These 2020 rookies are ranked for long-term dynasty purposes based on talent, coaching, supporting cast, and other factors. To get their outlook for 2020 alone, view our site projections, available in early May.
Remember to download Greg Cosell’s 2020 NFL Draft Guide for detailed breakdowns on the skill sets of many of these prospects.
1. Jerry Jeudy (Den, 1st round, 15th overall from Alabama)
The best route runner in the 2020 NFL Draft, Jeudy landed on a completely reloaded Denver depth chart, where GM John Elway focused on building around young QB Drew Lock rather than bringing in another veteran band-aid at the position. Jeudy was incredibly productive at the highest level of college football, and his 19-year-old breakout age is very much indicative of future success.
With 68/1315/14 receiving in 2018 as a sophomore, Jeudy joined an exclusive group of WRs who produced as many yards or TDs at only 19 years old, as our Scott Barrett pointed out. With names like Keenan Allen, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Brandin Cooks, and Dez Bryant on the comparison list, Jeudy is in fantastic company.
The question for Jeudy — for fantasy purposes alone — is how many targets he’s going to see. It’s a valid one. He’ll likely play the “Z” in Denver, with third-year man Courtland Sutton at “X” and fellow rookie KJ Hamler in the slot. The Broncos also have a solid run game with Melvin Gordon and Phillip Lindsay, while they have a treasure trove of athletic TEs, led by Noah Fant and another rookie, Albert Okwuegbunam. Remember, while Lock showed promise last year, he made just five starts and averaged 31 pass attempts per game. There’s still a lot to learn about him.
Jeudy profiles, at best, as a WR3 in redraft leagues, barring Lock being an unexpected star at this stage, because there’s only one ball to go around and Lock unproven in his ability to distribute it effectively. But Jeudy’s combination of early breakout and traits make him the best bet for dynasty production, even if the returns might not be immediate.
2. Jalen Reagor (Phi, 1st round, 21st overall from TCU)
Philadelphia was the landing spot for instant-impact fantasy production at the WR position. It’s no secret the Eagles had the worst WR group in the NFL last season, and also the slowest. QB Carson Wentz became the first player in NFL history to throw for 4000 yards without a single WR getting 500. If that seems impossible, well, it had never happened before. Reagor was kind of the opposite. After breaking out early at TCU, he had just over 600 yards receiving in his final season because of truly miserable QB play.
But let’s look at Reagor’s fit. A shorter (5’11”) but rocked-up, explosive athlete, Reagor likely appealed to the Eagles more than Justin Jefferson (who went with the 22nd pick) because of his ability to separate, both from the slot and outside. Reagor ran a 4.47 at the Combine in Indianapolis, but that was after putting on about 10-15 pounds — he reportedly ran sub 4.4 at his pro day, and his tape shows that kind of juice. He also absolutely jumped out of the building in Indy, and that shows up on tape too with some of the most acrobatic catches in the entire WR class. Despite winning with athleticism, Reagor also showed nuance as a route runner — he’s not “raw.”
The Eagles likely plan to start Reagor in Week 1, and they certainly need him. If DeSean Jackson is back healthy, he and Reagor would turn the Eagles’ slow WR corps into one of the fastest. Reagor also has experience on jet sweeps, so the Eagles can manufacture touches for him, much like they did for the maligned Nelson Agholor (who, despite his faults, was good with the ball in his hands). Reagor has to clean up some concentration drops (not something that will make him popular in Philly), but a close look at his film shows a player who can be a star in the modern NFL. He’s in the mix to be the top dynasty WR in rookie drafts, and selecting him makes sense around the 7th or 8th round of redraft leagues as an upside WR3. I’d personally take him as the top rookie WR in redraft leagues, given his combo of talent and opportunity.
3. CeeDee Lamb (Dal, 1st round, 17th overall from Oklahoma)
Cowboys fans are thrilled with the selection of Lamb, and it’s undoubtedly great news for QB Dak Prescott. For fantasy purposes at the WR position, it’s a little bit of a trickier proposition.
