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4/9/21

28 min read

Top 25 Wide Receiver Prospects for the 2021 NFL Draft

By Brian Friedland

The 2021 NFL Draft features some elite-level wide receiver prospects -- with the possibility of three of them being taken in the top 10. There are plenty of other intriguing receivers who could go later in Round 1 or on Day 2. Here are the 33rd Team's top 25 wide receiver prospects:

1. DeVonta Smith, Alabama, 6-1, 175

From catching the game-winning touchdown against Georgia in the National Championship to winning the 2020 Heisman Trophy, DeVonta Smith had a heavily decorated career with the Alabama Crimson Tide. A player who can be a number one receiver right away while having the versatility to play in the slot and the outside along with contributing on special teams. No matter what Smith's playing weight is at the next level, teams are going to find a way to get him the ball. Smith was able to stay on the field despite being only 175 pounds in one of the best conferences in America, and this was with Bama's offense running through him for the majority of the 2020 season. Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide coaching staff clearly did not see this as an issue, which was why Smith was a focal point on their offense the past two seasons. Teams can even put him in at special teams and he will make an impact. As long as this guy can put on some weight and stay healthy at the next level, he's going to be one of the better wide receivers from this class, if not the best.

  • Best Game: 2020 vs. LSU

  • Worst Game: 2020 vs. Arkansas

  • Best Trait: Run After the Catch Ability

  • Key Stats: 235 REC, 3,965 YDS, 16.9 Y/R, 46 TDS (Career)

  • Games/Starts: 54 games

  • Pro Comparison: Marvin Harrison

2. Ja’Marr Chase, LSU, 6-0, 208

After having an incredible 2019 campaign that saw him win the Biletnikoff Award, become a unanimous All-American, make first team All-SEC and win the National Championship, Ja’Marr Chase opted out of the 2020 season to focus on the NFL Draft. Chase is a number one receiver who can play in the slot and on the outside and make all the plays that a team needs to win. Chase is the most pro-ready receiver in this class. The question will be what his ceiling is. Chase has the skills and intelligence to make him one of the best receivers out of this class. It may take a little bit of adjusting, much like former teammate Justin Jefferson, due to him not having played football in 18 months; however, he should be able to succeed in any spot regardless. He still has room to grow, but his mechanics should make him a very good receiver right away and for a long time. Chase performed well against some of the better defenses in the country for a reason. He can make contested catches and he is willing to throw a block for any of his teammates when he doesn’t get the ball. He is ready for whatever the NFL throws at him, and his performance in the 2019 season was no fluke.

  • Best Game: 2019 vs. Alabama

  • Worst Game: 2019 vs. Georgia

  • Best Trait: Ball Skills

  • Key Stats: 1,780 YDS, 21.2 Y/R, 20 TDS in 2019

  • Games/Starts: 27 games

  • Pro Comparison: Davante Adams/Sammy Watkins

3. Jaylen Waddle, Alabama, 5-10, 182

Jaylen Waddle was a former All-SEC first team (2019) and second team (2020) selection while also being named the SEC Freshman of the Year in 2018 and winning SEC Special Teams Player of the Year in 2019. He is a dynamic vertical threat who can succeed in both the slot and on the outside with his incredible speed and run after the catch ability. Waddle is impossible to guard one-on-one, especially on vertical concepts. Even with Waddle not being 100% healthy currently, he should still be picked within the top 15 of this upcoming draft. This is a guy who teams can plug in on day one to help spread the offense. Teams can also get really creative with him since he is so electric in the open field. Alabama ran a lot of pop pass plays to Waddle when he was healthy in 2020, and NFL teams love running that play with fast receivers. He is more of a ready prospect than former Bama teammate Henry Ruggs was a year ago, and this should have teams excited. Waddle can also enhance a team's special teams unit immensely, as he was electric in that department at Bama. Waddle can be thrown inside or outside, and he will figure out a way to get open. Lastly, the fact that he was so willing to play in the National Championship game despite clearly still being hampered by his ankle injury speaks to his character and how much he wanted to help his teammates in the most important game of the year.

