College Football Recruiting 2011: Ranking the Top 50 Wide Receivers

Besides quarterback, in football it seems everyone thinks they can play wide receiver. They see the glamorous catches and touchdowns and feel it's an easy job.

Wrong.

Receiver is a tough and demanding position that not only requires superior athletic ability, but also superior mental focus and toughness.

In this year's receiver class, there are a ton of flat out studs from all over the country. Some are speedsters, some are possession guys, but every one of them is extremely talented.

Let's check out the top 50 receivers in the country.

50. Michael Thomas

Commitment: Undecided

Thomas is a solid athlete and cousin of former USC and NFL receiver, Keyshawn Johnson. He's shown great improvement over the past two years, evidenced by not catching a pass his junior year to catching over 75 balls in his senior year.

He's not the fastest receiver in the world, yet he makes up for it with great body control, route running and hands. Thomas is also pretty thin at only 180 pounds and will need to improve his strength and release quickness to get off of press coverage.

49. Devin Smith

Commitment: Ohio State

Smith is a hard working receiver prospect who does just about everything pretty well. He's a solid route runner with fluid body control and has the toughness to go over the middle. He also has good length with a 6'1" frame and hustles to make blocks in the run game.

He has solid speed, but will need to add weight to keep up his blocking efforts in college.

48. Patrick Onwuasor

Commitment: Undecided

He's known for something that many receivers are not known for: he plays very hard on every play. Onwuasor is not a diva and tries to raise the level of play of all those around him, like a quarterback has to. He's a big, strong receiver at 6'2" and nearly 200 pounds, and also has been timed at 4.5 in the 40.

He won't blaze you and routinely get behind your secondary, but his speed is sneaky at times. He also does a great job at always attacking the ball at it's highest point. 

47. Collins Moore

Commitment: Ole Miss

Moore has everything you want in a receiver. He has length and size with his 6'2" frame, quickness and solid 4.5 speed. He has tremendous ball skills and just makes plays anytime he's on the field. He's not afraid of competition and plays his best in critical situations.

Moore is used to being a go-to receiver and that should continue at Ole Miss.

46. Maurice Harris

Commitment: California

Harris is a big receiver who doesn't shy away from contact. He plays physical on the edge against defensive backs and welcomes press-jam coverage. His separation is based on his strength and his ability to out-muscle coverage for the ball.

Harris is not explosive and lacks top-notch release quickness off the line of scrimmage. He's solid in RAC ability, but not overly fast or elusive with the ball.

45. Johnny Haynes

Commitment: Oklahoma State

Not the biggest nor the fastest, Haynes just gets it done. He runs a 4.6 40, but is sure to get faster with a college speed training program. He reminds us of former Arizona receiver Syndruc Steptoe. Haynes is very quick in a short area, which allows him to easily separate from defenders.

He'll likely be a slot receiver and return man in college. Bigger defensive backs will likely be able to out jump him for balls on the perimeter.

44. Chris Conley

Commitment: Georgia

Conley is a tall and long receiver with a 6'3" frame and long arms to pluck balls outside his frame. He also has a large strike zone and 4.5 speed in his arsenal. His ball skills and height lets him routinely beat defenders for the ball.

He'll need to continue improving his route running skills and quickness in and out of his breaks.

43. Shawn Conway

Commitment: Undecided

Conway has a Michigan offer, yet he seems like he wants to look elsewhere. Plenty schools will be on his trail soon, as he is a 6'4", 185 pound pass catcher who knows how to use his size to shield defenders away from the ball.

He's under the radar a bit, but his size, receiving ability and above average quickness make him plenty attractive.

He's a bit of a straight line athlete and will need to learn how to sink his hips to get out of his breaks faster.

42. Cody Latimer

Commitment: Indiana

Latimer is the prototypical receiver. He's 6'3", 210 pounds and has run a 4.48 40 yard dash. He's an excellent athlete and it translates to the field well. He's a bully with the ball and knows that he has receiver speed on a running back frame.

He can be a little straight line-ish at times and will need to continue working on adjusting to poorly thrown balls.

41. Curt Evans

Commitment: Boston College

Some see Evans as a promising cornerback, while others will argue to leave him at receiver. He's 6'0" and 175 pounds, which translate well at either position.

A tremendous athlete with superb quickness, Evans is a sharp cutter and explodes out of his breaks.

