1. Oklahoma WR CeeDee Lamb – Junior – 6-2, 198 – 4.5

In what is likely the deepest and most talented class of receivers since 2014 – a class that introduced the world to receivers like Mike Evans, Sammi Watkins, Odell Beckham Jr., Devante Adams, Brandin Cooks and Jarvis Landry to name a few – Lamb may stand the tallest, despite measuring in at 6-foot-2 and 198 pounds. Lamb wins in a number of ways, with the route running to gain separation, the ball skills to go up and make contested catches and the speed to win down the field, but he’s arguably at his best once the ball is in his hands. In the open field Lamb’s speed and agility allow him to finish plays with a touchdown at any point. An Associated Press All-American and Biletnikoff Award Finalist in 2019, following a stellar junior campaign where Lamb hauled in 62 receptions for 1,327 yards (21.4 yards per reception) and 14 touchdowns, he will likely be one of the first receivers off of the board in April.

2. Alabama WR Jerry Jeudy – Junior – 6-1, 193 – 4.45

Jeudy was a human highlight reel in his time at Alabama, joining DaVonta Smith, Henry Ruggs III and Jaylen Waddle to form one of college football’s most formidable receiving units in recent memory. After being named an AP All-American and winning the Biletnikoff Award as a sophomore with 1,351 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns, Jeudy earned his second consecutive All-Conference selection in 2019. With 1,163 yards and 10 touchdowns on 77 receptions last season, Jeudy’s agility made him just as likely to take a screen or a slant to the house as he was to beat defensive backs over the top with 4.45 speed. Jeudy has shown to be one of the premier route runners in college football and despite playing primarily in the slot at Alabama, Jeudy has the ability to be a day one impact player wherever he is aligned.

3. Alabama WR Henry Ruggs III – Junior – 5-11, 188 – 4.27

Alabama WR Henry Ruggs III – Photo by: Getty Images

Speaking of Alabama’s elite receiving unit, Ruggs comes in just behind Jeudy on our list, giving the Crimson Tide two of the draft’s top three players at the position. Despite never eclipsing 750 yards or 50 receptions in his two seasons of significant playing time at Alabama, Ruggs’ hauled in 18 combined touchdowns over his sophomore and junior seasons. Running a 4.27 40-yard dash at the NFL combine only reinforced what the tape showed, that Ruggs isn’t just fast, he wields game-changing speed. His size may pose issues when facing press coverage at the NFL level but combining nearly unmatched vertical speed with his ability to create space in coverage and play much larger in contested situations than his 5-foot-11 frame would suggest, Ruggs has put himself in elite company near the top of a very talented class of receivers.

4. LSU WR Justin Jefferson – Junior – 6-1, 202 – 4.43

Jefferson may never be the consistent home run threat that some of the receivers in this year’s class can and will become, despite sub-4.4 speed, but his proficiency in the slot has made him a highly-ranked prospect following his National Championship season at LSU. In 2019, Jefferson finished the year tied for first in the nation with 111 receptions, third with 1,540 receiving yards and trailed only his teammate Ja’Marr Chase for the FBS lead with 18 receiving touchdowns. Despite the need to improve his route running and his ability to separate from press coverage at the next level, Jefferson uses his footwork to gain separation while his hands and body control allow him to take full advantage of his plus catch radius. Jefferson’s size and pass-catching ability should allow him to fit right into the role of a possession receiver in most lineups quickly.

5. Baylor WR Denzel Mims – Senior – 6-3, 207 – 4.38

While not overly quick at his size, Mims’ track background shows up when taking the top off of the defense. Mims’ length limits his route running despite a good release but a mix of deceptive speed and the ability to time his jumps, high point the ball and bring catches down through contact allow him to be at his best when stretching the field vertically. On the goal line Mims shows a natural ability to adjust his body and use his size to give him a distinct advantage on fade routes. His footwork will never leave him mistaken for Stefan Diggs, but the tools at Mims’ disposal should allow him to translate well at the next level when lined up outside of the numbers.

6. Arizona State WR Brandon Aiyuk – Senior – 6-0, 205 – 4.5

Arizona State WR Brandon Aiyuk – Photo courtesy of ASU

Aiyuk started his college career at Sierra College where he amassed 2,499 receiving yards and 21 touchdowns before transferring to Arizona State. With just 33 receptions and three touchdowns as a junior, Aiyuk exploded for 1,192 receiving yards and eight touchdowns in his senior season. Aiyuk’s speed and ability to quickly change direction makes him dangerous in both the return game and as a big play threat at receiver. Aiyuk struggles to play strong through contact from defensive backs and could improve as a route runner, but he plays very fast – faster than his 4.5 time would indicate – has a good release, tracks the ball well down the field and has the natural athleticism to make defenders miss once the ball finds his hands.