  • Best Game: 2020 vs. Georgia

  • Worst Game: 2020 vs. Ole Miss

  • Best Trait: Vertical Threat Ability

  • Key Stats: 28 REC, 591 YDS, 21.1 Y/R, 4 TDS in 6 games (2020)

  • Games/Starts: 34 games

  • Pro Comparison: Santonio Holmes

4. Rashod Bateman, Minnesota, 6-2, 210

A two-time All-Big Ten receiver (2019 and 2020) as well as the 2019 Richter-Howard Receiver of the Year Award winner, Rashod Bateman projects as a slot receiver who could move to the outside. He has tremendous route running ability and intelligence. As of right now, Bateman has the traits to be a very good route runner in the league, but his short-area quickness needs to improve. He does not project to play on the outside just based off of the tape currently. He will have to work on not using his false step as much because he is fully capable of getting separation without using that move off the LOS. Bateman was really good over the middle when Minnesota used him in the slot, but he was inconsistent on the outside. He needs to get a little stronger as he struggles against press coverage, particularly near the goal line. Looks to be a late first-, early second-round pick based off his 2020 tape. Based off 2019, he should be able to go in the early 20s at the highest.

  • Best Game: 2020 vs. Illinois

  • Worst Game: 2020 vs. Maryland

  • Best Trait: Route Running

  • Key Stats: 60 REC, 1,219 YDS, 20.3 Y/R, 11 TDS in 2019

  • Games/Starts: 31 games

  • Pro Comparison: Brandon LaFell

5. Kadarius Toney, Florida, 5-11, 189

Kadarius Toney only had 50 receptions for 606 yards and 3 touchdowns before his senior year, when he emerged as a receiving threat for the Gators with 70 receptions for 984 yards and 10 touchdowns, earning first-team All-SEC honors. He projects as a gadget player who has the chance to develop into a really good slot receiver. Toney is potentially a fun receiver to have, but it's very difficult to sell him as a Day 1 pick. He needs to work on his route running and his physicality, as he was not nearly as effective against press coverage. Toney will be able to stick on a roster due to his versatillity. He showed at Florida that he could be a viable option out of the backfield, and he was a very good returner. Injury issues and hand problems will make Toney fall in the draft, and he really needs to get better at route running. Despite being a very elusive receiver in the open field, he is not great off the line unless you put him in motion. In other words, it takes him a little while to get going speed-wise. Toney will be a good player to take on Day 2, but his inability to be a consistent receiver until his senior year combined with health issues will not allow him to go in the first round, like some thought before the Senior Bowl.

  • Best Game: 2020 vs. LSU

  • Worst Game: 2020 vs. Kentucky

  • Best Trait: Explosiveness

  • Key Stats: 70 REC, 984 YDS, 14.1 Y/R, 10 TDS in 2020

  • Games/Starts: 38 games

  • Pro Comparison: Percy Harvin

6. Amari Rodgers, Clemson, 5-9, 210

Despite tearing his ACL in March of 2019, Amari Rodgers was able to play the majority of the 2019 season while earning honorable mention All-ACC, and he had a tremendous season in 2020 that saw him make first-team All-ACC after Clemson losing star receiver Justyn Ross for the season. As of now, he projects more as a gadget player that has a chance to carve out a role in the slot and on special teams. Rodgers will be a really good value pick in the third round, but it is tough to see him going any higher than late in the second. Rodgers' frame is excellent for his size, but he has to get a little quicker and play with more sense of urgency. His route tree needs to be expanded and he needs to get better at contested catch situations, as he will not have open bubble screens all the time in the NFL like he did at Clemson. His jump-ball ability is underrated, and it really does say something that Trevor Lawrence continually gave a 5-9 receiver chances. His return abilities will make him attractive to a team, but he needs to get more technically sound in order to be an everyday slot receiver.

