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[bleacherreport.com]
Up until recently, the highest rated wide receiver prospect in the draft according to many scouts was Vanderbilt senior Jordan Matthews. But since a number of impressive underclassmen have started declaring themselves eligible for the draft, Matthews has been leapfrogged by at least three receivers—Sammy Watkins of Clemson, Marqise Lee of USC and Mike Evans of Texas A&M. Kelvin Benjamin of Florida State now makes it four with his decision to go pro, per Tom D'Angelo of the Palm Beach Post. The bonanza of wide receivers could mean Matthews will drop from the first round to the second.
NFL front-office men still are getting acquainted with the junior receivers, and their final grades will hinge on workouts. But based on information we have at this time, this group of underclassmen receivers could be one of the best position groups of underclassmen ever.
"There might not be a top-five pick at the position, but the juniors give the position great depth in the first few rounds," a college scouting director said.
Here is how the top underclassmen who have declared break down:
Potential first-round picks (7): Watkins, Lee, Evans, Allen Robinson of Penn State, Brandon Coleman of Rutgers, Brandin Cooks of Oregon State.
It isn't likely that all six, plus Benjamin now that he has declared, will go in the first. But each of them merits consideration according to at least one NFL front-office man. Watkins figures to go first in the top 10. Lee and Evans won't be far behind. One high-ranking front-office man has Robinson pegged to go somewhere in the 15-20 range. Coleman is expected to go later in the first, said a national scout, and Cooks is a borderline first- or second-round prospect.
Potential second-round picks (5): Odell Beckham Jr. of LSU, Davante Adams of Fresno State, Donte Moncrief of Mississippi, Jarvis Landry of LSU, Martavis Bryant of Clemson.
Most of these players need solid workouts to be chosen in the second round.
Potential third-round picks (2): Paul Richardson of Colorado, Bruce Ellington of South Carolina.
Richardson's speed intrigues NFL teams, whereas Ellington has everything but ideal size.
Up until recently, the highest rated wide receiver prospect in the draft according to many scouts was Vanderbilt senior Jordan Matthews. But since a number of impressive underclassmen have started declaring themselves eligible for the draft, Matthews has been leapfrogged by at least three receivers—Sammy Watkins of Clemson, Marqise Lee of USC and Mike Evans of Texas A&M. Kelvin Benjamin of Florida State now makes it four with his decision to go pro, per Tom D'Angelo of the Palm Beach Post. The bonanza of wide receivers could mean Matthews will drop from the first round to the second.
NFL front-office men still are getting acquainted with the junior receivers, and their final grades will hinge on workouts. But based on information we have at this time, this group of underclassmen receivers could be one of the best position groups of underclassmen ever.
"There might not be a top-five pick at the position, but the juniors give the position great depth in the first few rounds," a college scouting director said.
Here is how the top underclassmen who have declared break down:
Potential first-round picks (7): Watkins, Lee, Evans, Allen Robinson of Penn State, Brandon Coleman of Rutgers, Brandin Cooks of Oregon State.
It isn't likely that all six, plus Benjamin now that he has declared, will go in the first. But each of them merits consideration according to at least one NFL front-office man. Watkins figures to go first in the top 10. Lee and Evans won't be far behind. One high-ranking front-office man has Robinson pegged to go somewhere in the 15-20 range. Coleman is expected to go later in the first, said a national scout, and Cooks is a borderline first- or second-round prospect.
Potential second-round picks (5): Odell Beckham Jr. of LSU, Davante Adams of Fresno State, Donte Moncrief of Mississippi, Jarvis Landry of LSU, Martavis Bryant of Clemson.
Most of these players need solid workouts to be chosen in the second round.
Potential third-round picks (2): Paul Richardson of Colorado, Bruce Ellington of South Carolina.
Richardson's speed intrigues NFL teams, whereas Ellington has everything but ideal size.