As a tall, lanky (6’2”, 198 pounds) prospect coming out of Oklahoma, Lamb wasn’t exactly “polarizing,” but there were some varying opinions on him. Statistical models — including that from our Scott Barrett — pegged Lamb as an elite prospect. Tape study — including that from our Greg Cosell — was a little more measured, citing a lack of physicality and the questionable ability to play the “X” at the NFL level. (That’s not to say many “film watchers” didn’t love Lamb, because they did.)
In Dallas, Lamb might profile best to the slot, where he made 42% of his receptions in his final season at Oklahoma. And the excellent personnel the Cowboys have around Prescott would allow him to do that, with Michael Gallup and Amari Cooper manning the outside (though it could be argued Cooper is a better fit in the slot as well). It’s also worth noting that the Cowboys might have more targets available in the middle of the field than you might think, with Randall Cobb and Jason Witten vacating 83 targets apiece. I was surprised to learn just how much the Cowboys threw to Witten in particular, and Lamb offers significantly more upside per target. Cobb also had a sneaky good season, averaged 15.1 YPR on 55 catches.
New coach Mike McCarthy loved his “11” personnel in Green Bay, and the selection of Lamb virtually guarantees that will be the predominant look in Dallas in 2020. Where Lamb lines up remains a question, but he has the versatility and after-the-catch ability to make an impact as either a slot receiver or “Z” in the NFL. His upside as a rookie is probably as a WR3 unless Cooper or Gallup were to be unavailable. That said, those who love Lamb (and there are many) will probably target him aggressively if he doesn’t get prohibitively expensive in redraft leagues, and an argument can be made for him to be the first WR off the board in rookie dynasty drafts.
4. Henry Ruggs III (LV, 1st round, 12th overall from Alabama)
It might be the ultimate of “first-world problems” for WR prospects, but Ruggs’ 4.28 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine — the fastest at his position — may have made the general public think of him as only a deep threat, and ergo another Darrius Heyward-Bey selection by the ghost of Al Davis.
Thinking that is a disservice to Ruggs’ ability, as he’s a far more nuanced route runner and explosive YAC receiver than you might think. In ways, he reminded our Greg Cosell of Hall-of-Famer Isaac Bruce, one of the great technicians of his time. That’s good news, because for all the things Derek Carr might succeed at, being aggressive is not one of them.
Raider GM Mike Mayock confirmed to The Athletic that Ruggs is not merely a deep threat.
“Not only can he run vertical,” Mayock said, “but we’ll also have a bunch of manufactured touches for him. Whether they’re jet sweeps or bubble screens, just give him the ability to get the ball in space and use that speed.”
One of the concerns with Ruggs was that he wasn’t overly productive at Alabama, less so than both 2020 draftee Jerry Jeudy, but also 2021 stud Devonta Smith. The stats suggest he might be more of an impact player in theory than one for fantasy, maybe like a Brandin Cooks type. But the tape shows someone who might have the highest upside of any receiver in this class. The question is whether Ruggs will get the touches he needs to produce even WR3 numbers, with WRs Tyrell Williams and Hunter Renfrow, plus TE Darren Waller and RB Josh Jacobs, anchoring an offense that now includes rookies Ruggs, WR Bryan Edwards, and RB/gadget player Lynn Bowden. Ruggs should be considered a WR3/4 in redraft leagues, and a mid/late 1st-round pick in rookie drafts.
5. Justin Jefferson (Min, 1st round, 22nd overall from LSU)
It’s going to be fascinating to watch Jefferson’s career vis a vis that of Jalen Reagor. That’s because Philadelphia — a predominant 12 personnel team that lacked perimeter speed — ostensibly passed on Jefferson because of questions about his ability to win outside. So it’s interesting that Minnesota — also a team that looks like it will be predominantly 12 personnel — took Jefferson.