  • Best Game: 2020 vs. Georgia Tech

  • Worst Game: 2020 vs. Virginia Tech

  • Best Trait: Change of direction

  • Key Stats: 77 REC, 1,020 YDS, 13.2 Y/R, 7 TDS in 2020

  • Games/Starts: 55 games

  • Pro Comparison: less explosive Deebo Samuel

7. Amon-Ra St. Brown, USC, 5-11, 197

Amon-Ra St. Brown was a first-team All-Pac-12 selection in 2020 and a former All-American coming out of high school as a highly coveted prospect. St. Brown is somebody who can succeed in both the slot and the outside thanks to his incredible route running and physicality. St. Brown is one of the better route runners in this class, and he shows a propensity for getting open despite lacking elite speed and explosiveness. Moreover, St. Brown just knows how to get open and is very difficult for corners to contain off the line of scrimmage. He does a lot of the little things, which makes him the type of player that you want on your team. His contested catch ability is very underrated as he showed an improving ability to win jump-ball situations despite being listed at 5-11, and his hands are solid. He still has a lot of room to grow in his body as he is only 197 pounds currently. This is certainly a player who can sneak into the first round despite not being heavily talked about to this point.

  • Best Game: 2020 vs. Arizona State

  • Worst Game: 2020 vs. Utah

  • Best Trait: Route running

  • Key Stats: 77 REC, 1,042 YDS, 13.5 Y/R, 6 TDS in 2019

  • Games/Starts: 31 games

  • Pro Comparison: Stefon Diggs

8. Terrace Marshall Jr., LSU, 6-3, 200

Terrace Marshall Jr. was a highly coveted recruit coming out of high school, a 5-star recruit from Parkway High School where he was named an UnderArmour All-American (2018) and the Shreveport Times Male Athlete of the Year in 2018. He will primarily play on the outside, where he can outmuscle physical defensive backs while still having the versatility to play in the slot to create mismatches with his size. Marshall should attract more attention than he is currently getting. He should have a high chance of going in the late first to early second round with the potential of going in the 20s if he does really well at his pro day. Still has some things to work out mechanically, but we have seen receivers from Ed Orgeron's system step in right away and have huge impacts recently (see: Justin Jefferson). Marshall is not going to be mentioned a lot by analysts, but he has speed that is truly incredible for his size. It doesn't even look like he has fully displayed that speed, either. His runs after the catch look effortless. This is somebody who can play in the slot and on the outside since he has the ability to make tough catches anywhere on the field. Don't be surprised if he shocks some people as a rookie.

  • Best Game: 2020 vs. Missouri

  • Worst Game: 2020 vs. Auburn

  • Best Trait: Length

  • Key Stats: 48 REC, 731 YDS, 15.2 Y/R, 10 TDS in 2020

  • Games/Starts: 32 games

  • Pro Comparison: Sidney Rice

9. Sage Surratt, Wake Forest, 6-2, 215

It would not be shocking at all if Surratt is able to make his way into the latter part of the first round or early second round. He is that good of a receiver, and it is probably only due to his inconsistent hands, route running and injury history that he is not getting more love as a prospect. His size and speed are game-changers, and he can definitely be an important part of a team given how he is able to fight through contact to pick up key first downs. This is somebody who you're going to want to get the ball to every chance you get because he is able to make some really fantastic plays due to his ability to outjump his defenders or make really difficult contested catches. He showcased at the Senior Bowl why so many people thought he was going to break into the first round after his 2019 season, and he should be somebody you can line up on the outside right away. He is also versatile enough to work his magic in the slot.

  • Best Game: 2019 vs. Louisville

  • Worst Game: 2019 vs. NC State

  • Best Trait: Contested Catch Ability

  • Key Stats: 66 REC, 1,001 YDS, 15.2 Y/R, 11 TDS in 9 games (2019)

  • Games/Starts: 22 games

  • Pro Comparison: Courtland Sutton

10. Nico Collins, Michigan, 6-4, 215

Despite the fact that Nico Collins opted out for the 2020 season, he still had a solid career at Michigan after he was one of three highly ranked receivers to commit to the Maize and Blue in 2017. Collins projects as an outside receiver, most likely a complementary receiver, who will be lethal in the red zone thanks to his intelligence and size for the position. It would be really tough justifying taking a guy like this in the first round, but he is definitely a great value pick on Day 2. He has great size for the receiver position, and it would not surprise me if he is able to find a role on teams just based off his ability to make contested catches. He is a really tough player. This will make him more valuable to teams, especially those that need bigger, physical receivers. Speed and explosiveness need a lot of work or else it is certainly possible that Collins would go higher. Look for Collins to get picked somewhere in the second round because of how well he did at the Senior Bowl.

