look like a small guy on the field, but doesn’t handle press coverage as well as I’d like. It is something he should be able to improve on by maybe adding a little more bulk to his frame. 

2

Strengths

Williams is a dynamic downfield threat as a receiver. Possesses outstanding speed and is someone who can take the top off the defence on a regular basis. While he doesn’t have the quickness of someone like Garrett Wilson, Williams is still a very effective route runner. His speed on its own is enough to create separation, but overall, he is pretty sharp with his cuts and can create some extra space for himself on shorter routes and comebacks etc. Williams has sure hands and does well to track the ball in the air. Body control is solid and he will lay out for the ball, from time to time, showing the ability to make diving catches. Because of his speed, Williams is someone that can be used as a decoy to open things up for the rest of the offence. As well, he is effective on jet sweeps and other plays that are closer to the line of scrimmage.

Weaknesses

Williams has good height, but doesn’t have the frame to consistently fight off contact. I think that he will be able to play on the outside at the next level, but press coverage can give him some trouble. He is on the leaner side. Williams wins with speed and by creating separation, but isn’t much of a threat in contested situations, despite his height, and stronger, bigger DB’s can out muscle him. As a blocker, he doesn’t offer very much. Defenders don’t usually have a tough time disengaging.

3

Strengths

Wilson is one of the quicker, shiftier players that you’ll see. He has a natural ability to be deceptive with his feet, allowing himself to create space between him and his opponent. Wilson utilises plenty of fakes in his route running and has shown the ability to consistently have the CB out of position in no time at all. He excels at comeback routes, and a lot of the more complicated ones where he can use his quickness against the CB. With the ball in his hands, Wilson is a threat to break off big gains. He can make people miss in the open field, even when it seems like he is surrounded. Also shows deceptive burst in these situations. His hands are generally good. The skill is definitely there. He extends out and plucks the ball away from his body. Reach is good, which makes his catch radius a bit deceptive to defenders. Further, Wilson has a good vertical leap, which gives him some ability to go up high for the football, and his body control is outstanding. As a blocker, I wouldn’t say he excels or does anything crazy, but he was pretty solid in my exposures, despite a slighter frame. Effort is decent enough and his quickness slightly lessens the need for contact in some situations, as he is able to act as a barrier by just taking up his opponents path to the ball.

Weaknesses

Good prospect, but Wilson does come with his share of flaws. Long speed is something that has been questioned, and it is a fair one, despite his sub 4.4 40 time at the combine. It is easy to lump in speed with quickness when watching Wilson’s tape. However, there are times where he isn’t able to create as much separation on vertical routes down the field. Routes that rely less on beating your opponent with moves, and more so on pure speed. That isn’t to say that he has poor speed, but I’d say the context is moreso relative to his size, frame, and playing style. His frame is on the slighter side and he can have some trouble when the depender is draped on top. Fighting off contact isn’t something he is able to do consistently and, despite a pretty solid catch radius, can fail to go up for passes when there is a bit more contact involved. Purely as a pass catcher, he shows to have good hands. However, concentration drops were somewhat of an issue. I don’t think it will be a long term one, but nevertheless is something he’ll have to sort out. He is an outstanding route runner, but can go a bit overboard on the jukes at times, which sometimes cause him to stumble out of the gate. Perhaps scaling it back a bit could take his routes up a notch from an already elite level.

4

Strengths

Burks is a massive target with an underrated athletic ability. He has the tools to become a number 1 wideout at the next level. With his size, his catch radius and contested ability are unsurprisingly his best features. 50/50 balls were common for him, as were back shoulder passes, and he usually came out on the winning end. He has a size advantage over most CB’s, and his ability to go up and get it makes it tough for opponents to defend. Agility was surprisingly decent considering his size. He’s got some moves to him when he has the ball in his hands. In these situations, he seems to find an extra gear as he accelerates. Has shown the ability to outrun opponents in the open field. With his big frame, Burks is someone that can be an asset as a blocker.

