Bradley Ylitalo’s Scouting Notebook: Updated Look at the Wide Receiver Class

Unlike last week, when I was able to talk about how unbelievable well the rookie running back class was doing, things don’t look nearly as rosy when looking at the rookie wide receiver class. Things have changed quickly.

Jump back to April and the 2017 group of players had all the promise in the world. Fast forward to December and a lot of hope has turned to frustration. Three receivers were taken within the first ten picks of the draft and 11 more were taken before the end of day two. But what do we have to show for it? Not much.

Both Corey Davis and Mike Williams have dealt with injuries and John Ross simply can’t make his way onto the field. Zay Jones and Curtis Samuel among others haven’t been lighting it up by any stretch of the imagination and overall, we have been left with two players who have made definitive impacts: Cooper Kupp and Juju Smith-Schuster.

It’s not at all time to give up on any of these young pass catchers, and I still have mountains of confidence in Williams and Davis, but let’s hope we get much more of an immediate impact from the 2018 group of receivers. While I certainly have my doubts that this class will produce a top ten pick, the depth of talent that should be produced in rounds two and three have me really excited about its future. It was incredibly difficult to split hairs from WR4 through WR10, but without further ado, let’s begin.

Updated WR Rankings

1) Calvin Ridley, Alabama

Ridley almost blends into the high-powered Crimson Tide attack, but for NFL draft standards he does anything but blend in. Both his speed and quickness are impossible to ignore and his route running is just about as good as you’ll find in this class. Add in a great vertical ability and how dangerous he is after the catch, and it’s easy to see why Ridley is a first-round talent.

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2) Courtland Sutton, Southern Methodist

Deciding between Sutton and Deon Cain at number two was far from easy, but I ended up settling on Sutton because of his higher ceiling. Anybody who stands at 6’4 with athleticism like Sutton’s is going to garner first-round attention, and we haven’t even mentioned his “50-50” ball ability and blocking prowess. Although his potential is what really makes him special, he should also be able to make an instant impact for whoever drafts him.

So much more than a 6’4 frame with elite athleticism, Courtland Sutton is one hell of a talent! #NFLDraft #DraftTwitter pic.twitter.com/N0QQEfaaf6

— Bradley Ylitalo (@NFL_drafthub) December 6, 2017

3) Deon Cain, Clemson

Rounding out what I feel is the elite tier of this class, Cain is about as solid a prospect as they come. The Tiger has a terrific vertical game using his 6’1 frame to win an alarming amount of jump balls and is one of the better run blockers you’ll see from a prospect. Mix in his solid route running, strong hands, and more than adequate athleticism, he may be the final clear first-round talent at the wide receiver position.

4) Christian Kirk, Texas A&M

Much like Ridley, Kirk builds his game around a terrific combination of short area athleticism, straight line speed, and route running. While his hands and frame are a definite concern for me and could end up limiting his role, he shows too much promise as a PPR dynamo.

5) Anthony Miller, Memphis

One of the quickest risers in the entire 2018 class, Anthony Miller is hard not to fall in love with. This kid plays the game with a certain edge to him and put on an absolute show in the AAC championship game. A natural athlete with a terrific ability to win one on one battles, it’s hard to see Miller failing to become a legit contributor.

You have to love Anthony Miller, watch his feet here as he creates the necessary separation! #NFLDraft #DraftTwitter pic.twitter.com/Z41rye2gf6

— Bradley Ylitalo (@NFL_drafthub) December 6, 2017

6) Simmie Cobbs, Indiana

I’ve been up and down from what I’ve seen from Cobbs thus far this season, but at the end of the day, you can’t deny that he is a special talent. With a 6’4 frame and impressively strong hands on his side, this kid has the potential to be Dez Bryant-like in the red zone.

Simmie Cobbs should be a terrific red zone target, love his 6’4 frame and ability to win with the ball in the air! #NFLDraft #DraftTwitter pic.twitter.com/SxUXo3aWka

— Bradley Ylitalo (@NFL_drafthub) December 6, 2017

7) Michael Gallup, Colorado State

Another riser as the college season comes to a conclusion, Gallup is a personal favorite of mine. With an all-around game centered around blinding speed and quickness, he’s a prospect who may just keep rising. Being both a solid route runner and run blocker, Gallup could find his way into a starting role in year one.

Michael Gallup is a guy to keep a steady eye on, his acceleration and overall athleticism are both outstanding!! #NFLDraft #DraftTwitter pic.twitter.com/F2AkxDEzKC

— Bradley Ylitalo (@NFL_drafthub) December 6, 2017

8) James Washington, Oklahoma State

Washington has terrorized Big 12 defenses since the moment he stepped on campus in Stillwater. With a simply ridiculous 19.7 career yards per catch, the Cowboy is the definition of a deep threat. I love his hand strength and am not exactly convinced of his blocking ability, but that’s far from a huge concern for fantasy purposes.

9) Dante Pettis, Washington

A pure athlete if there ever was one, Pettis is the kind of player who could provide just the spark a rather stale offense may need. His hands are especially concerning for me, however, his frame, speed, and ability after the catch are all extremely encouraging. Pettis should be one of the more fun rookies to watch next season.

10) Auden Tate, Florida State

I had a hard time deciding between Deontay Burnett and Tate here, but I decided to go with the latter and his 6’5 frame. A game constructed on what you would exactly expect, frame and vertical ability, Tate fits the “red zone specialist” to a T. I’m neither glowing with enthusiasm about his route running or quickness, but Tate has enough NFL traits to warrant a day two pick.

Well, that wraps up this week’s edition of “Bradley Ylitalo’s Scouting Notebook”, please leave a comment or question below. Feel free to shoot me a question on Twitter (@NFL_Drafthub), I’m always happy to interact with football fans. Be on the lookout for next week’s poll as to which fan question we will cover! See you next time!

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