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The wide receiver position is the deepest I have seen in years. The Steelers are in need of replacing JuJu Smith-Schuster, James Washington, and perhaps even Ray-Ray McCloud. All three receivers are set to become free agents this month, so getting at least one receiver by way of re-signing, free agency, or the NFL Draft is a must. How high of a priority the wide receiver position is on the Steelers board will depend on how they feel about Diontae Johnson‘s progression and how far Chase Claypool has regressed.
I will give you a name in each round of the upcoming NFL Draft in April the Steelers should have interest in below:
Drake London in my opinion is the best college wide receiver in this draft. His body control is absolutely amazing, he is a natural hand-catcher and regularly high points the ball. He is terrific after the catch fighting for extra yards, he has shown nuances in his route running to create separation, and he plays the position like a power forward in basketball always getting position to make a play on the ball. The only real negative I can think of is he sometimes gets lazy with his route running instead just relying on his size and strength to just out man his defender for the ball. He will need to stay disciplined in the NFL when he is facing better defensive backs each week. I think London has a very high ceiling but what I really like is his floor is high as his size. Hands and body control will translate very well in the NFL. He should immediately be an outside receiver.
High End: AJ Green
Low End: Mike Williams
Highlights
George Pickens could definitely rise this offseason with some good workouts and proving his health is not a concern. But as this draft is ridiculously deep at receiver, I keep him in the second round. Pickens was a 5-star recruit coming out of Alabama and he immediately paid dividends for the Georgia Bulldogs catching 49 balls for 727 yards and 8 scores. His sophomore campaign was hindered by the pandemic and injury. Pickens managed similar per game numbers only playing in 8 contests having 36 grabs with 513 yards and 6 scores. In his final season with Georgia, Pickens was able to recover from his ACL injury and get back on the field. Though limited, he did have a 52-yard catch vs Alabama to help secure the Bulldogs National Championship. Pickens has above average speed, body control and hands. He does a nice job with yards after the catch and is your more typical X receiver using his speed to get position on the defensive back. Pickens regularly utilizes his ability to stop and long arms to snag back shoulder passes.
High End: Julio Jones
Low End: Robert Meachum
Highlights
Wan’Dale Robinson is a playmaker for the Kentucky Wildcats. After beginning his career at Nebraska, Robinson transferred after two marginal seasons but quickly showed why he was a former 4-star recruit. Robinson is dangerous with the ball in his hands and his quick twitch athleticism is undeniable when you put on the tape. He has loose hips and uses his change of direction skills to get open or to make people miss. He has better than average hands and regularly makes catches in traffic. He adjusts well to the football in the air and regularly makes his QB look good by getting into position to make the catch. The only negative I really have is his speed is average at best. Should be a good slot receiver.
High End: Randall Cobb
Low End: Peter Warrick
Highlights
Tre Turner is higher on my board than most so I’ll put him here as a steal. I doubt he’s a riser as I feel his athleticism isn’t going to blow him up draft boards. I feel he is a solid 4.5 40-yard dash guy with probably a better than average vertical, but everything else is somewhere in the middle.
What I like about Turner is he’s a good route runner even with the limited need in Virginia Tech’s space concept passing game. Turner regularly sets up his man to create separation pushing up field on go routes. He also does a wonderful job tracking the ball in the air to put himself in position for the catch. He is a natural hands catcher and does an excellent job in traffic or climbing the ladder to high point the ball. You can see he has basketball experience the way he positions himself when the ball is in the air to shield it from the defender and allow only him the opportunity to catch it. He does a lot of sweep runs and is effective following his blockers and fighting for extra yards. He also does a nice job after the catch making guys miss and getting yards after the catch. He has enough speed, but he’s not a burner by any means. He will need to run crisp routes to create separation in the NFL. He is a good perimeter run blocker and does a nice job keeping his man at bay and allowing the back to turn the corner. He also for some reason has a bad habit of jumping when catching the ball on throws that do not need to be jumped for. He has left some yards on the field wasting motion and time doing that.
