FanPost

BTSC 2019 Post-Combine Big Board (Pass Catchers)

Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

I am slowly working my way through the Combine results, but it makes sense to publish where things stand as each group gets finished. The pass catchers come first since the loss of Antonio Brown is on everyone's mind.

Please share your thoughts in the Comments. I will try to move along ASAP but it may take a while to get the next complete Board up.

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TIGHT ENDS

1:15

TE T.J. Hockenson, Iowa. 6'4¾", 251 lbs. What is the HV for a prospect with an 80% chance to grow into the next Heath Miller? That is Hockenson, and the NFL's Daniel Jeremiah makes the same comparison. The similarities are uncanny, from height, weight, speed, hands and athletic profile to blocking skills, playing style, attitude (interview reports could not be better), competitive edge, and more. Others have used Travis Kelce as the comp but we can translate it this way: He just screams ‘Steelers'. The other top TE prospect this year is Hockenson's teammate Noah Fant. Fant is a fully qualified WR2/3 who blocks far, far better than even a Hines Ward or a Juju. Hockenson is more of a straight WR3 but he blocks like a legitimate O-Lineman. His athletic measurables are both solid (88th percentile SPARQ score) and well balanced but it's the tape that drives his best-of-class stock. Fair warning: your humble author is sold on Hockenson's ability to more than replace AB's production if paired with a weaponized WR3 later on. The Draft Network scouting profiles catch the essence of what everyone seems to agree on. These links go to a superb Draft Network article comparing Noah Fant and T.J. Hockenson, and to another article that compares those two to elite TE prospects in other drafts. Hockenson and Fant were also the only Round 1 TE grades awarded in this nice article by Jon Ledyard. This long, Packers-oriented, gif-supported scouting report compares Hockenson to Fant and is definitely recommended reading.

1:20

TE Noah Fant, Iowa. 6'4⅛", 249 lbs. "One of the most freakish athletes in all of college football," Noah Fant oozes athletic talent that puts him in the top 2% of all TE's, has well developed seam-busting talents to match, and is already a decent and willing blocker who'd get universal praise for that aspect of his game if not for his teammate (T.J. Hockenson) being all but a legend. He may profile as a league leading Move TE but he isn't that limited. These links go to a superb Draft Network article comparing Noah Fant and T.J. Hockenson, and to another article that compares those two to elite TE prospects in other drafts. Hockenson and Fant were also the only Round 1 TE grades awarded in this nice article by Jon Ledyard. This goes to a brief but consistent and gif-supported scouting report. This gif-heavy scouting report from February ends with a Round 3 grade based on some overblown concerns about his blocking. This long, Packers-oriented, gif-supported scouting report compares Hockenson to Fant and is definitely recommended reading.

2:12

TE Irv Smith Jr., Alabama. 6'2⅜", 242 lbs. An exceptional athlete and natural receiver who significantly improved his blocking in 2018 and has the all important willingness to do that job. More than solid all the way around even if he is a bit small for the position. Two years ago an Alabama TE named O.J. Howard went at 1:19; he was 3½" taller, the same weight, and not as good a route runner. Both his father and his uncle played TE in the NFL, albeit with limited distinction. The athletic profile shows good speed and just-decent C.O.D. but a SPARQ score held back by the size and length limitations. This phenomenal summary from The Draft Network scouting profiles catches it all: "Smith may never be a top 2-3 tight end in the NFL, but he's fully capable of being among the best in the next tier." Irv Smith was the only Round 2 TE grade awarded in this nice article by Jon Ledyard. This February scouting profile from our sister site for the Giants describes the world's best H-back. This February scouting profile acknowledges the talent but wonders about his ability to box out and make hard combat catches. This gif-heavy February scouting report illustrates the upside in a somewhat uncritical manner.

2:24

TE Dawson Knox, Ole Miss. 6'4⅜", 254 lbs. Jon Ledyard's Draft Network scouting profile and the Combine results both confirm that Knox is one of the most athletic TEs in the draft, but it is still just pie in the sky because Knox was underutilized in college. He flashes every asset you could ask for - size, strength, speed, hands, blocking, etc. - but he hasn't actually shown that he can stand out as more than a puzzle piece. Knox, Sternberger Nauta and Raymond were the four interchangeable Round 3 TE grades awarded in this nice article by Jon Ledyard, with only Fant, Hockenson and Irv Smith, Jr. ahead of them.

3:01

TE Foster Moreau, LSU {Meeting at Senior Bowl}. 6'4⅛", 253 lbs. A "feisty and committed run blocker" according to the NFL.com scouting profile, Moreau isn't yet the pass protector he should be and needs a lot of work on his route running. The tape raised doubts about his native athletic talent in that regard but he blew those questions away with a tremendous Combine performance that put him in the NFL top-10% SPARQ score bracket for TE's. Even better, it was a well-rounded athletic display with no real holes. It reminds me a lot of the draft process evolution we saw with George Kittle. Best of all, Moreau was tough and gritty enough to earn the coveted #18 uniform for "a player who exemplifies LSU football," and stood out as an overall energy bringer and special teams demon. Bottom line: Moreau has every chance to stick in the league and could develop into a star. Here is a Steelers-oriented, gif-supported scouting report from early February. This gif-supported Draft Network scouting report came out just after the Combine performance and points out that his athletic scores are supported by film flashes if you look a bit more carefully. This goes to a decent, if hometown biased article gloating about the Combine results. This January, Jags-oriented scouting profile is worth a read because it focuses on his Senior Bowl rather than his later Combine. There is more than just an athlete here.

