Tag: wide receivers

2020 NFL Scouting Combine: List of wide receivers expected to attend

Here’s a look at the wide receiver prospects planning to attend the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis at the end of February.

The Seattle Seahawks struck gold last April when they were able to scoop up wide receiver DK Metcalf with the final pick of the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft.

Metcalf earned himself the No. 2 spot behind Tyler Lockett but Seattle will likely be looking to build support around the duo, allowing a few veteran wideouts to walk away in free agency.

Here’s a look at the receivers planning to attend this year’s NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis.

WIDE RECEIVERS
Brandon Aiyuk, WR, Arizona State
Omar Bayless, WR, Arkansas State
Lynn Bowden, WR, Kentucky
Tony Brown, WR, Colorado
Lawrence Cager, WR, Georgia
Marquez Callaway, WR, Tennessee
Quintez Cephus, WR, Wisconsin
Chase Claypool, WR, Notre Dame
Tyrie Cleveland, WR, Florida
Isaiah Coulter, WR, Rhode Island
Gabriel Davis, WR, Central Florida
Quartney Davis, WR, Texas A&M
Devin Duvernay, WR, Texas
Bryan Edwards, WR, South Carolina
Chris Finke, WR, Notre Dame
Aaron Fuller, WR, Washington
Antonio Gandy-Golden, WR, Liberty
Antonio Gibson, WR, Memphis
Stephen Guidry, WR, Mississippi State
KJ Hamler, WR, Penn State
Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson
John Hightower, WR, Boise State
K.J. Hill, WR, Ohio State
Isaiah Hodgins, WR, Oregon State
Trishton Jackson, WR, Syracuse
Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU
Van Jefferson, WR, Florida
Jauan Jennings, WR, Tennessee
Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama
Collin Johnson, WR, Texas
Juwan Johnson, WR, Oregon
yler Johnson, WR, Minnesota
CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma
Kalija Lipscomb, WR, Vanderbilt
Austin Mack, WR, Ohio State
Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor
Darnell Mooney, WR, Tulane
K.J. Osborn, WR, Miami
Aaron Parker, WR, Rhode Island
Dezmon Patmon, WR, Washington State
Donovan Peoples-Jones, WR, Michigan
Malcolm Perry, WR, Navy
Michael Pittman, WR, USC
James Proche, WR, SMU
Jalen Reagor, WR, TCU
Joe Reed, WR, Virginia
Kendrick Rogers, WR, Texas A&M
Henry Ruggs III, WR, Alabama
Laviska Shenault Jr., WR, Colorado
Darrell Stewart, WR, Michigan State
Freddie Swain, WR, Florida
Jeff Thomas, WR, Miami
Ben Victor, WR, Ohio State
Quez Watkins, WR, Southern Mississippi
Cody White, WR, Michigan State

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Falcons 2020 roster breakdown: Wide receiver and tight end

At tight end, the Falcons could also use another player to team with Austin Hooper — assuming they re-sign him that is.

The Atlanta Falcons have a talented group of wide receivers and got good production out of the position in 2019. There isn’t much missing, but finding a replacement for slot receiver Mohamed Sanu wouldn’t hurt. At tight end, the Falcons could also use another player to team with Austin Hooper — assuming they re-sign him that is.

2019 Depth Chart and Results

WR Julio Jones

99 catches for 1,394 yards and 6 touchdowns; 2 carries for a loss of 3 yards

WR Calvin Ridley

63 catches for 866 yards and 7 touchdowns; 2 carries for 34 yards

WR Mohamed Sanu

33 catches for 313 yards and 1 touchdown; 2 carries for 3 yards; 1 punt return for 2 yards

Traded to the New England Patriots at the deadline

WR Russell Gage

49 catches for 446 yards and 1 touchdown; 4 carries for 12 yards; 1 punt return for a loss of 6 yards