Prolific, Jefferson was. As a junior at LSU, he caught 111 passes, for 1540 yards and 18 TD. It helped that QB Joe Burrow was historically accurate in the 2019 season, something Kirk Cousins also excels at in the short-to-intermediate area, where Jefferson wins. But 100 of those 111 catches — 90% — came out of the slot. What’s most fascinating about that? The Vikings played only 25% of their snaps out of 11 personnel, which was by far the lowest percentage in the NFL (Philly, by contrast, used it 41% of the time). In fact, Minnesota was in 11 personnel on just 18% of its pass plays. In all, Minnesota used two or more TEs on 56% of its snaps last season.
So one of two things must be true for Jefferson to produce as a rookie: he must either be able to win outside vs. press coverage, a big question with his tape (though reasonable people disagree on it), or the Vikings must use more personnel involving a slot WR. This will be a very interesting challenge for new OC Gary Kubiak, and fortunately, Kubiak is one of the most accomplished offensive designers in the NFL. But remember, Kubiak was an offensive assistant last year when the Vikings made the switch to being a run-first, predominantly 2-TE team.
There’s a scenario in which it’s easy to see Jefferson lead all rookie WRs in catches, as there isn’t much competition at WR for him beyond Adam Thielen (who also excels in the slot, by the way). He is talented, and he did test well at the Combine. There’s also a scenario in which the Vikings’ predominant 12 personnel approach, which should continue with Irv Smith and Kyle Rudolph, puts a square Jefferson into a round hole. This will be Kubiak’s challenge, to make sure there are plenty of slot opportunities for Jefferson. He should be drafted as a WR4 in redraft leagues.
6. Michael Pittman Jr. (Ind, 2nd round, 34th overall from USC)
If you want a darkhorse to lead rookie WRs in catches, it’s Pittman. And by the time August rolls around, that might not seem like such a “darkhorse” bet after all.
Adding a WR to the mix was imperative for the Colts, who need bodies around new QB Philip Rivers. Aside from his Mike Evans-like size (6’4”, 223), the most exciting thing about Pittman is that he can play X, Z, or slot, and win from all three places. Pittman doesn’t have the explosiveness to his game that Evans has, but he moves kind of like Michael Thomas does in New Orleans, says Greg Cosell. That’s plenty good enough. And coach Frank Reich loves the guy, calling him arguably “the best receiver in the Draft.”
That, of course, is not to say that Pittman is going to catch 100 passes, but there is very little competition for targets here. TY Hilton and Jack Doyle are the only sure things, and Hilton struggled with injuries in 2019. Otherwise, Parris Campbell, Zach Pascal, Trey Burton, and the backfield are really all the Colts have. Indianapolis will run the ball behind its elite offensive line with rookie RB Jonathan Taylor, which will probably reduce Rivers’ passing volume. The Colts also made it a focus to improve defensively, trading their first-round pick for star DT DeForest Buckner.
All in all, I don’t expect the Colts will be airing it out 40 times a game. But with such little talent to compete with him at the WR position, Pittman should start from Day 1. A smart player with NFL bloodlines, I can talk myself into him as a high-upside WR4 90-100 picks into a redraft league, and I think getting him in the 2nd round of a rookie dynasty draft would be robbery.
7. Brandon Aiyuk (SF, 1st round, 25th overall from Arizona State)
The 49ers know what they’re good at, and they are leaning into it. Arguably the best yards-after-the-catch receiver in the 2020 NFL Draft, Aiyuk joins the best YAC team in the NFL, with manufactured-touch Maestro Kyle Shanahan scheming it up. Though detractors may shrug Aiyuk off as a one-year wonder (he was second fiddle to N’Keal Harry in 2018), fit is absolutely glorious.
It’s not just the tape that shows it either — statistically, this is as pristine a fit as you could imagine. Aiyuk’s 10.9 YAC per reception led all incoming rookies, ahead of the 10.7 both CeeDee Lamb and Henry Ruggs posted. In fact, Shanahan reportedly had Aiyuk above all other WRs in this draft class, including Ruggs, Lamb, and Jerry Jeudy. A former running back, Aiyuk has the mentality Shanahan craves in his receivers, and his 6’0” frame makes him an excellent fit to start as the “X” opposite Deebo Samuel in Week 1 this season. However, the 49ers don’t really subscribe to traditional roles for their WRs, so Aiyuk will move all around, most likely.
