2018 Wide Receiver Athletic Comparisons
Speed and quickness can assist wide receivers at creating separation from defenders. Determining the athleticism of a wide receiver prospect can provide a snapshot of what a player might look like once they hit the NFL. If the receiver runs a 4.65 40-yard dash, then you know they aren’t going to stretch the field with their speed. However, if the same player runs a sub 7.0 three-cone, then there’s a high probability they can use their short-area quickness to separate from defenders. Of course, there are outliers. There will always be some wide receivers who have limited athleticism that still perform at a high level.
Using Combine data from 2005 to the present, I sorted the rookie wide receivers’ measurables by size and athleticism to create the athletic comparisons listed in the article. Some of the comps seem very true to form while others require some imagination. Believe it or not, there are 591 wide receivers in my database and there are still some wide receiver prospects who technically don’t have anyone who compares to them athletically. Those players are unicorns. Generally, they are thought of as an outlier due to scoring way outside the norm on a few of their measurables.
DEON CAIN, WR CLEMSON
Zay Jones and Torrey Smith both compare athletically to Cain. According to his combine numbers, he has the speed to take the top off the defense and the short-area quickness to create separation while running his routes. His dynasty value might be totally dependent on which team snags him in the draft.
ANTONIO CALLAWAY, WR FLORIDA
Callaway is a very interesting prospect. He had some off-the-field issues that prevented him from hitting the field last year. Both Golden Tate and Gregg Jennings are on his athletic comparison chart. He’s a really smooth athlete on the field, but there’s a good chance he falls to the later rounds of the draft.
[am4show have=’g1;’ guest_error=’sub_message’ user_error=’sub_message’ ]
DJ CHARK, WR LSU
Chark blew everybody’s ears back with his 4.34 40-yard dash, making him one of the top deep threats in this draft class. His athletic comps are less than desirable, but his raw speed should get him looks on the field early in his career. Mike Wallace is the most successful players on his list which is a very interesting comparison. Not only does Chark have the speed to stretch the defense, but he also has the ability to make plays downfield. He’s a player to keep a close eye on during the draft.
SIMMIE COBBS, WR INDIANA
Cobbs is a big, physical receiver who knows how to use his size to beat defenders at the catch point. His size/speed ratio is very similar to Allen Robinson’s. He was very effective at Indiana, and there’s a chance that his skill set could translate at the next level.
KEKE COUTEE, WR TEXAS TECH
If you liked Tyler Lockett a few years ago when he came out for the draft, then you might be interested in Coutee. Even though he’s more of a dynamic deep threat, he still compares athletically to Lockett. With a 6.93 three cone, Coutee definitely has the quicks to beat defenders on short to intermediate routes. However, his size may limit his ability to compete against NFL cornerbacks. At 5-foot-9 and 181 pounds, he might be too undersized to be a dependable option in the passing game.
MICHAEL GALLUP, WR COLORADO STATE
Due to his production at Colorado State, Gallup is liked amongst many draft analysts. He is also a fairly athletic receiver with a 6.95 three-cone and a 36-inch vertical. He’s not going to burn defenses with his speed but he’s a crafty route runner who has strong hands that help him reel in tough passes at the catch point.
CHRISTIAN KIRK, WR TEXAS A&M
Kirk is one of the top wide receivers in this draft class. Athletically, he profiles as a slot receiver. Malcolm Mitchell, Ardarius Stewart, and Carlos Henderson are some of his notable comparables. Texas A&M used him in a number of different ways. There, he lined up in the backfield, in the slot, and on the outside, making him a very versatile slot receiver.
JORDAN LASLEY, WR UCLA
Lasley has a very interesting list of receivers who compare to him. Braxton Miller, Cecil Shorts and Robert Woods are NFL veterans that pop up on his chart. At 6-foot-1 and 203-pounds, Lasley lacks the size/speed ratio you want in the wide receiver prospect. On the flipside, he has just enough athleticism to develop into a usable fantasy asset.
ALLEN LAZARD, WR IOWA STATE
Honestly, from watching him on tape, you wouldn’t have guessed that he would run a 4.55 40-yard dash. He looked more like a 4.6 to 4.7 guy on film. At 227-pounds, his combine metrics were impressive. Not only did he excel at the 40-yard dash but he also had an impressive 38-inch vertical. Lazard has a very impressive comparable list; with Josh Gordon and Brandon Marshall standing out in flashing lights. I wish he would have run the three-cone, so we could’ve had a more accurate assessment to his athletic profile.
