2017 NFL draft rankings: Wide receivers
College offensive stats are as inflated as ever, but we’re still talking about some serious talent atop the receiver position and deep into the class.
Rank | Player | School | The Skinny |
1 | Corey Davis | Western Michigan | 6' 3", 209 lbs. |
2 | John Ross | Washington | 5' 10", 188 lbs. |
3 | Clemson | 6' 3", 218 lbs. | |
4 | JuJu Smith-Schuster | USC | 6' 1", 215 lbs. |
5 | Carlos Henderson | Louisiana Tech | 6' 1", 191 lbs. |
6 | Zay Jones | East Carolina | 6' 2", 201 lbs. |
7 | Curtis Samuel | Ohio State | 5' 11", 196 lbs. |
8 | Josh Reynolds | Texas A&M | 6' 3", 194 lbs. |
9 | Cooper Kupp | Eastern Washington | 6' 2", 204 lbs. |
10 | Ryan Switzer | North Carolina | 5' 8", 181 lbs. |
11 | Isaiah Ford | Virginia Tech | 6' 1", 194 lbs. |
12 | ArDarius Stewart | Alabama | 5' 11", 204 lbs. |
13 | Chris Godwin | Penn State | 6' 1", 209 lbs. |
14 | Dede Westbrook | Oklahoma | 6' 0", 178 lbs. |
15 | Chad Hansen | Cal | 6' 2", 202 lbs. |
Davis is a polished weapon, with NFL-ready route understanding and a post-catch burst that turns short gains into substantial ones. Williams still is an early Round 1 prospect, thanks to how he can pummel cornerbacks with his physicality.
Ross and Smith-Schuster are quite different. Both can make defenders miss after the catch, but Ross is an absolute lightning bolt—watch his 4.22 40 at the combine for proof. Smith-Schuster gets the job done with body position and power.
Samuel has moved to wide receiver from his previous spot in the running back rankings. He’ll likely do a little of both in the NFL, but his skill set does seem a better fit for a slot role.
There is talent to be had deep into this class. Ford, Jones, Reynolds, Hansen and Kupp all could be pegged as Round 1 talents on certain boards.
