Tackled for a Loss: Draft Preview- WR’s

[Philadelphia Freedom]

Dateline: 4/19/02
by Linus Scrimmage

Ashley Lelie - Hawaii 6-2 200 pounds
There isn't a receiver in the country creating more buzz right now than Ashley Lelie. Lelie has went from a third round pick to a mid-late first rounder. Lelie has also bulked up about 25 pounds, going from 175 pounds to right around 200. The fact that Lelie did this and kept his speed has been the talk of draftniks everywhere. Lelie could leapfrog even Gaffney and Bryant to become the first wide receiver taken. Not only is Lelie fast, he is elusive and a hard runner to bring down. Lelie is a little short on experience and it remains to be seen how he will react in a pro style offense. There is some risk involved with a player like Lelie but the reward and upside looks limitless.

Donte Stallworth - Tennessee 6-0 190 pounds
Another very interesting prospect at wide receiver is Donte Stallworth, now that we know he is eligible for the draft. Stallworth applied for the draft then tried to get his eligibility back despite the fact that he had already accepted gifts from an agent. Stallworth paid back the agent for everything but the NCAA denied his appeal to finish his career at Tennessee. Stallworth would have been better suited to stay in college for his senior year but he should still go high in the draft. Stallworth has very good speed and has a smooth running motion. He excels at taking what the defense gives him and uses his deceptive speed to find the seam on a consistent basis. Stallworth runs well after the catch and has good field awareness. Stallworth needs to work on being more consistent and fine-tuning his blocking skills. Stallworth may take a little longer to develop but he will eventually pan out into a fine pro prospect.

Jabar Gaffney - Florida 6-1 200 pounds
Jabar Gaffney by all accounts should fit in nicely as one of the elite receivers in the NFL. Gaffney has had a few off the field scrapes with the law that leave his character as the biggest question mark surrounding him. Gaffney has great speed and he has good size and leaping ability. If he had another year of college under his belt he might be the #1 prospect at the wide receiver position. Could go anywhere from #8-#18 in the draft. Blocks very well and has good on the field awareness and vision. Could finally be the receiver out of Florida that becomes a superstar.

Josh Reed - LSU 5-11 195 pounds
Josh Reed looks like a late first round pick. Reed is on the small side and he doesn't possess the flat out speed you look for in a prospect but that seems to be his only deficiencies. Might have the best hands in the draft, led the nation in receiving yards last year. Reed always creates good separation between himself and defenders and moves well in all directions. Is swallowed in traffic at times but is better at working the middle of the field than being a deep threat. Reed looks like a prototypical NFL slot receiver. Reed could go as early as #15 and could slip into the early stages of the second round. I like Reed a lot and I think he has a bright NFL future ahead of him.

Antonio Bryant - Pittsburgh 6-2 190 pounds
Bryant is the best of this year’s bunch of WR’s in my opinion. Bryant has good size at 6-2 and he makes difficult catches seem routine. Bryant releases well off the line of scrimmage and has good speed when the ball is in the air. Bryant always puts his body in good position and is an excellent leaper. Bryant reminds me of Randy Moss a little bit and if the playing ability isn't the indicator then the attitude is. Bryant has "taken plays off" in the past and he shows very little blocking skills downfield. Bryant played well through pain but had some injuries that weren't very serious linger with him so durability might be a little bit of a concern. A first round pick who could go to teams like the Chiefs, Saints or Redskins.

Javon Walker - Florida State 6-3 210 pounds
Another receiver who has really helped his draft status in recent months is Javon Walker. Walker always seems to make an acrobatic catch and can come down with the ball no matter where he has his body on the football field. Walker cuts well and can work in traffic across the middle of the field. Walker doesn't have great straight-line speed but he works surprisingly well on deep routes, something that won't come as easy in the NFL. Walker is a junior college transfer so he is limited in the experience category. Walker has pushed himself into a possible first round pick but the second round seems a little more practical for him. There is some risk involved in drafting him but he is a raw prospect who still has time to become a better all around player.

