SI Top WR-TE prospects

[cowboyjoe]

'09 NFL draft: Top WR-TE prospects Story Highlights
Michael Crabtree and Jeremy Maclin could both be gone by 10th pick
Rutgers WR Kenny Britt's size has him shooting up draft boards
All-around game makes Brandon Pettigrew the top tight end available



Jeremy Maclin, a 6-foot-1, 200-pound wide receiver from Missouri, is also a threat in the return game.
David E. Klutho/SI
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With the NFL combine set to begin next week in Indianapolis, SI.com's Bucky Brooks, a former scout, is ranking the top 2009 draft prospects by position group. The lists were compiled through a series of conversations with scouts and game-tape evaluations. The schedule will be as follows:

Feb. 12: Quarterbacks
Feb. 12: Wide receivers/Tight ends
Feb. 13: Running backs
Feb. 16: Offensive linemen
Feb. 17: Defensive linemen
Feb. 18: Linebackers
Feb. 19: Defensive backs

Wide Receivers
1. Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech: The mercurial talent has dominated the college game the past two seasons. Blessed with outstanding athleticism and exceptional hands, Crabtree has made the improbable catch look routine. Though he remains an unpolished route runner, his keen understanding of how to use his body to create space gives him an opportunity to make an instant impact as a rookie. As the top player in the draft, Crabtree is sure to come off the board within the first five selections.

2. Jeremy Maclin, Missouri: The electrifying all-purpose playmaker terrorized Big 12 opponents throughout his two-year career, and he enters the draft as the college game's most explosive offensive weapon. Featured as a runner/receiver in the Tigers' spread offense, Maclin averaged an astonishing 10.9 yards per touch during his career and scored 28 touchdowns. Additionally, Maclin added five scores on kick and punt returns while amassing more than 5,600 all-purpose yards in two seasons. With such a diverse set of skills, scouts envision Maclin impacting the game in multiple phases.

3. Percy Harvin, Florida: The Gators' do-it-all slot receiver is a multi-purpose threat who has been one of college football most dynamic playmakers the past three seasons. As a speed demon with exceptional burst and acceleration, Harvin is outstanding with the ball in his hands, and specializes in turning short passes into big gains. Though Harvin has tallied 133 receptions in his career, he is viewed as unrefined due to his lack of experience running pro-style routes. In fact, some scouts view Harvin as a Reggie Bush-like playmaker who eventually makes his mark in the league as a third down running back. Regardless of position, scouts are in agreement that Harvin is a potential impact player who should hear his name called in the first round.

4. Hakeem Nicks, North Carolina: The ACC's leading receiver may be the most polished receiver in this year's draft class. A superb route runner with exceptional athleticism and hands, Nicks routinely found ways to get open. Although Nicks' 40 time will play a big part in determining his value as a potential first rounder, his outstanding ball skills and awareness should make him an enticing selection for a team in desperate need of a top receiving threat.

5. Kenny Britt, Rutgers: Britt is a matchup nightmare due to his size (6-foot-4, 215 pounds) and athleticism. The Scarlet Knights' leading receiver dominated Big East opponents on the way to amassing 14 100-yard games in his career. Though he isn't a speed merchant on the perimeter, he'll be an ideal target in the red zone. With bigger receivers currently the rage within the league, look for a team to pluck Britt off the board early in the second round.

6. Darius Heyward-Bey, Maryland: The Terps' dynamic playmaker averaged over 15 yards per catch during his career, and finished with 13 receiving touchdowns. As a long strider, Heyward-Bey has the ability to stretch the field. Though Heyward-Bey is raw and unrefined as a route runner, scouts are intrigued by his athleticism and envision him blossoming into an explosive vertical weapon as a pro.

7. Brandon Tate, North Carolina: The Tar Heels' all-purpose weapon was considered a first-round possibility prior to suffering his season-ending knee injury during the middle of the season. Tate had shown dramatic improvement as a receiver and was such a force as a returner that scouts were beginning to view him as a potential impact player in two phases. Though his ACL injury will drop his stock with some teams, Tate won't be an afterthought in the draft due to his explosiveness and big-play potential.

