2020 NFL Scouting Combine: 5 Wide Receivers the Jaguars Can Keep a Close Eye on in Indianapolis
With the NFL Scouting Combine set to take place in one short week, it is a worthwhile exercise to look into the position groups and draft prospects who will be participating in the workouts in Indianapolis.
The Jacksonville Jaguars own two first-round draft selections in 2020 (No. 9 and No. 20 overall), so this year's combine will be especially more noteworthy as the Jaguars get an up-close view of their next two first-round players.
In this edition, we will preview the wide receivers who have been invited to the combine and will be taking place in workouts at Lucas Oil Stadium. Wide receivers will workout on Thursday, Feb. 27th, the first day of on-field workouts.
Jacksonville's breakout player of 2019 played wide receiver, as DJ Chark went on to have one of the best seasons of any Jaguars' wide receiver in recent history. In his sophomore season, the 2018 second-round pick recorded 73 catches for 1,008 yards and eight touchdowns, all of which led the team.
Behind Chark, the Jaguars got inconsistent production but a few big plays. Fifth-year wide receiver Chris Conley dealt with drops in his first season in Jacksonville, but otherwise had the best year of his career. He recorded career-highs in receptions and yards with 47 for 775, and tied a career-high in receiving touchdowns with five.
Third-year wide receiver Dede Westbrook didn't meet preseason expectations as the Jaguars' offense struggled with John DeFilippo at the helm. Westbrook caught 66 passes for 660 yards and three touchdowns, a statistical regression from his sophomore season.
Entering 2020, the Jaguars will need to continue to add to their wide receiver depth, ideally giving Chark a running mate for when defenses hone in on him as they did at points last season.
What kind of receivers should the Jaguars target? Ideally, it would be a larger receiver who is capable of performing in a possession-type role. Luckily for the Jaguars, there are a number of those receivers set to workout next week in Indianapolis.
Which large wide receivers make sense as Jaguars fit and should be monitored throughout their workouts at Lucas Oil Stadium? We identified a few.
South Carolina WR Bryan Edwards
A four-year starter for the Gamecocks, Bryan Edwards has the size (6-foot-3, 215-pounds) to serve as a team's possession receiver who can fight for the ball in the air and win contested situations, specifically in the red-zone. He caught 234 passes for 3,045 yards and 22 touchdowns during his four years in South Carolina, so he has the production to match his traits. How he performs in his explosion and agility drills will be vital for his draft stock.
Editor's note: Edwards has announced he will not participate at the combine due to injury.
Texas WR Collin Johnson
A towering wideout at 6-foot-6, 220-pounds, Collin Johnson is one of the largest players you are going to see at the position. Johnson was a force for the Longhorns in 2018, catching 68 passes for 985 yards and seven touchdowns and showing week in and week out that he could use his size to his advantage. Injuries limited him to only seven games in 2019, but he still demonstrated at the Reese's Senior Bowl that he can high point the ball in the air in tight coverage as well as any wide receiver in this class.
Clemson WR Tee Higgins
One of college football's premier possession receivers over the last several years, Tee Higgins (6-foot-4, 215-pounds) is an elite talent when it comes to outplaying defenders for the ball in the air, whether it be on deep shots or in the red-zone. After catching 25 touchdowns for Clemson over the last two seasons, Higgins needs to demonstrate at the combine that he has the speed and agility to win in more than just a few ways. But even if he is just a jump-ball receiver at the next level, he has the potential to be elite at that phase of his game.
Liberty WR Antonio Gandy-Golden
Another huge wide receiver, the 6-foot-4, 220-pound Antonio Gandy-Golden is one of this year's top small-school prospects. Gandy-Golden was impossible to miss at the Senior Bowl due to his unreal blend of size and speed, showing he is more than just a big-bodied target. He has enough speed to beat receivers deep, as well as enough agility to be at a factor at the other levels of the field. This is all in addition to his huge frame and catch radius, which serves him well when it comes to playing the ball in the air. If he puts forth the performance many are expecting from him next week, he could fly up the boards.
Notre Dame WR Chase Claypool
Perhaps the wide receiver on this list who could have the best workout numbers next week, Chase Claypool (6-foot-4, 229-pound) posted big numbers in 2019 (1,037 yards and 13 touchdowns). Claypool has top-tier size and length for the position, making him an ideal candidate for a team that needs someone who can specialize in contested catches and in the red-zone.
