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NFL draft preview: Wide receivers
02:08 AM CDT on Sunday, April 12, 2009
By RICK GOSSELIN / The Dallas Morning News
rgosselin@***BANNED-URL***
STRENGTH: 10
WEAK STRONG
In 2008, for the first time in 18 Aprils, no wide receiver was selected in the first round of the NFL draft. There will not be a repeat in 2009. As many as six wideouts could go in the first. It's the deepest position in this draft.
Player School Ht. Wt.
Michael Crabtree Texas Tech 6-1 215
Noteworthy: 2-time Biletnikoff winner
Jeremy Maclin Missouri 6-0 198
Noteworthy: 13 TD catches in 2008
Percy Harvin Florida 5-11 192
Noteworthy: 4.39 speed in 40
Darrius Heyward-Bey Maryland 6-1½ 210
Noteworthy: 4.25 speed in 40
Hakeem Nicks North Carolina 6-0½ 212
Noteworthy: 1,222 yards in 2008
Kenny Britt Rutgers 6-2½ 218
Noteworthy: 14 career 100-yard games
Brian Robiskie Ohio State 6-2½ 209
Noteworthy: 24 career TD catches
Mohamed Massaquoi Georgia 6-1½ 210
Noteworthy: 2,282 career yards
Juaquin Iglesias Oklahoma 6-0½ 210
Noteworthy: 202 career catches
Louis Murphy Florida 6-2 203
Noteworthy: 16.2-yard career avg.
Mike Wallace Mississippi 6-0 199
Noteworthy: 4.28 speed in the 40
Patrick Turner Southern California 6-5 223
Noteworthy: 15.1-yard avg. in 2008
Derrick Williams Penn State 5-11½ 194
Noteworthy: 4-year starter
Johnny Knox Abilene Christian 5-11½ 185
Noteworthy: 4.29 speed in 40
Mike Thomas Arizona 5-7½ 195
Noteworthy: 11 career 100-yard games
(Potential first-round draft picks in bold)
Spotlight on: Brian Robiskie, Ohio State
Brian Robiskie has received NFL-caliber coaching during the last four years at Ohio State – but not from the Buckeyes staff. And not from someone who needs to wait to review the game tapes.
Cowboys / NFL
NFL draft preview series
Beat the Goose draft contest
Wide receivers | Cornerbacks
Tuesday: Tight ends
Wednesday: Defensive line
Thursday: Quarterbacks
Friday: Linebackers
Saturday: Offensive line
Sunday: Safeties
April 20: Running backs
April 21: Special teams
Rick Gosselin's first mock draft
Buy: NFL tickets | Fan Shop
More: NFL draft | NFL
For the last four football seasons, Brian has heard from his father, Terry, on Saturday nights after games. Brian was a two-year starter at wide receiver for Ohio State, and his father has been an NFL receivers coach this decade with Cleveland, Miami and Atlanta.
"We don't talk too much before a game," Brian said. "He's just as busy as I am. But right after the game, I usually have a voicemail from him depending on how I play, pointing out everything I did.
"I feel so blessed to have him coaching my position. He can see things that not a lot of people can see. He does so much for me. Having him to call any time I have a question. He's always been there for me."
Brian projects to be drafted in the first two rounds because of his combination of size and speed. He competed on the Ohio State track team last spring as a sprinter and gave the NFL a 4.46 clocking in the 40 this spring.
Robiskie also brings big-school productivity. He caught 127 career passes for 1,866 yards and 24 touchdowns at Ohio State. He caught five passes for 116 yards in his final college game against Texas in the Fiesta Bowl.
The best: Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech
Crabtree played only two college seasons but had nothing left to accomplish individually, so he's leaving Texas Tech early to turn pro. He won the Biletnikoff Award as the best wide receiver in the nation as a freshman, then won it again as a sophomore. He was a two-time All-Big 12 and two-time All-America. He caught 231 passes in 26 career games to become Tech's all-time leading receiver. He caught 41 TD passes in those 26 games to rank eighth in NCAA history in receiving touchdowns.
Sleeper: Eron Riley, Duke
Getty Images
Jeremy Maclin has been a touchdown-maker at Missouri, scoring 13 in 2008.
View larger More photos Photo store Riley started for three seasons and averaged 16.7 yards per career catch. He set a Duke record with an average of 20.8 yards on his 40 receptions in 2007 and also averaged 20.1 yards in 2006. In a 2007 game against Navy, he caught six balls for 235 yards and four TDs – 76, 69, 35 and 9 yards. He has 4.32 speed to stretch the field.
Best of Texas: Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech
Crabtree made his college debut in 2007 with a 12-catch, 106-yard, three-touchdown performance against SMU. He went on to collect 100 yards in 11 of his 13 games that season and 15 of his 26 career games. He also tied an NCAA record with touchdown catches in 13 consecutive games.