Weaknesses

Burks is a solid athlete for his size. However, he still has trouble creating separation. He has pretty good speed, but he seems unable to find that next gear when running his routes, that he does when running after the catch. It doesn’t help that his route running in general isn’t great. His breaks are sloppy and his footwork needs improvement. Burks’ route tree was very simple, which makes his poor route running even more of a concern. He will need to improve on his routes from college, while also adding new ones to his game. Could be a big learning curve. As a blocker, he has the tools and shows plenty of potential. However, I’d like to see a bit more effort.

5

Strengths

Dotson is a silky smooth mover whose game revolves around athleticism. Ran a 4.43 at the combine and I’d say his tape matches that. He creates quick separation by utilising stutters and headfakes, and then has the speed to gain an additional step. Could have put up even better stats, but his QB seemed unwilling to pull the trigger on some plays. His speed and quickness are also assets after the catch, as he can make people miss, and accelerate into another gear as he racks up the yards. Dotson, despite being on the smaller side, still has a pretty decent catch radius. His vertical leap is good and his hands are able to react quickly to snag high targets. Despite his skinnier frame, he had some surprisingly good reps as a blocker.

Weaknesses

Dotson does well when he is allowed to let his athleticism do the talking. However, there may be a handbook out there on how to stop him. Opposing CB’s had some success bumping him at the line, as it would throw off his route a little bit. Solid ability to go up for passes, but he’ll have a tougher time doing it in traffic. Contact in general makes things tougher on him. Dotson is generally good as a route runner, but could be a bit sharper getting in and out of his breaks. Some of his routes can be a bit rounded at the top.

6

Strengths

I don’t see the same kind of dynamic qualities in Olave that I do in guys like Jameson Williams and Garrett Wilson. But Olave might be the smoothest player of the bunch. He is very efficient in the way he runs his routes. No nonsense, no wasted motion, yet he is still very sharp when getting in and out of his breaks. Olave’s best feature is probably his ball skills, and more specifically, his ability to track the ball in the air. He got a lot of targets down the field where he had to find the ball over his shoulder. Olave generally did well to bring in these targets. He is someone that can make you pay dearly for playing off coverage. Serious potential to be an elite contributor out of the slot in the NFL.

Weaknesses

From the looks of it, I wouldn’t say that his play speed necessarily matches his testing numbers. Speed itself isn’t bad, but he looks like a one speed runner, without a ton of variety when he is running his routes. Further, he doesn’t use many head fakes or juke moves. Fortunately, he is still a good route runner, but making these improvements can help him take it to the next level. Similar issues surface when looking at what he does after the catch. Perhaps there is more potential for improvement. But at this point, what he does is pretty ordinary. Olave doesn’t have the biggest frame and can be disrupted by contact. Contested catches don’t seem to be something he’ll contribute very often. Blocking also isn’t something he is well suited to do.

7

Strengths

London is a bigger possession receiver, but can be a sneaky good target down the field. He has a long, lean frame. His height is probably his calling card. London is able to elevate for the ball, while maintaining control of his body in the air. His hands are plucky and he finishes off his catches with a nice toe tap along the sideline. With his size, athleticism isn’t on the plus side. However, he isn’t clunky like a lot of taller receivers. He is still smooth when running his routes and his breaks are pretty clean. London sees the field well and can find open zones down the field. 

Weaknesses

For a receiver who needs strong hands to offset average athleticism, there were a couple of bad drops that left a poor taste in my mouth. Also had a few double clutches. I don’t think the drops will be a long term issue. They seemed to be centred around concentration. It’s something he’ll need to get over. Going back to his athleticism, he is average in terms of speed. He will struggle at times to separate from the CB, forcing himself into more contested situations. London possesses some wiggle and burst to do a bit of damage after the catch, but he isn’t too big of a threat to consistently rip off chunk yards.

8

Strengths

Austin is a small, but insanely fast and insanely shifty player. His route running is pretty polished. Cuts are sharp and he utilises different fakes to get open. Austin creates separation early in his route and sometimes forces the CB to get grabby. This type of thing can lead to pass interference calls on deeper and intermediate routes. He is someone that can win at all three levels of the field. He obviously has the speed to threaten over the top. He also does well on the intermediate level and can work the middle. With his quickness, short passes are a great way to get the ball into his hands. He is dangerous after the catch, with the elusiveness to get out of a phone booth, and the speed to draw off. Austin has a good set of hands. Doesn’t often revert to body catching, instead extending his arms to pluck the ball. 

