1. jaxon smith-njigba • ohio state

#10 overall // style comparison: julian edelman

Grade: 9

RAS: 8.31

Strengths: ✈️ 🍌 🛸 🤸‍♀️ 🧤 🤹‍♀️ 🕹️

His short area quickness is, objectively, insane. JSN can find his way open in a variety of situations, and while he’s spent the majority of his time in the slot in college, I remain unconvinced that he’s absolutely limited to an interior role throughout his career. He’s got more size (6-1 196 isn’t tiny) than you’d think based on his detractors, and while he’ll have to get stronger and more nuanced at beating press if he’s on the line as an X, his agility and savvy make it a smart bet that he’s fully capable. In the meantime, or even into perpetuity, what’s wrong with adding an uncoverable slot who shined even while playing alongside two first-rounders who lit the NFL on fire as rookies? He beats zone with ease, high points the ball, has strong hands to win contested catches, and is a separation glutton.

Strengths: 🏎 🍌 🛸 🤸 🧤 🕹

2. zay flowers • boston college

#28 overall // style comparison: brandin cooks

Grade: 7.5

RAS: 8.28

Strengths: ✈️ 🏎️ 🍌 🛸 🤸‍♀️ 🕹️

Ooooh boy. This guy is an animal. If the nickname hadn’t already been taken, I’d call him the honey badger, so we’re going to go with tasmanian devil. He plays fast, intense, and sharp. No wasted motion. Excellent at creating separation. Top-level burst and explosiveness, and is the epitome of dynamic with the ball in his hands. He’s short, that’s about it. You’re gonna have a less-than-ideal catching radius, but he moves so damn well it’s hard to really believe that’ll hurt him. There’s always a concern that he can’t operate as well on the line against bigger physical corners, but if I had to bet, I’d put my money on Flowers, who despite his small stature, has a sturdy build and never loses acceleration.

3. josh downs • unc

#31 overall // style comparison: tyler lockett

Grade: 7.5

RAS: 8.24

Strengths: ✈️ 🏎️ 🍌 🛸 🤸‍♀️ 🕹️

There’s not much separating Downs and Flowers. They both play much bigger than they’re listed, but Downs has the edge on contested catches, which is a nice differentiator if you’re not a 6-3 bully. Of course, that doesn’t mean he gives up any dynamism. He’s a savvy route runner who knows how to work against zone coverage and settles into soft spots without running himself out of contention. Tough guy, just like Flowers, but there are times where his routes are more rounded off and less precise. And, again like Flowers, he can get beat up by press coverage, so he’s limited to the slot potentially, which doesn’t mean he can’t be productive, it’s just that he’s going to be limited. Big play guy though who is as fearless as it gets going over the middle or extending for a ball in traffic.

4. jordan addison • usc

#35 overall // style comparison: keenan allen

Grade: 7

RAS: 5.79

Strengths: ✈️ 🍌 🛸 🤸‍♀️ 🧤 🤹‍♀️

Incredible route runner. That’s often code for “slow” but Addison has plenty of juice to keep his biggest strength viable at the next level. There’s a reason he had so many 20-yard receptions in college. Innate understanding of all routes, how to set them up and sell them without losing any sharpness or urgency in his cuts, and does not decelerate before changing direction. He’s small and slim, but again where he wins won’t be hampered by weaknesses he’s been overcoming his whole career. There’s no area of the field he can’t attack, as indicated by his insane college production, and his lack of contested catch success is mitigated by the fact that he’s so damn good at running routes most of his catches are made with no one nearby to contest.

5. jalin hyatt • tennessee

#40 overall // style comparison: gabriel davis

Grade: 7

RAS: 9.47

Strengths: 🏎️ 🍌 🤸‍♀️ 🧤 🤹‍♀️

So let’s just assume for a second that Hyatt is limited in his route tree? If he’s a one-trick pony, it’s a pretty damn good trick. The draft isn’t just about what a guy has done, it’s about projecting what he can do, too. As for what we know, Hyatt can get vertical in a hurry, showed the ability to beat press (though not always), and can fly. He’s going to need to learn the nuance of additional routes if he wants to round out his game, and he isn’t an overly strong guy so work there can help him beat press more consistently and add an outside element to his game consistently. But if you’re looking for a guy who can take the top off a defense, this is your guy. Natural ball-tracker with insane production. Who cares if he catches just three balls a game if two of them are scores.

6. quentin johnston • tcu

#44 overall // style comparison: deebo samuel

Grade: 7

RAS: INC

Strengths: 🏎️ 🍌 🛸 🤸‍♀️ 🕹️

There is a lot of projection involved when it comes to QJ. More than a lot of people are willing to admit. He’s so fiercely defended on Twitter (not real life), I don’t get it. But, I will concede that the size, raw athleticism, speed, and run after catch ability is there in spades. He has some decent variety and nuance in his release, and if he gets off the line cleanly, he’s gone. If he catches the ball, he’s gone. Those are two MAJOR ifs, though. He didn’t perform either of those base tasks consistently. Georgia dominated him with a straight-line corner who got in his face and got his hands on him, and there are more instances of him dropping easy passes than you’d like to see in a clear first round guy. But, in this class, there aren’t many with his height/weight/speed profile, experience outside, or ceiling. You just have to teach him how to high-point and use his size on jump balls, keep passes from hitting his body instead of his hands, and work through physical press. At his size, it shouldn’t be impossible, and you can scheme the ball into his hands on slants and screens early, but he’s an enigma.

7. tank dell // houston // grade: 7 // #52 overall

8. at perry // wake forest // grade: 7 // #53 overall

9. marvin mims // oklahoma // grade: 6.5 // #70 overall

10. cedric tillman // tennessee // grade: 6 // #78 overall

11. tyler scott // cincinnati // grade: 6 // #79 overall

12. jayden reed / michigan state // grade: 6 // #80 overall

13. ronnie bell // michigan // grade: 6 // #90 overall

14. jonathan mingo // ole miss // grade: 6 // #92 overall

15. andrei iosivas // princeton // grade: 6 // #93 overall

16. charlie jones // purdue // grade: 5

17. michael wilson // stanford // grade: 5

18. bryce ford-wheaton // west virginia // grade: 5

19. trey palmer // nebraska // grade: 5

20. rakim jarrett // maryland // grade: 4.5

21. kayshon boutte // lsu // grade: 4.5

22. xavier hutchinson // iowa state // grade: 4.5

23. dontayvion wicks // virginia // grade: 4

24. dontay demus // maryland // grade: 4

25. rashee rice // smu // grade: 3

26. jaray jenkins // lsu // grade: 3

27. jacob copeland // maryland // grade: 3

28. matt landers // arkansas // grade: 3

29. jadon haselwood // arkansas // grade: 3

30. joseph ngata // clemson // grade: 3