On Monday I covered my top 10 quarterback prospects ahead of the 2023 NFL draft, so next up it’s time to focus on the guys they throw to.
But before we get started, I want to get into my grading process a little bit so everyone can at least get a better understanding of how it all works.
These explanations could get repetitive once you’ve read them a few times, so feel free to jump right into the rankings.
Overall, this has been a tedious yet exciting process. It will be interesting to see how everything plays out over the coming weeks. At the end of the day, this is an inexact science no matter how hard some try to sell their opinions as facts.
The best thing you can do is try to consume as much information as you can on a prospect so you can eventually come up with an educated opinion on each individual.
Over the last couple of months, I have studied and graded over 150 players in total. In order to do a proper evaluation, I watch a minimum of three games for each prospect before coming up with my opinions/grades.
However, more often than not, I watched at least five or six contests for each prospect before doing my evaluations.
Unfortunately, there were some cases where I had trouble getting certain all-22 tapes, therefore, I had to make do with what I had.
I essentially individually evaluated each game that I watched, and then I averaged those grades into one final film grade worth a total of 20 points.
Example: blue-chip prospects (90 percent or higher) received anywhere from 18-20 points in all likelihood.
Game tape is the only criterion that is worth 20 points on my grading scale, while other areas, such as analytics, athletic score, ceiling/floor, etc., are worth a maximum of 10 points.
Today, we are looking at my top 10 wide receiver prospects, and I’ll work my way around to each position in the days and weeks ahead. I will also be updating these rankings on the morning of the draft (April 27th).
It’s no secret that the Titans’ wide receiver room is arguably the worst in the league, so it’s very possible they came away with at least one of the following 10 prospects. Let’s take a closer look.
No. 1: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State
Quick analysis: Best route-runner in the class who will dominate out of the slot as long as he stays healthy.
Grade: 87.2
Ceiling projection: Top-10 pick
Floor projection: Late first round
No. 2: Zay Flowers, Boston College
Quick analysis: Dynamic and electric playmaker who can line up anywhere and is capable of producing absurd splash plays.
Grade: 83.6
Ceiling projection: Mid-first Round
Floor projection: Early second round
No. 3: Quentin Johnston, TCU
Quick analysis: Highest ceiling in the class. He has all the tools to truly
become a special NFL wide receiver if he can put it all together.
Grade: 80.1
Ceiling projection: Top-10 pick
Floor projection: Early second round
No. 4: Josh Downs, North Carolina
Quick analysis: Severely-underrated receiver who overcompensates for his
physical limitations with a savvy and manipulative skill set that forces defenders to think on their feet.
Grade: 79.4
Ceiling projection: Late first round
Floor projection: Late second round
No. 5: Jordan Addison, USC
Quick analysis: Route-running technician who creates a ton of separation despite his average athleticism.
Grade: 79.2
Ceiling projection: Mid-first round
Floor projection: Early second round
No. 6: Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee
Quick analysis: Vertical threat who can take the top off the defense at any moment. He could become a real problem once he gets around NFL coaching and polishes his game
Grade: 75.4
Ceiling projection: Late first round
Floor projection: Early third round
No. 7: Jonathan Mingo, Ole Miss
Quick analysis: Big, fast, and physical wide receiver who becomes an explosive playmaker once the ball is in his hands. Mingo has tons of
untapped potential just waiting to be unleashed.
Grade: 73.5
Ceiling projection: Early second round
Floor projection: Late third round
No. 8: Tyler Scott, Cincinnati
Quick analysis: Small, quick, and fast weapon who scored a total of 14 touchdowns of 30 or more yards over his entire college career.
Grade: 73.0
Ceiling projection: Late second
Floor projection: Early fourth round
No. 9 A.T. Perry, Wake Forest
Quick analysis: Physical specimen who dominated the ACC, producing 2,296 yards and 26 TDs since the start of 2021. Perry is a high-ceiling WR who needs to refine his overall technique
Grade: 69.8
Ceiling projection: Late second round
Floor projection: Early fourth round
No. 10: Cedric Tillman, Tennessee
Quick analysis: Another underrated wideout who has gotten lost in the shuffle for a variety of reasons. Tillman is a big-bodied WR who isn’t afraid to attack the ball at its highest point.
Grade: 68.3
Ceiling projection: Early third round
Floor projection: Late fourth round
Check out Shaun Calderon's scouting reports
Check out the history of the Titans' 2023 draft picks