Reche Caldwell - Florida 6-0 200 pounds
Reche Caldwell is a good receiver and won't be a high draft pick because he benefited from the Florida Fun-N-Gun system. Caldwell has positive attributes that aren't coachable on the football field, he shows great field awareness and has a total understanding for what is going on around him. His improvisational ability might be the best of any receiver in the draft class. When his quarterback is in trouble, Caldwell always finds a way to get open or throw a key block to spring someone. Caldwell ran better routes than anyone at Florida and some claim he was the best ever in that field. Caldwell is quick but he doesn't have the world-class speed and doesn't get the separation some of the other receivers get. Caldwell will sacrifice his body and block but he isn't very strong in his upper body. Should be a solid 2nd round pick.

Andre Davis - Virginia Tech 6-1 200 pounds
Andre Davis is a player who you almost expect to take the football "to the house" every time he touches the football. Davis runs with flair and is always looking to make the big play. Davis has sub 4.4 speed and is a deep threat because he has the speed and the 6-1 size to go with it. Davis has had a few injuries during his days at Virginia Tech so durability may be an issue. Davis doesn't have the greatest set of hands in the world either. Davis has made some acrobatic catches but he has botched his share of easy grabs. Davis looks like a 2nd round selection who is just a natural athlete.

Marquise Walker - Michigan 6-3 205 pounds
Marquise Walker is one of the most dependable and consistent receivers we saw last year in the NCAA. Walker bailed his team out in key situations and late in the game with catch after big catch. Walker is a big and physical wide receiver who has success getting off the line of scrimmage when corners try to jam him. Walker has good field awareness and his footwork is very good as well. Has good improvisational skills and comes back to the ball when his quarterback is in trouble. Walker doesn't have blazing speed to get deep but his athletic ability and hands allow him to be successful there. Getting deep is a part of his game he will have to work on because he is poor at creating separation when going down the field. Walker is a first round pick and it looks like the Giants and the Broncos are the two teams most enamored with his skills.

Kahlil Hill - Iowa 6-2 200 pounds
Kahlil Hill is a player who will be drafted higher based upon his ability as a return man and the receiving will be a bonus early in his career. What sets Hill apart is his vision, his vision is what allows him to be successful in return situations because he is one of the slower wide receivers available likely to be drafted. Hill played in a pro style at Iowa and put in a lot of extra time in the film and weight room. Hill doesn't have the breakaway speed to be a consistent big play threat. In fact consistency is an area where Hill could improve as well. I think Hill is one of the players who is drafted late that could turn into a steal and pan out.

Kelly Campbell - Georgia Tech 5-11 175 pounds
Kelly Campbell had a season that was good but he didn't really improve upon his numbers from 2000 so it was a bit of a disappointment. Campbell is no disappointment however because he has big play ability as a wide receiver and a return specialist. Campbell has great breakaway speed and holds the career touchdown record at Georgia Tech. Campbell is a threat for a big catch, return, run and even the occasional pass. The downside to Campbell is his 5-11 175 pound frame, one that won't stand up to the NFL pounding as an every down wide receiver. Campbell has good speed but has trouble with physical corners and needs to work on creating more separation. Campbell looks like a 2nd or 3rd round pick.

Cliff Russell - Utah 6-0 185 pounds
Cliff Russell is rated as a top ten prospect for one reason…pure speed. Russell is being timed in the 4.25 range for the 40 and by all accounts only Ashley Lelie of Hawaii can hold a candle to that time. Russell isn't one of theses receivers with speed that is small, he is 6-0 so his size won't hurt him. Russell adjusts to the ball well when it is in the air and he has tremendous leaping ability. Russell has had problems with his knee in the past so durability concerns have already arisen. Russell has decent hands and has shown he can be good and has put in the extra time, but he is inconsistent. Russell will have to be more consistent if he wants to be drafted during day 1 of the festivities. I have Russell going in the third round, there are more accomplished receivers but his speed doesn't let him go into day two of the draft.

Ron Johnson - Minnesota 6-3 215 pounds
Ron Johnson is a receiver who saw his draft status slip just a little bit this season. Johnson has been timed around the 4.65 range in the 40 and that is one thing that has seemed to keep him back. Johnson has a wealth of experience but he is still sloppy with his route running and is sometimes too aggressive when coming off the line. Johnson usually has very good body position and he needs it because of the lack of separation he creates. Johnson finds a way to get it done in the red zone and has very soft hands. One of the aspects that is often overlooked about a wide receiver is his blocking ability, a trait where Johnson is better than anyone else right now. Johnson looks like a third round pick, although his upside is limited he is mature enough and has the build to challenge for playing time immediately.