Presuming health (Aiyuk recently had core muscle surgery, for an injury he aggravated at the Combine) he’ll likely fill part of the role Emmanuel Sanders leaves behind, though it’s certainly smart to point out the fact that Sanders had just 61 targets and 44 receptions in 13 games with San Francisco (including playoffs), an average of 4.7 targets and 3.4 receptions per game. Aiyuk will obviously get action in the run game like Samuel does, and that will boost his value. But in terms of pure targets, he’s far behind TE George Kittle in terms of mouths to feed, and it’d be naive to assume he’s going to leap ahead of Samuel, one of the game’s emerging stars. At best, he’s the #3 target in a run-heavy offense, which makes him more of an upside WR4/5 in redraft leagues. His contributions in the run game and special teams (in leagues that get return-yardage points) will help, and like Samuel in 2019, it’s possible Aiyuk emerges as a more consistent fantasy asset later on in his rookie season.
8. Tee Higgins (Cin, 2nd round, 33rd overall from Clemson)
There is no shortage of targets for #1 overall pick Joe Burrow in Cincinnati. Higgins comes from the veritable WR factory that is Clemson, and with potential 2021 #1 overall pick Trevor Lawrence tossing him the rock, he produced more than all of them. Higgins had over 2000 yards in his sophomore and junior seasons, joining former Clemson players DeAndre Hopkins, Mike Williams, and Sammy Watkins. His 26 TDs — including a rushing TD — was more than all of those players. But perhaps because of a historically deep WR class, Higgins was a 2nd-round pick, unlike the other three (all 1st-rounders).
Part of that might be concerns that Higgins can’t separate particularly well, with a reported 1.66 10-yard split of his 40-yard dash at his pro day (he didn’t run at the NFL Combine) that would rank him in the bottom 2% of all WRs. Higgins is an excellent contested-catch receiver and tackle-breaker, but there are questions about whether that skillset — think JJ Arcega-Whiteside last season — translates well to the next level.
Higgins should have a chance to start at “Z” right away for Cincy, though he joins a pretty deep WR corps that includes AJ Green, Tyler Boyd, John Ross, and Auden Tate. It’s good news that Burrow is an aggressive thrower who will put the ball in a position for Higgins to go get it, but it’s still fair to wonder exactly how many targets he’ll get as a rookie. In an ideal world, Higgins shows he can separate well enough to replace Green as the Bengals’ “X” in 2021. He’s a WR5 in redraft and a 2nd-round rookie pick.
9. Denzel Mims (NYJ, 2nd round, 59th overall from Baylor)
Jet GM Joe Douglas — running his first draft with the club — got in the good graces of fans when he shrewdly traded down from the early 2nd round, when many fans and analysts wanted Mims, to the later parts of the round and still landed the intriguing but somewhat polarizing Baylor star.
The arguments for Mims are easy — he’s 6’3”, 207 pounds, and utterly blew up the NFL Combine, with a 4.38 40-yard dash and fantastic explosive jump numbers. He posted over 1000 yards receiving in both his sophomore and senior seasons at Baylor. He lined up in a variety of positions, including in the slot, which can help exploit mismatches.
But Mims’ age — 23 — and the fact that he didn’t declare early for the NFL Draft can be seen as bad signs. Additionally, his tape showed someone who didn’t always play to his size and speed, and though he was excellent on contested catches, he occasionally struggled to separate vs. quality man coverage, something NFL teams will look to exploit if Mims can’t prove his worth at the next level.
Mims’ size, athletic profile, and surprising versatility give us quite a bit to like. The fact that the Jets don’t have much competition at WR for targets — Breshad Perriman, Jamison Crowder, Josh Doctson — is great news for his immediate value. But his age and sometimes inconsistent tape may make us a little bit hesitant to go all in. That’s why I’m a little less bullish on him for dynasty, even while acknowledging his immediate outlook is likely better than that of Brandon Aiyuk and Tee Higgins, for example. He’s an upside WR4 and a very intriguing option for QB Sam Darnold.
