Juniors Lead The Way In Receiver Grouping

One of my early mentors in the scouting profession once told me that when discussing potential prospects, virtually every college liaison believed he had both a pro prospect receiver and kicker. I can’t tell you how right former scouting great Alex Bell was with his assessment.

Over the year’s I’ve had the opportunity to evaluate well over two thousand receiving prospects and although most possessed positive position qualities only a handful of these pass catchers (Wes Chandler, Jerry Rice, Anthony Carter, Sterling Sharpe, Randy Moss, Art Monk), were what I considered the total package.

Well, I believe in one Michael Crabtree, we are about to add another name to that exclusive list. He has outstanding size, rare speed, excellent body control, great hands, and the ability to score from any place on the football field.

The next four receivers (all juniors) led by the multi-talented Percy Harvin aren’t too shabby either. The Florida product has excellent hands, gets in and out of a route extremely well and with the football under his arm is extremely dangerous after the catch.

Missouri Jeremy Maclin is a big vertical threat with speed to burn (runs extremely well in his pads). An excellent returner with very good run after the catch instincts, I believe Jeremy lacks only some route running polish to become a star in the National Football League.

You can’t draw them up any prettier than the U. of Maryland’s Darrius Hayward-Bey. He’s big (excellent muscle peaks and proportion) and has rare foot speed. His workout numbers alone insure me he will be a top round selection, but I have two major problems with this player; he never appeared to play to his confirmed 4.29v / 40 time and I have some questions as to his ability to catch the football (I just don’t see him as a natural hand catcher). Now don’t get me wrong, he’s far from spastic in this area, but I believe he fights the ball some. Remember, the position is called wide receiver gang and not wide runner.

Hakeem Nicks is as gifted an natural a receiver as I seen in some time. He’s very impressive athlete with playing strength and explosiveness (even cut upper and lower body with excellent muscle peaks) will need to watch his weight during the off season. He has a strong medium stride and shows the ability to change directions very smoothly. I liked his leaping ability, timing, and ability to easily outmuscle defenders for the football. Will high point the ball and expose his body to hits.

I felt he played big and really takes advantage of his size. I thought he was sudden in and out of a break. Has very good hands, can snatch the ball, adjust and will catch on contact. Excellent concentration and can make the circus catch. Can out muscles defenders for the football started as a freshman and lines up predominately as their x in their two receiver set.

Hakeem ran particularly sharp routes, got out of his breaks well, got his head around, located the football, and got up field after the catch. After the catch, I didn't think he was particularly creative, but he is very strong and competitive.

Brian Robiskie is a very talented receiver with size and catching ability. He isn’t flashy, but at games end he does many things that can contribute to winning football games. His dad Terry was an excellent player at LSU and is a long time NFL coach and it appears he has passed along much of his football knowledge to Brian. I look for him to make an immediate impact at the professional level, first as a slot receiver in a queen set and eventually as a strong number two receiver.

Beyond the top six there are a number of talented players who could well impact at the next level. My advise to personnel directors throughout the league; when in doubt, always go with the receiver with speed!

Wide Receivers

RK	Name	School	HT	WT	40	GR
1	Crabtree, Michael	Texas Tech	6013v	215v	4.45e	1.13
2	Harvin, Percy	Florida	5111v	192v	4.42v	1.15
3	Maclin, Jeremy	Missouri	6001v	198v	4.46v	1.16
4	Nicks, Hakeem	North Carolina	6006v	212v	4.52v	1.17
5	Heyward-Bey, Darrius	Maryland	6015v	210v	4.29v	1.18
6	Robiskie, Brian	Ohio St	6027v	209v	4.49v	1.19
7	Williams, Derrick	Penn St	5114v	194v	4.57v	1.24
8	Tate, Brandon	North Carolina	5117v	183v	4.45e	1.25
9	Murphy, Louis	Florida	6023v	203v	4.37v	1.27
10	Byrd, Demetrius	LSU	6002v	199v	4.37v	1.31
11	Iglesias, Juaquin	Oklahoma	6007v	210v	4.49v	1.32
12	Britt, Kenny	Rutgers	6027v	218v	4.51v	1.33
13	Turner, Patrick	USC	6051v	223v	4.58v	1.38
14	Butler, Deon	Penn St	5103v	182v	4.32v	1.39
15	Thomas, Mike	Arizona	5083v	195v	4.33v	1.40
16	Means, Andrew	Indiana	6005v	214v	4.42v	1.41
17	Dillard, Jarett	Rice	5102v	191v	4.53v	1.42
18	Marion, Brennan	Tulsa	5113v	187v	4.50e	1.44
19	McKinley, Kenny	So Carolina	6003v	189v	4.42v	1.45
20	Kelly, Aaron	Clemson	6044v	204v	4.52v	1.45
21	Massaquoi, Mohamed	Georgia	6014v	210v	4.59v	1.46
22	Riley, Eron	Duke	6031v	206v	4.35v	1.48
23	Knox, Johnny	Abilene Christian	5114v	185v	4.33v	1.49
24	Wallace, Mike	Mississippi	6003v	199v	4.34v	1.52
25	Foster, Brooks	North Carolina	6004v	211v	4.49v	1.55
26	Underwood, Tiquan	Rutgers	6011v	184v	4.41v	1.56
27	Mitchell, Marko	Nevada-Reno	6036v	218v	4.45v	1.57
28	Passmore, Darius	Marshall	6003v	188v	4.54v	1.58
29	Nunn, Terrence	Nebraska	5102v	197v	4.45v	1.58
30	Hackendorf, Kole	No Dakota St	6017v	191v	4.42v	1.62
31	Carr, Greg	Florida St	6053v	217v	4.58v	1.63
32	Barden, Ramses	Cal Poly (SLO)	6060v	229v	4.58v	1.64
33	Guice, Dudley	Northwestern St	6023v	209v	4.41v	1.67
34	Cosby, Quan	Texas	5085v	196v	4.52v	1.68
35	Collie, Austin	BYU	6007v	200v	4.57v	1.69
36	Ogletree, Kevin	Virginia	6004v	196v	4.43v	1.71
37	Stroughter, Sammie	Oregon St	5093v	189v	4.57v	1.72
38	Taylor, Lucas	Tennessee	5112v	189v	4.39v	1.75
39	Collins, Dobson	Gardner Webb	6007v	181v	4.48v	1.76
40	Lyons, Dickey	Kentucky	5103e	195e	4.50e	1.79