  • Best Game: 2019 vs. Indiana

  • Worst Game: 2019 vs. Notre Dame

  • Best Trait: Contested Catch Ability

  • Key Stats: Only 1 game with 100+ REC YDS in his career

  • Games/Starts: 29 games

  • Pro Comparison: Hybrid N’Keal Harry

11. Rondale Moore, Purdue, 5-7, 180

Rondale Moore was electric in his freshman season, when he won the Paul Hornung Award and was a consensus All-American. It's very tough to spend a first-round pick on Moore since he is more of a gadget receiver than a guy who is going to be a very dependable receiver game in and game out. His mechanics need a lot of work as injuries have hampered his development and made him much slower than he was at the beginning of his sophomore and the entirety of his freshman seasons. Currently, Moore looks like an Isaiah McKenzie and Tavon Austin type of receiver who you are going to want to get involved in the passing game to throw defenses off -- but it is unclear if he can make the jump to being a dependable slot receiver. However, his return abilities should keep him on a roster for quite some time as he is still very productive in that department. It would not be surprising if Moore takes a drastic fall in the draft.

  • Best Game: 2020 vs. Minnesota

  • Worst Game: 2020 vs. Rutgers

  • Best Trait: Explosiveness

  • Key Stats: 114 REC, 1,258 YDS, 11.0 Y/R, 12 TDS in 2018 (His only full season)

  • Games/Starts: 20 games

  • Pro Comparison: Tavon Austin

12. D’Wayne Eskridge, Western Michigan, 5-9, 190

Eskridge could very well be one of the biggest sleepers in this year's draft. If teams are patient with him, he could be a very good receiver on the pro level. His speed is exceptional, and there aren't going to be many players who are able to catch up with him. Still, some cons with Eskridge are his hands, route running and size. He will need to get better in those areas to avoid just being a gadget player at the next level. As a former corner, Eskridge does offer a lot of versatility to a team, but he is much better as a receiver. He can also contribute on special teams due to his speed. In order to avoid injuries, however, Eskridge will have to bulk up as there will be some faster, more physical corners in the NFL compared to the MAC. Overall, this is a player who will be able to win his matchup a lot of the time, and teams will love him from the get-go.

  • Best Game: 2020 vs. Ball State

  • Worst Game: 2020 vs. Eastern Michigan

  • Best Trait: Home Run Threat Ability

  • Key Stats: 25 REC, 660 YDS, 26.4 Y/R, 7 TDS in 5 games (2020)

  • Games/Starts: 44 games

  • Pro Comparison: DeSean Jackson

13. Elijah Moore, Ole Miss, 5-9, 185

I don't see Moore being able to play on the outside right away. He's going to have to play mainly in the slot due to his lack of size, physicality and game-breaking speed. He is really dangerous on quick passes that ensure he is able to make a move in open space. Besides that, he really needs to work on getting stronger because he was not good against press coverage. If a cornerback was really physical with him, Moore was not fast enough or strong enough to break away from the defender. When players played off Moore, he was really good at getting the ball and making a move, but he still has a lot of work to do. His routes aren't very crisp either, and some of this may have to do with the simplicity of Lane Kiffin's offense at Ole Miss. Moore is a late Day 2, early Day 3 receiver as he just isn't polished enough currently to be taken with a higher pick.

