Ranking the Top Five Wide Receivers in the 2023 NFL Draft
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With D.J. Moore now in Chicago, the Carolina Panthers are in need of a wide receiver or two, particularly one that can develop into a go-to target. Carolina could address this need in free agency, but there's also some interesting talent in this year's draft class that they will take a close look at.
Here are my top five receivers in the class.
1. Quentin Johnston (TCU)
Johnston is WR1 in this class and personally, I don't think it's even close. He's everything you dream of in your X receiver. A big, physical, quick, sure-handed receiver that can make all of the difficult, contested catches. Regardless of where he ends up, he'll make an immediate impact.
2022 stats: 60 receptions, 1,069 yards, and 6 touchdowns.
2. Jordan Addison (USC)
Addison is probably the best route runner in this class. He has a knack for not only getting open but improvising to find open areas of the field against zone coverage. Don't be fooled by the numbers he posted in his lone season at USC. Addison still had a very good year and the only reason his numbers were cut in half from his Biletnikoff season in 2021 at Pitt is because of the depth that exists in USC's receivers room. Four different receivers had over 600 yards on the year. Addison led the group.
2022 stats: 59 receptions, 875 yards, and 8 touchdowns.
3. Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Ohio State)
If he can stay healthy, Smith-Njigba could be a quality receiver in the NFL. Will he ever be a WR1? That I'm not sure of. He has the look of a No. 2, but hey, I've been wrong before. Injuries aside, the biggest concern I have is his ability to win one-on-one matchups consistently. He isn't going to blow by guys and be viewed as a downfield threat. A lot of his work is going to come in the intermediate passing game.
2021 stats: 95 receptions, 1,606 yards, and 9 touchdowns. He played in just three games in 2022 due to a lingering hamstring injury.
4. Jalin Hyatt (Tennessee)
If the Panthers are specifically looking for a guy that racking up YAC, this is their guy. Hyatt averaged 18.9 yards per reception this past season, doing much of his damage in the open field. He's got the speed and the elusiveness to make tacklers miss in space. The biggest question is whether or not he can win the physical matchups consistently in the NFL when corners jam him in press coverage.
2022 stats: 67 receptions, 1,267 yards, and 15 touchdowns.
5. Zay Flowers (Boston College)
If he can work through the drop issues, Flowers will be a dynamic receiver at the next level. Has some similarities to that of Percy Harvin, who had a successful nine years in the league. Very shifty, makes hard cuts and is tough to tackle in the open field. But he's much more than just a catch-in-space guy. He can go get the deep ball as well as make plays in the middle of the field.
2022 stats: 78 receptions, 1,077 yards, and 12 touchdowns.
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