Notable
Leaving early: Michael Crabtree isn't the only receiver with eligibility on the table. Kenny Britt (Rutgers), Jeremy Childs (Boise State), Austin Collie (BYU), Brian Hartline (Ohio State), Percy Harvin (Florida), Darrius Heyward-Bey (Maryland), Jeremy Maclin (Mizzou), Andrew Means (Indiana), Hakeem Nicks (N. Carolina) and Kevin Ogletree (Virginia) form a parade to the draft table.
All-purpose player: A wideout by trade, Derrick Williams of Penn State was the only player in the nation to score touchdowns last season on a run, reception, kickoff and punt return. His first career catch in 2005 went for a 36-yard game-winning TD in the final minute against Northwestern.
Hoop it up: Brooks Foster was a member of North Carolina's 2005 NCAA championship basketball team. He was a three-year starter in football but a reserve in basketball.
Club 200: Jarrett Dillard started all four of his seasons at Rice, earned All-Conference USA honors three times and leaves school as the ninth all-time leading receiver in NCAA history with 292 catches. The players with 200 career catches on this draft board:
Player School Rec.
Jarrett Dillard Rice 292
Jamarko Simmons Western Michigan 260
Mike Thomas Arizona 259
Aaron Kelly Clemson 232
Michael Crabtree Texas Tech 231
Casey Fitzgerald North Texas 229
Austin Collie Brigham Young 215
Quan Cosby Texas 212
Kenny McKinley South Carolina 207
Ramses Barden Cal Poly 206
Greg Orton Purdue 203
Juaquin Iglesias Oklahoma 202
Legendary hands: In addition to Barden, Crabtree, Dillard, Fitzgerald, Kelly, McKinley, Simmons and Thomas, these players also left as their schools' all-time leading receivers: Deon Butler (Penn State), Dominique Edison (Stephen F. Austin), Hakeem Nicks (North Carolina) and Nate Swift (Nebraska).
Streaking along: Kenny Britt left Rutgers with a reception in his final 31 games. Aaron Kelly pieced together a streak of 34 consecutive games with a reception at Clemson, Brandon Gibson a 36-game streak at Washington State, Kenny McKinley a 42-game streak at South Carolina and Quan Cosby a 44-game streak at Texas. Rice's Jarrett Dillard caught at least two passes in each of the 49 games he played at Rice.
All in the family: Toledo's Nick Moore is the brother of WR Lance Moore of the New Orleans Saints, and Penn State's Jordan Norwood is the son of Baylor defensive coordinator Brian Norwood.
02:08 AM CDT on Sunday, April 12, 2009
By RICK GOSSELIN / The Dallas Morning News
rgosselin@***BANNED-URL***
STRENGTH: 10
WEAK STRONG
In 2008, for the first time in 18 Aprils, no wide receiver was selected in the first round of the NFL draft. There will not be a repeat in 2009. As many as six wideouts could go in the first. It's the deepest position in this draft.
Player School Ht. Wt.
Michael Crabtree Texas Tech 6-1 215
Noteworthy: 2-time Biletnikoff winner
Jeremy Maclin Missouri 6-0 198
Noteworthy: 13 TD catches in 2008
Percy Harvin Florida 5-11 192
Noteworthy: 4.39 speed in 40
Darrius Heyward-Bey Maryland 6-1½ 210
Noteworthy: 4.25 speed in 40
Hakeem Nicks North Carolina 6-0½ 212
Noteworthy: 1,222 yards in 2008
Kenny Britt Rutgers 6-2½ 218
Noteworthy: 14 career 100-yard games
Brian Robiskie Ohio State 6-2½ 209
Noteworthy: 24 career TD catches
Mohamed Massaquoi Georgia 6-1½ 210
Noteworthy: 2,282 career yards
Juaquin Iglesias Oklahoma 6-0½ 210
Noteworthy: 202 career catches
Louis Murphy Florida 6-2 203
Noteworthy: 16.2-yard career avg.
Mike Wallace Mississippi 6-0 199
Noteworthy: 4.28 speed in the 40
Patrick Turner Southern California 6-5 223
Noteworthy: 15.1-yard avg. in 2008
Derrick Williams Penn State 5-11½ 194
Noteworthy: 4-year starter
Johnny Knox Abilene Christian 5-11½ 185
Noteworthy: 4.29 speed in 40
Mike Thomas Arizona 5-7½ 195
Noteworthy: 11 career 100-yard games
(Potential first-round draft picks in bold)
Spotlight on: Brian Robiskie, Ohio State
Brian Robiskie has received NFL-caliber coaching during the last four years at Ohio State – but not from the Buckeyes staff. And not from someone who needs to wait to review the game tapes.
