2011 NFL Draft: Ranking the Top 15 Wide Receivers and Running Backs
With the 2011 NFL Draft coming around the bend, anybody who loves to see a lot of points scored will have their eyes on guys like Mark Ingram and Julio Jones.
But how do all of the top running backs and wide receivers rank?
If your team is in need of a boost on offense, you've come to the right place.
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15. Jacquizz Rodgers—RB, Oregon State
1 of 15
Height: 5'5 7/8"
Weight: 196 pounds
This pint-sized warrior has been a little ball of terror for the Beavers. His quickness has drawn comparison to Barry Sanders, just to give you an idea of what we're looking at.
His speed isn't great, but his shiftiness helps him get into the open field even if he won't be a home-run hitter at the next level.
Of course, he's very small for an NFL running back. His frame will take a beating early and often, so he is somewhat risky for that reason. His versatility in passing situations will make him a great asset to any team. He is a solid route-runner who is dangerous after the catch.
14. DeMarco Murray—RB, Oklahoma
2 of 15
Height: 5'11 5/8"
Weight: 213 pounds
It's clear that Murray can produce on a high level, putting up 50 total rushing touchdowns in his collegiate career. For the naysayers who think it had everything to do with Sam Bradford, I point to his career-high 15 touchdowns this year as proof otherwise.
In fact, Bradford had the benefit of one talented weapon in the passing game out of the backfield. Murray can get yards after the catch, and although he's a bit smaller, he won't hesitate to go up against anyone he needs to in pass protection.
He's much more agile than he is powerful, and will be best served in a two- or three-back system that will allow his talents to be maximized.
13. Tandon Doss: WR, Indiana
3 of 15
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 201 pounds
Many wide receivers come out of college having played in a spread formation, never being asked to beat press coverage. Although Doss falls into that category, National Football Post doesn't think it's damning, saying, "with some time, he has the physicality and above-average short-area quickness for his size to slip the bump and cleanly get into his route."
He has great ball skills and can go after it in a jump-ball scenario. His ability to win those one-on-one matchups lends itself to the above theory that he could develop those abilities against press coverage with time.
He needs to work on running solid routes, but he has the athleticism to make an early impact in just about any offense.
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12. Torrey Smith: WR, Maryland
4 of 15
Height: 6'0 7/8"
Weight: 204 pounds
The scouting report on Smith looks so strikingly similar to that of Darius Heyward-Bey that one would think they weren't just on the same team, but that they might have been the same player.
Blazing speed. Great size. Lackluster route-running.
But if he can hone his immense athleticism into the necessary skills to succeed as a wide recever at the next level, he could be the next big thing. He has consistently shown the ability to get behind a defense and make a play when asked to track the ball down.
He has gotten by a little on his reputation in college. Because corners respect his speed, he hasn't been asked to beat press coverage very much. He'll have to develop that ability if he wants to be an NFL success story.
11. Shane Vereen: RB, California
5 of 15
Height: 5'8 7/8"
Weight: 203 pounds
It's not the size of the running back in the game, but the determination and "game" in the running back that matters most. Vereen definitely has game, as evidenced by his 1,157 yards rushing at a 5.1 yard clip and 13 touchdowns.
He doesn't have elite quickness or speed, but he is a competitive player who has been durable and has great vision for his age.
Perhaps his best assets are his abilities in the passing game, adding 209 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns. He's very versatile in this area, too, showing the requisite awareness in blitz protection. That versatility will make him a difficult weapon to defend in the NFL.
The biggest knock on him, obviously, is his size. The small running back will take a pounding in the NFL and could stand to bulk up a little bit so his body can absorb the bigger hits he'll be taking. Still, the difficulty in defending a guy like Vereen makes him a valuable asset to most NFL offenses.
10. Kendall Hunter: RB, Oklahoma State
6 of 15
Height: 5'7 1/4"
Weight: 199 pounds
Kendall Hunter, like Vereen, is a smaller prospect than most teams would like to see in the NFL. His frame will take a big-time beating. Like Vereen, Hunter has great quickness. He makes the cut through the hole and never looks back.
The difference is, however, Hunter is more effective after contact. He possesses quite a bit more strength than Vereen, and consistently breaks through arm tackles.
He's not as effective in the passing game as many NFL teams might like to see, but his abilities as a straight-line runner who hits the hole with conviction make him a great asset to any team.
9. Jonathan Baldwin: WR, Pittsburgh
7 of 15
Height: 6'4 3/8"
Weight: 228 pounds
The first thing I think when I see those measurements is "Damn."
And just look at those ups! He could climb the ladder against just about any NFL defensive back and win a jump ball. In fact, he's at his best in those situations.
Two things he doesn't do well, though, are beating press coverage and running routes. It's surprising that he can't beat bump-and-run with ease at his size, and even though he dominates in jump ball scenarios, that weakness against the press coverage raises questions about his overall athleticism.
With proper coaching, he could improve in both areas—and he'll need to if he wants to be an effective wide receiver in the NFL. But his size and potential make him a very intriguing prospect in this draft.
