2012 NFL Draft: Ranking the Top 25 Available WRs

While the first two weeks of the 2011 NCAA season have taken place, much of this projection is based on prior seasons. Many of the players on this list have only had one productive year and need a good senior campaign.

These first two weeks are, however, a helpful indicator of the future.

While others have been productive their entire career and are more set in a general range. Wide receiver is always a difficult position to project, and at this early stage, it is even more so.

By the time the 2011 season comes to a halt, new players will have emerged and others will have self-destructed. But for now, here is a ranking of the top 25 wide receivers in the 2012 NFL draft.

25. A.J. Jenkins, SR, Illinois

Jenkins has decent height at 6'0" but has a rather small frame and only weighs 190-pounds.

The Illinois receiver has good but not great speed, but is shifty and can make defenders miss with ease. Jenkins projects best as a slot receiver due to his size and lack of deep speed, but could be valued by a West Coast Offense.

24. LaRon Byrd, SR, Miami (FL)

Byrd is a big, physical receiver who lacks elite speed and quickness.

The 6'4" 220-pound Byrd has decent deep speed, but lacks burst-in and out-of-cuts and doesn't possess great potential. 

23. Jarrett Boykin, SR, Virginia Tech

The 6'2" 220-pounder has good size and catching ability but is rather slow.

Boykin doesn't have the speed or quickness to be anything more than a possession receiver and lacks playmaking ability.

22. Jarius Wright, SR, Arkansas

The 5'10" 180-pound Razorback excels on the field due to his impressive speed and quickness.

Wright is extremely fast and is a legitimate playmaking threat, evidenced by his 18.8 yards per catch in 2010.

21. Gerell Robinson, SR, Arizona State

At 6'4" 220-pounds, Robinson has serious size and strength. The Arizona State receiver uses his big frame to overpower defensive backs, but again, lacks the speed and quickness to create big plays.

Robinson's size does make him somewhat of a deep threat, but he is little beyond a reliable target.

20. Marquis Maze, SR, Alabama

Maze isn't very big and lacks great speed, but he is quick and produces.

The Crimson Tide wide out uses his shiftiness effectively out of the slot but can play on the outside as well. Maze has found some success as a return man and he offers quality yard after the catch potential.

19. Jermaine Kearse, SR, Washington

At 6'2" 208-pounds, Kearse has good size and athletic ability.

The Washington receiver produced excellent numbers in 2010 and made plays down the field with Jake Locker as his quarterback. Kearse doesn't excel in any particular area but is relatively solid at every aspect of the game.

18. T.Y. Hilton, SR, FIU

Hilton is a small receiver who projects primarily as a slot player in the NFL. The FIU receiver has good speed and quickness, and is at his best when running with the ball.

At 5'10" 180-pounds, Hilton probably doesn't have a future on the outside but could make it as a rotational wide out.

17. Kendall Wright, SR, Baylor

At just 5'10", 190 pounds, Wright isn't overly big but makes up for his lack of size with great speed. As Robert Griffin's favorite target, Wright is a crucial player in the Baylor offense.

Wright doesn't project perfectly as an exterior receiver but could end up as a similar player to Mike Wallace. The Baylor receiver has excellent speed and quickness and also possesses good hands.

16. Joe Adams, SR, Arkansas

Adams was productive in 2010 and put up an impressive 16.3 yards per catch line over the season.

The Arkansas senior has excellent speed and quickness and is able to make something out of nothing in the pass game.

15. Marvin McNutt, SR, Iowa

At 6'4" 215-pounds, McNutt is a player with good potential.

The Hawkeye wide out has the speed to make plays downfield and the size to dominate on third downs and in the red zone. McNutt has put up quality numbers and has high upside along with the current production.

14. Dwight Jones, SR, North Carolina

Jones is a monstrous receiver who does a great job of catching the ball.

At 6'4" 215-pounds, the Tarheel senior has a distinct physical advantage over any defensive back. Jones also has good speed and has the athleticism to get open and make big plays for the offense.

13. DeVier Posey, SR, Ohio State

Posey is a possession receiver with some athletic ability. Despite weighing in at 6'2" 210-pounds, Posey isn't an overly physical player.

The Ohio State wide out excels due to his quality route running and catching ability. Posey will likely never be a quality starter, but he could develop into a decent number two or slot receiver.