3:01

TE Jace Sternberger, Texas A&M. 6'4", 250 lbs. Get this story: scout goes to a JUCO to see another player; the TE catches his eye instead; the TE gets recruited to play his redshirt Junior (actual Senior) year at Texas A&M; the TE wins the spring ball MVP, which Jimbo Fisher has never awarded to any TE ever; the TE becomes a star seam-busting weapon in 2018; and now he enters the NFL draft. Not a word of fiction in the lot. The "physical tools are tantalizing, both as a blocker and receiver," but he is quite raw in all areas and may need a redshirt year to build professional strength and technique. That said, he does boast a proper TE tough-guy attitude as well and actually likes to block despite his occasional lack of results. He projects best as a pass catching TE who will survive but not thrive in-line. Sternberger, Knox, Nauta and Raymond were the four interchangeable Round 3 TE grades awarded in this nice article by Jon Ledyard, with only Fant, Hockenson and Irv Smith, Jr. ahead of them. Also listed in this pre-Combine article on "prospects who deserve more buzz". Here is the NFL.com scouting profile.

3:24

TE Kahale Warring, S. Dakota St. 6'5⅛", 252 lbs. A latecomer to the position with the basketball-type skills you look for, Warring earned an NFL.com scouting profile comparison to Todd Heap and then delivered a sterling Combine (80th percentile SPARQ score) with no particular athletic holes. The Draft Network scouting profiles are equally complimentary, with praise for all aspects of his game and especially for his work ethic and toughness. Definitely a prospect to keep an eye on.

4:01

TE Keenan Brown, Texas State. 6'3", 250 lbs. Brown is the definition of a rock solid TE2 with the potential to become even more. Here is a good article on how he was recruited to be a star "big WR" at Oklahoma State and ended up outgrowing the position and moving to a school closer to home. Brown has never lost his ability to run routes and catch the ball; he is still nimble enough to break the occasional play; and unlike the Outlaw he would come to the NFL as a superb in-line blocker. His stock will go way up if the Steelers move on from Jesse James. Our own Nick Farabaugh included Brown in this pre-Combine article on sleepers to watch for. This goes to the NFL.com scouting profile. The Combine coverage described him as a "sneaky good athlete" who is crafty, good on special teams, and projects best as a multi-faceted H-back who'd survive but not thrive in-line. His results were okay, not great, but heavily weighted toward length (not height), speed and explosiveness.

4:01

TE Isaac Nauta, Georgia. 6'3¼", 244 lbs. Excellent tape made his floor look like an NFL quality, multifaceted TE2 with TE1 aspirations, but then he bombed the athletic testing at the Combine (SPARQ score in the bottom two percentile) badly enough to raise new questions, especially about his speed and the apparent lack of a second gear. Watch his pro day. Nauta he will rise again or fall even more depending on whether he can fix that narrative. The film displays a fairly well rounded game, can both block at a college level, and can also finding the holes in a zone defense, but does he have that special something extra? This pre-Combine gif-supported Draft Network scouting report and the NFL.com scouting profile both concluded that he is a very good athlete with a rounded game whose floor is TE2, but that testing.... Nauta, Sternberger, Knox, and Raymond were the four interchangeable Round 3 TE grades awarded in this nice article by Jon Ledyard, with only Fant, Hockenson and Irv Smith, Jr. ahead of them. But that testing... Jon Ledyard, a Steelers fan, included him as one of 5 Combine heartbreakers.

4:01

TE Josh Oliver, San Jose St. 6'4½", 246 lbs. A good but not brilliant athlete (the athletic profile is shockingly similar to Gronkowski for what that's worth) who won in college by "being bigger and faster than everyone at his current competition level," Oliver may well fall into the Steelers' hands because he is desperately raw and will require at least a year of coaching before those assets will show up against NFL defenders. The NFL.com scouting profile basically agrees that the potential is real but the skills will need serious work. Here is a Steelers-oriented, gif-supported scouting profile from January. Combine watchers got to see him make a remarkable one-handed adjustment grab on the wheel route drill, where he also displayed his speed, explosiveness and smooth athletic talent.

4:01

TE Dax Raymond, Utah St. 6'4¾", 255 lbs. A good receiving TE with the build but not the skill to play in-line and good but not exceptional athletic skills. Sounds a lot like Jesse James Mark II except for his age: he will be a 25 year old rookie. His 2018 results were crippled by a broken hand suffered a month or so in but it should be okay for his rookie season. Here are the Draft Network scouting profiles, the NFL.com scouting profile, and a Steelers-oriented, gif-supported January scouting report. Raymond, Sternberger, Knox, and Nauta were the four interchangeable Round 3 TE grades awarded in this nice article by Jon Ledyard, with only Fant, Hockenson and Irv Smith, Jr. ahead of them. The Combine results consistently showed speed and C.O.D. assets but limited strength and explosion.