Free Agents

RK	Name	School	HT	WT	40	GR
	Byers, Jarrett	NE Oklahoma St	5104v	181v	4.42v	1.80
	Johnson, Manuel	Oklahoma	5107v	189v	4.54v	1.80
	Halman, John	Concordia (AL)	6014e	200e	4.55e	1.80
	Arceneaux, Emmanuell	Alcorn St	6020v	206v	4.49v	1.90
	Arnold, Robert	Arizona	6022v	192v	4.50v	1.90
	Denmark, Clarence	Ark (Monticello)	5091v	179v	4.31v	1.90
	Edwards, Willie	Bethany College	6013v	212v	4.51v	1.90
	Childs, Jeremy	Boise St	5115v	200v	4.64v	1.90
	Williams, Patrick	Colorado	6014v	204v	4.58v	1.90
	Brown, Justin	Hampton	6013v	201v	4.57v	1.90
	Gilchrist Jeremy	Hampton	5085v	183v	4.62v	1.90
	Dupree, Maurice	Jacksonville-AL	5097v	169v	4.45v	1.90
	Bayes, Shawn	Kent St	5102v	176v	4.43v	1.90
	Edelman, Julian	Kent St	5103v	195v	4.49v	1.90
	Smith, Derrick	LA-Lafayette	5114v	185v	4.44v	1.90
	Lawrence, Quinten	McNeese St	5115v	184v	4.42v	1.90
	Smith, Jamayel	Mississippi St	6003v	186v	4.54v	1.90
	Swift, Nate	Nebraska	6013v	203v	4.68v	1.90
	Eloi, Keith	Nebraska-Omaha	5094v	191v	4.42v	1.90
	Gant, Ed	No Alabama	6013v	197v	4.46v	1.90
	Hartline, Brian	Ohio St	6015v	195v	4.54v	1.90
	Pruitt, Julius	Ouachita Baptist	6017v	208v	4.43v	1.90
	Norwood, Jordan	Penn St	5107v	184v	4.61v	1.90
	Kinder, Derek	Pittsburgh	6002v	201v	4.63v	1.90
	Butler, Terrance	Presbyterian	5086v	184v	4.43v	1.90
	Reeder, Chetyuane	Presbyterian	6002v	201v	4.46v	1.90
	Orton, Greg	Purdue	6025v	207v	4.70v	1.90
	Edison, Dominique	S F Austin	6021v	204v	4.47v	1.90
	Richmond, David	San Jose St	6016v	197v	4.62v	1.90
	Harris, Jaron	So Dakota St	6004v	193v	4.46v	1.90
	Johnson, Taurus	So Florida	6002v	206v	4.52v	1.90
	Shelton, Travis	Temple	5094v	189v	4.48v	1.90
	Cosby, Quan	Texas	5085v	196v	4.52v	1.90
	Breaux, Tommy	Towson	6067v	199v	4.56v	1.90
	Gibson, Brandon	Washington St	6001v	208v	4.62v	1.90
	Beavers, Larry	Wesley	5101v	169v	4.41v	1.90
	Jones, Michael	Arizona St	6034v	211v	4.56v	1.90