7. TCU WR Jalen Raegor – Junior – 5-11, 206 – 4.47

A pure athlete, Raegor is a do-it-all player on the football field. In addition to his 2,248 receiving yards and 22 receiving touchdowns over his three years at TCU, Raegor also took 35 carries for 324 yards and two touchdowns, and in his senior season he added two punt returns for touchdowns. He creates separation through agility and quick acceleration but struggles to make catches through contact and has had an issue with drops at the college level. While the talent is there, Raegor will have to continue to develop his route running and become a more consistent pass-catcher if he wants to reach his potential in the NFL. Even then, any team should be able to find ways to utilize him as a playmaker while he fine tunes his game.

8. USC WR Michael Pittman Jr. – Senior – 6-4, 223 – 4.52

What Pittman lacks in speed he more than makes up for with his size and ball skills. His hands alone should allow him to step into a lineup quickly while his physicality, hand usage and size help him leverage against cornerbacks to reach the catch point. Despite his lack of pure speed and agility, Pittman is able to battle through contested catches and adjust his body down the field for a big gain or underneath for a first down grab at the sticks. Pittman’s production steadily increased over his four years at USC before culminating in a breakout senior season where he racked up 101 receptions for 1,275 yards and 11 touchdown grabs.

9. Colorado WR Laviska Shenault – Junior – 6-1, 227 – 4.58

Colorado WR Laviska Shenault – Photo courtesy of Colorado

Shenault is just a weapon who’s begging to be used one way or another. He’s caught touchdowns, rushed for them and taken direct snaps out of the wildcat formation to the house. Supremely athletic with good size, Shenault can make a man miss and break tackles in open space or go over the top and haul in jump balls downfield. Shenault’s best season came in 2018 when he averaged over nine receptions per game on the way to 1,011 receiving yards and 11 total touchdowns – including six receiving and five rushing – over nine games. Following surgery on his labrum and toe prior to the 2019 season, Shenault totaled 764 receiving yards and six total touchdowns.

10. Penn State WR K.J. Hamler – Senior – 5-9, 178 – N/A

Hamler is small but plays with a ton of speed. He isn’t going to make his living by going up for deep passes but he uses that agility and explosive quickness to gain separation in his routes. The same speed and wiggle that gets Hamler open makes him a nightmare with the ball in his hands, making plays that look like they came straight out of a video game. On the other hand, Hamler also has a tendency to use his body to catch the ball and has had issues with drops. While also working as a return man on special teams, Hamler had 904 yards and eight touchdowns in 2019 as a redshirt sophomore, earning second-team All-Conference honors after being named a Paul Hornung Award finalist for the nation’s most versatile player in 2018.

Best Of The Rest

11. Clemson WR Tee Higgins – Junior – 6-4, 216 – 4.54

Higgins has long strides that eat up yardage and used his long frame to consistently make contested catches downfield in his time at Clemson. Higgins is a solid route runner and one of the better deep ball receivers in this year’s draft, showing the ability to effectively track passes in the air and finding a way to bring them down. He can line up at any receiver position and will likely be able to step in and start immediately at the next level, but should work to add physicality through his routes and improve getting off of the line of scrimmage clean through press coverage. Higgins produced during all three seasons while he was at Clemson, peaking with a 59-catch, 1,167-yard senior season. 

12. South Carolina WR Bryan Edwards – Senior – 6-3, 212 – N/A

South Carolina WR Bryan Edwards – Photo courtesy of South Carolina

A four-year player at South Carolina, Edwards began his career with Freshman All-SEC honors and ended it with a second-team All-SEC selection following 71 receptions for 816 yards and six touchdowns as a senior. Edwards has prototypical size for the position and has the natural ability to create space with good route running and a solid release. He’s a well-rounded receiver without anything particularly jumping off the screen at you and average physical traits. Edwards suffered some drops while at South Carolina and suffered a broken foot while training for the combine after a knee injury ended his senior season.

13. Notre Dame WR Chase Claypool – Senior – 6-4, 238 – 4.42

Claypool offers the ideal build with great speed at the wide receiver position. A consistent producer at Notre Dame, Claypool had his best season in 2019 where the senior brought in 66 reception for 1,037 yards and 13 touchdowns. Claypool lacks well-refined route running ability but was able to make up for it by leveraging his size well against his competition. He’s unfinished, but showed consistent improvement throughout his four years in college. His hands and concentration could still use some work, but he did have a good Senior Bowl week in Mobile, Ala.