Weaknesses

For all the athletic tools, there are some pretty severe size concerns. Frame is very small and, unsurprisingly, his play strength doesn’t often match up to that of his opponent. If he isn’t quick to create some sort of space in his release, he risks getting bumped off track. Sticking with the same theme, his size limitations will render him close to useless in contested situations. He has a good enough vertical to elevate. If he has enough space, he can come down with it on occasion. However, true 50/50 balls will not be kind to him. Austin won’t offer a ton as a blocker in terms of creating push. 

9

Strengths

Metchie was utilised as a vertical threat at Alabama, and that will likely be his main role in the NFL as well. The Canadian wideout has good speed to beat his man deep, and is shifty enough to create space for himself. He has made some nice over the shoulder catches where he had to track the ball, and has also shown good spatial awareness when working near the sideline. Metchie has the speed to win a footrace with the ball in his hands, but can also make something happen out of nothing. He is on the smaller side, but has shown a few flashes in contested situations.

Weaknesses

Metchie has a slighter frame and is inconsistent when he needs to fight through contact. It can be tough on him to finish off catches with defenders right on him, and contested situations are extremely hit or miss. Metchie will have to clean up his route running technique at the next level, as he is not currently immune to some rounded out cuts. Drops were somewhat of an issue at certain points last year. As well, he can sometimes rely on making catches against his body, as opposed to plucking them from the air. He has had a few good reps as a blocker, but has looked overmatched on others. I doubt he’ll be able to find consistency in this area. 

10

Strengths

Watson is a size/speed prospect. His combination of the two traits stands out on tape, alluding to a good amount of upside. Watson dominated lesser competition at NDSU, separating vertically on a consistent basis. He also used his size to win plenty of contested catches. As an athlete, Watson is not a one trick pony, as he has pretty good wiggle for his size. There have been some flashes of nice breaks in his routes, and after the catch, he is able to quickly manoeuvre his way around the field. Watson has good hands. Body control is also good, which he has shown when elevating for the ball. Additionally, his awareness round the sideline is good, as he has demonstrated the ability to tap the toes before going out.

Weaknesses

Watson has favourable traits and production, but is still a bit on the raw side. His route running isn’t yet fine tuned, and his release doesn’t do anything for me. He can be a bit slow off the line, at times. Watson is a good athlete for his size, but isn’t someone who can stop on a dime. It sometimes takes more of a rolling stop, which has an impact on some of his routes, especially on comebacks. As a small school player, the usual competition question marks will surface, and I think they are fair in this case. Many of his opponents were pretty generous with the space given, and separating was easier for him. He will have to prove that he can make the jump.

11

Strengths

Tolbert is a well rounded player who can bring a little of everything to an offence. He is a smooth athlete that glides nicely around the field. He has good enough speed to create separation down the field, and is also effective on quicker routes. Tolbert also offers the ability to make contested catches. He isn’t the tallest player, but he is good at extending upwards for the ball, and his body control allows him to adjust to passes placed away from the defender. He excels at back shoulder throws. At the next level, this could be his bread and butter. As for his ability after the catch, I wouldn’t say he’s the most dynamic guy you’ll see, but the combination of athleticism and size will allow for some nice pickups.

Weaknesses

Tolbert is a good all around player, but I’m not sure if he has that one elite trait. Athleticism is good, but he is not a burner. Likewise, he is good in contested situations, but his 6’1” frame somewhat caps what he can do there. Especially considering the jump in competition he’ll be facing at the next level. Tolbert is good technically in terms of body control. However, other technical elements of his game can still be improved upon. His route running looks a bit simple at times, and it can be easier for CB’s to mirror his route. He generally has sure hands, but did have a few concentration drops. 