Cowboys / NFL
NFL draft preview series
Beat the Goose draft contest
Wide receivers | Cornerbacks
Tuesday: Tight ends
Wednesday: Defensive line
Thursday: Quarterbacks
Friday: Linebackers
Saturday: Offensive line
Sunday: Safeties
April 20: Running backs
April 21: Special teams
Rick Gosselin's first mock draft
Buy: NFL tickets | Fan Shop
More: NFL draft | NFL
For the last four football seasons, Brian has heard from his father, Terry, on Saturday nights after games. Brian was a two-year starter at wide receiver for Ohio State, and his father has been an NFL receivers coach this decade with Cleveland, Miami and Atlanta.
"We don't talk too much before a game," Brian said. "He's just as busy as I am. But right after the game, I usually have a voicemail from him depending on how I play, pointing out everything I did.
"I feel so blessed to have him coaching my position. He can see things that not a lot of people can see. He does so much for me. Having him to call any time I have a question. He's always been there for me."
Brian projects to be drafted in the first two rounds because of his combination of size and speed. He competed on the Ohio State track team last spring as a sprinter and gave the NFL a 4.46 clocking in the 40 this spring.
Robiskie also brings big-school productivity. He caught 127 career passes for 1,866 yards and 24 touchdowns at Ohio State. He caught five passes for 116 yards in his final college game against Texas in the Fiesta Bowl.
The best: Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech
Crabtree played only two college seasons but had nothing left to accomplish individually, so he's leaving Texas Tech early to turn pro. He won the Biletnikoff Award as the best wide receiver in the nation as a freshman, then won it again as a sophomore. He was a two-time All-Big 12 and two-time All-America. He caught 231 passes in 26 career games to become Tech's all-time leading receiver. He caught 41 TD passes in those 26 games to rank eighth in NCAA history in receiving touchdowns.
Sleeper: Eron Riley, Duke
Getty Images
Jeremy Maclin has been a touchdown-maker at Missouri, scoring 13 in 2008.
View larger More photos Photo store Riley started for three seasons and averaged 16.7 yards per career catch. He set a Duke record with an average of 20.8 yards on his 40 receptions in 2007 and also averaged 20.1 yards in 2006. In a 2007 game against Navy, he caught six balls for 235 yards and four TDs – 76, 69, 35 and 9 yards. He has 4.32 speed to stretch the field.
Best of Texas: Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech
Crabtree made his college debut in 2007 with a 12-catch, 106-yard, three-touchdown performance against SMU. He went on to collect 100 yards in 11 of his 13 games that season and 15 of his 26 career games. He also tied an NCAA record with touchdown catches in 13 consecutive games.
Notable
Leaving early: Michael Crabtree isn't the only receiver with eligibility on the table. Kenny Britt (Rutgers), Jeremy Childs (Boise State), Austin Collie (BYU), Brian Hartline (Ohio State), Percy Harvin (Florida), Darrius Heyward-Bey (Maryland), Jeremy Maclin (Mizzou), Andrew Means (Indiana), Hakeem Nicks (N. Carolina) and Kevin Ogletree (Virginia) form a parade to the draft table.
All-purpose player: A wideout by trade, Derrick Williams of Penn State was the only player in the nation to score touchdowns last season on a run, reception, kickoff and punt return. His first career catch in 2005 went for a 36-yard game-winning TD in the final minute against Northwestern.
Hoop it up: Brooks Foster was a member of North Carolina's 2005 NCAA championship basketball team. He was a three-year starter in football but a reserve in basketball.
Club 200: Jarrett Dillard started all four of his seasons at Rice, earned All-Conference USA honors three times and leaves school as the ninth all-time leading receiver in NCAA history with 292 catches. The players with 200 career catches on this draft board:
Player School Rec.
Jarrett Dillard Rice 292
Jamarko Simmons Western Michigan 260
Mike Thomas Arizona 259
Aaron Kelly Clemson 232
Michael Crabtree Texas Tech 231
Casey Fitzgerald North Texas 229
Austin Collie Brigham Young 215
Quan Cosby Texas 212
Kenny McKinley South Carolina 207
Ramses Barden Cal Poly 206
Greg Orton Purdue 203
Juaquin Iglesias Oklahoma 202
Legendary hands: In addition to Barden, Crabtree, Dillard, Fitzgerald, Kelly, McKinley, Simmons and Thomas, these players also left as their schools' all-time leading receivers: Deon Butler (Penn State), Dominique Edison (Stephen F. Austin), Hakeem Nicks (North Carolina) and Nate Swift (Nebraska).
Streaking along: Kenny Britt left Rutgers with a reception in his final 31 games. Aaron Kelly pieced together a streak of 34 consecutive games with a reception at Clemson, Brandon Gibson a 36-game streak at Washington State, Kenny McKinley a 42-game streak at South Carolina and Quan Cosby a 44-game streak at Texas. Rice's Jarrett Dillard caught at least two passes in each of the 49 games he played at Rice.
All in the family: Toledo's Nick Moore is the brother of WR Lance Moore of the New Orleans Saints, and Penn State's Jordan Norwood is the son of Baylor defensive coordinator Brian Norwood.