4:16

TE Alize Mack, Notre Dame. 6'4", 249 lbs. A catch-point monster and one of the best route running TE's in the draft, he's flashed quite often but has red flags for injury concerns and "team rule violations". Here is a good highlight by Brad Kelly and a New Year's follow up by the Draft Network staff. This goes to an excellent pre-Combine scouting profile from our sister site for the Redskins. The NFL.com scouting profile describes him as a good but not brilliant Move TE prospect "who shies away from the physical requirements asked of him in the run game." But that isn't the whole story. Read this August 2017 article on how his suspension prompted some genuine soul searching and maturation, and then this recent March 2019 article on how increased maturity led to better blocking, are must-reads to get a fix on who this prospect is from an off-field POV. He tested out as a very good but not great athlete, so the blocking questions really come down to whether you believe he will try hard enough to get there. It is not an easy projection and the interviews will really matter.

4:16

TE Drew Sample, Washington. 6'4¾", 255 lbs. A classic, well rounded TE2 who made his college reputation as a run blocker but has the athleticism and skills to be a decent receiving weapon too. The NFL.com scouting report describes the sort of prospect who should enjoy a long journeyman career. The Draft Network scouting profiles basically agree: highish floor and lowish ceiling combine for a safe, useful, but uninspiring mid-round grade.

5:01

TE Kendall Blanton, Missouri {Meeting at the Shrine Game}. 6'6¼", 262 lbs. A size XL, box-out receiving threat who became a good blocker in 2018 but simply lacks the speed to be a threat down the seam. Projects as a multipurpose TE2 to compete with or replace Jesse James.

5:01

TE/WR Donald Parham, Stetson. 6'8⅜", 243 lbs. A massively oversized receiver and mismatch weapon, this January scouting profile describes a very raw prospect from a tiny school with great hands, potentially coachable issues across the line with route running, good but not great speed, and no future at all as an in-line blocker. That said, he did dominate his competition for his entire tenure at Stetson to the point where he received a Senior Bowl invite. Looks like a boom-or-bust prospect with extreme potential on both ends.

5:01

TE Caleb Wilson, UCLA. 6'4¼", 240 lbs. A receiving TE who was Josh Rosen's favorite weapon in 2017 before injuring a foot, and continued that success in 2018. But can he block? A terrible Senior Bowl week that highlighted "stiff and lethargic" route running, followed by a bad fumble in the game, have lowered his stock. Running a great 40 at the Combine stabilized it (4.56 with a class-best 10 yard split) but the other testing was distinctly average. The Combine coverage noted a history of drops.

5:16

TE Kaden Smith, Stanford. 6'5", 255 lbs. A good all-around TE prospect with various smaller holes and no particular physical genius to hang his hat on (bottom 8th percentile SPARQ score buoyed by nothing but a decent 3-cone drill). Known as someone who struggles to separate but gets results because he wins the inevitable combat catches and never drops a thing. This goes to the Draft Network scouting profiles, which collectively argue that he has promise but needs to improve in all of his fundamentals. This pre-Combine, gif-supported scouting report liked his hands and body control enough to give a fringe-3rd grade.

6:01

TE Ravian Pierce, Syracuse. 6'3", 244 lbs. Good but not great in almost every way except the overall athleticism (superior) and the size (not so much), he was miscast as a blocker in the Syracuse system and that makes for a hard projection.

6:01

TE Tommy Sweeney, Boston Coll. 6'4½", 251 lbs. A rare, well rounded TE with a complete game. Would rank much higher if he'd shown the physical genius to be more than a solid contributor. Here are the Draft Network scouting profiles page and a complimentary gif-supported scouting report from February.

7:01

TE Andrew Beck, Texas. 6'4", 260 lbs. A proper tough guy TE, solid run blocker and semi-solid pass blocker, but not a weapon in the receiving game and in need of work to go from "solid" to "NFL solid" even in his areas of strength. Here are the Draft Network scouting profiles.

WIDE RECEIVERS

1:15

WR D.K. Metcalf, Ole Miss {Meeting at Combine}. 6'3⅜", 228 lbs. The #1 WR on most boards and on ours as well, with potential that defies belief. Height, weight, speed, hands (minus too many focus drops), body control; he's got it all in spades. The physique is so over the top that people really argue he might be too big, strong and fast for his joints to survive the rigors of making NFL cuts over a period of years. Metcalf suffered a season-ending neck injury but it had no lasting effect. Body-of-Adonis aside, the technical skills are all a bit raw in all the little ways that separate college receivers from the pros. Those are why he didn't start the process as a Top 5 lock. He reminds your humble author of a much less polished but slightly more athletic Mike Adams. Daniel Jeremiah preferred a comparison to Josh Gordon without the problems upstairs. Here are the Draft Network scouting profiles and the NFL.com scouting profile. Do a Google search if you want a few hundred others.

1:20

WR N'Keal Harry, Arizona St. {Meeting at Combine}. 6'2⅜", 228 lbs. This year's class is full of tough, strong Juju-type WR's who are fast enough to succeed but have a game that centers on great hands, winning contested catches, and a physical intensity that punishes smaller CB's. N'Keal Harry could not fit that stereotype any better except he's two inches taller and ten pounds bigger than JJSS. Here are the Draft Network scouting profiles. This Steeler-oriented, gif-supported scouting report ends with a Round 2 grade based on a skill set too similar to Juju's. He is listed as one of Jon Ledyard's Top 5 Steeler WR targets in this March article.

2:01

WR Emanuel Hall, Missouri. 6'1⅞", 201 lbs. The speed and COD skills you expect from a 5'9" jitterbug in a body that is half a foot taller = top ⅓ of 1% SPARQ score. A successful deep threat against SEC defenses, with the tools to be a great route runner... that is a high ceiling if ever there was one. The downsides are very raw route running skills on a limited route tree, and a 2017 reputation for inconsistent hands that was much assuaged by better play in 2018. Here is the Draft Network scouting profile, and a Steeler-oriented, gif-supported scouting report. The NFL.com scouting profile compares him to a 6'2" Mike Wallace, which could actually be fair.