10. Laviska Shenault (Jax, 2nd round, 42nd overall from Colorado)
Of the WRs drafted in the first two rounds of the NFL Draft — a ridiculous 13 of them — Shenault may be the toughest to project for fantasy, especially for 2020. For now, he joins a position that may actually be Jacksonville’s deepest — he “likely” slots in behind DJ Chark, Dede Westbrook, and Chris Conley, at least right away, according to The Athletic’s Andre Fernandez. We’re still not sure what to expect of Gardner Minshew, though the Jags are giving him every shot to be their franchise QB. It’s also worth noting Shenault is also coming off core muscle surgery.
Shenault was incredibly productive at Colorado, posting over 1000 yards receiving as a sophomore before dipping to 764 as a junior. He also ran for 280 yards and 7 TD in college, and can be seen in a similar vein of prospect as Brandon Aiyuk this year, or Deebo Samuel a season ago. Shenault did a lot of his work after the catch in college, and was heavily involved in the Colorado screen game. Unfortunately, he’s had moderate to serious shoulder, toe, and groin injuries before entering the NFL.
He’s in a fascinating spot because the Jags and new OC Jay Gruden can manufacture him touches, like Gruden used to do with Jamison Crowder in Washington and, especially, Mohamed Sanu in Cincinnati. Therefore, expect to see some RB and even wildcat QB touches for Shenault. And of the Jags’ top three WRs, only Chark is under contract beyond this season. It’s just hard to project him for a significant, fantasy-relevant role as a rookie. Shenault is more of a dynasty prospect and a late-round best-ball flyer.
11. Bryan Edwards (LV, 3rd round, 81st overall from South Carolina)
The Raiders made a splash by selecting Henry Ruggs as the first WR off the board in the draft class. They made a potentially shrewd move making Edwards the 13th. Edwards is a rarity in college football — a true four-year starter in a power conference (the SEC, no less). And though he never had more than 846 receiving yards in a season, he finished school as the Gamecocks’ all-time leading receiver. He profiles as someone who, if all breaks right, could be a starting “X” receiver in the NFL.
The Raiders loved Edwards — they took him at 81 overall but had a second-round grade on him, according to GM Mike Mayock. And Edwards probably fell only because of a broken foot suffered while working out that kept him from running at the NFL Combine. The versatility is what Vegas will love. The 6’3”, 212-pound Edwards can line up anywhere, including the slot, and he adds something the Raiders made a focus of their off-season — after-the-catch ability. Ruggs has it, Edwards has it, Lynn Bowden (rookie RB/WR/gadget player) has it. Even Nelson Agholor has it (presuming Agholor can secure the catch in the first place). While the Packers have leaned into it with their bizarre draft, it truly feels like the Raiders are best positioned to become “49ers Lite” with a QB who avoids taking risks in Derek Carr and a slew of weapons who can make plays for him.
Edwards likely backs up Tyrell Williams on the outside at the beginning of the season, but could be thrust into a role early. He is a shrewd late 2nd-round dynasty rookie pick, and could be a premier waiver wire pickup in redraft leagues if Williams goes down or Ruggs’ transition becomes a little slower than the Raiders would like.
12. Antonio Gandy-Golden (Was, 4th round, 142nd overall from Liberty)
A better Combine result probably would have pushed Gandy-Golden into Day 2, but he’s a big player who plays faster than his 4.6 timed speed and profiles as a true “X” receiver at the NFL level. While he may be a project, Washington is a spot where he could get on the field early and often if he shows up early in the summer program (whenever that may be).
A four-year star at Liberty, Gandy-Golden’s production only got better when the Flames transitioned to FBS before his junior season. He posted 150/2433/20 receiving (16.2 YPC) in his junior and senior seasons.