  • Best Game: 2020 vs. Vanderbilt

  • Worst Game: 2020 vs. Auburn

  • Best Trait: Change of Direction

  • Key Stats: 3 games with 200+ receiving yards in 2020

  • Games/Starts: 32 games

  • Pro Comparison: Darnell Mooney

14. Dyami Brown, UNC, 6-1, 185

Brown is not nearly dynamic enough to play in the slot, so he projects more as an outside receiver. If he can get stronger and more physical, he can certainly be a really good value pick in this year's draft. He needs to show more effort in some of his plays and play with a little sense of urgency instead of taking a lot of plays off. He is a really talented vertical threat, but his release and moves off the line of scrimmage need a lot of improvement; he was taken out of plays frequently by defensive backs just being overly physical with him. If he can get this down, then he should be a great player to have at the next level. Furthermore, he does have some run after the catch ability that should certainly get better if he adds to his frame. He has a strong lower body, but he needs to be bigger than the 185 he was playing at UNC with. Overall, Brown could potentially be a late Day 2 pick if he gets bigger and shows better releases, but he will most likely be an early Day 3 selection.

  • Best Game: 2020 vs. Virginia

  • Worst Game: 2020 vs. Duke

  • Best Trait: Vertical Threat Ability

  • Key Stats: 123 REC, 2,306 YDS, 18.7 Y/R, 21 TDS (Career)

  • Games/Starts: 34

  • Pro Comparison: Kenny Stills

15. Shi Smith, South Carolina, 5-10, 184

There are many wide receivers who were hurt by the lack of a great quarterback in college and end up having great careers at the next level. It is very possible that Smith is one of those guys. He flashes the ability to make really tough contested catches while also having some of the best speed in this draft. He is still very much a developmental prospect, as he has a lot of things to refine like his frame, route running and release. However, Smith has the tools to contribute to a team right away at the next level. It is very possible he falls to early to mid Day 3, but it would not be surprising if he is able to rise into the latter end of the third round. His home run ability is something else, and he can also help out on special teams. This is somebody to monitor heading into the draft.

  • Best Game: 2020 vs. Tennessee

  • Worst Game: 2020 vs. LSU

  • Best Trait: Run After the Catch Ability

  • Key Stats: 174 REC, 2,204 YDS, 12.7 Y/R, 13 TDS (Career)

  • Games/Starts: 43 games

  • Pro Comparison: Robert Woods

16. Jonathan Adams Jr., Arkansas State, 6-3, 220

Adams is a receiver who wins his matchups due to his strength and his athleticism. He struggles to create separation, but he makes up for this with his ability to track the ball well and adjust to it on the fly in order to bail out his quarterback. He does a lot of the little things that help his teammates and help to win football games. He is not afraid to make his presence known in any facet of the offense. He still has a lot of room to grow as many of his traits are unpolished, but there was a clear reason why Arkansas State tried to get Adams the ball frequently during his last two seasons at the school. On a team that struggled immensely, Adams remained a very consistent part of the offense. His physicality and play strength should make him an attractive prospect, and it would not be surprising if he is taken somewhere in the third round just based on his physical characteristics.

  • Best Game: 2020 vs. Kansas State

  • Worst Game: 2020 vs. Louisiana

  • Best Trait: Play Strength

  • Key Stats: 52 REC, 737 YDS, 14.2 Y/R, 8 TDS in 7 games (2020)

  • Games/Starts: 44 games

  • Pro Comparison: Corey Davis

17. Jaelon Darden, North Texas, 5-9, 174

Darden’s size and frame are questionable, but his speed is a trait that separates him from a lot of the receivers in this class. With more and more NFL teams using more spread concepts, Darden is a perfect fit for many of these offenses that are predicated on getting the ball out quick. Moreover, Darden’s return abilities should make him an attractive player to keep around. It's hard to see Darden playing on the outside just because a lot of the coverage he saw at UNT was off coverage, and there weren't a lot of players getting physical at the line of scrimmage with him because Darden was so good at blowing by those defenders due to his great speed. He'll most likely be a slot receiver at the next level, but he will be able to play on the outside if teams are running a lot of RPOs and want to pick up some chunk plays on screens. He has to get stronger as he was not the best at breaking tackles and his blocking was just not a very big part of his game. Because of his speed and ability to make people miss in the open field, these traits could help him to be a late Day 2 to early Day 3 draft pick.