2:01

WR Kelvin Harmon, N.C. State. 6'2½", 221 lbs. Big, tough, strong, blocks like a TE but runs like a WR and never gets caught from behind despite what the 40-time and the distinctly average SPARQ score may show. Projects as a bigger & nastier version of Juju or Anquan Boldin; or as this gif-supported scouting report puts it, "a true alpha go-to guy who can take over games." Here is a gif-supported scouting report that extols his superior route running skills. This goes to the Draft Network scouting profiles. The NFL.com scouting report compares him to known Steeler-killer Mohammed Sanu ("he knows how to play and he plays to his strengths"). The only issue is whether two Juju-types on one receiving outfit is one too many. He is listed as one of Jon Ledyard's Top 5 Steeler WR targets in this March article. This pre-Combine, gif-supported scouting report agrees with the others up and down the line, ending with a Round 1 grade.

2:01

WR Deebo Samuel, S. Carolina {Meeting at Combine}. 5'11¼", 214 lbs. An exceptionally well rounded player who will remind you of James Washington; or rather of what Washington's college career would have looked like if he had Mr. Raw Skills at QB instead of a fringe-1st talent like Mason Rudolph. Sales Pitch Exhibit #1 would be the Clemson game, where he embarrassed the eventual national champions with a 10 catch, 210 yard, 3 TD performance. Here are the Draft Network scouting profiles, which basically admire everything (particularly his route running) with the exception of a somewhat limited catch radius (that may also be due to getting killed on errant throws). Here is a Steeler-oriented, gif-supported scouting report from after the Senior Bowl that ends with an early Round 2 grade. The NFL.com scouting profile uses the words "extremely urgent and competitive", which catch a lot of the essence and lead more than just your humble author toward a Steve Smith Sr. comparison (but 2" taller). This good, gif-supported scouting report from mid-March ends with a fringe-1st grade. He is listed as one of Jon Ledyard's Top 5 Steeler WR targets in this March article. On the cautionary side, he will be a 24 year old rookie and the Steelers tend to prefer them young.

2:12

WR J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, Stanford. 6'2", 225 lbs. Juju Smith-Schuster has a next generation clone that stands an inch taller, ten pounds heavier, has tremendous hands (the way he plucks passes out of the air is a sensual delight to watch), and is Stanford smart. Like JJSS the only questions go to his top end speed. These links go to the Draft Network scouting profile and to a Draft Network video scouting report on four plays that show he is a pretty good route runner in addition to a "jump ball, box-out specialist" with two professional basketball players as parents. This February gif-supported scouting report ends with a fringe-2nd grade on the belief that he will end up being "a darn good No. 2 receiver that is nearly unguardable in the red zone."

2:12

WR A.J. Brown, Ole Miss {Meeting at Combine}. 6'½", 226 lbs. Start your research with this gif-supported scouting report from former NFL player Stephen White, who strongly buys into a "young Anquan Boldin" comparison. White basically sees no way this kid ends up as anything less than a WR2. Brad Kelly called him "an efficient route runner", which all agree on despite a sharply limited route tree in the Ole Miss system. Nevertheless, though Brown primarily operated out of the slot in college (an oddity for someone his size) he projects as a solid, all-around receiver who can also be a vertical threat. As outlined in the Draft Network scouting profiles, he is best viewed as a jack of all trades type rather than fitting any particular category. The Combine testing supported that with a solid but not glorious top 25% SPARQ score and no athletic holes. Here is a Steelers-oriented, gif-supported scouting report from February. The NFL.com scouting profile ranks him as an "instant starter" with the only concerns being limited results against great athletes and great defenses (not much of a knock). He is listed as one of Jon Ledyard's Top 5 Steeler WR targets in this March article.

2:12

WR Hakeem Butler, Iowa St. 6'5⅜", 227 lbs. The best red zone target in the draft. He's almost the size of a receiving TE but has evolved into a complete-for-college outside weapon who was all but dominant against a good Washington State team in the bowl game, and has the potential to be an NFL all star. The issues? Route running, using his size to its full and appropriate extent, and avoiding the dropsies. He improved notably in all three areas over the 2018 season but work remains to be done and the early season drops were maddening. Kelvin Benjamin without the head and heart problems?' That would be a heck of a player... Lance Zierlein's NFL.com scouting profile seems to catch the essence pretty well. This goes to the Draft Network scouting profiles, and this to a January scouting profile that ends with a Round 2 grade but seems to have missed the upward curve shown at the end of the season. Call it ‘Round 2 with an upward arc.' Here is a Steelers-oriented, gif-supported scouting report from February. A marvelous Combine (top 10% SPARQ score, 4.49 dash and comparisons to Calvin Johnson) did nothing but improve his stock. He is listed as one of Jon Ledyard's Top 5 Steeler WR targets in this March article.

