2024 NFL Draft; Hayden Shapiro’s WR Rankings
By Hayden Shapiro
The NFL community has been blessed with the emergence of young wideouts over the last few years. Guys like Justin Jefferson, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Chris Olave headline the category, but we often forget where these guys were selected or what the team did to secure their superstar pass catcher. Jefferson is one of the best route runners I have ever seen play the game of football. He makes playing football look as beautiful and smooth as one can. He truly is, already, one of the wide receivers I have ever seen on the gridiron. Amon-Ra St. Brown, drafted as a slot wide receiver, which means he lines up between the widest player and tackle/tight end. These guys are not always the fastest, but typically have the best hands on the field, and oh man did the Detroit Lions hit a home run with this pick. St. Brown has quickly become one of the most reliable targets in the league and catches nearly every ball thrown his way. His hands are like glue and his football IQ is absolutely off the charts. Something we don’t always see is receivers getting to this point of success so fast, but as I mentioned before, recently this has been the “wave”.
Pass catchers are finding their roles in offense quicker than ever, and it all starts at the draft.
This year’s wide receiver class is up there with the best the league has seen in recent memory. We are talking six, seven guys that have the talent to be top 20 picks and they all have different skill sets, which just makes it even more fun. In this piece I rank the wideouts and highlight where they shine, as well as give a comparison to someone in the league, which helps you and I envision them on the field next season. With that being said, let’s take a look at the best receivers at this point in the draft process, the top seven to be exact, before the CFB Playoff.
- Marvin Harrison Jr, Ohio State
This Buckeye is the best receiver prospect we have seen since Calvin Johnson, and will be the highest WR selected since Megatron came out of Georgia Tech. Harrison has tools that, put simply, no one his age has ever had. He does pretty much everything well, no lie, but I want to highlight one specific part of his game. Body Control. In the NFL it isn’t uncommon to see wideouts who can bring down contested catches or blow opposing corners away with their speed, but Harrison has a tool that most pros don’t. The way he can control his body and realize EXACTLY where he is on the field whether that be in the back of the endzone or on the sideline, his awareness is just impeccable. He is a sure-fire Day 1 starter and would be the first overall pick, but the need for a QB is just too strong this year. Harrison has faced the best defenses every week and has managed to dominate them every time. No college corner can slow his production down, and with an NFL arm, he could very well become a top WR in the league sooner rather than later.
NFL Comparison: DeAndre Hopkins
2. Malik Nabers, LSU
Nabers is one of those guys defensive coordinators hate to plan for. The reason for this is because he can hurt you in so many ways. He is so physical off the line, often seen swiping defenders arms down before they can hit him in the chest. This physicality doesn’t stop at the line though. He was one of the best red-zone threats in CFB this year because of how physical he is and the fact that defenders don’t have the strength to contest. He was one of the most interfered with receivers in the country this season. The reason I love this stat is because it shows that this was the only way corners could slow him down. His high motor will do him well at the next level, but one thing that I do wonder is if he can succeed without such a talent at QB. Jayden Daniels was so unbelievably accurate and Nabers was his first read every time, so without the A1 QB, will Nabers be able to do as much damage? Only time will tell, but he has all the tools to succeed at the next level.
NFL Comparison: AJ Brown
3. Rome Odunze, Washington
Odunze isn’t the flashiest, he may not have the best speed, but his hands are like glue. His ability to bring down contested catches and endzone heaves are something you can’t teach, which is why he lands at my WR3 spot. He had phenomenal quarterback play in college, but his frame is so big that if you put a ball near him, odds are he is coming down with it. Odunze is a very underrated route runner, especially stop and go’s. His style of play matches up with some of the best jump ball targets in the game, but he is quite frankly more than that. He can work out of the slot as well, which scouts will drool over.
NFL Comparison: Brandon Marshall
4. Xavier Worthy, Texas
Worthy is electric. His combination of speed and vision is unique. He is a WR, but at the next level he is going to have opportunities that he often didn’t as a Longhorn. He can be used out of the backfield, and where he really shines is screens and flats. His uncanny ability to make defenders miss is something you don’t see too often from a wideout prospect. He may not have the hands to play the slot, but his route running has gotten better each year at Texas. The only thing that worries me about this speedster is that he was often the Robin in college, his counterpart, Adonai Mitchell, earned a lot of the defenses attention which left Worthy in single coverage or open underneath. Worthy is not ready to be a number 1 option, but his football IQ and athleticism made him shoot way up my board. He is the swiss army knife many offenses need and I have a gut feeling that he is going to eat up the combine.
NFL Comparison: Kadarius Toney
5. Keon Coleman, FSU
Coleman’s frame and hands are so appealing, but his underrated speed is what puts him in my top 5. Many people have referred to him as a possession receiver, but after watching some tape, I completely disagree. He runs such crisp routes and has a highlight reel of catches that’ll simply make you smile. He can truly be a number 1 target in the league and is arguably the more “pro-ready” wideout compared to Worthy and Odunze. Coleman’s arms are very long and he is big enough that he doesn’t get pushed off of the line, a skill many NFL corners are starting to perfect. Coleman is a first round talent, and if he slips, whoever selects him is getting a great player who can be in the lineup from day one.
NFL Comparison: Kenny Golladay
6. Xavier Legette, South Carolina
Legette is a game changer. He may be a little rough around the edges, but his raw athleticism puts him in my top six. He was as close as anyone has gotten to touching all of Alshon Jeffery’s receiving records and was stuck in double coverage pretty much every down. Where Legette really shines is after the catch. Similar to Xavier Worthy, my number 4 WR, he can make defenders miss with ease and does his damage on screens and drags. He can certainly go deep, but the hands need some work. One thing that stood out to me, from a scout’s point of view, not a Gamecock fan, is how often he was caught in the midst of zone coverage specifically designed to stop him. This didn’t work, which really speaks to his ability of shaking defenders off before the catch, just like he does when the ball does reach his hands. Legette has long strides and tree trunks for legs. I see him fitting into most offenses as a utility man, used either out of the backfield or even in the return game. Legette is worth a first round selection and after the combine, I wouldn’t be shocked to see him climb boards pretty rapidly.
NFL Comparison: Laviska Shenault Jr.
7. Johnny Wilson, FSU
I have no clue why Johnny Wilson is so low on some experts’ boards. Yes, he lacks separation at the top of his routes, but that separation/speedy guy is not the type of receiver he is. He is a jump ball guy and runs very well, and smart, down the sideline and in the endzone. His ball skills are comparable to a defensive back and he can jump out of the stadium. I really like Wilson and could see him being an impact player from day 1. He stands at 6’7 and his hands are very strong. This Seminole is a project, but his upside is just too high to pass on. Whether he goes in the first, second, or third, I am keeping him on my radar and you should too, because he really makes the game fun.
NFL Comparison: Mike WIlliams
Plenty of talent to go around, no? This wide receiver class is stacked. It was hard for me to just pick seven dudes, but those are my top dogs. The generational talent, the speedster, and the jump ball guy. So many archetypes to choose from, this class is like a Madden franchise.
As always, hope you enjoyed, drop a follow, and leave your feedback down below. Thanks for your time, Stay Cool, and watch these names throughout the process. I am sure I will talk more about them in the future, but this is my top seven for now.
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