High End: Hines Ward
Low End: Isaiah Ford
Highlights
Now again I have Romeo Doubs much higher on my board, but looking at the consensus he could easily slip down boards, especially considering how deep of a receiver draft class this is. Doubs is a bigger receiver who relies on his size and his long speed. He might not have a great 40-yard dash time, but don’t let that fool you. Once he gets moving those long legs, he isn’t easy to catch. He has big hands and is good about high pointing the ball. He has a big frame that he uses to fend of defenders for 50/50 balls where he usually comes out ahead on. His route tree could use some work as he really relies a lot on speed and having a QB he’s on the same page with. Might need to work on the nuances of getting separation in the NFL.
High End: Dez Bryant
Low End: Limas Sweed
Highlights
Josh Johnson from Tulsa really came on strong his final season. He had 82 catches for 1,087 yards and 6 scores. This includes an 8 catch 149 yards and 1 TD game against Ohio State, a 9 catch 159 yards and 1 TD game against Temple, and 6 grabs for 117 yards and 1 TD against SMU.
Johnson does his best work out of the slot and against zone doing a phenomenal job finding space and giving his QB a nice target to work with. He does a nice job wasting no time and working up the field after a catch getting extra yards. He also primarily uses his hands to catch though I did see a few instances where he let the ball get to his body. Johnson has improved the nuances of route running over the years, but there’s more work to be done. He needs to sell his fakes harder and be more deceptive in his routes, but that is something that can be learned.
High End: Antonio Brown
Low End: Eli Rogers
Highlights
Danny Gray was a top JUCO transfer and ended up going to the Mustangs spread offense to showcase his speed and pass catching prowess. SMU had a trio of good receivers with other draft eligible receiver Reggie Roberson Jr. and Junior pass-catcher Rashee Rice all contributing in the passing game. Roberson and Rice were more of your move the chains possession receivers, while Gray was your big play weapon averaging over 16 yards a reception. Gray was not tasked with needing to know a variety of routes or techniques as he primarily was the take the top off the defense receiver, and opened up the passing game underneath. He did do a nice job breaking in and out of his routes to set up his man for the deep ball and did a nice job adjusting to the ball when in the air. He also is a natural hands-catcher and usually catches the ball away from his body.
He though has had moments where his lack of concentration or peaks his eyes upfield before securing the ball — something he will need to improve on in the NFL. He also does not have experience in returning the football which will not help his draft status. I am not sure he is ready to run a go route vs an NFL defense and he might need to season on the practice squad until he is more of a complete receiver.
High End: Mike Wallace
Low End: Roscoe Parrish
Highlights
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I will give you a name in each round of the upcoming NFL Draft in April the Steelers should have interest in below:
Round One
Drake London in my opinion is the best college wide receiver in this draft. His body control is absolutely amazing, he is a natural hand-catcher and regularly high points the ball. He is terrific after the catch fighting for extra yards, he has shown nuances in his route running to create separation, and he plays the position like a power forward in basketball always getting position to make a play on the ball. The only real negative I can think of is he sometimes gets lazy with his route running instead just relying on his size and strength to just out man his defender for the ball. He will need to stay disciplined in the NFL when he is facing better defensive backs each week. I think London has a very high ceiling but what I really like is his floor is high as his size. Hands and body control will translate very well in the NFL. He should immediately be an outside receiver.
High End: AJ Green
Low End: Mike Williams
Highlights
Round Two
George Pickens could definitely rise this offseason with some good workouts and proving his health is not a concern. But as this draft is ridiculously deep at receiver, I keep him in the second round. Pickens was a 5-star recruit coming out of Alabama and he immediately paid dividends for the Georgia Bulldogs catching 49 balls for 727 yards and 8 scores. His sophomore campaign was hindered by the pandemic and injury. Pickens managed similar per game numbers only playing in 8 contests having 36 grabs with 513 yards and 6 scores. In his final season with Georgia, Pickens was able to recover from his ACL injury and get back on the field. Though limited, he did have a 52-yard catch vs Alabama to help secure the Bulldogs National Championship. Pickens has above average speed, body control and hands. He does a nice job with yards after the catch and is your more typical X receiver using his speed to get position on the defensive back. Pickens regularly utilizes his ability to stop and long arms to snag back shoulder passes.
