2012 NFL Draft: Latest on Justin Blackmon and Top WRs Available

The 2012 NFL Draft has a ton of talent at the top, and one position that is sure to grab a lot of attention is wide receiver. There are three guys who have separated themselves as the best at the position, and all three guys could go in the top 20 picks. 

Here is the latest buzz surrounding the top receiver prospects in the 2012 draft class.

Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State

Blackmon is the consensus top receiver in this year's draft and almost certainly will be off the board within the top six picks.

As Peter King of Sports Illustrated reported yesterday, Cleveland Browns general manager Tom Heckert "loves" Blackmon and that would be his pick at No. 4, if he had final the say. But team president Mike Holmgren is still deciding on who he will take at that spot. 

NFL.com's Gil Brandt, who was instrumental in drafting Michael Irvin as the Dallas Cowboys' vice president of player personnel in 1988, thinks Blackmon is a smaller version of the Hall of Fame receiver. That said, Brandt claims he prefers Michael Floyd over the Oklahoma State product. 

Despite that level of praise, three of three teams polled by CBS Sports' Rob Rang claim they don't consider Blackmon elite, or among the top five players in this year's draft.

Still, I don't see Blackmon lasting past the St. Louis Rams at No. 6.

Michael Floyd, Notre Dame

Floyd's stock has been all over the first round as of late, but it appears he is inching closer to top-10 status. Mike Jurecki of XTRA Phoenix claims that if both David DeCastro and Floyd are available, the Arizona Cardinals would take Floyd with the 13th pick. 

The Buffalo Bills will likely also consider Floyd at No. 10, but if Iowa offensive tackle Riley Reiff is available there, I really don't see a way they could pass him up. 

While Floyd's stock is certainly on the rise, ESPN's Adam Schefter claimed this weekend that he would be shocked if the Notre Dame product passed Blackmon and was the first receiver taken. I have to agree with that.

Floyd is an intriguing prospect because of his size (6'3" and 220 pounds) and phenomenal hands, but Blackmon is a much better all-around prospect on tape, and also plays much harder. Floyd's stock is on the rise, but he won't pass Blackmon.

Kendall Wright, Baylor

Wright was a prolific receiver at Baylor and was in a battle with Floyd to be the second receiver off the board for quite some time. Now, after an average showing at the combine, Wright has been fighting an uphill battle to get his stock back on track.

The speedster did a lot to restore his value by running 40-yard dash times of 4.43 and 4.46 at Baylor's pro day. SI's Peter King thinks that after that performance the combine is all but forgotten.

According to SI draft analyst Tony Pauline, the Chicago Bears are seriously considering taking Wright with the No. 19 overall pick. The Bears have Brandon Marshall and Devin Hester already on board, but Earl Bennett is nothing more than a slot receiver, and the team really doesn't have a true deep threat. 

The latest Wright will last is No. 26 to the Houston Texans, but could easily be off the board in at least four other spots before that