  • Best Game: 2020 vs. UTEP

  • Worst Game: 2020 vs. Rice

  • Best Trait: Elusiveness

  • Key Stats: Two seasons with 10+ TDS

  • Games/Starts: 48 games

  • Pro Comparison: Jakeem Grant

18. Seth Williams, Auburn, 6-3, 211

Seth Williams is a very physical receiver, but he has a very similar issue to Nico Collins. Will you be able to run anything with him besides just throwing it up to him and hoping he is able to make a play? Auburn tried to get him the ball when he was put into motion, but he is just not explosive enough currently to be in the mold of N'Keal Harry at Arizona State. This is a really intriguing player because with better QB play, it is certainly possible that he would be getting a lot more attention. He has such great physical traits. Overall, the name of the game is just getting faster because he has potential. There was clearly a reason why Auburn wanted to run screen passes with him, but right now, it is very easy to tell why he is not getting more love as an early Day 2 pick. He needs to develop more as he is still very raw.

  • Best Game: 2020 vs. Ole Miss

  • Worst Game: 2020 vs. Alabama

  • Best Trait: Body Control

  • Key Stats: 59 REC, 830 YDS, 14.1 Y/R, 8 TDS in 2019

  • Games/Starts: 36 games

  • Pro Comparison: Tre’Quan Smith

19. Demetric Felton, UCLA, 5-8, 189

Felton is one of the biggest wildcards in this draft; he has a lot of versatility that teams can take advantage of at the next level. This will make him somebody who could either be a terrific value pick in the later rounds or somebody who could rise into late Day 3. Since he is so unpolished at both the receiver and running back positions, teams may get scared off from him, but when he is fully developed, he could very well be a steal in this draft. This is somebody who can step in right away and give a lot of speed to an offense that badly needs it. His route running and hands need a lot of work, but this can be attributed to not playing receiver as much in college. Overall, Felton can affect an offense and special teams in a lot of different ways that should make him somebody who can make a roster relatively quickly.

  • Best Game: 2019 vs. Washington State

  • Worst Game: 2019 vs. USC

  • Best Trait: Versatility

  • Key Stats: 99 Career REC & 233 Career CAR at UCLA

  • Games/Starts: 37 games

  • Pro Comparison: Isaiah McKenzie

20. Whop Philyor, Indiana, 5-11, 180

Whop Philyor is very much like Jarvis Landry. He runs a ton of shallow crosses and those types of short patterns where the success of the play is dependent on his ability to make a move in order to create more yards after the catch. It's hard to see Philyor going higher than early round 4 due to injury concerns and the fact that he just wasn't exposed to many different concepts at IU due to his role in the offense. This is a player who can definitely build a niche for himself in the slot, but he won't be able to play on the outside as much as he did at Indiana. He can also make his way onto a roster because of his play on special teams.

  • Best Game: 2020 vs. Michigan

  • Worst Game: 2020 vs. Ohio State

  • Best Trait: Change of Direction

  • Key Stats: 2 games with 11+ REC in 2020

  • Games/Starts: 38 games

  • Pro Comparison: Jarvis Landry

21. Dazz Newsome, UNC, 5-11, 190

Newsome's route tree and strength are going to have to improve if he wants to be a starter. There were too many times in his senior campaign where he was unable to get out of a double team that opposing teams were throwing at him. Outside of that, Newsome is a very shifty and explosive player who can add a tremendous speed element to a team. The name of the game will be consistency for Newsome, as he was not nearly as consistent in his senior season with teams doubling him -- and Dyami Brown becoming more of a presence in UNC's offense. Besides that, Newsome can be a really good value pick on Day 3, and it would not be surprising for him to become a solid role player once he is able to bulk up and get stronger.

  • Best Game: 2020 vs. Wake Forest

  • Worst Game: 2020 vs. Boston College

  • Best Trait: Vertical Threat Ability

  • Key Stats: 72 REC, 1,018 YDS, 14.1 Y/R, 10 TDS in 2019 (all career-highs)

  • Games/Starts: 44 games

  • Pro Comparison: Damiere Byrd

22. Marlon Williams, UCF, 6-0, 200

Williams can certainly make an NFL roster with his run after the catch ability, but he will have a hard time if he doesn't learn more routes. It seemed like UCF had him running the same type of routes frequently and this could hurt him at the next level. Williams is a very physical receiver who is not easy to bring down, as he made many defenders pay for trying to leg tackle him in 2020. Moreover, he has impressive body control and shows flashes of being much quicker than he currently is. If he can get faster, then he could be a valuable receiver thanks to his physicality. His effort is a little bit of a concern, as there were too many plays in which he didn't give it his all. Williams will most likely go on Day 3 and projects as more of a slot receiver due to his deficiencies when he was playing on the outside.