He's not too strong and physical defensive backs will be able to mirror him if he doesn't get stronger in college.

40. Cameron White

Commitment: TCU

White will join the Horned Frogs in Ft. Worth and bring speed, speed and more speed to the program. He's been clocked at 4.38 in the 40 and runs by everyone on the back end. He'll stretch the field and take the top off of Big East defenses immediately for TCU.

He'll need to prove he's more than a one trick pony and be able to make plays across the middle, adjust to balls and increase his catch radius.

39. Evan Spencer

Commitment: Ohio State

Spencer may be the next Brian Robiskie for the Buckeyes. He's a very solid athlete with leaping ability, ball skills and speed, and he can adjust on the move. He'll also throw his body around to factor as a blocker in the run game on the perimeter.

He'll have to keep improving his ability to make adjustments and site calls in his routes and subtle body movements to set up defenders.

38. Quinta Funderburk

Commitment: Arkansas

6'5" and 205 pounds, Funderburk will trek from Virginia to play for Bobby Petrino at Arkansas. His size, high point ability and athleticism could get him on the field early for the Hogs. Funderburk knows how to win jump ball situations and towers over defensive backs.

His tall and long frame sometimes hinders his quickness when cutting, and he'll need to work on his hip and knee bend.

37. Jonathon Lee

Commitment: Baylor

Lee's body control and athleticism on the field is eye-popping. He has great adjust ability and goes for every ball thrown his way, good or bad.

He also has great hands and can leap over anyone. And he's 6'2" to boot.

He can get out muscled for balls at times and his cutting ability needs work.

36. Nigel King

Commitment: Maryland

A physical and powerful type receiver, King is 200 pounds on a 6'3" frame. He has the size and strength to get off of press coverage in release and plays with great functional strength. He is tough to bring down with the ball and has deceptive speed.

He's not the blazer that some other receivers are, yet his speed is good enough. He'll have to adjust to a college offense and precise route running.

35. David Porter

Commitment: TCU

Porter is a receiver that you love to have in your offense, like a Hines Ward. He does the dirty work underneath to help set up big plays. He can run clearing routes, work the chains and puts effort into his craft as a blocker.

He won't impress with his speed, but he's pretty quick and makes plays with the ball in his hands.

He doesn't have top notch explosion and will build up in his routes.

34. Charles Gaines

Commitment: Louisville

Gaines hails form the Miami area and like many Florida players, just has a unique passion to play football. He's a fierce competitor and works to improve as a receiver. Interestingly enough, he reminds us of former Louisville and current Falcons receiver Harry Douglas.

His 5'11, 180 pound size will be dynamic in the slot and on third downs.

33. Markis Merrill

Commitment: Undecided

Merrill is a bit underrated to us and we have him higher than he's seen on many other lists. He's 6'0", 190 pounds and has run a 4.4 40. What's not to like?

He has offers from Arkansas, South Florida, FIU, Troy and Marshall, among other schools.  

Whoever picks him up maybe getting a diamond in the rough and a surprise player for their program.

32. Derek Edwards

Commitment: Texas Tech

Aside from Michael Crabtree, it seems any receiver can step in and automatically be penciled in to catch 60 balls a year in Lubbock. Edwards will look to join Crabtree in the notion to standout above the Red Raiders' offensive reputation. He's a tall and lanky, yet athletic 6'1" receiver with solid quickness.

Only 165 pounds, Edwards will surely need to put on weight, strength and bulk to play in college. Defensive backs will look to to get into his body and press him to shut down his release off the line.

31. Aubrey Coleman

Commitment: Washington

UW head coach Steve Sarkisian has seen how important size can be at the receiver position and has experience recruiting bigger receivers. At USC, he had Mike Williams, Patrick Turner and Dwayne Jarrett and routinely exploited their size in the Pac 10. Now he will do the same with Coleman in the Pac 12.

Coleman is 6'6", 215 pounds and a terror in the red zone. Some say he may grow into a tight end, but he could be left at receiver in our opinion.

He'll need to work on his footwork in and out of his breaks and explosiveness off the line.

30. Kameel Jackson

Commitment: Oklahoma

The Sooners will be getting a talented receiver in Jackson, who plays with no fear and a large amount of confidence. He'll attack across the middle, block on the edge and crack down to spring open the outside running game.

He has a 6'0" frame and runs a 4.45 40 to get open deep. He can separate out of his breaks and make spectacular receptions.

