Second Option: Plight of a No. 2 Wide Receiver in the NFL Draft

No one wants to be Robin to someone else's Batman. Yet, it's a role someone must play.

A hierarchy exists within all football teams, particularly at the wide receiver position. Each passing play is designed with a specific target in mind. More often than not, the No. 1 option is the team's most talented receiver.

In the end, there are only so many passes and opportunities for each wide receiver, and very few teams divvy up those responsibilities evenly. 

The No. 2 wide receiver—a role that can vary based on the offensive scheme—often gets overlooked.  

This issue could prove to be problematic for an aspiring athlete with the potential to be selected in the NFL draft. A prospect can be overlooked to a degree because he played opposite one of the nation's top wide receivers. 

Tyler Lockett left Kansas State as the school's all-time leading receiver. He is generally viewed as a potential second- or third-round talent. Very few prospects in this year's class are as dynamic in running routes, creating separation and playing on special teams. 

It's easy to discuss Lockett at length, but he wasn't the only 1,000-yard receiver on the Wildcats roster this past season. 

Fellow senior Curry Sexton caught 79 passes for 1,059 yards and five touchdowns. 

“The 1,000 yards, 80 catches and six 100-yard games," Sexton said, "I don't know how realistic that would have been without Tyler, because I feel I thrive in the No. 2 role. I was able to get into matchups I felt I could exploit.

“At the same time, I do feel there were a lot of times where I didn't get enough credit for being a good player in my own right. Obviously, I'm not the school's all-time leading receiver. I'm not going to be a second- or third-round draft pick like Tyler. I really feel, though, there were times when people didn't give me enough credit for the things I accomplished. I'm OK with that. I love the role of being the underdog. I wouldn't have it any other way. I was frustrated, but, in the end, it was the perfect setup for me."

Sexton, who is the nephew of Kansas City Chiefs general manager John Dorsey, emerged during his senior campaign as a reliable target for Kansas State quarterback Jake Waters. When evaluating him as a prospect, two things must be kept in mind. 

First, he and Lockett formed a symbiotic relationship that allowed both to succeed. Not only did the two arrive in Manhattan, Kansas, as part of the same class, they were also roommates early in their collegiate careers and during road trips. They formed a bond that made each of them better. 

“Watching him, he's such a natural talent at the position," Sexton said. "Obviously, it's in his bloodlines (Lockett's father, Kevin, played at Kansas State, plus seven years in the NFL). He makes everything he does look really easy. He taught me a lot of stuff on the field. I'd say I helped him more off the field in the film room based on what I saw. 

“Tyler is so creative and crafty with how he gets off the ball. That's something I really struggled with when I first started Division I football, because I didn't play wide receiver in high school. He really helped me with that and my route running. He would help me through different drills. That played a big role in my improvement over time."

Sexton, meanwhile, was named first team Academic All-Big 12 in each of his four seasons on campus. Before he decided to grayshirt at Kansas State, the wide receiver considered going to Harvard University. His intelligence in the classroom translates to the film room and on the field. 

“In the film room, it came easy to me," Sexton said. "I really understand the game of football. It's all I ever watched and paid attention to growing up. I have a tendency to see things or maybe understand something maybe he didn't. Tyler understands football extremely well, but that was one area where I felt I could help him. We really bounced things off each other. It's where I tried to help."

Second, an understanding of how a wide receiver is used within his team's specific system helps establish what type of player he can be at the next level. 

Sexton knows exactly what his role will be at the NFL level, the latest version of Wes Welker or Danny Amendola. 

“I predominantly worked in the slot," Sexton said. "Our offense was a little bit different. I played the 'W.' It's just a slot receiver. I was always the No. 2 or No. 3 receiver depending on the set. A lot of times I was matched up against a nickel corner, safety or linebacker. My job was to work the middle of the field and do the dirty work or move the chains. I didn't necessarily stretch the field or run deep routes. I ran a lot of underneath crossers. You just have to be able to go across the middle, catch the ball and take shots." 

