Draft 2019: Top 5 Wide Receivers

posted March 18, 2019 in CommRadio, Sports by Jake Starr

Host Mitch Broder alongside analysts Derek Heid and Jeremy Gaines discuss the upcoming draft and the best wide receivers to come out of this class:

With the combine and free agency in the rearview mirror, all eyes are turned towards the NFL Draft, starting April 25th in Nashville. As schools continue to hold their respective pro days, the top players at each position are beginning to take shape.

Following a year in which none of the rookie wide receivers really impressed, the 2019 crop has the potential to be one that could stand out. Let’s take a look at the top-five wide receivers heading into the 2019 NFL Draft:

5. Kelvin Harmon, North Carolina State

Height: 6’3
Weight: 214

Harmon lit up the stat sheet for NC State in 2018. In over 12 games, he recorded 81 catches for 1,186 yards and seven touchdowns. He was good for a fairly respectable 14.6 yards per reception.

The Liberia native showed some decent speed at the NFL Combine, running a 4.6 40-yard dash. Due to his lack of speed and explosiveness, Harmon makes up for it using his large frame and strong hands.

4. N’Keal Harry, Arizona State

Height: 6’4
Weight: 213

Harry recorded his second straight 1,000-yard season for the Sun Devils. He caught 73 balls for 1,088 yards and nine touchdowns. Harry has around average speed, recording a 4.53 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine.

Lacking explosive traits, Harry makes up for it by thriving on contested catch opportunities. One of his downfalls is separating from tight coverage, but if he can win against NFL cornerbacks, then it won’t be an issue. But that will be the biggest question for the Saint Vincent native.

3. A.J. Brown, Ole Miss

Height: 6’1
Weight: 230

As good as Brown is, he isn’t even the best receiver on Ole Miss. That top guy we’ll hit on later on in the article. But nonetheless, Brown put up 1,320 yards on 85 catches, adding six touchdown receptions throughout the 2018 season.

A 4.49 runner, Brown is built to be a slot receiver in the NFL with a quickness that should help him separate from defenders. Brown should be a reliable target for quarterbacks and serve as more of a possession receiver in the slot.

2. Marquise Brown, Oklahoma

Height: 5’10
Weight: 168

Averaging 17.6 yards per catch, Brown was a legitimate deep threat for the Sooners. He compiled 1,318 yards over 75 catches while adding ten touchdowns on the season. Brown topped the 1,000-yard threshold in both of his seasons in Norman.

Brown, the cousin of Antonio Brown, possesses elite speed at the NFL level. The question for him is will he be able to be more than a one trick pony at the next level. He is not someone who will come down with contested catches as his size limits him in that department.

1. D.K. Metcalf, Ole Miss

Height: 6’4
Weight: 230

Metcalf did not post huge numbers over the 2018 season, as he only played in seven games. In those games, he caught 26 balls for 569 yards and five touchdowns. Throughout his three years at Ole Miss, Metcalf only caught 67 passes and never surpassed the 1,000-yard plateau in a single season.

No player may have boosted their stock more at the NFL Combine then Metcalf did. He ran a 4.33 40-yard dash and the rest of his numbers were off the charts. Possessing both a large frame and elite speed, Metcalf has the potential to be a longlasting, high upside wide receiver in the NFL.

 

 

Jake Starr is a freshman majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email jas7954@psu.edu.