2:12

WR Parris Campbell, Ohio St. 5'11⅞", 205 lbs. The scouting reports conflict on who and what Parris Campbell is. Kyle Crabbs' Draft Network scouting profile describes him as a premier deep threat with astonishing athletic talents (legit 4.3 speed and superb quickness) held back by weak route running and questionable hands. This Steeler-oriented, gif-supported scouting report from Alex Kozora describes a 4.45 slot receiver with good hands and savvy route running skills held down by question marks because he rarely had to defeat press coverage. The testable win goes to... Crabbs! Parris Campbell absolutely destroyed the Combine, compiling a 99.8th percentile SPARQ score headlined by a 4.31 dash and supported with equally good explosion and agility numbers. Our summary? He is a capital letter Weapon who will tilt fields with end arounds and other gadget plays but may take a little time to build his craft as a pure WR. If he can get the craft right and develop his hands, there are no limits. Here is a January scouting profile from our sister site for the Redskins. Here is a nice background article on his family life growing up. This February Saints-oriented scouting profile considers him a Round 2 player if he really does run a 4.30 dash at the Combine. This typically excellent 11-minute video scouting report from Matt Waldman says he has some genuine, fundamentals-based steak to back up the athletic sizzle.

2:24

WR Mecole Hardman, Georgia. 5'10¼", 187 lbs. Liquid speed (he was bitterly unhappy when he ran a 4.34 at the Combine), crazy COD skills and sheer explosiveness make him a danger to score from anywhere on the field, including real productivity as a kick returner. The Combine coverage crew described him as an "ankle breaker" who, when he gets in the open field, "is like watching a bunch of rowboats trying to catch a speedboat." The athleticism is real: he even came in with a top 25% SPARQ score without doing the agility drills. All that said, he is so raw that most pundits really hoped he would return to school in order to sharpen his skills before going up against grown men who know their trade already. Here are the Draft Network scouting profiles and the NFL.com scouting profile. Steeler Nation should probably view him more as a multifaceted offensive weapon than a true WR, but with the upside to add those skills to his resume.

2:24

WR Antoine Wesley, Texas Tech. 6'4⅛", 206 lbs. A 6'5" receiver that can run any route, do it well, and snag any ball that is almost in reach? The Steelers are gonna love this one. He is all wire and bone but surprisingly shifty and willing to block in addition to using his height. Here is a good December scouting report from Brad Kelly and a gif-supported scouting report from Trevor Sikkema. This goes to a video scouting report focused on his route running skills. The NFL.com scouting profile makes a particularly interesting read with lines like these: "Historically, players with comparable height, weight and lack of speed numbers get drafted later and struggle to make a difference in the league; however, his ridiculous ball skills and functional separation in tight quarters give him a chance to buck the trend... ‘Elite ball skills' is not hyperbole."

3:12

WR Gary Jennings, W. Va. 6'1", 214 lbs. A straight up solid football player with excellent film and a surprisingly good Combine performance that put him in the top quarter of NFL receivers from a SPARQ score POV. Lance Zierlein will be just one of the many reviewers scurrying to see how those results square up with his tape review in the NFL.com scouting profile. He has shown the ability to create separation and our own Nick Farabaugh describes him as "the classic possession receiver" while this article on his excellent Senior Bowl week emphasizes "the size and speed to be an ideal vertical threat in the NFL." Hmmm.

3:12

WR Denzel Mims, Baylor. 6'3", 207 lbs. A contested catch specialist with the explosive ability to break almost any catch into a TD, held back by still-developing skills as a route runner.

3:12

WR Anthony Ratliff-Williams, North Carolina. 6'1", 205 lbs. Raw as meat that runs away when it hears you in the forest, but good luck catching this particular deer. This Draft Network scouting profile attests that he has flashed top notch traits at almost everything, but also needs to improve and be more consistent at all the same things. A fine kick returner who shows that skill after the catch as well, and also loves to block. He's an athlete rather than football player at the WR position, make no mistake about it, but he could easily grow to be a true WR1.

3:12

WR Riley Ridley, Georgia {Meeting at Combine}. 6'2", 200 lbs. Calvin Ridley's little brother is the best pure route runner and one of the most polished overall receivers in the draft. The questions go to his top end speed (4.58), acceleration, and overall athleticism (if not for his size and broad jump the athletic profile would be a disaster). In a lot of ways he projects like a poor man's James Washington: a WR2/3 and a floor at WR4. These links go to the Draft Network scouting profiles, the NFL.com scouting profile, all of which emphasize that he is much better getting open and catching the ball than gaining yards after the catch. This pre-Combine, gif-supported scouting report ends with a fringe-2nd grade. This gif-supported scouting report from December illustrates why tape alone makes Ridley look better than tape plus the draft process nitpicking. Jon Ledyard, a Steelers fan, included him as one of 5 Combine heartbreakers.

3:24

WR Miles Boykin, Notre Dame. 6'3¾", 220 lbs. Boykin almost literally flew up draft boards across the country after an astounding Combine performance that put him in the 99.9th SPARQ score percentile at the very summit of this year's class, even ahead of D.K. Metcalf and Parris Campbell. The only test he didn't excel at was the bench press! As a football player, the NFL.com scouting profile describes a prospect who possesses all the tools but hasn't learned to use his size, and has accordingly been vulnerable to all kinds of physicality from the opposing Corner. Those tend to be learnable skills, however, while height, weight and speed are not. Here is what promises to be the first of many post-Combine film studies.