What holds Kansas State's second-leading receiver back in the eyes of scouts is his lack of size and top-end speed. 

At the school's pro day, Sexton measured nearly 5'11" and 184 pounds, according to NFL.com's Gil Brandt. He also ran a less-than-impressive 4.66-second 40-yard dash. His times in the three-cone (6.85 seconds) and short shuttle (4.31 seconds), though, were much better. His short-area quickness is a trait Sexton can use to win at the next level. 

Some of the top teams Kansas State faced this past season struggled to handle Sexton out of the slot.

The undersized target posted six 100-yard games. Four of those games came against the Auburn Tigers, Oklahoma State Cowboys, TCU Horned Frogs and the UCLA Bruins in the Valero Alamo Bowl. 

“Knowing what to do, getting open and having a plan really makes up for a lack of size or athleticism," Sexton said. "If you're more fundamentally sound with a good football IQ, it will take you a long way. It's where I feel I excelled in college and how I plan to make a living in the NFL by understanding coverages and being one step ahead of my opponent. I feel you can compete by being that way."

The native Kansan might not be remembered as fondly as Lockett in Manhattan, but he can fill a niche in the NFL as another slot receiver with the ability to create space in small areas.

Sexton expects to follow in the footsteps of Welker, Amendola, Julian Edelman and Cole Beasley after they paved the way for receivers like him. 

"Those are the comparisons I get," Sexton said. "It's not a stereotypical thing or because I'm a similar size. I do feel our games are very similar. Those are the guys I mold my game after. We're all similar in size and maybe underathletic guys who work in the slot. Fifteen years ago, the little slot guy really didn't exist. There wasn't a spot for him in the league.

"Because Wes came in and caught 100 balls five straight years, teams started to look for that slot receiver. They're spread out throughout the league (now). I definitely mold my game after them, because I'm similar to them in a lot of ways."

The undersized wide receiver isn't the only Big 12 product who thrives in the underdog role. West Virginia's Mario Alford is even smaller in stature, but he presents a completely different dynamic. 

Playing Opposite Elite Talent

Eric Gay/Associated Press

Alford and fellow JUCO transfer Kevin White didn't make an instant impact during their first year on West Virginia's campus. 

The duo entered this past season with something to prove.

While White developed into one of college football's top wide receivers, Alford showed how explosive he can truly be. 

White's senior performance was exceptional. After snagging only 35 receptions for 507 yards during the 2013 campaign, the receiver from Plainfield, New Jersey, tripled his amount of catches and nearly did the same in receiving yardage the following year. 

The second team Walter Camp All-American finished sixth in the nation with 1,447 receiving yards. White's combination of size (6'3" and 215 pounds), speed (4.35-second 40-yard dash) and production turned him into a potential top-five selection and arguably the No. 1 wide receiver in this year's class. 

Alford, on the other hand, doesn't claim White's size or overall production. He makes up for each with his speed. 

“I'm faster than Kevin," Alford said. "I had a little issue there (at the combine), and my start wasn't very good. I came back to West Virginia and my strength and conditioning coach was like, 'Are you kidding me? You're fast. Just get out there and run.' That's what I did at the pro day. It's what I should have done at the combine, but, thankfully, I had a second chance." 

At the combine, the 5'8", 180-pound wide receiver ran an official 4.43-second 40-yard dash. It's an impressive time for most prospects. It wasn't good enough for Alford, though. 

Once the West Virginia pro day eventually came, he improved his time to 4.27 seconds, according to Brandt.

Speed isn't the only area where Alford feels he excels. 

“I think I run better routes than Kevin," Alford said. "I think I come out of my breaks better. Not saying he doesn't run good routes, but I think I come out of my breaks faster. But we're both great athletes with top ball skills. He's good. I'm good. They just kind of overlooked me this year, but that's OK."

The Greenville, Georgia, native actually led the Mountaineers with 11 touchdown receptions. He also managed 65 receptions for 945 yards. 