WR Justin Hardy

19 catches for 195 yards

WR Olamide Zaccheaus

3 catches for 115 yards and 1 touchdown

WR Christian Blake

9 catches for 91 yards

WR Brandon Powell

Zero snaps played

TE Austin Hooper

75 catches for 787 yards and 6 touchdowns

TE Luke Stocker

8 catches for 53 yards

TE Jaeden Graham

9 catches for 149 yards and 1 touchdown

TE Carson Meier

Zero snaps played

Current 2020 Contracts

WR Julio Jones

4 years at $20.13 average

WR Calvin Ridley

2 years at $3.22 million average with an option year after

WR Russell Gage

2 years at $744,049 average

WR Olamide Zaccheaus

2 years at $631,666.67 average

WR Brandon Powell

1 year at $660,000

WR Christian Blake

1 year at $585,000

WR Devin Gray

2 years at $555,000 average

TE Luke Stocker

1 year at $3.35 million

TE Jaeden Graham

1 year at $585,000

TE Carson Meier

2 years at $555,000 average

Pending Free Agents and What Happens

WR Justin Hardy

Unless he takes a minimum deal, the Falcons shouldn’t even bring Justin Hardy back to camp. He’s been very disappointing as a wide receiver and just average as a special teams player. If he comes back, he will be in a fight to keep his job. Atlanta would be smart to go after some undrafted free agents or let Christian Blake or Olamide Zaccheaus take his role in 2020.

TE Austin Hooper

Austin Hooper’s base market value is around $10 million on average per season. The Falcons need to keep their franchise quarterback’s favorite safety valve this offseason. Hooper has put in the work to get better every year and bringing him back on a 5-year, $55 million deal would be best for both sides. And it’d be what Hooper is worth.

Possible Cuts

TE Luke Stocker

Cutting Stocker would save around $2.6 million for the Falcons to spend on Austin Hooper. They should cut him and not even think twice about it. Jaeden Graham could potentially fill his role and the mid-round tight ends in this draft won’t be too costly. Bringing in another free agent to replace him would be a bit of a waste.

Free Agents To Consider

WR J.D. McKissic

While a larger target over the middle would be nice, bringing back J.D. McKissic to be a utility player in the offense and a return specialist would be wise. McKissic has shown that he can be an explosive player if given the right opportunity, so the team should look into bringing him into the fold once again. His speed alone would be another asset on the field.

WR Pharoh Cooper

Pharoh Cooper is more of a true return specialist, but he’s shown some talent in the slot. He’s got the ability to challenge Russell Gage as an outside receiver in three wide receiver sets as well. Atlanta has some talent to work with already, but Cooper is an established player in a similar mold that could potentially beat out someone like Christian Blake.

TE Greg Olsen

Even if the Falcons bring back Austin Hooper, bringing in someone like Greg Olsen to help mentor Hooper on how to take that next step while playing the No. 2 tight end role would make a ton of sense. He shouldn’t be more than $3 million, but he could fill in the role that Mohamed Sanu played for the Falcons in 2016 to mid-2019 as well.

TE Eric Ebron

Eric Ebron is an almost ideal No. 2 tight end for a Dirk Koetter offense. He might drop passes but his value in the red zone and on third downs would give Atlanta the right kind of player to attack those inside seams. Ebron is the former No. 10 pick from the 2014 NFL Draft, but he won’t get the same kind of money that most former top-10 picks make since he’s more of a specialized player now.

Best Fits in 2020 Draft

WR Donovan Peoples-Jones, Michigan

As somewhat of a poor-man’s Roddy White, Donovan Peoples-Jones had a strong college career for the Michigan Wolverines. He was a possession target over the middle of the field, but more than that, he was yet another solid red zone option for the Wolverines to use. Atlanta needs someone like him to team with the smaller receivers the team has outside of Julio Jones.

WR Antonio Gandy-Golden, Liberty

Antonio Gandy-Golden might remind some of Michael Jenkins with his build, but his route running and hands are much better. He’s not a first-round talent, but Jenkins shouldn’t really have been either. Gandy-Golden has the length that over the middle would be great for third and fourth downs and red zone situations.

TE Thaddeus Moss, Louisiana State

The son of Randy Moss flashes his dad’s receiving skills on the field at times, but Thaddeus is an all-around solid tight end. He’s the kind of player worth gambling on for the Falcons if they want a true No. 2 tight end for the 12-personnel that Dirk Koetter prefers to run. Using Moss or Hooper in the slot could be lethal for this offense.

Out-of-box move that Atlanta could consider

Letting Austin Hooper walk and trading a 2021 second-round pick for O.J. Howard of the Buccaneers 

While the idea of letting Austin Hooper walk is tough to swallow, if the Falcons decided that they could afford to let him go, trading a 2021 conditional second-round pick for Buccaneers tight end O.J. Howard would make a ton of sense. He has the talent to be a top-five tight end in the NFL. Howard just needs the right situation to take advantage of it, and that’s not in Tampa Bay.

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Notre Dame Early Enrollee Brunelle to Miss Spring Ball

due to surgery on a separated shoulder he won’t be available for spring

According to a report from Irish Sports Daily, Notre Dame freshman wide receiver Jay Brunelle will not be able to participate in upcoming spring practice.