3:24

WR DaMarkus Lodge, Ole Miss. 6'1⅞", 202 lbs. Maybe the single biggest loser at the Combine, Lodge was expected to show the serious, deep threat speed and corresponding athleticism he displayed in college. Instead he ran a 4.55 dash, did even worse in the agility drills, and compiled an overall SPARQ score good (bad?) for the bottom fifth of the league. The tape is still good. He has the fine body control to twist and contort for catches, and seemed to answer any questions about his hands with a fine performance during Shrine Game week. He's also been described as the best route runner of the Ole Miss trio, with a particular ability to get clean at the top of his routes. But is there an upside worth betting on in light of that testing? The Draft Network scouting profiles recognize the incredible peaks, including some circus catches, but warn of equally bad concentration drops. The NFL.com scouting profile says exactly the same things. Jon Ledyard, a Steelers fan, included him as one of 5 Combine heartbreakers. Here are a pre-Combine scouting profile from our sister site for the Giants, and a January scouting profile from our sister site for the Redskins. This goes to a gif-supported March scouting report that ends with a fringe-3rd grade.

3:24

WR Darius Slayton, Auburn. 6'1",190 lbs. A superb deep threat who has both highly explosive jets and long speed afterburners but is for now less good as a receiver than he is as a (97th percentile SPARQ score) athlete. The Draft Network scouting profiles identify concentration drops as an issue but that is fixable and the tools are there. The NFL.com scouting profile concurs: "he's more than just a field stretcher and has the traits and talent to become a WR2/3 with more work". This Steelers-oriented, gif-supported scouting report basically agrees: a one trick pony with a really good trick, who will never be more than that if he can't learn to make the difficult and often contested catches he'll need to in the NFL.

4:01

WR Lil' Jordan Humphrey, Texas. 6'4", 225 lbs. A "junkyard dog at WR" who can grab anything out of the air and would battle hell itself to do so, Humphrey has been both a red zone monster and a big play threat in college, but his lack of speed and limited route tree drop his grade from an NFL perspective. Here is a gif-supported scouting report from early March that complains about some horribly inconsistent hands. The Draft Network scouting profiles emphasize a surprisingly good RAC ability. The athletic profile is heavy on size and length but very light on anything else.

4:01

WR Jalen Hurd, Baylor. 6'4¾", 227 lbs. Stop! Read this article at NFL.com about how this all-star RB on the eve of NFL draft glory walked out of Tennessee, transferred to Baylor, and started all over again at a new position. I mean it! You can't understand this prospect without understanding the backstory. The assets are all there, and his season as a WR shows that he really can play the position. No known issues with any of the physical things like hands and ability to separate, willingness to block, or (lord knows) run after catch. He often gets compared to a bigger Cordarrelle Patterson if that will help. The "flaws" are all about that backstory and the year or two it will take for a genius athlete to fully master a new position. The NFL.com scouting profile gives a good, somewhat positive overview. Here is a New Year's scouting profile that covers the physical and technical assets and issues. But the backstory is what you need to know. This early March, gif-supported scouting report ends with a Round 5 grade based on all the rawness.

4:01

WR Terry McLaurin, Ohio St. 6'0", 205 lbs. This pre-Senior Bowl scouting reports made McLaurin sound like a decent WR3 who could legitimately hope to be a #2; relatively pro ready, Ohio-State-level as an overall athlete, and darned shifty but nothing special in any other way. Then he killed the Senior Bowl practice week and is now being compared to a young Nate Burleson (despite one diving miss that could have been a TD in the game). Here are the Draft Network scouting profiles. This good, gif-supported, Steeler-oriented scouting report identifies a legitimate flaw; he tends to be a body catcher and doesn't high point the ball well for that reason.

4:01

WR Preston Williams, Colorado St. 6'4", 210 lbs. His stock would be a bit higher if not for vague rumors about "character" issues. These seem to rise from a misdemeanor assault charge (later dropped) that nevertheless got him barred from the Combine, and whatever it was that made him decide to leave Tennessee (unknown). He also lost his 2017 season to a now-healed ACL injury. But talentwise he is up there at the top of the class with assets including the obvious height, good speed, much better agility than a man that size should have, and a genuine knack for getting open. The main flaw is trouble getting off press coverage, overall raw technique, and a need to enhance physicality. Here are the Draft Network scouting profiles. This goes to an interesting video scouting report from Matt Waldman. This is a nice summary scouting profile from when he declared for the draft.

4:16

WR Keelan Doss, U.C. Davis. 6'2⅛", 211 lbs. An intriguing small school guy who's made a name for himself by being a contested catch monster. He has lots of room to improve as a route runner but has shown a wide route tree. Had a great week and game at the Senior Bowl where his route running skill stood out.

4:16

WR Terry Godwin, Georgia. 5'11", 185 lbs. A man among boys at the Shrine Game, Godwin is one of those slippery technicians with much more athleticism than people give him credit for. His stats are less than gaudy because he was the WR3 on a team stacked with talent at the position (Riley Ridley and Mecole Hardman were the top 2), but that may say more about them than it does about him. All sources agree that he needs, first and foremost, at least a year working in an NFL weight room. His short arms and small hands bother some people too. This goes to a gif-supported, Steelers-oriented scouting report from February. Here are the Draft Network scouting profiles and the NFL.com scouting profile.

4:16

WR Stanley Morgan, Nebraska. 6'0", 202 lbs. Morgan's 88th percentile SPARQ score opened a lot of eyes to a prospect who the NFL.com scouting profile had to defend as "more than just a guy." The film showed a classic possession receiver who'd fit as a WR4/5 type. Now the world is running back to see if there's more ceiling than people thought.