8. Derrick Williams, Penn State: The diminutive talent is an intriguing receiver/return specialist who opened some eyes with a solid week of practice at the Senior Bowl. Williams has a knack for turning short passes into big gains. Though his size will prevent him from making solid contributions as a full-time receiver, his outstanding return skills (18.5 yard punt return average with three career touchdowns) makes him an interesting prospect for teams in desperate need of a boost in the kicking game.

 

[cowboyjoe]

WR/TEs (cont.)



Oklahoma State's Brandon Pettigrew is the top tight end prospect as much for his blocking skills as his impact as a receiver.
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9. Brian Robiskie, Ohio State: The underappreciated Buckeye standout didn't post terrific numbers in his senior campaign, but is an interesting prospect due to his solid overall skills. As the son of a long-time NFL coach (Terry Robiskie is currently the Falcons' receivers coach), Robiskie is fairly polished as a route runner and has a terrific feel for the game. Though he lacks elite top-end speed, his ball skills and athleticism make up for the deficiency, and makes him a possible future starter in the right situation.

10. Juaquin Iglesias, Oklahoma: While Iglesias isn't a blazer, he is quick enough to run away from defenders on short and intermediate. Additionally, he shows good running skills with the ball in his hands, and is an above-average returner in the kicking game. Though he won't crack the lineup as a starter, he has the potential to carve out a nice career as a third receiver/return specialist.

Tight Ends
1. Brandon Pettigrew, Oklahoma State: Pettigrew lacks the athleticism to be a threat as a runner after the catch, but he is a credible "move-the-chains" receiver who will thrive in the middle of the field. Pettigrew shows terrific promise as a blocker, and consistently finds a way to seal the edge on perimeter runs. As the most complete tight end in the draft, Pettigrew is sure to come off the board early.

2. Jared Cook, South Carolina: The Gamecocks' second-leading receiver has enough speed to get down the seam, and is a legitimate receiving threat in the middle of the field. Yet scouts severely downgrade Cook due to his marginal blocking ability. He rarely puts forth any effort in his blocking attempts, and is routinely dominated on the edge despite his superior size and strength advantage. With Cook underperforming in the running game, it will be hard for a team to pull the trigger prior to the second round.

3. Shawn Nelson, Southern Miss: The Golden Eagle standout surprised many with his solid showing during Senior Bowl practices. An athletic pass catcher with good movement skills and hands, Nelson is a reliable weapon in the passing game. He has a good understanding of how to use his body to create space in a crowd, and is an adequate runner after the catch. Though his blocking rates as his weakness, Nelson held his own as a blocker in drills throughout Senior Bowl week, and elevated his status as one of the top tight ends available in the draft.

4. Chase Coffman, Missouri: While he has limited experience as a conventional tight end, his route running and awareness makes him a potential threat in the passing game. However, he struggles as a blocker in the running game and will need to make tremendous strides to become an every down player. Scouts think that Coffman can become a contributor as a second tight end, and eventually develop into a serviceable starter.

5. James Casey, Rice: A former pro baseball player, Casey is a pass-catching phenom who creates numerous mismatches on the edge due to his size and speed on the perimeter. He is too quick for slow-footed linebackers, and enjoys a superior height advantage over most defensive backs. Additionally, his overall versatility (Casey lined up at tight end, fullback, quarterback, safety and defensive end during his career) makes him a potential weapon as part of a "Wildcat" formation. While Casey will need time to transition into a conventional tight end, his special qualities make him an intriguing prospect, and a potential late riser up the draft board.

 

[28 Joker]

Cook, from South Carolina, is one of the best TEs to come out of the SEC. You can teach him to block. If he slides like Witten, someone is getting a steal. He can get open down the field and is a huge target.

I think Demetrius Bryd, from LSU, is a guy the Cowboys need to seriously look at. He should go in rounds 3-5. I would say the fourth isn't out of the question. He got rolled up on in his bowl game. This guy would be a great slot guy for Dallas. He's put up some good numbers vs some very good competition. He scoreds TDs 2. He's tough over the middle and has good hands. He can really run, too. He's one to watch. His Qb situation was very poor this year. If you look at his last year, you will get a good picture of him.

Mohamed Massaquoi is a guy to watch, too. Although, he sould go in round three. He has value to the Cowboys in round 3 if Crayton is delt. However, we both know the Cowboys hate drafting WRs early.