He'll have to work on his release and open up his his strike zone in Norman.

29. Antoine Arnold

Commitment: Undecided

Arnold has a 6'3" frame and his long arms allow him to have an increased strike zone. He can snatch and pluck balls away from his frame with ease. A long strider, Arnold has a surprisingly quick release off the line of scrimmage.

He'll need add weight and strength to play in college against press coverage and he doesn't factor as a blocker right now.

28. Philip Dorsett

Commitment: Miami

Dorsett is the ultimate RAC type receiver. You have to get him the ball anyway you can and let him do his thing. He has a great quickness, lateral agility and speed.

Dorsett is plenty elusive in the open field and finds a way to score anyway he can.

He's only 5'10" and 170 pounds, so he won't wow you in the size department. He lacks strength to win as a blocker.

27. JaJuan Story

Commitment: Florida

Story is listed as a soft verbal to the Gators, yet will likely stick to playing in Gainesville. He has the size Charlie Weis will covet at 6'3" and 190 pounds. He has the deep speed to get up top and deep as he runs a 4.4.

 His frame allows him to be threat over the middle and underneath, and he can adjust to any ball thrown.

His route and release will need to refinement, as he can round off a route or two ever so often.

26. Devin Lucien

Commitment: Undecided

I've watched Lucien play in person and have been on the sidelines to see him up close and personal. I will say he is the real deal. First, his size immediately stands out. Lucien has a 6'2", 190 pound frame that could easily gain another 15 pounds.

His ball skills are tremendous. Lucien has large hands, a huge strike zone, pluck-ability and can catch in a crowd.

His speed is deceptive and he is quick enough to work in the slot as well. He'll need to keep improving as a blocker to round out his game.

25. Miles Shuler

Commitment: Rutgers

A high school quarterback, Shuler is rated as a four-star receiver who's projected to make the transition into the slot at the next level.

He throws the ball well and has good accuracy, especially on the move, but it's the way he's able to put pressure on defenses with acceleration and change of direction ability that makes him an interesting prospect.

24. A.J. Jordan

Commitment: Wisconsin

Jordan is one of the top prospects from Ohio. He's a 4-star rated recruit and also one of highest ranked hurdlers in the nation. He's another smooth runner who really explodes off the line of scrimmage and accelerates extremely well.

Like many other prospects who are undersized, he struggles to get free when he's jammed up on the line and he will need to work on his strength to overcome this.

23. Keante Minor

Commitment: Arkansas

Minor is one the fastest players in the country. He has a great base in his frame and is a bit more powerful and strong than one might think. He can win jump ball situations and still factor around the goal line, even with his 5'11" frame.

He's not elusive and some even use the word stiff-hipped. Minor is not as agile and laterally quick as you'd like and will need to work on his pass catching skills.

22. DaVaris Daniels

Commitment: Notre Dame

Daniels is ranked as the No. 15 wideout on Rivals.com and the No. 23 wideout on Scout.com. At 6'2" and 175 pounds, he's thin and needs to bulk up, but when he's not pressed at the line of scrimmage, he can cover a ton of ground very quickly. 

He runs good routes and is strong enough that he won't be bullied by defenders. Daniels is a big target with elite body control and solid change of direction ability. It makes him a great red zone threat. 

21. Tobias Singleton

Commitment: Ole Miss

Singleton is a big, physical receiver who can beat pretty much any defender at the line of scrimmage if you play off of him or use his size to ward off defenders who try to jam him.

It makes for a very difficult cover. Singleton has great speed for his size, 6'2" and 195 pounds, and even better body control. He's raw and struggles to run good routes, but has a ton of potential. 

20. Donte Moncrief

Commitment: Ole Miss

Moncrief is ranked as the No. 9 receiver on Rivals.com, but falls all the way to No. 31 on Scout.com. He falls somewhere in-between and there's no denying he's a top 25 talent at the position. 

At 6'2" and 215 pounds, he's got great balance and hands and is faster than you'd think. But he isn't very strong for his size and needs to play with more physicality to harness his talent. 

19. Tacoi Sumler

Commitment: Oregon

Sumler is one of the most versatile players of the 2011 class. He's a dangerous return man, has great coverage skills as a cornerback, can do some damage as a scat back and has an especially solid skill set at receiver.

He runs crisp routes, makes smooth cuts, gets off the line very fast and moves with elite breakaway speed. He's undersized, though, which has somewhat lowered his value.

