CeeDee Lamb: Would Be Honor to Go Before Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs in NFL Draft

CeeDee Lamb doesn't think it matters which receiver comes off the board first in Thursday's NFL draft, but he said it'd be an honor if his name was called ahead of Jerry Jeudy's and Henry Ruggs III's.

"It'd definitely be an honor on my end to be the first receiver taken off the board, especially with this loaded receiver class that we have. Just guys that's willing to put it all on the line for their organization, and just for me to be one of the headliners, I'm honored," Lamb said on NFL Network.

Bleacher Report's Matt Miller rated Lamb as his third-best receiver (13th overall) behind Jeudy (fifth) and Ruggs (12th).

NFL scouts reportedly disagree with Miller's assessment, ranking Lamb first in a poll conducted by Bob McGinn of The Athletic.

"You throw the ball up, he's coming down with it," one scout told McGinn of Lamb. "He's got courage. He has better feet than [Justin] Jefferson. I had no idea he could run as good as he did. He's a great kid on top of it. He's a no-brainer."

While the assessments of the three may vary from evaluator to evaluator, what's clear is the separation between them is minimal. It would not be a surprise if any one of the trio was the first receiver picked Thursday night.

Ruggs is the downfield dynamo, equipped with 4.27-second 40-yard dash speed and a 42-inch vertical that's led to comparisons to Tyreek Hill. With what Hill and Patrick Mahomes just did to opposing defenses in the Kansas City Chiefs' championship run, NFL teams are envisioning their own similar pairings.

Lamb drew a DeAndre Hopkins comparison from ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. (h/t Nick Kosko of 247 Sports). What the Oklahoma product lacks in elite speed (4.50), he more than makes up for with his catch radius and ability to create separation with his physicality.

Jeudy lands in a middle ground between Lamb and Ruggs. He's a better athlete than Lamb (with 4.45 speed) and has a better catch radius than Ruggs but doesn't top either in their elite skills. Pro Football Focus (h/t Kosko) compared him to Odell Beckham Jr.—a generational talent who leaps off the screen on film.