14. Boise State WR John Hightower – Senior – 6-1, 189 – 4.43

Another junior college product, Hightower finished his two years at Boise State with 82 total receptions for 1,447 yards and 14 touchdowns. He lacks some size and physicality with a thin frame, but plays very quick. He can be a weapon with good agility and burst out of his routes but suffered issues holding onto the ball at times in college.

15. Michigan WR Donovan Peoples-Jones – Senior – 6-2, 212 – 4.48

A Freshman All-American in his first season at Michigan and a third-team all-conference as a sophomore, the former five star recruit never truly had a breakout season with the Wolverines, partially due to the quarterback play. In 2018, his best season, Peoples-Jones finished the year with just 612 yards and eight touchdowns. He has great size, speed and body control to haul in tough catches but struggles when trying to gain separation as his speed doesn’t necessarily translate over to his release out of routes.

16. Memphis WR Antonio Gibson – Senior – 6-0, 228 – 4.39

Memphis WR-RB Antonio Gibson – Photo by: Getty Images

Gibson is perhaps one of the most electric athletes in the 2020 draft, but he also comes with some red flags. He lands a bit in between the prototypical size of a running back or a wide receiver, but his biggest issue as he heads into the draft is a lack of experience. Gibson began his college career as a wide receiver at East Central Community College in Mississippi before transferring to Memphis where he would accrue just 77 total offensive touches. As a junior Gibson had six receptions but took them for 99 yards and two touchdowns. As a senior, Gibson added 735 yards and eight touchdowns on 38 receptions while transitioning to running back where he took 33 carries for 369 yards and four touchdowns, while also adding a kickoff return for a touchdown. Dynamic speed and athleticism gives Gibson great upside, but he’ll likely be a gadget player and a work in progress to start. 

17. Florida WR Van Jefferson – Senior – 6-1, 200 – N/A

After transferring from Ole Miss to Florida, Jefferson will be 24-year-old rookie in the NFL, meaning there isn’t a lot left in the form of physical development. But Jefferson is a superb route runner with good footwork that allows him to create space, given that he doesn’t posses that top gear to consistently challenge defensive back. An average producer at the college level, Jefferson never hauled in more than 47 receptions in a season and had his career-high 657 yards as a senior in 2019.

18. Texas WR Devin Duvernay – Senior – 5-10, 200 – 4.39

Duvernay is an interesting prospect. He’s an extremely physical player with the ball, using his thick, smaller frame to run through tackles and bulldoze his way to extra yards, but also possesses sub-4.4 speed that allows him to win vertically despite a shorter frame. He lacks well-developed route running so he largely relies on speed and positional awareness on the field to attack holes in the defense and get open. A four-year player at Texas, Duvernay’s best season came as a senior where he caught 106 passes, good for third in the nation, for 1,386 yards and nine touchdowns. Given his skill set, Duvernay will have to polish his ability to create separation at the NFL level. 

19. SMU WR James Proche – Senior – 5-11, 201 – N/A

He’s not exceptionally fast or quick, he isn’t an elite route runner and he’s undersized for the position, but Proche’s hands and his ability to attack the ball and come down with nearly everything thrown his way has made him an extremely productive player over his five years at SMU. It isn’t just Proche’s ability to catch the ball that makes him stand out, it’s the way he catches it. His highlight reel could be confused for a circus act the way he utilizes his body control at the catch point. Proche tied Justin Jefferson for the FBS lead with 111 receptions in 2019 – doing so in two fewer games – and the Texas native totaled an astounding 301 receptions, 3,949 receiving yards and 39 touchdowns throughout his college career. Proche also worked in the return game all four years. 

20. Liberty WR Antonio Gandy-Golden – Senior – 6-4, 223 – 4.6

Everybody’s seen the movies where the offensive linemen try out yoga, awkwardly holding poses to improve their balance and flexibility, but Gandy-Golden took it one step further with a love for gymnastics far before his football career began. While Gandy-Golden spent his first two seasons at Liberty playing at the FCS level, the Flames would make the move to FBS prior to the 2018 season as an Independent. Gandy-Golden is a long receiver with a knack for making wild catches, and while he isn’t the fastest, he generates yards after the catch with effort and natural power. After a 1000-yard, 10-touchdown season as a junior, Gandy-Golden put his name in the NFL conversation as a senior, hauling in another 10 touchdowns and 1,396 yards on 79 receptions.

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