12. Lance Lewis, SR, East Carolina

The 6'3", 210-pound Lewis is a good athlete with the size to dominate cornerbacks.

Lewis doesn't have great speed, but his size and physicality make him a quality receiving threat with big-play potential. The East Carolina wideout has the power to run through arm tackles and does a good job of gaining yards after the catch.

11. Chris Owusu, SR, Stanford

Owusu has yet to really produce as a receiver but has the size and athleticism to develop into a quality player.

The Stanford wide out is smooth with good burst but doesn't have great speed or quickness. Owusu is a player who is good at everything, but has yet to excel enough in one area to dominate.

10. Brian Quick, SR, Appalachian State

Though he is not very fast, Quick is a big, physical receiver who overpowers cornerbacks. 

The 6'4" 220-pound Appalachian State player picked up 844 yards and nine touchdowns through the air. Quick has good hands and is a decent route runner, but ironically lacks the speed and quickness to be a true weapon.

9. Greg Childs, SR, Arkansas

Childs is a big, strong receiver who uses his 6'3" 217-pound frame to overpower defensive backs.

The Arkansas senior isn't very fast but has enough speed to get open. Childs also has decent quickness and is a threat to pick up yards after the catch.

8. Nick Toon, SR, Wisconsin

Toon is a big, athletic receiver with a high ceiling. The 6'3" 220-pounder struggled with injuries in 2010 after an impressive sophomore campaign in 2009.

If the Wisconsin receiver can finally develop, he has excellent potential and could end up as an upper end second receiver.

7. Juron Criner, SR, Arizona

The 6'4" 210-pound Arizona wide out has good size and athleticism, making him a lethal threat.

Criner excels primarily due to his speed and talent and doesn't use his frame as much as one would expect. He has the size to play physically but rarely does.

If a coach can get Criner to use his size more, he could be an excellent player in the NFL.

6. Mohamed Sanu, JR, Rutgers

Sanu is a big player without a ton of upside but he should, at the very least, be a quality possession receiver in the NFL.

The 6'2" 215-pound wide out doesn't have a ton of playmaking ability, but is solid and catches the football. The Rutgers star is extremely unlikely to be anything beyond a secondary target but seems to be a safe pick.

5. Ryan Broyles, SR, Oklahoma

Broyles is a small but smooth receiver with great playmaking ability.

The 5'11" 185-pound receiver isn't much of a deep threat but he is deadly with the ball in his hands. Broyles' size is a bit of a concern but smaller players have managed to make it as primary receivers.

4. Jeff Fuller, SR, Texas A&M

Fulller is yet another big bodied wide receiver with good catching ability.

The 6'4" 220-pounder isn't overly fast but catches nearly everything, and is extremely physical when the ball is in the air. Fuller doesn't have the athleticism to be a great receiver, but his size and catching ability make him a fine target.

3. Michael Floyd, SR, Notre Dame

Michael Floyd produced excellent stats in 2010, but his durability was again a concern and he decided to return to Notre Dame for his senior season.

Floyd has decent speed and athletic ability, but he is best at catching the ball and using his size in the red zone. The Notre Dame star has rare body control and can catch nearly everything.

A healthy senior campaign could bring Floyd's stock back into the top 10 picks, but an injury-riddled season could drop him into the second round.

2. Justin Blackmon, JR, Oklahoma State

At 6'1" 215-pounds, Blackmon has good size but isn't overly tall.

The Oklahoma State wide out was a Heisman finalist following his sophomore campaign and was one of the most productive players in the country.

Blackmon has continually produced incredible numbers and has good quickness to go along with his size and excellent catching ability.

Though Blackmon may not have elite potential, he appears to be a legitimate top 10 pick and profiles as a No. 1 wide receiver.

1. Alshon Jeffery, JR, South Carolina

While Justin Blackmon is a good player, Alshon Jeffery is a freak. The 6'4" 235-pounder catches everything and has good speed considering his massive frame.

Jeffery is incredibly physical and can overpower the strongest of cornerbacks. The South Carolina star is a good route runner and is incredibly polished for a junior.

Jeffery may not be Calvin Johnson, but he isn't as far off as many think. If Jeffery comes close to replicating his 2010 success, he could easily be a top five pick of the 2012 NFL draft.