  • Best Game: 2020 vs. Tulane

  • Worst Game: 2020 vs. Houston

  • Best Trait: Run After the Catch Ability

  • Key Stats: 71 REC, 1,039 YDS, 14.6 Y/R, 10 TDS in 2020

  • Games/Starts: 46 games

  • Pro Comparison: Kendrick Bourne

23. Tylan Wallace, Oklahoma State, 5-11, 190

Wallace has the ability to be a top-tier receiver in this draft, but the fact that he goes through the motions a lot of the time on offense makes it very difficult to justify picking this player with a high pick. Despite the reasoning behind him not playing in the second half of the bowl game, if he really wanted to play in that game, he would've. Wallace does not create separation well, but he is able to make up for this with his great contested catch ability. This will be what keeps him on a roster at the next level, but if he does not get tougher mentally and show more effort, then he will have a hard time staying in the same spot throughout his career. He needs to play full games instead of taking plays off. It certainly didn't help that Wallace didn't have premier quarterback play throughout his career at OSU, but he did not help his quarterbacks out a good chunk of the time, either.

  • Best Game: 2020 vs. Texas

  • Worst Game: 2020 vs. Oklahoma

  • Best Trait: Ball Skills

  • Key Stats: 3,434 Career YDS, 16.8 Y/R, 26 TDS

  • Games/Starts: 37 games

  • Pro Comparison: Tyler Boyd

24. Josh Palmer, Tennessee, 6-1, 210

What you see is what you are going to get with Palmer. He is not the flashiest receiver in the world, but he does do the little things for the most part. He tested out well as far as speed goes at his pro day, so that is certainly promising; however, he could benefit from slimming down so that he can get faster along with maybe getting a little more flexible. There are questions surrounding this player's motor because you can tell that he is exerting a lot more effort in the Georgia game early in the season compared to the Arkansas game later in the season. This will be something to monitor moving forward. A good jump-ball receiver, Palmer should be able to make a roster at some point, but he seems very much like a high floor/low ceiling type of player. He was certainly hampered by the quarterback play at Tennessee; he would've been more productive elsewhere, but the questions would remain the same either way.

  • Best Game: 2020 vs. Georgia

  • Worst Game: 2020 vs. Arkansas

  • Best Trait: Physicality

  • Key Stats: 1 game with 100+ receiving yards in his career at Tennessee

  • Games/Starts: 47 games

  • Pro Comparison: Miles Boykin

25. Tutu Atwell, Louisville, 5-9, 165

Currently, Atwell projects as a slot receiver who will have to make his way off the bottom of the depth chart or practice squad due to his very small size and frame. If Atwell does not get any bigger, he will have a very difficult time staying healthy at the next level. He does show some flashes of being an electric player, but it is just not at a consistent enough level right now to warrant being picked late Day 2 to early Day 3. Atwell's motor is questionable, as he does not always give his best on plays that he is not directly involved in, but he is still willing to throw a block for his teammates. Route running and release are not very polished, so he will need a lot of time to develop at the next level unless he is thrown into a Tavon Austin-type of role in an offense where his technical flaws won't get exposed. The oversimplicity of Louisville's routes for him really don't do him justice as a player, but the overall message is that Atwell needs to get bigger. The pro day will be really crucial for Atwell.

  • Best Game: 2020 vs. Miami

  • Worst Game: 2020 vs. Notre Dame

  • Best Trait: Suddenness

  • Key Stats: 70 REC, 1,276 YDS, 18.2 Y/R, 12 TDS in 2019

  • Games/Starts: 34 games

  • Pro Comparison: Steven Sims

Tags: Amari Rodgers, Amon-Ra St. Brown, D'Wayne Eskridge See More

Brian Friedland

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