4:16

WR Hunter Renfrow, Clemson. 5'10⅜", 184 lbs. Doesn't have the size, speed, or quickness you look for but he has some of the best hands in the class even if they are child sized (7⅞" across). Renfrow also knows how to run routes and read coverages as well as any college WR, he never stops competing even on blocks, and he always comes through in the clutch. This is your guy if you believe in the things that can't be measured. Here is the NFL.com scouting profile. And about those hands... Forget "sticky"; this kid has made some catches that clearly required either psychic levitation powers or magic-laced, ball repelling shoelaces. C.L.U.T.C.H.

5:01

WR Jamal Custis, Syracuse. 6'4⅛", 214 lbs. A one trick pony who is all about stretching the field with decent speed and then making the catch over everyone else with his height, hands and body control. That talent really stood out in the Shrine Game practices but his grade drops a bit nevertheless because he is quite raw and never put up a lot in the way of numbers. Here is a Draft Network scouting profile. This goes to a Steelers-oriented, gif-supported scouting report from an avowed fan who nevertheless ends with a Round 4 grade based on the need to learn his craft. The NFL.com scouting profile calls him a "mismatch jump ball artist" but worries about his play strength and inconsistency.

5:01

WR Greg Dortch, Wake Forest. 5'7⅛", 173 lbs. Another prospect with the right to argue he's the best jitterbug slot WR in the draft. He's not just lightning quick and a sharp route runner, but also physical enough to out muscle similarly sized Corners. The big worry with Dortch, like his peers, is simple durability.

5:01

WR Penny Hart, Georgia St. 5'8", 180 lbs. As near as I could tell not a single Corner managed to Penny Hart in any rep at any Senior Bowl practice. He looked like Barry Sanders toying with defensive linemen. So why isn't he any higher? Because the size differential looked a lot similar too. Bottom line: Penny Hart will make plays in the NFL (lots of plays) as both a receiver and a returner but only if (i) he has a QB accurate enough to hit his miniature catch radius, and (ii) he can survive the pounding. The first is uncommon to say the least. The second is unknown and history, with exceptions, is against him. Here is the Draft Network scouting profile. This gif-supported, Steelers-oriented scouting report from February ends with a Round 6 grade based in large part on the size limitations.

5:01

WR Andy Isabella, U. Mass. 5'8¾", 188 lbs. and correspondingly small arms, hands, etc. He might not have the size but he certainly has the shiftiness and quickness to be an ideal slot receiver. A technician at heart who gets compared to Julian Edelman but probably has better speed. Discounted because his skill set is too much like both Eli Rogers and Ryan Switzer. This goes to the Draft Network scouting profile, and this to a gif-supported article on his domination of the Senior Bowl practices. Here is a Steelers-oriented, gif-supported scouting report from early February.

5:01

WR Kelvin McKnight, Samford. 5'8", 185 lbs. One of the deadliest receivers in the class despite his lack of inches, McKnight's ability to win off press and run great routes will make him a popular target. One of the rare small guys who can play both in the slot and outside. This goes to a written interview he did with our own Nick Farabaugh.

5:01

WR Dillon Mitchell, Oregon. 6'1¼", 197 lbs. A solid all-around receiver damned by the lack of anything particularly special in his game. He is fast and explosive but not amazingly so; he's got excellent hands but not great ones; Size L but not XL; and according to the Draft Network scouting profiles he tracks the ball poorly enough to turn some easy catches into hard ones. On the plus side he's show the ability to run very sharp routes despite a limited tree, which was enough to give top CB prospect Byron Murphy fits in the Washington game. The NFL.com scouting profile likes the physical talent but slams him for a perceived lack of focus, dedication and work ethic in the weight room. Interviews will matter a lot.

5:16

WR Tyre Brady, Marshall. 6'2¼", 206 lbs. with the wingspan of a condor. Brady has all the tools you could ask for: height, weight, speed, hands, movement and body control are all better than good. His stock dips because he has putrid blocking skills, no sophistication as a route runner, faced questionable competition, will be a 25 year old rookie, and had three "team rules" suspensions back in 2015 before he left Miami. No limit to either the upside or the floor. Here is a gif-supported scouting report from February. The NFL.com scouting profile views him as a decent developmental bet who desperately needs a year or two of good coaching, and whose prospects will depend entirely on his ability to absorb it.

5:16

WR Travis Fulgham, Old Dominion. 6'2⅜", 210 lbs. with exceptional 34¾" arms. The January scouting profile describes Fulgham as a true Juju-type receiver who wins with size, strength and body control, combined with sneaky speed. The flaws are lack of anything like polish, low level competition, and enough concentration drops to be a worry despite some circus catches to show the ceiling. The special asset? He blocks like Juju too.

5:16

WR Alexander Hollins, Eastern Illinois. 6'1", 196 lbs. Height, weight and especially speed makes him tempting as a pure deep threat.

5:16

WR Keesean Johnson, Fresno St. 6'1⅛", 201 lbs. A sleeper with absolutely brilliant hands, a fairly polished skill set, and excellent size. The NFL.com scouting profile grades him quite well. Alas, all the question marks went to his native athleticism and speed, and he utterly bombed all of that at the Combine with a pitiful bottom 10% SPARQ score and a total lack of redeeming athletic qualities. Here is a November scouting profile. He and Terry Godwin were dominant at the Shrine Game.