High End: Julio Jones
Low End: Robert Meachum
Highlights
Round Three
Wan’Dale Robinson is a playmaker for the Kentucky Wildcats. After beginning his career at Nebraska, Robinson transferred after two marginal seasons but quickly showed why he was a former 4-star recruit. Robinson is dangerous with the ball in his hands and his quick twitch athleticism is undeniable when you put on the tape. He has loose hips and uses his change of direction skills to get open or to make people miss. He has better than average hands and regularly makes catches in traffic. He adjusts well to the football in the air and regularly makes his QB look good by getting into position to make the catch. The only negative I really have is his speed is average at best. Should be a good slot receiver.
High End: Randall Cobb
Low End: Peter Warrick
Highlights
Round Four
Tre Turner is higher on my board than most so I’ll put him here as a steal. I doubt he’s a riser as I feel his athleticism isn’t going to blow him up draft boards. I feel he is a solid 4.5 40-yard dash guy with probably a better than average vertical, but everything else is somewhere in the middle.
What I like about Turner is he’s a good route runner even with the limited need in Virginia Tech’s space concept passing game. Turner regularly sets up his man to create separation pushing up field on go routes. He also does a wonderful job tracking the ball in the air to put himself in position for the catch. He is a natural hands catcher and does an excellent job in traffic or climbing the ladder to high point the ball. You can see he has basketball experience the way he positions himself when the ball is in the air to shield it from the defender and allow only him the opportunity to catch it. He does a lot of sweep runs and is effective following his blockers and fighting for extra yards. He also does a nice job after the catch making guys miss and getting yards after the catch. He has enough speed, but he’s not a burner by any means. He will need to run crisp routes to create separation in the NFL. He is a good perimeter run blocker and does a nice job keeping his man at bay and allowing the back to turn the corner. He also for some reason has a bad habit of jumping when catching the ball on throws that do not need to be jumped for. He has left some yards on the field wasting motion and time doing that.
High End: Hines Ward
Low End: Isaiah Ford
Highlights
Round Five
Now again I have Romeo Doubs much higher on my board, but looking at the consensus he could easily slip down boards, especially considering how deep of a receiver draft class this is. Doubs is a bigger receiver who relies on his size and his long speed. He might not have a great 40-yard dash time, but don’t let that fool you. Once he gets moving those long legs, he isn’t easy to catch. He has big hands and is good about high pointing the ball. He has a big frame that he uses to fend of defenders for 50/50 balls where he usually comes out ahead on. His route tree could use some work as he really relies a lot on speed and having a QB he’s on the same page with. Might need to work on the nuances of getting separation in the NFL.
High End: Dez Bryant
Low End: Limas Sweed
Highlights
Round Six
Josh Johnson from Tulsa really came on strong his final season. He had 82 catches for 1,087 yards and 6 scores. This includes an 8 catch 149 yards and 1 TD game against Ohio State, a 9 catch 159 yards and 1 TD game against Temple, and 6 grabs for 117 yards and 1 TD against SMU.
Johnson does his best work out of the slot and against zone doing a phenomenal job finding space and giving his QB a nice target to work with. He does a nice job wasting no time and working up the field after a catch getting extra yards. He also primarily uses his hands to catch though I did see a few instances where he let the ball get to his body. Johnson has improved the nuances of route running over the years, but there’s more work to be done. He needs to sell his fakes harder and be more deceptive in his routes, but that is something that can be learned.
High End: Antonio Brown
Low End: Eli Rogers
Highlights
Round Seven
Danny Gray was a top JUCO transfer and ended up going to the Mustangs spread offense to showcase his speed and pass catching prowess. SMU had a trio of good receivers with other draft eligible receiver Reggie Roberson Jr. and Junior pass-catcher Rashee Rice all contributing in the passing game. Roberson and Rice were more of your move the chains possession receivers, while Gray was your big play weapon averaging over 16 yards a reception. Gray was not tasked with needing to know a variety of routes or techniques as he primarily was the take the top off the defense receiver, and opened up the passing game underneath. He did do a nice job breaking in and out of his routes to set up his man for the deep ball and did a nice job adjusting to the ball when in the air. He also is a natural hands-catcher and usually catches the ball away from his body.
He though has had moments where his lack of concentration or peaks his eyes upfield before securing the ball — something he will need to improve on in the NFL. He also does not have experience in returning the football which will not help his draft status. I am not sure he is ready to run a go route vs an NFL defense and he might need to season on the practice squad until he is more of a complete receiver.
High End: Mike Wallace
Low End: Roscoe Parrish
Highlights
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