The 2015 NFL Draft is a little more than three months away, but the hype machine will get up and running this week in Mobile, Ala. There, Senior Bowl week will take place with many of the top names coming out showing their stuff. It is a great look at some of the country’s best talent, and a time to find some hidden gems.
One position of considerable acclaim heading into the process is wide receiver. Some experts believe as many as eight receivers deserve first-round grades, stacking up considerably against last year’s incredible class which included Mike Evans, Odell Beckham Jr., Sammy Watkins, Brandin Cooks and Kelvin Benjamin.
Here are my five favorites at this point:
5. Dorial Green-Beckham, Oklahoma
Green-Beckham has had a litany of off-field problems, leading to his dismissal from Missouri and not playing a down at Oklahoma this year. There are many red flags concerning this young man after multiple drug-related arrests and an alleged physical dispute which ultimately was not pursued, his talent is undeniable. In his sophomore year at Missouri, Green-Beckham caught 59 passes for 883 yards and 12 touchdowns. At 6’6 and 225 pounds, Green-Beckham is comparable to Randy Moss coming out of school. He could be a huge bust, or earn a bust.
4. Jaelen Strong, Arizona State
Strong has a much cleaner past than Green-Beckham and has the lethal combination of size and speed. Strong doesn’t garner the attention of some other top-tier receivers because he plays on the West Coast in a non-traditional power, but he’s legitimate. In 2014, Strong amassed 82 catches for 1,165 yards and 10 touchdowns. His most impressive performance came against USC, when he torched the Trojans for 10 receptions, 202 yards and a trio of scores. Strong is somebody who could shoot up draft boards at the NFL Combine and his pro day.
3. DeVante Parker, Louisville
On the surface, Parker’s stats are very underwhelming. He only totaled 43 catches for 855 yards and five touchdowns this year, but the statistics fail to mention he missed the first seven games of the season with a broken left foot. When he returned, Parker registered at least 120 receiving yards in six of seven contests, including the Belk Bowl. Parker is an excellent route-runner with deceptive speed. At 6’3 and 208 pounds, Parker has respectable size and likely can grow into that frame a bit more.
2. Kevin White, West Virginia
White is a fantastic talent. Coming from the pass-happy West Virginia offense, White was given ample chances to prove his worth and made the most of them. When the season was over, White ranked fourth among power-conference receivers with 1,447 yards to go with 109 receptions and 10 touchdowns. The New Jersey native began the year ablaze, besting 100 yards in each of his first seven games. He slowed down late with only one such performance over the last five regular-season games before torching Texas A&M in the Liberty Bowl for 129 yards and a score. White has terrific speed and can elevate. The sky is the limit for this prospect.
1. Amari Cooper, Alabama
Cooper simply has all the tools to be a special receiver at the NFL level. Cooper has effortless speed, great hands and perfect body size at 6’1 and 210 pounds. A junior at Alabama, Cooper led all power-conference receivers with 1,727 yards and 124 catches along with 16 touchdowns in 2014. Cooper put together two seasons of 10-touchdown, 1,000-yard campaigns for the Crimson Tide over his time in Tuscaloosa, and it will make him a top-10 pick. Cooper should be an elite player moving forward.