For fantasy purposes, Gandy-Golden’s competition is slim to none. If Terry McLaurin can play “Z” and Steven Sims the slot, Gandy-Golden can compete with 2019 sixth-rounder Kelvin Harmon and journeyman Cody Latimer for Washington’s “X” position. Those who really liked Gandy-Golden — our Greg Cosell included — might consider him the favorite to win that job. Gandy-Golden needs to become a crisper route runner, and those who were unsure of his transition might be afraid his lack of timed speed could make him a bad bet to consistently beat press coverage at the NFL level. But his frame and contested-catch ability could make up for it, and he’s not “raw” in the way someone like fellow fourth-rounder Gabriel Davis is.
Combine the opportunity Gandy-Golden has with the questions we have about both him and QB Dwayne Haskins, he’s an intriguing dynasty pick 20-25 spots into a rookie draft, and could be an interesting late-round best-ball flyer for 2020.
13. Van Jefferson (LAR, 2nd round, 57th overall from Florida)
Jefferson was a huge favorite of experienced tape watchers, as the draft capital invested in him would suggest. A route technician who grew up around the game (he’s the son of former NFL WR and current Jets WR coach Shawn Jefferson), Jefferson spent three years at Ole Miss before transferring and playing two for Florida. Still, his production profile isn’t particularly strong — his season of 49/657/6 receiving as a senior in Gainesville was his best across the board in terms of production. And though he didn’t test at the NFL Combine (broken foot), he doesn’t really look like an explosive athlete on film.
He also joins a Rams team that doesn’t have an obvious plan of attack in terms of predominant personnel — they switched to a heavy 12 personnel team late in 2019 and traded Brandin Cooks this off-season, which would suggest that plan could continue. They also spent a mid-round pick — a fourth-rounder — on TE Brycen Hopkins.
But the Rams have also talked up Josh Reynolds this off-season, and spent a premium pick Jefferson, giving them versatility and flexibility at WR. In many ways, Jefferson’s skill set reminds me of Robert Woods, someone who profiles best as a “Z” or even slot receiver at the NFL level. But the questionable number of snaps for Jefferson available right now, even though his tape shows unusual polish, makes him a tough fantasy evaluation.
14. Chase Claypool (Pit, 2nd round, 49th overall from Notre Dame)
The Steelers’ hit rate on the WR position has been remarkable under the direction of GM Kevin Colbert, despite not using a first-round pick there since 2006 (Santonio Holmes). So it’s very intriguing that the polarizing but stupid athletic Claypool was their second-round pick in 2020. It may make even Claypool skeptics — a group of whom I consider myself a part — perk their ears up.
Some might view the 6’4”, 238-pound Claypool’s athletic profile and view him as the next Mike Evans. Others might view his late breakout and inconsistent tape and think he’s more of a fringe WR/TE hybrid. Nearly half of Claypool’s 2159 career receiving yards, and 13 of his 19 TD, came in his senior season at Notre Dame.
The Steelers, however, have also had their share of misses at the WR position, and it’s possible that this pick is a referendum on 2018 second-rounder James Washington, who has only had occasional flashes in his NFL career thus far. It could also be protection against 2017 second-rounder JuJu Smith-Schuster leaving in free agency after this season — remember, if Claypool is a “small TE,” could he take over JuJu’s slot role?
For now, Claypool will need to earn snaps over Washington, because I don’t think he’s getting them from JuJu or, someone I’m really high on, 2019 third-rounder Diontae Johnson (where do they find these guys?). At TE, the Steelers are also loaded with talent, with Eric Ebron, Vance McDonald, and Zach Gentry. So Claypool is a shaky redraft pick. But I could see someone who loves his talent and landing spot spending an early 2nd-round rookie dynasty pick on him, betting on the Steelers’ ability to evaluate the position better than any other team.
15. KJ Hamler (Pit, 2nd round, 46th overall from Penn State)
Hamler is one of those classic “likely better in real life than fantasy” players. It’s because he lands with a rebuilt — and suddenly loaded — group of Broncos skill players. He joins fellow rookies WR Jerry Jeudy (first round) and TE Albert Okwuegbunam (fourth round) on a roster that already featured WR Courtland Sutton and TE Noah Fant, not to mention RBs Melvin Gordon and Phillip Lindsay.
