Consensus Top 10 Devy Wide Receivers
With just about a month until the first game of the college football season, the NFL Draft Bible team has been putting the final touches on our positional devy rankings. We will have weekly updates throughout the season, helping to prepare you for your devy and C2C leagues. Some of these may come as a surprise, but our rankings are a consensus of some of the best minds in the industry.
In this article, we will discuss our top ten wide receivers going into the 2021 season.
10.) Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State, 2023
A former five-star recruit from Rockwall, Texas, Jaxon Smith-Njigba is the first of three Ohio State players listed in the NFL Draft Bible's top ten devy wide receivers. He flashes refined route running for a player his age and should only grow with more experience. Listed at 6'0" and weighing 197 pounds, he has the frame that translates to the modern professional game. While he does have incredibly talented teammates ahead of him at the wide receiver position, he should receive immediate opportunity out of the slot for the Buckeyes' offense. He shows off sure hands and can see himself rise further up this list relatively quickly.
9.) Jermaine Burton, Georgia, 2023
After appearing in all ten games in his freshman season for the University of Georgia, it's fair to expect big things out of Jermaine Burton. He flashed tantalizing upside with his performance against Mississippi State in 2020, where he racked up 197 receiving yards on eight receptions and added two touchdowns for good measure. Unfortunately, due to an injury sustained by teammate George Pickens, Burton is likely to be counted on in a more significant way than he otherwise may have been in his sophomore season.
8.) Quentin Johnston, TCU, 2023
Size and speed can be a lethal combination at the wide receiver position and TCU's Quentin Johnston is a testament to that fact. He has an uncanny ability to track the deep ball already and if he can round out his game, he can become a true difference-maker. Averaging over 22 yards per reception is no easy task, precisely what Johnston did in 2020. Through the first six games of the 2020 season, Johnston had not topped 70 yards receiving but ended the year with a bang, recording 114 and 133 yards receiving, respectively, in the final two games. If he can pick up where he left off, he can quickly move further up the rankings.
7.) Chris Olave, Ohio State, 2022
Following a junior season that saw him record 729 yards receiving and seven touchdowns in just seven games, Chris Olave somewhat surprisingly opted to return to Ohio State rather than declare for the NFL Draft. He has already scored 22 receiving touchdowns through his three seasons with the Buckeyes to date and there are no signs of him slowing down. A smooth operator as a route runner who consistently wins off the line of scrimmage with various releases, look for Olave to be one of the most sought-after wide receivers in the 2022 NFL Draft.
6.) Rakim Jarrett, Maryland, 2023
What stands out the most when watching Maryland's Rakim Jarrett is his uncanny ability to make defenders miss after the catch. He has the frame, athletic profile and physical skill set to develop into an absolute star. However, despite his tantalizing upside, he does need to improve his game from the technical side of things. There is room to grow for him as a route runner, and at times, he can be reliant on catching the ball with his body. If he can clean up some of those things, the sky's the limit for Jarrett.
5.) Kayshon Boutte, LSU, 2023
After new Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase opted out of his junior season at LSU in 2020 amid COVID-19 concerns, another exciting young wide receiver began making a name for himself in the bayou. A freshman season consisting of 45 receptions for 735 yards and five touchdowns, Kayshon Boutte began to establish himself as one of the premier receiving weapons in college football. Despite only being listed at 6'0" and 190 pounds, Boutte plays much bigger than his size. In addition, he has a penchant for breaking tackles and will find himself in the endzone plenty over the next two college seasons.
4.) George Pickens, Georgia, 2022
A freshman season where he racked up 727 receiving yards put George Pickens on the map for devy managers. His 2020 season saw him appear in eight games and record 36 receptions, 513 yards, and six touchdowns. He has prototypical size to be a true alpha receiver eventually in the NFL. The ability he possesses to high point the ball, along with his elite size (6'3", 200 pounds), will make him a red-zone nightmare in the pros. Unfortunately, Pickens suffered a torn ACL in March of 2020. The tools are all there, but the surplus of talent at the wide receiver position has bumped him down devy rankings.
3.) Garrett Wilson, Ohio State, 2022
The headliner among the trio of Ohio State wide receivers in our top ten is none other than Garrett Wilson. An explosive athlete who is a threat both vertically and after the catch, Wilson is truly a treat to watch. His lone knock from some will be his size (6'0", 188 pounds), but that is no reason to doubt the junior star receiver. He has excellent hands, shows off excellent body control, and can easily separate from defenders.
2.) David Bell, Purdue, 2022
After former Boilermakers wide receiver Rondale Moore burst onto the scene as a freshman in 2018, David Bell did the same thing in 2019. He exploded for 1,035 receiving yards in his freshman season and followed that up with 625 yards and eight scores in just six games in 2020. The physicality he plays the position with is superb, and he shows it off in contested catch situations. He isn't the fastest wide receiver on this list, but he has plenty of speed to get the job done. He's capable of winning at all levels of the field and should be an instant contributor in the pros.
1.) Treylon Burks, Arkansas, 2022
A junior from the University of Arkansas, Treylon Burks has the athletic profile to be an immediate difference-maker at the next level. He enters the 2021 season on the Biletnikoff Award Watch List and is currently the highest-ranked wide receiver in the NFL Draft Bible devy rankings. Measuring in at 6'3" and weighing in at 225 pounds, Burks has the size to be a mismatch nightmare in the NFL. Not only is he menacing from a size standpoint, but he offers far more speed than you might expect for a player of his size. Expect Burks to cement himself as one of the top receiving weapons eligible for the 2022 NFL Draft and solidify himself as an elite devy asset in the process.