Brunelle had enrolled at Notre Dame early but due to surgery on a separated shoulder he won’t be available for spring.

Brunelle, one of three wide receivers to sign with Notre Dame and Brian Kelly this signing period, was graded by Rivals as a three-star signing out of Saint Johns in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts.

Brunelle won the heart of some Notre Dame fans last summer as you may remember, he committed to the Fighting Irish just days after visiting the University of Michigan.

4 WR options for the Falcons in 2020 NFL Draft

For those of you not interested in the second rendition of Vince McMahon’s XFL, we’ve started previewing different positional options the Atlanta Falcons could consider in the 2020 NFL Draft.

As we move past the excitement of Super Bowl 54, yet are still a few weeks away from the start of the new league year, things have become eerily quiet.

For those of you not interested in the second rendition of Vince McMahon’s XFL, we’ve been previewing different positional options the Atlanta Falcons could consider in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Having already gone through running back, tight end, defensive end, defensive tackle, cornerback and guard, today we’ll look at four wide receivers that would make sense for the Falcons in the middle-to-late rounds of April’s draft.

Van Jefferson — Florida

Nov 24, 2018; Tallahassee, FL, USA; Florida Gators wide receiver Van Jefferson (12) – Melina Myers-USA TODAY Sports

2019 Stats: 49 catches, 657 yards, 6 TDs, 13.4 yards per catch

Projection: Rounds 3-5

Analysis: Van Jefferson would be the perfect addition to a Falcons team looking to add depth at receiver and an immediate contributor on special teams. Jefferson checks most of the boxes in terms of his hands, route running and speed. He played for a good Florida program, and while he doesn’t have No. 1 WR potential, he brings enough to warrant consideration in the fourth or fifth round if he’s still there.

Jefferson, the Mississippi transfer, had his best season with the Gators in 2019. He finished with 49 catches, 657 receiving yards and six touchdowns. Watch Jefferson (No. 12) going up against LSU below:

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Who will lead the Alabama wide receiver group in 2020?

The 2019 Alabama Crimson Tide will go down in history as being one of the most offensively talented teams in Alabama football history. The wide receiving corps, also referred to as the “Rydeout Boyz,” consisted of Biletnikoff winner Jerry Jeudy, …

The 2019 Alabama Crimson Tide will go down in history as being one of the most offensively talented teams in Alabama football history.

The wide receiving corps, also referred to as the “Rydeout Boyz,” consisted of Biletnikoff winner Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs, Devonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle.

Jeudy headlined the group, while Ruggs quietly flashed his speed. Smith and Waddle were both big impact players, but didn’t necessarily receive the same amount of hype as the others.

With Jeudy and Smith both foregoing their senior seasons and declaring for the 2020 NFL Draft, there is a need for a new leader to step up and take charge of the group.

This unofficial position is going to carry a lot of weight moving into the 2020 college football season.

In years prior, they had some sort of comfort knowing Tua Tagovailoa would most likely be the one sending the ball their way. However, now that he has also departed from the university to pursue an NFL career, this leader must set the tone for the wide receiver corps as a quarterback battle ensues.

Smith, the rising senior, put up some very impressive numbers on the board in 2019 – so good, that many believed he might have declared for the NFL draft.

In the 2019 season, Smith accumulated 1,256 yards off of 68 catches for 14 touchdowns. However, it was difficult to generate exposure on a national scale when Jeudy and Smith are also making headline-worthy plays.

Waddle has always been seen as the young one – Jeudy, Ruggs and Smith were all members of the 2017 recruiting class. Now, a junior, he will be one of the oldest members of the receiving corps.

The stats Waddle put up in 2019 weren’t the most attractive, but with three fellow receivers ahead of him eligible for the draft, we shouldn’t have expected a career season.

Waddle managed 560 yards off of 33 catches for six touchdowns. Nothing crazy, but still solid.

The real question is: who will be the leader this upcoming season?

With the impending quarterback battle, it has to be a player that is able to adapt easily. With a majority of the receivers being underclassmen, it has to be a player that can relate with them.

The player that ought to lead the Alabama receiving corps in 2020 is Jaylen Waddle.

He may not have the most flashy numbers at the end of the season, and he may not be the name at the top of the box score at the end of the game, but he embodies everything this leader needs in order to keep this positional group elite.

The junior wide receiver from Texas has proven he has the ability to adapt, as  he is a multi-positional player – slot receiver and return specialist.