5:16

WR Tyler Johnson, Minnesota. 6'2", 200 lbs. A sleeper, Johnson is a well-rounded receiver who's great on contested catches and a YAC monster, but inconsistencies in route running and questions about his hands could hurt his value.

6:01

WR Diontae Johnson, Toledo. 5'10", 193 lbs. A small school star who looked like someone with skills the NFL.com scouting profile likened to Manny Sanders, but all his success came against small school opponents. Tested beside the big boys the Combine, not so much. His SPARQ score came in around the bottom quarter of the league with awful agility marks in particular, an area that was supposed to be his special strength as a punt and kick returner.

6:01

WR Olabisi "Bisi" Johnson, Colorado St. 6'½", 204 lbs. Genuine NFL athleticism (top 15% SPARQ score) and, according to the NFL.com scouting profile, decent production are enough to make him a nice, solid sleeper for Day 3.

6:01

WR Jakobi Meyers, N.C. State. 6'1¾", 196 lbs. The Draft Network scouting profiles describe a converted QB who should be able to carve out a WR3/4 career but has the upside to be a bit more. He brings a versatile and useful skillset to the table that centers around being big, tough, wily and having good hands to win contested catches. He just isn't special in any key area. The NFL.com scouting profile is a bit less optimistic, ending with more of a WR4/5 grade.

6:01

WR David Sills V, W. Va. 6'3¼", 211 lbs. Sills offers nice size, good physicality, top 33% athleticism, and some signs that he understands how to run routes and how a WR fits into an overall offense. The main issue is an unfortunate and severe case of the dropsies on easy passes (his hands are actually better when he has to fight for the ball). These links go to the Draft Network scouting profiles and the NFL.com scouting profile. Here is a gif-supported scouting report from February.

6:01

WR Jaylen Smith, Louisville. 6'2¼", 219 lbs. Sometimes he looks brilliant and fluid, and then a few plays later he looks klutzy and out of sync. The NFL.com scouting profile suggests that he may have mailed it in for 2018 when the loss of Lamar Jackson truly sank in. All agree Smith can be a major weapon once he has the ball, but he will also require at least a year of work before he learns how to get open enough to earn a target (let alone a catch) a pass in the NFL. This goes to a very lukewarm January scouting profile.

6:01

WR Cody Thompson, Toledo. 6'2", 206 lbs. The sort of player who is a bit hard to judge because he seemed to suffer throughout 2018 with the lingering effects of a 2017 broken leg and the loss of his close-to-pro QB Logan Woodside (now starting in the AAF). On the plus side, this January scouting profile makes it clear that he will indeed get open even in the NFL because of excellent height, speed, body control and especially route running. The NFL.com scouting profile particularly praises his soft hands, work ethic and study habits. His top 25% SPARQ score raised a lot of eyebrows because he hasn't played up to that level, but the heavy distribution toward C.O.D. skills may explain some of that. Quicker than fast as the saying goes.

6:01

WR Alex Wesley, Northern Colorado. 5'11⅞", 190 lbs. An electric, small school player who has grown as a route runner and become one of the better deep threats in the class. The grade would be even higher if his success had come against a higher level of competition. This goes to a January interview with our sister site for the Titans. This Broncos-oriented scouting profile emphasizes his pure track speed. The athletic profile confirmed the straight line speed and explosiveness but the C.O.D. drills came back at something close to an F-.

6:16

WR Johnnie Dixon, Ohio St. 5'10⅜", 201 lbs. with short 30¼" and inconsistent hands. What he does offer is legit 4.41 speed and explosiveness to take the top off a defense. Just not much of anything else. It's a good trick but he's still a one trick pony. Here is the NFL.com scouting profile.

6:16

WR Jazz Ferguson, N.W. St. (La.). 6'4⅝ ", 227 lbs. An absolute monster of height, weight, length and speed with next to no C.O.D. skills at all. The Combine pundits describe him as a combat catch monster who actually did better against the bigger schools. The NFL.com scouting profile lists "lack of maturity and accountability" (not to mention academic problems) as the reasons why he had to leave LSU. Jazz is the younger brother of Edge Rusher Jaylon Ferguson.

7:01

WR Ashton Dulin, Malone. 6'1⅓", 215 lbs. Genuine NFL athleticism (top 20% SPARQ score) from an incredibly small and obscure school. The NFL.com scouting profile gives him a fair shot based on his athletic talents and kick return ability, but it won't be an easy row to hoe.

7:16

WR Quentez Cephus, Wisconsin. 6'1", 207 lbs. Ain't Gonna Happen due to allegations of sexual assault. Fair or not, some other team will risk it before Pittsburgh would.

9:99

WR Marquise "Hollywood" Brown, Oklahoma {Meeting at Combine}. 5'9⅜", 166 lbs. Antonio Brown's cousin might be the fastest guy in the draft, and a "true deep threat" who sets the precedent for a polished receiver in the class. Every review you see compares him to Desean Jackson, which seems eminently fair. He'd be at 1:20 or 1:25 if the relationship doesn't figure in, but it does. Drafting the young man would stick him smack dab into the middle of the highly emotional divorce with AB. The Steelers organization will not do that to the young man, and would not want to take the risk of a continued issue internally. Maybe if they disliked each other... But no, there is no evidence that that this is the case.

The opinions shared here are not those of the editorial staff of Behind the Steel Curtain or SB Nation. These posts are not approved in any way by the editorial staff of this web site.

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