18. Danny Woodson

Commitment: Alabama

Depending on who you're asking, Alabama has a pretty serious duo of receivers lined up. Between Marvin Shinn, ranked No. 8 at WR by both Scout.com and Rivals.com, and Danny Woodson, ranked No. 7 at WR by Rivals.com, the Crimson Tide should be in line for a ton of success.

Of course, Scout.com ranks Woodson at No. 24 and it's hard to disagree. He is neither as polished as Shinn, nor does he have the kind of playmaking ability his fellow commitment has.

17. Rashad Greene

Commitment: FSU

Greene is not the best at any particular thing, but does pretty much everything you want in a receiver and is one of the most well-balanced prospects in the class. He runs good routes, has a solid pair of hands and can block and be physical with CBs.

He struggles getting off the line against physical corners at the high school level though, which means his struggles will only grow worse in college. The potential is there, that's the obvious part, but there are concerns you can't ignore.

16. Damiere Byrd

Commitment: South Carolina

Byrd is one of the most athletic prospects of the 2011 class. He would be rated even higher if he was just a little bigger than 5'9" and 160 pounds. As it stands, he is a 4-star wideout with about as much potential as any receiver in the class.

He has great straight line speed and can put eye-popping moves on anyone. He changes direction seemingly at will. Byrd is a touchdown waiting to happen as a halfback, receiver or return man. If he was just a little bit bigger, he'd likely be a 5-star prospect.

15. Bill Belton

Commitment: Undecided

Both Scout.com and Rivals.com agree that Bill Belton is a 4-star prospect, but they don't agree on where he should line up. Scout.com lists him as the No. 14 WR, while Rivals.com more conservatively pushes him back to No. 28 on their top ATH list. One thing is very clear, Belton is exceptionally fast on the football field and needs the ball in his hands.

He's tough, plays with great control and is a dangerous player in space. The major knock on his game is a near-total lack of blocking ability that needs to be refined before he can make any effort. 

14. Darius Jennings

Commitment: Undecided

At 5'11" and 175 pounds, 4-star receiver Jennings isn't a traditional speedster, but he moves incredibly fast in traffic. He's got a short stride and has a really good first burst off the line of scrimmage.

He can change gears about as fast as anyone and those short, choppy steps let him accelerate very fast in space. He can be a force in the Wildcat, as he's got experience running the system in high school. He'd be an ideal slot receiver, but needs to bulk up some before he can make too big of an impact on the next level. 

13. LaDarius Brown

Commitment: TCU

At 6'2" and 185 pounds, Brown runs a 4.5 40-yard dash and is one of the best downfield threats in the country. He moves swiftly and has a really special ability to make big plays over the top of defenders. 

He runs good routes, can play in the middle of the field or down the sidelines and can make things happen after the catch. He's not consistent though, and struggles in the red zone, despite his size and leaping ability. 

12. Jaxon Shipley

Commitment: Texas

The younger brother of former Longhorn Jordan Shipley, Jaxton will be following in his brother's footsteps and might prove to be even better at Texas in a couple years time. The steam has started to pick up for Shipley, as he's now considered a top 10 receiver.

He's been getting a lot of praise based on his exceptional hands and body control. He runs polished, professional routes and is ready to play immediately. All he really needs to do is bulk up and get stronger so college defenders won't out-muscle him.

11. Nickolas Brassell

Commitment: Undecided

Brassell is a high-energy, competitive wideout who can get deep in a hurry in every play of the game. He goes hard no matter what the situation and when he's hot, he's one of the best playmakers in the country. 

The problem is he tends to play out of control and needs to refine his route running skills to be more than just a deep-ball threat. If he can figure that out and play with more consistency, Brassell has the chance to be potent force on the next level. 

10. Kelvin Benjamin

Commitment: FSU

At 6'6" and 210 pounds, Benjamin's a huge target that some have projected as a tight end, but he's shown the speed and athleticism to be a force at wide receiver.  

He makes the tough catches, the acrobatic, circus catches. Add in his size, speed and toughness, and he's one of the toughest covers in the country. 

Benjamin needs to work on his route running, concentration and separation skills, but the tools are there for him to be a truly special talent. 

9. Victor Blackwell

Commitment: USC

Blackwell's greatest asset is without a doubt his hands. The ball just sticks to some guys when they go up for it and he's one of them.