He is also used to being one of the youngest, this will help him guide the underclassmen through their first or second seasons.

All of this will also contribute to his potential draft grade. As a junior Waddle is now eligible for the NFL draft.

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Georgia football: Kirby Smart excited about loaded group of WR signees

Georgia football HC Kirby Smart talked about UGA’s loaded group of incoming wide receivers.

After Georgia football landed college football’s No. 1 ranked recruiting class, head coach Kirby Smart spoke with the media about why he recruited each position group the way that he did.

A big reason why Georgia was able to secure the No. 1 class was in part thanks to the signing of five wide receivers, four of them being 4-stars.

We all saw the step back that Georgia football suffered this past season on offense without Mecole Hardman, Terry Godwin, JJ Holloman, Riley Ridley and Isaac Nauta.

Next season Georgia will be without one of its best receivers Lawrence Cager, who shined in 2019 as a grad transfer from Miami before suffering a season ending injury.

Luckily for the Bulldogs, though, Georgia football is in good shape with the return of two five-stars George Pickens and Dominick Blaylock, who are both sure to have big sophomore seasons.

Once Cager was done for the year, it was pretty much Pickens and everyone else. Blaylock did a fine job but did not see enough action.

But there was just no help for Pickens or Blaylock and Smart acknowledged the lack of skill at receiver throughout the 2019 season.

On Wednesday, Smart spoke about the importance of Georgia football landing such a talented class of wide receivers this recruiting cycle.

“Wide receiver was an area that we had to address and I’m excited about the wide receivers that we have as additions to this signing class and those guys are expected to help us. With Justin (Robinson) being here now and going through a couple of bowl practices with us, it’s been a big addition to get those guys.”

Robinson was the only one of the five to enroll early in Athens.

NFL Honors: Complete list of awards winners following 2019 season

A look at the complete list of NFL Honors awards winners following the 2019 season.

The night before the Super Bowl, the league announced the biggest awards of the year during the annual NFL Honors show.

Ravens’ quarterback Lamar Jackson walked away with the coveted Most Valuable Player award by unanimous decision.

While Russell Wilson didn’t receive a single vote for the honor, Seattle’s wide receivers did get the nod for the Bud Light Celly of the Year for their “Bye Bye Bye” celebration dance.

Here’s a complete list of this year’s NFL Honors winners:

Pepsi Rookie of the Year: San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa

FedEx Air and Ground Players of the Year: Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (Air), Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry (Ground)

AP Defensive Player of the Year: New England Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore

Salute To Service Award Presented by USAA: Former Chargers linebacker Donnie Edwards

AP Offensive Rookie of the Year: Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray

AP Offensive Player of the Year: New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas

Anything But Ordinary Player of the Year presented by Microsoft Surface: Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald

AP Defensive Rookie of the Year: San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa

Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2020: Safety Steve Atwater, wide receiver Isaac Bruce, guard Steve Hutchinson, running back Edgerrin James and safety Troy Polamalu

Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award: Washington Redskins running back Adrian Peterson

AP Comeback Player of the Year: Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill

AP Assistant Coach of the Year: Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman

Bridgestone Clutch Performance Play of the Year: Miami Dolphins’ “Mountaineer Shot”

Deacon Jones Award: Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive end Shaquil Barrett

Bud Light Celly of the Year:  Seattle Seahawks wide receiving corps for NSYNC “Bye Bye Bye” celebration dance

Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year Award: Matt Land, Dalton High School

Courtyard Unstoppable Performance of the Year: Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes vs. Raiders Week 2

AP Coach of the Year: Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh

Daily Fantasy Player of the Year presented by Draft Kings: Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey

AP Most Valuable Player: Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson

Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year presented by Nationwide: Jacksonville Jaguars defensive lineman Calais Campbell

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Notre Dame All Decade Team – Wide Receivers

That the win propelled the Irish to the College Football Playoff was just an added bonus.

We continue our Notre Dame All-Decade team series with a group chock full of high performers during the Brian Kelly era: the wide receivers.  From a few Charlie Weis recruits that helped make a massive impact early on and plenty of middle round draft picks throughout the past ten years.  Let’s start with the close calls that just didn’t quite make it before getting to the reserves:

Missed the Cut

Equanimeous St. Brown, Davaris Daniels, Chris Brown

Backups

Miles Boykin (2016-2018)

Best Season: (2018) 59 catches, 872 yards, 8 touchdowns

Career: 77 catches, 1,206 yards, 11 touchdowns

Boykin didn’t put up the same career numbers of others on this list,  but from the time he introduced himself to the college football world with his miraculous go-ahead touchdown against LSU in the Citrus Bowl to the close of his career in the College Football Playoff, Boykin was a problem for opposing defenses.