Antwaan Randle El - Indiana 5-10 185 pounds
We all know who Antwaan Randle El is and that usually taking a quarterback and transplanting them into a wide receiver, running back or safety doesn't work. But Randle El is unlike any quarterback we have ever seen and his MVP performance at the Senior Bowl should serve notice that maybe he will make it work. Randle El showed everyone that he knows how to run good, clean and crisp routes. Randle El has the elusiveness to be effective in the open field and he could prove just as valuable as a return man. The knocks on Randle El should be obvious, he is small at 5-10 and of course he is inexperienced. His performance in the Senior Bowl might have pushed him into the 3rd round right now.

Deion Branch - Louisville 5-10 190 pounds
Deion Branch is a receiver who has done about as much as he can do with his short frame. Branch is always open and looks like he does it with ease. The curious thing about his playing ability is that he isn't a speed guy and he hasn't shown the ability to be a consistent deep threat. Branch shakes and jukes his way in the short field and knows exactly where he is going, has excellent footwork. Small size will limit his potential in the NFL but he is elusive enough to be a #3 receiver or even return punts. Branch should be a 3rd or 4th round selection in April.

Freddie Milons - Alabama 5-10 195 pounds
Just two short seasons ago as a junior, Freddie Milons was entering the season as a Heisman hopeful and the Crimson Tide had a #3 preseason ranking. Then after a disastrous 3-8 year Freddie Milons wasn't answering questions as to whether he would go pro, but rather how a good senior season could save his draft status all together. Milons will be a return threat in the NFL and it will be his ticket to the big dance. Milons has great vision to go along with his marginal breakaway speed. Milons is only 5-10 so his size limits his ability to be an every down receiver and one of his biggest problems is his footwork. It sounds odd when talking about such a good return man but sometimes Milons get ahead of himself and his feet take him somewhere totally different then where he intends to go. Should be a 5th round selection and used as a return specialist in the NFL.

Nakoa McElrath - Washington State 6-2 195 pounds
I am usually against making comparisons to potential draft picks against players currently in the NFL. I feel so many people get caught up in saying who a prospect reminds them of that it takes the focus off of their skills. Watching McElrath though I cannot help but make a comparison. When I see McElrath on film from the start of his career through his senior season I think of Curtis Conway everytime. McElrath has speed and can work the middle of the field and can go long. He doesn't block well and has had problems with consistency. He has a lanky frame and has good leaping ability, it is Curtis Conway to a tee. But I have a feeling about McElrath, although he underachieved I think he is a player who is capable of being a good pro player. I just think McElrath is starting to get a grasp on his game and can take it to another level.

Brian Poli-Dixon -UCLA 6-5 210 pounds
Brian Poli-Dixon is the guy who will be drafted because of his upside and size alone. Poli-Dixon is a large target but he is very thin and has had injury problems throughout his career. Not only is Poli-Dixon big, he has long arms and his wingspan is massive. Poli-Dixon runs with such ease and grace that maybe cornerbacks will be in awe watching him stride down the field. Poli-Dixon has been hampered by injuries throughout his career and he dropped more passes this year than any UCLA statistician would care to count. His physical size will be what gets him drafted late.

Lee Mays - UTEP 6-2 190 pounds
Lee Mays is another player who is a track star that hasn't seen his speed transfer onto the football field. Mays is quick but he doesn't have great straight-line speed and isn't consistent at getting off the line of scrimmage cleanly. But Mays has a great pair of hands and has been successful at diving, jumping and leaping into positions where only he can make the play and he normally does. Mays is good at finding seams in the defense and looks like he would be a good fit in a West Coast offense. Mays has good height but should add at least 10 pounds to play in the NFL. Mays looks to be an early pick on the second day of the draft.

Michael Hayes - Southern 6-4 215 pounds
Hayes is a player who transferred from LSU and had a good career at a smaller school. But Hayes is a very big target who can get down the field and pull down the deep ball. Hayes has problems with physical receivers and should be a better blocker for a man his size. Hayes doesn't have great speed and his separation skills are about average. Hayes has a future but he is a bit of a "tweener", he likes the deeper routes but he has limited speed and has the size and skills to play in the middle of the field. Hayes has shown he works well in a crowd but he hasn't done it yet on a consistent basis. Hayes will be a late pick and there is an element of risk for the team that takes him.