2017 NFL Draft: Ranking Nation's Top WRs so Far
With 14 teams already posting at least six losses in the first 12 weeks of the season, many fans are turning their attention to the NFL draft. Skill players are always the most impactful rookies that both fantasy players and fans league-wide notice early on, and some of the best players on rookie contracts in the NFL are wideouts.
Be it an Odell Beckham or a Mike Evans, receivers are stealing the stage for the most part, so getting an early jump on next year's draft class, at one of the more discussed positions, is a must. With the majority of the college football regular season in the books, there's plenty of data points to evaluation receivers by, as they've played a variety of schemes by the end of November.
While there are some questions still up in the air, like what measurements athletes will have or how the seniors will perform in the all-star circuit, we know what these players are for the most part. Follow us as we break down the five best pass-catchers in college football, while also throwing out some dark-horse candidates to keep your eyes on as the draft process plays out.
5. DeDe Westbrook, Oklahoma
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DeDe Westbrook is a senior receiver who is performing at an elite level. Last year, Westbrook had to split targets with 2016 second-round pick Sterling Shepard, but now that he's out of the picture, Westbrook has taken over as the dominant force in the Oklahoma Sooners offense that is heading into the Oklahoma State game this weekend undefeated in Big 12 play.
This year, he's the only receiver in major college football to rank in the top four in touchdown receptions and receiving yards per game. His size is going to be a speed bump, as he's listed at just 176 pounds according to his Oklahoma bio.
The former junior college transfer has become a respectable NFL product after just two years of real development. Those who were big fans of Tyler Lockett, a 2015 third-round pick, as an offensive player will like Westbrook even more.
For squads who need a receiver who can win isolated one-on-one, like the Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles, Westbrook is a solid Day 2 option if they miss out on the first round of wideouts. He's not as great as Washington's John Ross is in the open field, but there's no doubt he has the second-best big-play potential of any of the major receiver prospects available for the 2017 draft class.
4. JuJu Smith-Schuster, USC
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At the beginning of Sam Darnold's career as USC's starting quarterback, the rookie was able to find the team's star receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster. In the last few weeks, though, the young player has been unable to find the program's top wideout.
| Rec. | Yards | TD | |
| Darnold's 1st 3 games | 21 | 368 | 6 |
| Last 5 Games | 23 | 216 | 1 |
He's not having a season like his 2015, when he recorded 89 receptions, 1,454 yards and 10 touchdowns, but he has the resume of a player who should be in first-round consideration, especially considering his quarterback situation in 2016.
He's plenty strong enough to work off of press, has the speed to test matchups down the sideline and is quick enough to make up for space in off coverage. He's still a raw player, but the track speed he displayed as a 5-star recruit coming out of high school is still present.
He's been battle-tested, facing two of the best cornerback tandems in college football this season in Alabama and Washington, and he's passing the vast majority of tests throughout his junior season. He may take some time to catch up to NFL speed relative to his development, but he's a few years away from being a special pass-catcher.
3. Corey Davis, Western Michigan
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In a senior class that lacks true talent at quarterback and running back, Corey Davis of Western Michigan is everyone's best bet to be the first senior skill player drafted in the 2017 draft. Coming from a Group of Five school in Western Michigan, there are questions about his level of competition, but he does tend to produce against Power Five schools, too.
| Year | Team | Rec. | Yards | TD |
| 2016 | Northwestern | 7 | 70 | 0 |
| 2016 | Illinois | 4 | 97 | 0 |
| 2015 | Michigan State | 10 | 154 | 1 |
| 2015 | Ohio State | 6 | 42 | 0 |
| 2014 | Purdue | 4 | 46 | 1 |
| 2013 | Michigan State | 8 | 96 | 1 |
| 2013 | Northwestern | 5 | 112 | 1 |
Because of the Western Michigan connection, there are going to be plenty of comparisons to him and Greg Jennings, but he might be close to a poor man's Reggie Wayne. Though he has had some issues with hands, he's proven consistent enough to be considered a potential Day 1 starter.
No matter where he played, his 5,061 receiving yards and 50 touchdowns have roasted through the MAC, and that's all you can ask from a receiver with four years of dominating numbers. Davis doesn't have the speed of a John Ross, which might keep him out of the conversations for top-20 picks, but he should be a top-45 prospect.