12

Strengths

Pierce is a big, strong wideout with deceptive speed to win over the top. He’ll take some time to get going, but can then gain a step towards the end of his route if the CB isn’t careful. His 4.41 run at the combine will certainly increase his stock. While I don’t think the play speed quite matches the number, it still suggests that he has enough juice to separate on deep go routes. On plays with less separation, Pierce has the frame and contested catch ability to come down with the ball anyways. His big frame is tough for defenders to get around, and he is good at boxing them out. The Cincinnati WR has a long reach and is able to extend out for the ball, while demonstrating safe and secure hands when coming back down. For a big guy, I don’t mind the quickness he shows on shorter routes. He has enough sudden movement skills to create some separation on these plays. As a big bodied player, Pierce should be an asset as a blocker.

Weaknesses

Pierce tested well, but I’m not quite convinced. He certainly had enough speed to win deep in college, but much of that separation came late. He is someone who needs to let the speed build up. When making the jump to the NFL, better CB’s might be able to hang with him on deep go’s. Pierce’s route tree in college was one with very few branches. For the most part, it seemed to consist of simple vertical routes, and quicker ones like slants and quick outs. At the next level, he will either be asked to diversify his route tree, which is not a given to be a success, or they will play him to his strengths, accepting more limitations. As an athlete, there does seem to be some stiffness, especially when looking at lateral movement skills, which may not project favourably on more complicated routes.

13

Strengths

Robinson is a small, but extremely dynamic player. He is a RB turned receiver, and it is safe to say that the transition has paid off. He is very dangerous with the ball in his hands. Was used often on jet sweeps and quick screens, and was able to turn plenty of those into big gains. Not only is he fast and explosive, but he has the ability to wiggle his way out of a phone booth and into the open field. As good as he is closer to the line, he can also stretch the field vertically. He is not a perfect route runner, but still creates separation with his speed and natural quickness. As a pass catcher, he seems to have sure hands, and has shown the ability to track the ball in the air. 

Weaknesses

Size is an obvious concern for Robinson, as is strength. Press coverage is the best way to defend him, and as a result, he will probably operate out of the slot, for the most part.  He isn’t someone that will make a lot of contested catches, and he can stand to improve his ability to complete the catch through traffic. Route running will have to improve. At this point, he relies too heavily on his natural abilities as an athlete, as opposed to technique. For a guy who makes his money racking up the YAC, I was a bit disappointed with his long speed. He definitely has the burst to get away, but there were times where he wasn’t able to sustain it down the field, instead getting caught short of the end zone. 

14

Strengths

Ross is a tall receiver who uses his strength and size to his advantage. He plays well above the rim, showing the ability to elevate higher than his opponents. For the most part, he has shown secure hands, with the ability to extend out and pluck the ball from the air. His quickness was much better than I was expecting going into his evaluation. It is actually an underrated part of his game, and it helps him gain separation on quicker routes, like slants and other in-breaking routes. On that note, his route running is pretty good. The quickness, as mentioned, helps him separate on shorter routes, and his strength helps him fight off CB’s on both short routes and ones down the field.

Weaknesses

Ross is a lot quicker than he is fast. He does well to create initial separation, but he often fails to sustain it, as the defender is able to recover as the two head down the field. Vertical separation is something that he has trouble with. Ross missed the 2020 season with a spinal injury. He returned in 2021, but you could say that he wasn’t quite the same. The drop off in QB play with Trevor Lawrence heading to the NFL certainly played a part, but at the very least, questions do still remain about how high the post-injury ceiling is for Ross.

15

Strengths

Moore is a quick slot receiver. Overall, his route running seems to be pretty well refined. Quick feet in his release have proven to be effective in creating early separation. Spent a lot of time on the outside in college, but a permanent move inside will give him a bit more room to operate. He is an effective player with the ball in his hands, showing the ability to make multiple people miss in the open field. He is on the smaller side, but looked somewhat effective in contested situations. Moore doesn’t shy away from traffic, and will extend out for the ball. While quicker routes where he can work the middle might be his bread and butter, Moore is capable of stretching the field. His route running will lead some DB’s to bite, allowing him to get loose for a pass over the top.

