2011 NFL Draft Grades: Ronald Johnson and the Best Wide Receiver Late Round Gems

Superstar wide receivers A.J. Green and Julio Jones have grabbed their share of headlines at the 2011 NFL Draft, but they aren’t the only pass catchers in the field. In the later rounds of the draft, there are less heralded, but productive, WRs to be found who can develop into valuable additions for their teams.

Herein, five potential steals at wideout from the draft’s latter half.

1. Tandon Doss, Baltimore Ravens (Round 4, Pick 26)

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COLUMBUS, OH - OCTOBER 9: Brandon Saine #3 of the Ohio State Buckeyes attempts to make a tackle on Tandon Doss #2 of the Indiana Hoosiers during a kickoff return at Ohio Stadium on October 9, 2010 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)

Tandon Doss doesn’t have great deep speed, but he knows how to get open and has sensational hands once he does. The Indiana star turned heads at the combine with his ability to make acrobatic catches during the position drills.

Doss looks a lot like a younger version of Baltimore veterans like Derrick Mason and T.J. Houshmandzadeh. He’ll be able to apprentice for a year or two with the old guard, then take over as they start retiring or leaving.

2. Jeremy Kerley, New York Jets (Round 5, Pick 22)

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MOBILE, AL - JANUARY 29: Wide receiiver Jeremy Kerley #84 of the South Team dives into the endzone while scoring on a touchdown pass against the North Team during the fourth quarter of the Under Armour Senior Bowl on January 29, 2011 at Ladd-Pebbles Stad

He doesn’t wow you with straight-line speed, but TCU product Jeremy Kerley has the quickness to separate from defensive backs and make tacklers miss. He’s dangerous in space, a trait that also makes him a valuable return specialist.

If the Jets can’t hang on to free agent Brad Smith, Kerley could be groomed to play a similar role. He’ll likely get a look in the return game before he sees significant playing time in a deep WR corps.

3. Ryan Whalen, Cincinnati Bengals (Round 6, Pick 2)

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PALO ALTO, CA - NOVEMBER 27: Ryan Whalen #8 of the Stanford Cardinal in action against the Oregon State Beavers at Stanford Stadium on November 27, 2010 in Palo Alto, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

One of Andrew Luck’s top targets at Stanford last year, Ryan Whalen has the foundation to be a solid possession receiver in the NFL. He’s especially adept at finding holes in zones, making up for his lack of speed with good positioning.

With A.J. Green and Jordan Shipley on hand, the Bengals aren’t hurting for star power at wideout. Whalen could find a home here as an underneath receiver in multi-WR packages.

4. Ronald Johnson, San Francisco 49ers (Round 6, Pick 17)

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LOS ANGELES - NOVEMBER 27: Wide receiver Ronald Johnson #83 of the USC Trojans carries ball against safety Zeke Motta #17 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on November 27, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by S

After two years of part-time duty at USC, Ronald Johnson broke out in 2010 with 64 catches, eight of them for TDs. He has the speed (4.46 in the 40 at the combine) to be a home-run threat, though his hands still need some work.

With Vernon Davis as their most reliable vertical threat, the 49ers would love to see Johnson develop into a consistent enough player to stretch the field for them on a regular basis.

5. Scotty McKnight, New York Jets (Round 7, Pick 24)

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DENVER - SEPTEMBER 04: Wide receiver Scotty McKnight #21 of the Colorado Buffaloes celebrates 27 yard touchdown reception to give the Buffs a 14-0 lead over the Colorado State Rams in the second quarter of the Rocky Mountain Showdown at INVESCO Field at

He’s not a speedster, and he’s only 5’10”, but Scotty McKnight caught 219 passes in his Colorado career for a reason. If the ball is in his zip code, he’ll hold onto it.

In the best-case scenario, McKnight could develop into a player who will remind Jets fans of beloved former possession receiver Wayne Chrebet.