2011 NFL Draft: Ranking the Top 10 Receivers in the Combine
We are one week away from the start of the NFL Combine. The invitations have been sent out and we are going to see these players give it all they've got in order to land a job as a professional player.
The receiver class is deep and talented and we know that A.J. Green will be one of the first picks, but what about guys like Titus Young or Jonathan Baldwin?
We will be taking a look at the top 10 receivers at the combine.
10. Dane Sazenbacher
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Dane Sanzenbacher was the best receiver for the Sugar Bowl winning Ohio State Buckeyes, even while having DeVier Posey competing with him for receptions. Every time I watch this guy play, Wes Welker comes to mind.
Sanzenbacher caught 55 passes for 948 yards along with 11 touchdowns. Sanzenbacher brought more than just stats to this team, he made the receptions when the Buckeyes needed them the most.
Dane is an excellent route runner with very good hands. He is my sleeper pick in this draft and will be a steal for any team out there. He is not the flashiest of players, but he will get the job done. Dane will surprise people at the Combine.
9. Vince Brown
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Vince Brown earned All-Moutain West Conference Honors in 2010. He was undoubtedly the best player for the Aztecs this past season while also being a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award, which is given to the best receiver in college football.
Brown caught 69 passes for 1,352 yards along with 10 touchdowns. He also impressed during the Senior Bowl workouts and some experts are saying he has the best jumping ability of any receiver in the draft.
Brown has excellent hands and will go toe to toe with any cornerback to bring the ball down.
8. Randall Cobb
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Randall Cobb was Mr. Everything at Kentucky. He was a receiver and a their Wildcat quarterback. He is a gifted athlete with tremendous upside.
Cobb caught 84 passes for 1,017 yards along with seven touchdowns. He also rushed for 424 yards and scored five touchdowns while in the Wildcat QB role. He will be a tremendous asset for any team.
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7. Leonard Hankerson
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When you break receiving records held by Michael Irving and Andre Johnson, you will raise some interest. This is exactly what Hankerson did. He broke the Irving touchdown record and the Johnson receiving yards record.
He caught 72 passes for 1,156 yards and 13 touchdowns. Hankerson is a big physical receiver that has deceptive speed, but not great overall speed. His hands do make up for his speed and he is a special talent.
6. Jerrel Jernigan
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Jerrel Jernigan did not compete with elite competition while at Troy, so the Combine is an excellent opportunity for him.
Jernigan caught 84 passes for 822 yards along with six touchdowns. He is a bit undersized, but he has such blazing speed that a lot of NFL teams are certain to take a chance on him. He will have the opportunity to show his speed at the combine.
5. Titus Young
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We may be seeing the next DeSean Jackson here. Titus Young has speed and a lot of it. He also did not face elite competition every week, so the Combine will also be an excellent opportunity to raise his stock.
Young caught 71 passes for 1,215 yards and nine touchdowns. He was critical to the success of the Broncos and will be an excellent receiver in the NFL.
4. Jonathan Baldwin
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Jonathan Baldwin is the complete package at receiver. He has the size, strength and speed that every team wants in their receivers. He is not afraid to catch a ball in the middle of the field and has excellent hands.
Baldwin caught 53 passes for 822 yards and five touchdowns, but has a lot of potential due to his size and hands to make a splash at the next level.
3.Torrey Smith
8 of 10Torrey Smith could have done with one more year and he could have been the first pick in next year's draft, he is that talented. Smith caught 67 passes for 1,055 yards and 12 touchdowns. The experts believe that he is not as talented as the top two receivers, but the Combine is his opportunity to shine.
He has the ability to create separation from defenders and the ability to catch a jump-ball. Take a look at the video and you will see.
2. Julio Jones
9 of 10Julio Jones is a beast. He might be the only pro-ready receiver in the draft due to the pro-style offense that was ran at Bama. Jones had 78 receptions for 1,133 yards with seven touchdowns.
This guy was a man playing among boys and would constantly carry his defender with him. Sometimes it would take over five people to bring him down. Julio Jones will be an excellent long-term asset for any team.
1. A.J. Green
10 of 10The complete package. That is the best way to describe A.J. Green. Excellent hands and speed. Not as strong as Jones, but has better hands. Green and Jones do not need to participate in the Combine, but hopefully they will so we can see how well they match up against the other receivers listed.
A.J. Green caught 57 passes for 848 yards and nine touchdowns, all while missing the first four games of the season due to an NCAA violation. These numbers are better than most of the receivers listed here, it's simply amazing.
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