Weaknesses

Moore is quicker than he is fast. He shows some explosiveness early on in the play, but doesn’t have the pure speed to win a lot of foot races in the open field. Likewise, he won’t often win deep based on speed. This puts more pressure on him to use good technique. While he is solid for his size in contested situations, limitations will still be there. His arms are short which lessens his catch radius. As well, this hurts him as a blocker.

16

Strengths

Thornton stands out immediately with his speed. It is among the very best in this class. He creates easy separation on vertical routes just by out running the CB lined up across from him. Thornton has some good height to him and can extend for the football. It is encouraging to see the way he catches the ball. Many speedier receivers end up becoming body catchers, which obviously can hurt your chances at completing the catch. Thornton extends his arm and plucks the ball out of the air. His hands have shown to be very secure and reliable. With his speed, he definitely can be a threat after the catch if he is able to find some open space.

Weaknesses

Thornton has dynamic speed, but that trait isn’t something that automatically means quickness as well. The Baylor wideout is more of a straight line runner who lacks the desired twitch to be effective on more complicated routes. As a result, his game will be a bit more limited. He looks a bit robotic when going in and out of his breaks, especially on deeper ones that lead him into the middle of the field. His YAC can also be limited. Thornton has draw off speed, but I don’t see him consistently finding an escape route when he is boxed in. In terms of his frame, it is a bit on the lean side and strength isn’t a strong suit. Press coverage can give him a bit of trouble, which makes his slow release a bit more of a concern than it otherwise would be with his speed.

17

Strengths

Jones is a speed demon. He has the wheeles to burn you deep, and can make you regret not having help over the top. As good as he is vertically, he is probably at his best with the ball in his hands. His speed gives him the ability to draw off in the open field, but his quickness and lateral movement skills help him to weave his way through traffic to get into the open field. On this note, Jones is also a big asset on special teams, especially as a returner. He is a threat to take it the distance every time he touches the ball. Jones is a high motor player. His effort shows up, even on plays when he is blocking, which he also does well. Jones, from the tape I saw, has good hands. For the most part, he plucks it out of the air, and he is able to track the football well.

Weaknesses

Jones is very old for a draft prospect, as he will be 25 as a rookie. Yet, he is still raw in a lot of ways. His route running is still in need of a lot of work. As a result, he only ran a basic route tree in college. Being a 25 year old rookie, but still a raw prospect doesn’t make for a good combination. If he is unable to improve his route running and diversify his route tree, Jones will be limited to being a deep ball specialist/gadget player, in terms of offensive usage. Jones doesn’t have great size or a large catch radius. As a result, he won’t offer much in contested situations. 

18

Strengths

Nailor is a smooth player with a well rounded athletic skill set. While I wouldn’t say he has blazing speed, he does have the juice to burn you deep, and also make some plays with his legs after the catch. His route running is pretty solid. He varies his route speed, which has helped him win over the top. Some of his routes will intentionally start out slower, and he has the acceleration to leave behind unsuspecting CB’s once he decides to turn on the burners at the top of his route. Nailor is effective running double moves and comebacks, as he has the quickness and footwork to pull them off. Aside from the odd drop, his hands don’t seem to be a concern. 

Weaknesses

I wouldn’t say his frame is that small, but he is still lacking a certain physicality in his game. He doesn’t always handle traffic well, and contact can throw him off at times. Contested situations and jump balls aren’t something you’ll see him win at very often. His route running is good for the most part, but a little more fine tuning would do some good, and just being a little more consistent. He does still have instances of some rounded breaks. I don’t think it will be a major issue, but it is just something small to clean up. Injuries were a big issue for Nailor in college. He missed significant time in multiple seasons due to injuries.

19

Strengths

Roberson demonstrates a vast amount of straight line speed. He blows by CB’s, gaining a good step of separation on vertical routes. He has good adjustment skills and tracks the ball well over his shoulder. Roberson can do damage with the ball in his hands. You see a thundering running style on tape, and his acceleration is crazy good. In seemingly a split second, he can create considerable distance between himself and the defender when he is running with the ball in the open field.