His ability to high point the ball and snatch the ball away from defenders made him a valuable weapon in the red zone. He also came through in big moments in 2018, especially in the second half of games where the outcome hadn’t been decided. In a mid-season, five-game stretch that saw the Irish move their record to 9-0, Boykin delivered seven touchdowns in the second half of those contests (at least one in each) helping Notre Dame pull away or take the lead.

Chris Finke (2016-2019)

Best Season: (2018) 49 catches, 571 yards, 2 touchdowns

Career: 106 catches, 1,251 yards, 8 touchdowns

Finke’s story of a walk-on becoming a starter is a great one. But he wasn’t just a novelty. Although he didn’t contribute much during his first two seasons, Finke fit his role as slot receiver perfectly for his final two seasons. The rapport he developed with quarterback Ian Book meant that in tight situations, even on an offense with top producers like Miles Boykin and Chase Claypool, he was looking Finke’s way.

That he reserved the top two most important catches of his career for games against Michigan and USC, facing off against two hated rivals chock full of blue chip recruits, will forever bring a smile to my face. His “Moss-ing” of Michigan defensive back Matt Mitchell was as surprising as it was spectacular and it helped propel Notre Dame to a season-opening victory. Then he capped the season with his 24-yard go-ahead touchdown catch to invigorate a struggling Notre Dame offense. That the win propelled the Irish to the College Football Playoff was just an added bonus. His early struggles in 2019 were noticeable, but he finished off his career with at least five catches in four of the last five Notre Dame games – all wins.

T.J. Jones (2010-2013)

Best Season: (2013) 70 catches, 1,108 yards, 9 touchdowns

Career: 181 catches, 2,429 yards, 19 touchdowns

To call someone solid isn’t exactly a ringing endorsement. To say someone’s development remained steady throughout their entire career isn’t exciting.  But for as unremarkable a career TJ Jones seemed to have relative to the high points or career numbers of other Irish receivers, Jones was an underappreciated player for the Irish. I have heard him described as a slower Will Fuller with better hands and that makes a lot of sense.

Jones currently sits second in Notre Dame history in catches while he’s seventh in receiving yards and touchdowns. When the Irish offense centered around Theo Riddick and Tyler Eifert during the 2012 season, Jones was a reliable third option. And when both Riddick and Eifert left before the next season, Jones was there to pick up the slack catching 70 balls and going over 1,000 yards.

Next Up – The Starters:

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Senior Bowl Week Helped Two Texas Receivers

The whole experience of the Senior Bowl week helped the duo of Collin Johnson and Devin Duvernay as they prepare for the pre draft process.

With the Senior Bowl now firmly in the rearview mirror, the Texas Longhorns duo at wide receiver now shift focus of the pre-draft workouts. Collin Johnson and Devin Duvernay had their fair share of flashes during the week-long process that could ultimately help both move up on draft boards. For The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, it did indeed do that.

For players that participated in the Senior Bowl, it could very well improve their draft stock. A couple spot in rankings means a difference in money for prospects. With the NFL’s rookie wage scale, the slot they are selected could mean quite a bit in terms of what they could earn on their rookie deal.

The exposure is probably the best opportunity for these prospects outside of what they will receive with the exception of the NFL Combine in Indianapolis and their Pro Day workouts. Players will also get opportunities when teams start putting together their individual meetings.

NFL teams are allotted 30 national visits as part of the draft process. There will also be local visits as well as an indication of which prospects are on the radar for NFL teams. The Dallas Cowboys will host “Dallas Days” for players who played in high school or collegiately in the Dallas Metro area.

 

 

Former Texas WR’s Johnson, Duvernay highlights from Senior Bowl

Former Texas receivers Collin Johnson and Devin Duvernay continued to shine throughout the 202 Reese’s Senior Bowl

Former Texas wide receivers Collin Johnson and Devin Duvernay have undoubtedly improved their draft stock at the 2020 Reese’s Senior Bowl.

The impressive duo has taken complete advantage of their opportunity shine in front of NFL scouts and executives this week, arguably the two best receivers on the South roster.

Many scouts claim that these particular practices are oftentimes more important than the actual game, but Johnson and Duvernay performed consistently in each.

Take a look at a few of Johnson and Duvernay’s highlights from the official Senior Bowl below.