2021 Prospect Watch: Wide Receiver Edition

Prospect Watch is back this week, and we are diving into one of the deepest positions in the draft, so strap in and grab some leftover turkey and let’s talk wide receivers.

The 2021 class has talent at every position. Players that warrant discussion and debate, but where the other positions have great top-end talent, the Wide Receivers where the depth of this draft lies. The 2021 Wide Receiver class has a couple of special players at the top but, after those players are off draft boards, there is what looks to be a slew of consistent WR2’s for the taking. 

The Opt-Outs and The Injured

Ja’Marr Chase (LSU)

One of the most productive and talked about players in college football last year and the Biletnikoff Award winner in only his sophomore season, what more is there to say about Ja’Marr Chase. He set records in the SEC, and I’ll say that again, THE SEC, for yardage and touchdowns at the age of 19. He has shown impressive vision with the ball in his hands and can handle contact at the catch point. We were robbed of his junior season due to Covid-19 but, I would not be surprised if he returns to form as early as his rookie season.

Jaylen Waddle (Alabama)

One of the most exciting Wide Receiver prospects in this class, Jaylen Waddle, had his 2020 season cut short due to a fractured ankle. He is more than likely done playing football on Saturdays. But Dynasty managers need to remember what made them fall in love with Waddle in the first place. At 5’10 and 183 lbs, he is not the biggest player on this list by a long shot, but what he lacks in height, Waddle makes up for in speed and yards after-the-catch ability. I am typically wary of drafting the small burner build at the position. Still, Waddle brings with him elite ball tracking ability and has proven it at the highest level of college football. Even behind Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs, and DeVonta Smith, he has been able to make a name for himself. In 2020, Waddle produced at a staggering clip, bringing down 25 receptions for 557 yards and 4 touchdowns, averaging an insane 22.3 yards per reception. Don’t sleep on him in your dynasty drafts in 2021.

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Justyn Ross (Clemson)

There is a chance Justyn Ross doesn’t come out this year due to his spinal injury. If he does, he will come at an enormous discount. Ross was ranked as my number two Wide Receiver prospect in this class before learning of his congenital fusion condition of his neck and spine. I know that sounds bad, and in reality, it is, but Ross seems to be ahead of schedule with his recovery, and there are talks of him being ready by the spring. If Ross enters the draft, he may be a guy you are waiting on for an extra season, but his ceiling is among the highest in the draft. In his first two seasons at Clemson, he not only helped them to win a national championship, but he accumulated 112 receptions for 1,865 yards and 17 touchdowns. At 6’4 and 205 lbs., he is a prototypical X receiver in the NFL who has shown the ability to win at every level of the field.

Rondale Moore

Rondale Moore recently returned to the field after initially opting out of the season and getting injured early on. Now, with two games under his belt in the 2020 season, we are reminded of the talent that has him ranked near the top of this entire class. Moore has a small build at 5’9 and 180 lbs., but during his freshman season, he dominated with over 100 receptions and 12 touchdowns. He thrives at route running and top-end speed. Where I worry about Moore is his hands and his ability to stay on the field. He isn’t as fluid as a pass-catcher as his reception totals would lead you to believe. He also was able to play only 4 games due to a hamstring injury in 2019 and missed time in 2020 with a lower-body injury as well. Although the hype is high on Moore, I am making my boldest call of the entire draft class and predicting a boom/ bust type player in the NFL, with the latter being the result more often than not. He is a player that I more than likely will not be acquiring at this 2021 draft price.

Best of The Rest

If my Moore take didn’t make you rage quit reading my article, then let’s talk about the exciting players who HAVE gotten on the field in 2020.

DeVonta Smith (Alabama)

Another guy on the list who has a small frame. DeVonta Smith stands alone as the only guy on this list who doesn’t even clock in at 180 lbs. That is a concern. And While his play strength is something he needs to work on, that is the end of the weaknesses for DeVonta Smith. He has been electric for Alabama this season. In the 8 games they have played, he has piled up 72 receptions for 1,074 yards and 12 touchdowns. Yes, you read that right 12! If you are reading this as a fuming Rondale Moore believer, you probably don’t see why I like Smith so much but am not as high on Moore. The answer is that he has soft hands and an excellent release that makes him a dangerous weapon when combined with his burner speed. In the NFL, we have seen elite college players fail because they don’t have the hands to cut it at the next level. I believe that Smith does and will be a difference-maker on Sundays.

Rashod Bateman (Minnesota)

Bateman is one of the guys on the list that has not impressed me this season. That being said, I still believe in his talent. He is one of the better players on this list when it comes to contested catch ability. He has no fear of going up and getting the ball. His route running is smooth, and his best quality is his ability to run after the catch. In 2019 he eclipsed 1200 yards and 11 touchdowns. Bateman could end up being one of the guys on this list whose early career production could be largely dependent on the team that drafts him.

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Amon-Ra St.Brown (USC) 

Finally, we have to talk about one of my favorite guys on this list, and no, it’s not just because of his name. Amon-Ra St. Brown is an exciting player who is a bit under the radar as things currently stand. He profiles as a slot receiver in the NFL but has shown flashes of being able to handle playing on the outside as well. He had a 1,000-yard season in 2019, and this season has 19 receptions for 266 yards in only 3 games. St. Brown has great burst and does a phenomenal job of creating separation. I don’t see too many weaknesses in his game. He could afford to put on some weight to help him fend off NFL defenders, but Amon-Ra is my sleeper of this Wide Receiver class. I see a combination of Keenan Allen and Juju Smith- Schuster in his game. Depending on what he does in the combine, this could be a name that moves up draft boards quickly this offseason.

Names to Remember:

Terrace Marshall Jr. (LSU)

Chris Olave (Ohio St.)

Cornell Powell (Clemson)

Ty Fryfogle (Indiana)

Dyami Brown (UNC)

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