DJ MOORE, WR MARYLAND
Moore is one of the most highly-anticipated prospects in this year’s class. Unlike most of the rookie wide receivers, his comparable list is loaded with highly-coveted fantasy options. Amari Cooper and Sammy Watkins are two dynasty darlings. Chris Godwin is going into the second year of his career and his fantasy stock is currently on the rise. His athleticism is one of the many reasons why he is considered one of the top wide receivers in the draft.
J’MON MOORE, WR MISSOURI
I honestly don’t know what to make of Moore’s combine numbers. His speed is less than desirable. However, he has elite level short-area quickness and burst, making him still an amazing athlete even though he doesn’t have the speed to burn. This list doesn’t provide much hope, but none of the players listed have a 6.56 three cone nor have a 38-inch vertical. Moore might be this year’s unicorn.
CALVIN RIDLEY, WR ALABAMA
The things that prevent Ridley from being a perennial stud wide receiver prospect are his size, lack of burst and age (23). His 40-yard dash time is okay, but not amazing considering he weighed in at just 189-pounds. His lack of size means he might find difficulty beating press coverage against NFL-caliber cornerbacks. With a 6.88 three cone, Ridley has the quicks to evade defenders while running routes. Considering he’s one of the top route runners in this class, his short-area quickness might be enough to allow him to become a usable fantasy asset.
TRE’QUAN SMITH, WR UCF
Smith is one of this year’s sleepers. After a junior season where he caught 59 passes for 1,171 yards and 13 touchdowns, he still seems to not get the notoriety he deserves in rookie mock drafts. Often times, he will fall to middle third round, making him a tremendous value. He checks the boxes with all of his athletic metrics. Jordan Matthews and Hakeem Nicks are his most notable comparables. A long, long time ago, Nicks was a popular first round startup pick. Matthews also held some weight as a first-round rookie draft option in 2014. Smith is a player to keep on your radar during the draft process.
EQUANIMEOUS ST. BROWN, WR NOTRE DAME
If you want to get excited about an athletic comparison, look who pops up on St. Brown’s list. A.J. Green is one of the league’s gold standards when it comes to grading wide receiver prospects. St. Brown is listed with a similar height, weight and speed as Green. Unfortunatley, he neglected to provide us three cone and vertical numbers for us to truly gauge his athleticism. For now, we must draw our conclusions from watching tape to determine if he’s a player worth spending our hard-earned rookie draft picks on.
COURTLAND SUTTON, WR SMU
Holy three-cone, Batman! At 218 pounds, Sutton managed to produce a 6.57 three cone which is in the 95th percentile amongst wide receiver prospects. The rest of his combine metrics are considered good enough. His 4.54 40-yard dash is fast enough to get the job done. Sutton remains as one of the top wide receiver prospects in this draft class.
AUDEN TATE, WR FLORIDA STATE
I like Tate, but I have to keep it 100 – he’s slow. No one really compares to him. Even though he appears faster on tape than his time suggests, his slow times at the combine are a major red flag.
MARQUEZ VALDES-SCANTLING, WR SOUTH FLORIDA
Talk about turning heads. Valdes-Scantling blew everyone away with his 4.37 40-yard dash time. The closest prospect who resembles him is Josh Malone who was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in last year’s draft. If anything, he definitely has the height, weight, and speed to make an impact in the NFL.
JAMES WASHINGTON, WR OKLAHOMA STATE
With a stocky build, Washington has the power along with the aggressiveness to create separation at the catch point. He posted a “fast enough’’ 40-yard dash time. His 7.11 three cone suggests that he may not have the quickness to get open on a consistent basis.
JAKE WIENEKE, WR SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
Wieneke is a small school prospect with a lot to prove. He definitely has the size to be a traditional flanker for an NFL team. However, his 4.67 40-yard dash indicates that he may not have enough speed to get past some of the league’s top-flight cornerbacks.
[/am4show]
- Dynasty Fantasy Football Rookie Profile: Luke McCaffrey, WR Rice - April 19, 2024
- 2024 Dynasty Fantasy Football Rookie Profile: Will Shipley, RB Clemson - April 6, 2024
- 2024 Dynasty Fantasy Football Rookie Profile: Braelon Allen, RB Wisconsin - March 29, 2024