If the Broncos' undefeated season delivers in the conference title game against Ohio, they will likely play a Power Five team on national television this postseason, which gives Davis one last chance to shine on the biggest stage of his career.
2. Mike Williams, Clemson
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Mike Williams was eligible for the NFL after last season but because he suffered an injury in 2015, he elected to return for another year. As a then-true junior, Williams made two catches against Wofford in Week 1. His final reception caused him to run into Clemson's goal post which resulted in a neck fracture.
That neck injury kept Williams out for the rest of the season, despite entering the year as the top receiver prospect for many people, and it led to him redshirting in 2015. You can make the case that the 2016 draft class' disappointment at the top end of the receiver position is because Williams wasn't in the pool after declarations.
Of the four receivers who were first-round picks in the most recent draft, they combined for 53 receptions, 838 receiving yards and just five touchdowns as we enter Week 13. It sounds crazy on the surface, but a fully healthy Williams might be able to break that mark by himself as a rookie.
Williams is a receiver who has B-plus grades in every attribute, but he isn't dominant in one. If there is one part of his game that flashes the most, it's Williams' body control for his size, which is listed at 6'3" and change and 220 pounds on NFL Draft Scout.
The way Williams and Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson are able to mesh on back-shoulder throws, especially at their age, opens up the door for a Williams upside of a peak Jordy Nelson or DeAndre Hopkins. Williams is also peaking as he enters the bright lights of championship weekend and the postseason, as he's recorded four 100-yard efforts in the last six games after not posting one for five straight games.
1. John Ross, Washington
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After losing what would have been his true junior season to a torn ACL, John Ross returned to the University of Washington in 2015 to improve his draft stock. After splitting time as a receiver, cornerback and return man in Seattle, he's proven his flexibility throughout his career. But 2016 is really the season in which his upside at receiver has been fully understood.
This year, despite his 5'11" height, Ross has scored 16 receiving touchdowns, just one touchdown behind Corey Davis' 17-touchdown FBS-leading mark. If you just watch Ross' touchdowns, you quickly realize why he's going to be a threat in the NFL, no matter the scheme: his feet.
There are scores, like against California, when he completely burns a defensive back and then turns into a highlight machine in the open space, making every defender in his path miss. He doesn't need space to create space, though.
In the red zone, when the field is constricted, he does more than running perfect slant routes for a touchdown or taking steps toward a slant, just to break outside for a fade route to the back-corner pylon. According to NFL Draft Scout, Ross is projected to run a 4.35 40-yard dash, which means he is likely to be the fasted top-100 wideout drafted in the class.
Other than height, there's no real knock to Ross' game. Don't be surprised if he's compared early and often to DeSean Jackson, a former Pro Bowler and All-American from the Long Beach area of California, where Ross was also played high school ball. It's hard to find a more exciting player on offense this year than Ross, on either side of the ball.
The Best of the Rest
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After the more well-known receivers in college football, there is still a healthy list of potential contributors in this year's draft class. These pass-catchers might not be future first-round picks, but they can make a splash at the next level.
One receiver who is right on that cutoff is Isaiah Ford of Virginia Tech, a 6'2", 195-pound junior who might have over 3,000 receiving yards in 36 starts as a college player, depending on his postseason performance in the Hookies' bowl game. Ford has a chance to be a solid No. 2 receiver out of the gate.
LSU also has two receivers in Malachi Dupre and Travin Dural who may be better in the NFL than they were in college, due to the quarterback situation surrounding them. They have combined for 62 receptions, 743 receiving yards and four touchdowns this year, down from 71 receptions, 1,231 receiving yards and nine touchdowns the year before, but their combines and Dural's potential week at the Senior Bowl can get their stock moving back in the right direction.
Another name to watch is Courtland Sutton of SMU, who you might have missed an entire year of, other than in the 5-7 Mustang's 38-16 win over Tom Herman's Houston Cougars. Against Baylor, TCU and South Florida, some of SMU's biggest games of the season, Sutton had over 100 yards receiving in each of those games.
After redshirting his first year with the team, Sutton has dominated the AAC, reminding those familiar with Texas football about a young Josh Gordon. He's a redshirt sophomore, but his 6'4", 215-pound frame excites a lot of people, if his speed checks out in Indianapolis.
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