While Hamler compares himself to DeSean Jackson, it appears the Broncos agree with Greg Cosell and think Hamler profiles best as a quick slot receiver and not a consistent downfield chunk play receiver (though he will make his share of those). At just 5’9” and 178 pounds, Hamler will probably struggle with press coverage, as he’s one of the smallest players at his position in the league. That could also be a problem with Hamler filtering through traffic in the middle of the field as a slot WR, however.
However, his speed allows him to be used in a variety of ways, including on jet sweeps and as a return man, and those things have a lot of value for a team looking to break in young QB Drew Lock. I just don’t see how he’s going to get enough targets to succeed as a fantasy asset.
16. Devin Duvernay (Bal, 3rd round, 92nd overall from Texas)
If KJ Hamler ran at the NFL Combine, he and Duvernay probably would have timed similarly (Duvernay ran a 4.39). But not all fast guys are built the same, and Duvernay kind of looks like a running back out there because he is way more rocked up than someone like Hamler (or Duvernay’s new teammate Hollywood Brown). That’s why our Greg Cosell compared Duvernay to Golden Tate, and projected him to be best as a slot receiver at the next level. But Duvernay — a high school sprint champion — can fly, and he joins an offense that has a lot of guys who can run.
In order to become that type of slot receiver, Duvernay is going to have to work on the nuance of being a route runner, an area where he lags behind someone like Hamler. But there was plenty on his college tape (104 of his 106 catches as a senior came from the slot) that showed he could become a heady, inside receiver, and his speed after the catch is simply a rare trait.
He’ll instantly challenge Willie Snead for the Ravens’ slot WR role, though this offense might not produce enough targets to support him as a legitimate fantasy option. For pure football purposes, it’s a fun landing spot, though.
17. Tyler Johnson (TB, 5th round, 161st overall from Minnesota)
If you want college production, Johnson is your man. Johnson broke Minnesota receiving records in back-to-back seasons, with 78/1169/12 as a junior in 2018, then 86/1318/13 as a senior in 2019. All he did was produce in one of America’s best football conferences. So why did he fall to the fifth round?
Well, his tape might tell that story. According to our Greg Cosell, Johnson has little to no play speed, made many of his catches in college from free access in the slot, and rarely broke tackles or eluded defenders. He rarely — if ever — faced and defeated press man coverage (the guy who can do that at Minnesota is 2021 prospect Rashod Bateman). But he also showed a lot of nuance as a route runner and understanding of defenses (he was a high-school QB), which, if Johnson develops, could make him a very intriguing big slot receiver at 6’2”, 206 pounds.
The Bucs can bet on that outcome because their one-two punch of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin arguably gives Tom Brady the NFL’s best WR duo. If Johnson’s smarts can translate into an option-route rapport with Brady, he has a shot to play in the slot for Tampa Bay. But that could be a tough projection for fantasy value as a rookie.
18. Gabriel Davis (Buf, 4th round, 128th overall from Central Florida)
A big receiver (6’2”, 216 pounds) with good hands and rock-solid college production, Davis is a good prospect but remains a project in the NFL because of the role he played — he was almost exclusively a perimeter WR at UCF, typically to the left side, and usually very close to the sideline because of the college hash splits. He ran an extremely limited route tree, and almost always had one-on-one matchups.
The good news for Davis is he landed somewhere he can develop, because he won’t be expected to contribute right away — the Bills have Stefon Diggs, John Brown, and Cole Beasley as their top three receivers. He’s a projection to the NFL because he needs to learn a lot of nuances, but he’s a long strider with deceptive vertical ability who could eventually become an “X” receiver. He’s just not going to contribute as a rookie, and is a 3rd-round rookie dynasty pick at the absolute earliest. I just really like his overall skillset.