Weaknesses

Speed is outstanding, but he is more of a linear athlete. His route tree was pretty simple, being limited to vertical routes and other basic stuff. Roberson is stiff when moving laterally, which would hinder him on in-breaking routes and other ones that require more detail. He generally has fine hands, but a few instances of drops did creep in. Injuries have been an issue, with multiple season enders in his college career.

20

Strengths

Shakir is a deceptive weapon on offence. He has an elusiveness to him that allows him to wiggle his way through traffic and into the open field for extra yards. Shakir has quick feet that enable him to shake his opponent on shorter routes. He did well on crossing patterns where he was able to get the ball in his hands with some space in front of him. Shakir isn’t the biggest guy, but does all he can to fight off contact, and make plays through traffic. He has a sood set of mitts, and can hang on to the ball when catching in a crowd. His contested ability is solid for his size, and his ability to leap vertically increases his chances in these situations. 

Weaknesses

Although he tested well, I don’t know if I see dynamic speed on tape. The quickness is there, but shouldn’t just be lumped in with the other. He isn’t always able to create as much separation as you would like. Speed is a factor, but average route running also comes into play. His release looks a bit repetitive on a play to play basis and the top of his routes can be rounded at times. He was better in contested situations than I expected going into his evaluation, but there are definitely question marks about his consistency in this area when he makes the jump to the NFL, especially considering his short arm measurements. Shakir overall, is lacking in size, and has a leaner frame. Isn’t much of a factor as a blocker.

21

Strengths

Bell may not be the flashiest player at first glance, but he does a lot of the little things well. He is a technician when it comes to his route running and footwork. His releases are diverse and he keeps his opponent guessing, which can help him buy some extra separation space. Bell is a sound catcher of the football. Sticky mitts and he plucks the ball out of the air, rather than catching it up against his body. He also does well to track the ball in the air, and can adjust his body to make some highlight reel catches. This helps him on over the shoulder passes, as well as back shoulders. While he isn’t super dynamic after the catch, he did manage to slip out of a few tackles before finding himself in some open space. 

Weaknesses

Bell had a poor showing at the combine, and I’d say the tape backs it up. He clearly isn’t the fastest guy on the field. Even as a good route runner, he has trouble separating, as CB’s are often able to mirror his route. He did have some yards after the catch, but a lot of it came when he found himself all alone in the open field. I’m not sure that he is a YAC guy at the next level. Bell has the height and ball skills, but I wouldn’t necessarily say that his good catch radius translates directly into jump ball success. Might need a little work on coming down with 50/50 balls.

22

Strengths

Dixon has a massive frame and can be a weapon through the air. His catch radius is huge and he has shown to be a mismatch against smaller DB’s. Generally speaking, he has sound hands, and the fact that he extends his arms out to catch the ball is good for the style that he plays. Dixon has pretty good body control, as he adjusts mid-air to make the catch. While he isn’t a dynamic athlete, he has been able to get behind the defence from time to time.

Weaknesses

This isn’t exactly a surprise given his size, but Dixon isn’t in the top tier athletically. His release is pretty slow, and overall, his speed doesn’t really pick up until later in the route. Quick routes on the outside are tough on him in terms of creating separation. While he did manage to separate vertically at times, you have to factor in the competition that he was playing against, which wasn’t top quality. It is fair to wonder how consistent he’ll be at the next level. As a contested catch receiver, he is at his best. However, there were instances of mistiming his jump, leading to an incompletion.

23

Strengths

Ezzard possesses great speed. He is a homerun hitter with the ability to do it in different ways. He’ll burn you deep down the sideline, deep over the middle, or by taking a quick pass the distance. Ezzard combines speed with quickness to become this threat. While he is on the smaller side, he plays bigger than his size. He has shown the ability to elevate over defenders, even when it would look like a mismatch in favour of his opponent. His vertical leap is great, and he has shown the ability to hang on to circus catches. Ezzard has experience as a returner. Everything that applies to his YAC ability also applies to his ability as a returner. He has the quickness to navigate his way and get out of traffic, and the speed to draw off in a footrace.