8. Randall Cobb: WR, Kentucky
8 of 15
Height: 5'10 1/4"
Weight: 191 pounds
Cobb isn't the big physical presence most teams would want out of their No. 1 receiver, and he doesn't have the elite top-end speed to be effective in that role, either. He has the ability to do some big-time damage over the middle, though. ESPN's Scouts, Inc. says of Cobb, "Bottom line: he can turn a short catch into a big play from anywhere on the field."
He secures the ball away from his body, and explodes up the field for extra yards. He's also a physical receiver, even at his size, and doesn't shy away from contact. In fact, he often beats the contact and gets more yards.
Cobb may not be the sexiest pick at receiver, but he could add a new dimension to a lot of NFL offenses.
7. Titus Young: WR, Boise State
9 of 15
Height: 5'11 3/8"
Weight: 174 pounds
Titus Young may be slightly undersized, but that hasn't stopped guys like DeSean Jackson from making a huge impact. In fact, Young projects out as a similar receiver to Jackson. He is a fast guy who can make an impact both as a down-field threat and in the short and intermediate passing game.
He even runs crisp routes at his top speed, something that can't be said for every receiver; some receivers with speed to burn sacrifice solid route-running. Of course, he could see some problems against bigger NFL corners, but he has good lateral quickness for beating press coverage.
He's also solid in the return game, although that won't help his stock much now.
6. Ryan Williams: RB, Virginia Tech
10 of 15
Height: 5'9 3/8"
Weight: 212 pounds
Williams' strong suit is his quickness and agility, making guys miss in the open field. Still, he runs with a low center of gravity that gives him the opportunity to bowl guys over if need be.
He's a great one-cut back, and is at his best when he can burst through a seam with authority. He has the vision to find those seams and the patience to take full advantage of them by letting them develop.
One area he will need to improve on is ball security, having fumbled five times in 2009. Still, he has all the physical and mental tools to contribute early to an NFL team looking for an upgrade in its running game.
5. Mikel LeShoure: RB, Illinois
11 of 15
Height: 5'11 5/8"
Weight: 227 pounds
LeShoure is what I like to call a battering ram. His size makes him nearly impossible for defensive backs to bring down in the open field. Although his agility isn't elite, it's enough to make guys miss at the line of scrimmage, and after that, he plows his way to the first down or the end zone.
He's not higher on this list, because he's not very versatile—both in terms of his running style and his effectiveness in the passing game. ESPN's Scouts Inc. calls him a "raw" prospect in the passing game, pointing to the fact that he catches too many passes with his body and isn't very effective at recognizing pressure. Still, he has shown the ability to excel in both areas with time and coaching.
4. Leonard Hankerson: WR, Miami
12 of 15
Height: 6'1 1/2"
Weight: 209 pounds
Before the Senior Bowl, Hankerson was viewed as a mid-second round prospect. His stock has risen since then, and many now view him as a potential first-round choice. He tracked the ball very well, making adjustments to a few underthrown balls.
He's bigger than the average receiver prospect, but he doesn't have that dominating size that you'd like to see in an outside receiver.
The two traits that hurt his stock the most are his lack of suddenness off the line of scrimmage and dropping catchable passes. The former can be improved, but the latter probably will not improve over the course of his NFL career.
3. Mark Ingram: RB, Alabama
13 of 15
Height: 5'9 1/8"
Weight: 215 pounds
The consensus No. 1 running back in the draft is more a victim of his position than any perceived lack of talent. It's the "first-round running back" condition that has caught the NFL by storm. No longer do teams search for the future at running back in the first round, but rather they go with a group of lesser prospects that they can put together into one effective stable.
Still, Ingram is ultra-talented and versatile, and he can bring a lot to an NFL offense.
Some of his best assets have nothing to do with his athleticism. His competitiveness is off the charts—everyone knows that—but his vision is what sets him apart. He patiently allows his blocks to develop but quickly finds cutback lanes. He's also versatile, doing some solid work in the passing game on dump-offs and screens, but is also capable in protection.
2. Julio Jones: WR, Alabama
14 of 15
Height: 6'2 3/4"
Weight: 220 pounds
Not only has Jones produced at a high level, but he has done so against elite competition in the SEC.
His big play ability is a bit higher than A.J. Greens, but he ranks lower here because he will need to improve upon his overall technique. Catching the ball away from his body and making catches over the middle are two areas he can improve upon, but he has shown the ability to do both of these things, so it could be just a matter of honing these skills.
1. A.J. Green: WR, Georgia
15 of 15
Height: 6'3 5/8"
Weight: 211 pounds
Is anyone surprised?
After reeling in 57 catches for 848 yards and nine touchdowns in the difficult SEC, Green has made his name as the top wide receiver prospect in this draft class.
He has it all—the size, the separation skills, the ball skills—you name it, Green has it and is ready for the NFL. His speed may not be elite by big-league standards, but he will be a matchup problem for most NFL cornerbacks.
Not only is he a physical specimen, he has the intangibles to boot. He displays the selflessness not only by making the tough catches over the middle but also by run-blocking. Neither of those are teachable skills.
Any offense would be improved with the addition of Green.
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