19. John Hightower (Phi, 5th round, 168th overall from Boise State)
Hightower is an older prospect — 24 in May — who might not have a lot of projection left, but the one thing he does really well is run, and he’s going to a team where that’s incredibly important. At 6’1” with 4.43 speed, Hightower reminds me a little bit of Robby Anderson. Mostly a smooth vertical receiver who understands how to set up receivers with his vertical stem, Hightower averaged 17.6 YPC in two seasons with Boise State after transferring in from Hinds Community College.
Hightower needs to get stronger — he’s really skinny at just 189 pounds — but he actually looked like a better route runner than he might get credit for, and he can also contribute to Philly on jet sweeps and on special teams. The reason he’s such an intriguing prospect is because Philly could very much use his speed, and if DeSean Jackson gets hurt again, there could be a spot here for instant impact. It might be a long shot, but Hightower is one of the guys deep on this list who has a window to instant production, and his age might suggest he’s a little bit more mature than some other prospects in his draft range who might be more projects.
20. Isaiah Coulter (Hou, 5th round, 171st overall from Rhode Island)
Coulter needs to get stronger, but he’s a fast (4.45) productive receiver who put up 72/1039/8 in his junior season before declaring early for the NFL Draft. One thing that stood out is that he played almost exclusively on the perimeter in his time with URI, which could make him an instant backup to Kenny Stills and Brandin Cooks with Houston. Stills is in the final year of his contract, while Cooks is one concussion away from having to reassess his future. Coulter is a small-school project, but he’s the only WR the Texans drafted after trading DeAndre Hopkins, which makes him an interesting dynasty stash.
Other WRs of Note
Donovan Peoples-Jones (Cle, 6th round, 187th overall from Michigan) — A supreme athlete, DPJ absolutely blew the Combine out of the water, but the former five-star recruit never had a 100-yard game in college.
Darnell Mooney (Chi, 5th round, 173rd overall from Tulane) — Mooney ran a 4.38 at the Combine and can take some of Taylor Gabriel’s role, though he’ll probably back up Ted Ginn. He could also return kicks.
Quintez Cephus (Det, 5th round, 166th overall from Wisconsin) — Cephus, whom #3 overall pick Jeff Okudah called the best receiver he faced in college, has an outside shot of an instant role if Marvin Jones starts to show his age.
Quez Watkins (Phi, 6th round, 200th overall from Southern Miss) — Watkins is raw and skinny, but his 4.35 40-yard-dash at the Combine was second to only Henry Ruggs among WRs, and the Eagles need speed.
James Proche (Bal, 6th round, 201st overall from SMU) — Proche is a severely limited athlete, but he’s an exceptional route technician on the perimeter and was amazingly productive in college (301 catches).
Collin Johnson (Jax, 5th round, 165th overall from Texas) — The 6’6” Johnson has an intriguing red-zone profile and is a fascinating dynasty prospect on a Jaguar team that has multiple 2021 free agents at the WR position. Could move to TE.
Isaiah Hodgins (Buf, 6th round, 207th overall from Oregon State) — A 6’4” receiver with great hands who struggles to separate, so could need to transition to being a big slot WR.
KJ Hill (LAC, 7th round, 220th overall from Ohio State) — A limited athletic profile pushed Hill to the seventh round, but he’s Ohio State’s all-time catch leader and can be likened to a poor man’s Keenan Allen.
Jauan Jennings (SF, 7th round, 217th overall from Tennessee) — Jennings isn’t nearly the athlete Brandon Aiyuk is, but he was spectacular after the catch in college and fits the profile of what the Niners are looking for.
KJ Osborn (Min, 5th round, 176th overall from Miami) — Buffalo transfer has inside/outside versatility and timed well with a 4.48 40. Probably best as a slot receiver, which Minnesota already has a ton of.
Freddie Swain (Sea, 6th round, 214th overall from Florida) — It’s always interesting when the Seahawks spend a late-round pick on a player with speed. Profiles as a big, fast slot WR who can make splash plays on slot fades.
Tyrie Cleveland (Den, 7th round, 252nd overall from Florida) — A big-time recruit who caught just 79 passes in four years at Florida but has intriguing size and speed.