Weaknesses

Ezzard is a small school prospect and the competition question mark applies. He was afforded more room than he’ll get in the NFL, and the adjustment won’t be a small one. His route running can be good at times, but is sloppy at others. He didn’t usually have to rely on his route running to win, so it is understandable for some bad habits to have crept in. While he plays bigger than his size, it could still be a limitation at the next level, considering the step up in competition. Ezzard has shown the ability to make some nice hands catches, but some body catching does creep into his game.

24

Strengths

Singleton is a smaller but athletic receiver. He has the shiftiness and agility to create quicke separation. This also is an asset to his game when he has the ball in his hands. Singleton has the speed to go with it. He can threaten vertically, and gotten loose deep on several occasions. He also has the ability to draw off from defenders when he finds himself in the open field.

Weaknesses

Very small and lean frame that bigger defenders take advantage of. Press coverage can derail his route if he is not careful. He has ability as a route runner with his athleticism, and he shows some ability with different releases. However, he sometimes overcomplicates things early in his route and takes too long to get going. Singleton, at times, will trap the ball against his body, as opposed to snatching it out of the air. The lower level of competition he faced means that the jump to the NFL will be even bigger than for a lot of other prospects.

25

Strengths

Pimpleton is a small but athletic receiver. He is dynamic with the ball in his hands. His low centre of gravity makes him tough for tacklers to wrap up, and he has quick feet to further evade tackles. Route running is generally pretty crisp. His speed and acceleration are outstanding. He can draw off in a footrace and burn CB’s deep over the top. Pipmpleton was also an effective return man. His versatility was further on display when he would run the wildcat. He showed he can rip off chunk plays by keeping the ball, but also was able to successfully run a trick play as a passer out of this formation. 

Weaknesses

Pimpleton is very small for his position. He lacks ideal height and his frame is extremely slight. I don’t see him beating press coverage on the outside at the next level. Further, I don’t see him winning many contested battles. Some impressive catches show up on tape, but there were also a few struggles with drops. Additionally, he is guilty of body catching from time to time.

26

Strengths

Herslow brings a blue collar mentality to the WR position. Despite lacking in physical traits, his outstanding effort on a play to play basis allowed him to have a mini breakout season. Herslow runs hard and has just enough suddenness to him to separate at the top of some of his routes. He’s a smart player who has a knack for finding open spaces and sitting right in them. Herslow does well to work with his QB on scramble drills, and can make some tight sideline catches. He has a dense frame and brings good strength. Some outstanding blocking reps have been put on tape, which is something coaches will notice. There is a mean streak that you see when he is blocking, and he has shown he can put defenders on their back. This intensity should be able to translate to special teams success as well, which should help him in his bid to make a roster.

Weaknesses

Herslow doesn’t have the best athletic traits. He has some quickness to him, but lack of speed washes it out more often than not. Some fine tuning would do his route running some good, especially at the early points of his routes. I wouldn’t say he is the biggest threat after the catch. He does bring some power as a runner though. He can make it tough of defenders to tackle him, but chunk yardage just won’t be something you see consistently. Ideal height is also something that he does not possess, and as a result, he isn’t often favoured in contested situations. Herslow transferred to Houston from Old Dominion, where he put up next to no production. While he did have somewhat of a breakout year (close to 500 yards) that production still isn’t enough to erase the question mark.

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Strengths

Bolden is a tough, reliable target who primarily operates out of the slot. He has sure hands and has shown instances of good body control to make some difficult catches. His quickness is somewhat underrated and he can be an effective player when operating closer to the line of scrimmage. Bolden sees the field well. He is able to find soft spots in zone coverage, and works back to the QB during scramble drills. His frame is dense and he does a good job of completing catches through traffic as he fights off contact.

Weaknesses

The ceiling isn’t high for Bolden. Athleticism is very limited, even if he does have some quickness to him. Even from the slot, it is likely that he will have trouble separating at the next level. Route running will need to become more precise in order to make up for athletic limitations. While his frame is dense, he is lacking in the height department. Bolden isn’t someone who will win jump balls very often. In terms of yards after the catch, he does well to take what is in front of him, but won’t often create much for himself.