But Alford's value resides on special teams. The wide receiver averaged 28.6 yards per kick return and even contributed a pair of touchdowns, including a 100-yard scoring romp against the mighty Alabama Crimson Tide. 

“What I bring to a team starts as a return guy," Alford said. "I also bring a lot of speed as a kick returner, punt returner and even as a gunner if need be. And I'm a legit receiver. I can be a legit slot receiver or outside guy. Wherever they want me. I'm a speed guy with great hands that can be used in many ways.

“(NFL teams are) looking at me as a special teams guy right now, because I'm not a potential first-round draft pick as a receiver. I can help on special teams and then work my way in. Every team I go to, I get in there with the quarterback and learn the playbook. I could be rolling as a slot receiver. It all depends on what the team needs and what they want."

Alford needs continued development at wide receiver after converting from running back, though. 

“I played running back pretty much my whole life, basically since I was seven or eight years old," Alford said. "I still have a lot more developing to do at receiver. When I first came to West Virginia, that was the first time I ever had to run routes. I still had a lot of work to do. I eventually became comfortable with it, and I blew up last year. I still have a lot to learn and prove, though. I think I'm pretty good, but I've only played receiver for two years."

Also, the Mountaineers offense doesn't necessarily translate to the NFL level. Both receivers will struggle with route recognition. 

“Our offense at West Virginia was pretty simple," Alford said. "The quarterback got the plays from the sidelines and Coach (Dana) Holgorsen. He provided them via hand signals. The quarterback then gave us hand signals. So, we all went off hand signals. No matter what the play call was, our routes stayed on. We never read the defense or coverage schemes. All of our routes stayed on except for the slant and comeback routes. Like I said before, I'm still learning. I want to work with veterans and let them teach me."

Despite being a neophyte wide receiver, Alford can provide an immediate contribution on special teams. It's enough for him to be potentially selected somewhere in the middle or late rounds of the draft. 

NFL franchises can't teach speed, and the West Virginia wide receivers each provide extra gears. The duo will simply be used in different ways once they're provided a chance to perform. 

No one can question Alford's top gear, but teams can't be entirely sure what to expect of East Carolina's deep threat, Cam Worthy. 

Overshadowed by Greatness

TOM UHLMAN/Associated Press

It's one thing to play opposite a school's all-time leading receiver. It's an entirely different animal to be the bookend for the NCAA's all-time receptions leader. 

Worthy lived up to his surname with an outstanding senior season even though he unknowingly played through an injury. 

Justin Hardy, a former walk-on, accumulated an unprecedented 387 catches for 4,541 yards and 35 touchdowns during his four-year career with the East Carolina Pirates. 

Hardy surpassed former Oklahoma Sooner Ryan Broyles to become the NCAA's receptions leader.

Broyles, though, wasn't even the most dynamic wide receiver on his team at the time. Kenny Stills was. As Broyles battled injuries in recent years, Stills—after being the Sooners' second option—eventually developed into the New Orleans Saints' No. 1 wide receiver before being traded to the Miami Dolphins. 

A similar story could be written about East Carolina's top targets in 2014.

Hardy's reputation and production are stellar. He wasn't the most physically gifted wide receiver on East Carolina's roster, though. Worthy owned that particular designation.

Worthy, another former walk-on, burst onto the scene as a senior with 55 receptions for 1,016 yards. He averaged more than six yards per catch than Hardy. 

“I knew I was the deep threat," Worthy said. "I knew my role. Not to say that I couldn't run underneath routes, because I can run any route. When I entered last season, I knew Hardy had like 1,200 yards. The next receiver only had 300. I knew teams were going to key on Hardy, and someone needed to step up. I worked hard to become that receiver."

Hardy's production wasn't a disadvantage for Worthy. Instead, it provided multiple opportunities. 

A former quarterback who started his career at Yuba Community College, Worthy needed time and help to develop into a legitimate wide receiver. 