He's got great speed and can really adjust to the ball when it's in the air, but is undersized and needs to bulk up. Rivals.com ranks him No. 10 among WRs and Scout.com ranks him No. 12.

Blackwell has USC written all over him. It's a perfect fit. He's a 4-star receiver with great change of direction ability, acceleration and has perhaps the best body control of any receiver in the 2011 class.

8. Marvin Shinn

Commitment: Alabama

If you're an Alabama fan, you've probably already heard quite a bit about "Marvelous" Marvin Shinn. He's one of the most electric wide receivers in the 2011 class and a playmaker who can score any time he gets into open space.

He's taken a huge jump this summer and is ranked as a top 10 WR by both Scout.com and Rivals.com.

Shinn is one of the best deep-threat receivers in the class and has such long strides that, once he gets going in open space, more times than not he's behind the defense and gone. Add in a solid pair of hands and you have a dangerous receiving threat.

7. DeAnthony Arnett

Commitment: Undecided

Arnett is one of the top receivers in the country, but doesn't receive the same attention as the likes of George Farmer or Kasen Williams. The reality is while they might have more upside, Arnett is ready-now and could make a bigger instant impact. 

He's great at creating separation from defenders and runs some of the smoothest and polished routes of any receiver from the 2011 recruiting class. 

He's on the small side at 6' and 175 pounds, but he has great elevation and consistently gets up high to make the catch. His body control and catching ability are really impressive, especially when it comes to making plays in traffic.

6. Charone Peake

Commitment: Clemson

Peake will join Mike Bellamy at Clemson to form a scary one-two punch on the offensive side of the ball. The 5-star receiver is quick off the line and one of the best deep-ball threats in the country.

He's Scout.com's No. 4 WR and No. 6 on Rivals.com.

Peake will score on you at almost any time and has the speed and height to go over the top of defenders with elite ability. He's grown tremendously more consistent over the last year and will have the chance to be one of the top impact freshman in the country. 

5. Sammy Watkins

Commitment: Clemson

Sammy Watkins is one of the best prospects from the state of Florida and a game-breaker at the receiver position. He will join Peake at Clemson.

He's the complete package in terms of size and speed, and a dangerous weapon in the return game as well. He's a threat to take it the distance on any play and has that sixth gear you look for in elite prospects.

The only knock on Watkins is that for someone with his size and catching ability, he hasn't been much of a red zone threat to this point in his career. That's a bit troubling.

4. Kasen Williams

Commitment: Washington

Kasen Williams is ranked as the top receiver in the nation by Scout.com. He's a big, strong receiver who runs very good routes and creates great separation downfield by overpowering and out-maneuvering defenders.

He's also so strong at the line of scrimmage that its nearly impossible to jam him. When it's attempted, he usually makes the defender pay big time.

Because of his size and strength, he is one of the hardest players to take down. When he gets loose in open space, he's a threat to take it to the house every time.

3. Trey Metoyer

Commitment: Oklahoma

Trey Metoyer is one of the highest rated receivers of the 2011 class. He's rated top five at his position by both Scout.com and Rivals.com and presents a great combination of size and speed.

He doesn't have the breakaway speed of a George Farmer, but he still runs a 4.5 second 40 and has enough quickness to break loose for a big play if you let him get into space.

At 6'2" and 185 pounds, he needs to put some weight on his frame, but he's already a very strong athlete who uses his strength to avoid getting jammed at the line and to ward off defenders downfield and create separation.

2. Jarvis Landry

Commitment: LSU

Landry is one of those prospects that fits into the "needs to bulk up" category more than the "will always be undersized" category. But no matter how much weight he's able to put on, he'll always be a sub-six foot receiver. Scouts tend to undervalue you immediately when you fit into that category.

He makes up for that with solid route running and great movement in closed spaces, but that doesn't even begin to describe how much of a playmaker he is.

Landry is a sure-handed player that demands the ball on big plays and will quickly develop into a third down conversion machine. 

1. George Farmer

Commitment: USC

He has the speed to get past pretty much anyone and the size to ward off stronger defenders without much effort.

Farmer has an ideal combination of skills and natural ability, but needs to fine tune his game some.

He'll make the spectacular catch, but then drop an easy one. Some scouts question his level of concentration and desire to go all out on every play. That's troubling. If he can improve on his consistency, though, Farmer has the goods to be a special talent.