“I just moved to receiver two or three years ago," Worthy said. "All of my teammates at wide receiver helped me with the transition. Last year was an opportunity to play at a higher level than junior college. Who wouldn't struggle at times when there are guys that played the same position all of their lives and still make mistakes?

“The coaches and Hardy, they helped me in learning to run routes. You grow up catching a football, but I had to learn to get in and out of breaks. I've always been tall, so the fade ball came easy. They did teach me the ins and outs of the position."

Butch Dill/Associated Press

As such, no animosity arose between the South Carolina native and his fellow receivers, particularly Hardy. 

“He deserves all the attention he's getting," Worthy said. "In my mind, he was the best receiver in the country. I didn't feel overshadowed. I simply played my role. That's part of being on a team, knowing your role.

“Justin was a game-changer. If it was third or fourth down, it was most likely going to him. I didn't mind him getting all the yards he could or defenses rolling the safety over top of me. All four of our receivers basically approached it as, 'Whoever is open will get the ball.' Justin got people open and vice versa. It was good to work off of each other."

Worthy presents enough upside to project as an NFL X-receiver. At 6'2" and 211 pounds, the wide receiver said he ran a 4.37-second 40-yard dash during East Carolina's winter conditioning. 

But NFL scouts and decision-makers haven't had the opportunity to see him run. Worthy broke his foot at the Medal of Honor Bowl. During his medical examination at the combine, NFL doctors discovered Worthy had a broken bone in his other foot, too. 

“When I was in Indianapolis, they found another Jones fracture in my right foot," Worthy said. "I played through the season with it, and I didn't know I was playing with it. I had surgery on it three weeks ago. This was after suffering the same injury in my other foot at the all-star game."

The wide receiver was cleared for football activities on April 3, and he expects to work out for teams at least two weeks in advance of the draft if they're interested. 

A healthy Worthy brings size, body control, an ability to track the ball and a legitimate deep threat. He might not be viewed as an early or mid-round pick like Hardy, but he's not worried about a team's perception of him. 

“I can only control what I can control," Worthy said. "I can't change a scout's opinion about me. I'm not really trying to change their opinion either. If the right team comes along and wants to draft me, they'll draft me. If not, oh well. I'll wish them luck when I play against them."

Worthy developed a niche as the top deep threat and No. 2 target within a top-five collegiate offense. Whether or not he's drafted, the former East Carolina wide receiver will be required to carve a new role on an NFL roster. 

Role Players

A wide receiver doesn't need to be a traditional No. 1 target or X-receiver to be highly effective.

Welker, for example, caught over 100 passes five times during a stretch of six seasons as a slot receiver.

Green Bay's Randall Cobb secured a four-year, $40 million contract from the Packers in free agency despite being used in various ways. 

The 5'10", 186-pound Antonio Brown led the league in 2014 with 129 receptions and 1,698 yards. 

Wide receiver prospects aren't required to fit the mold of Calvin Johnson, A.J. Green or Julio Jones to eventually dominate. They're also not required to lead their collegiate team in receiving as a prerequisite to future success.

In fact, Welker's and Cobb's receiving yardage during their final years on campus were similar to all three aforementioned prospects.

Cobb's bookend during his last season with the Kentucky Wildcats just happened to be Chris Matthews, who blossomed into a star during Super Bowl XLIX. 

There were three common denominators found among Alford, Sexton and Worthy, though: 

1. One year of production
2. Position changes
3. Physical limitations 

Each of these provided reasons the prospects were overlooked to a degree during the evaluation process. The young receivers also realize this is merely the first step, and they present value to NFL teams in some form. 

A wide receiver prospect doesn't have to be his alma mater's top target to take advantage of NFL opportunity. He simply needs to let his natural abilities take over when provided a chance. 

Talent can be found anywhere, and NFL scouts will find it. It's up to the underdogs to develop into alpha males. 

All quotes obtained firsthand by Bleacher Report. Brent Sobleski covers the NFL draft for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @brentsobleski.