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Draft Dish: Doucet, Jackson top '08 WRs
By War Room scouts
Several senior wide receivers should go high in the 2008 NFL draft, but quite a few juniors also might jockey for first-round position in what could be a deep draft. Here is a quick look at the top wide receivers heading into the 2007 college season:
1. Early Doucet, LSU, 6-0, 205, Sr. Despite playing behind two future first-round picks (Dwayne Bowe, Craig Davis) last year, Doucet often appeared to be LSU's top threat. Doucet is a good athlete with the quickness, explosiveness and speed to make big plays after the catch. He has good size, is well built and consistently shows the strength to absorb hard hits and keep going. He has excellent hands, making tough catches seem routine. Doucet is an elite prospect with rare size, athleticism, speed and hands.
2. DeSean Jackson, Cal, 5-11, 170, Jr. Jackson has been receiving media attention since exploding onto the national scene with an excellent freshman season. He is not the big, tall receiver en vogue with NFL teams, but he consistently finds a way to take over games and make big plays. Jackson shows tremendous hands to consistently make tough catches with cornerbacks climbing all over his back. He is a dangerous open-field runner with the instincts, quickness, burst and speed to consistently make big plays. He also could become an elite return man.
3. Andre Caldwell, Florida, 6-0, 195, Sr. Caldwell recovered from a broken leg to have a good '06 season. He contemplated entering the '07 draft -- he likely would have been a late-second or early-third round pick -- but returned to Florida to improve his draft stock. He is a smart and polished receiver who runs sharp routes and consistently shows the burst to separate from defenders. He is quick and agile to change directions in a flash to make would-be tacklers miss. He struggles to break tackles but should be a first-round pick in '08.
4. Earl Bennett, Vanderbilt, 6-1, 205, Jr. Bennett plays at Vanderbilt, so his exploits haven't been trumpeted as much as lesser players at higher profile schools. Bennett was named All-SEC in each of his two seasons at Vanderbilt, which is almost unheard of because of all the NFL-caliber talent in the league. Bennett is smart and works hard, and he runs sharp routes to consistently find open spots in defenses. He has the size and strength to fight though physical coverage and run through arm tackles. With a strong junior season, Bennett should position himself to be drafted in the second round.
5. Adarius Bowman, Oklahoma State, 6-4, 220, Sr. Bowman is a huge, dominating receiver. He consistently catches passes in traffic, absorbs hard hits and holds the ball. He lacks the explosiveness to burst past defenders at the line but shows deceptive speed once he reaches full speed. He is smart and runs sharp routes, consistently separating from defenders although he lacks a great burst out of cuts. Bowman projects as a strong possession receiver in the NFL.
6. Mario Manningham, Michigan, 5-11, 190, Jr. Manningham has been Michigan's go-to receiver for two seasons and figures to enter the '08 draft after a third year leading the team. He is muscular and plays much bigger than his size would suggest, but he could drop down some NFL draft boards because of his lack of elite speed. He separates from cornerbacks because of his elite quickness but doesn't run away from many people. He shows great hands and consistently wins jump-ball battles and makes catches in traffic. He could struggle to move into the first round unless he runs a great 40-yard dash next spring.
7. Jarett Dillard, Rice, 5-11, 160, Jr. Dillard is extremely smart with a strong work ethic. He sets up defenders well, and consistently gains separation. He has only adequate height and is thinner than ideal, but Dillard is remarkably tough and willing to go over the middle to catch passes in traffic and fight for extra yardage. He must continue to produce at a high level to be considered a top prospect because Rice doesn't play elite competition.
8. Limas Sweed, Texas, 6-5, 225, Sr. Sweed is massive; he has guns for arms. He lacks explosiveness off the snap and burst out of cuts, hindering his ability to separate. After the catch, though, he turns upfield in a blink and is tough to tackle after reaching full speed. He shows the hands to catch off-target passes but drops too many easy passes because of a lapse in concentration, allowing balls to get into his body. He also does not always fight for jump balls. Sweed no doubt, has NFL physical tools but must show more consistency catching the ball.
9. D.J. Hall, Alabama, 6-2, 190, Sr. Hall is tall with the explosiveness to stretch the field. He has the tools to be productive as both a speed and possession receiver. He is a bit thin but does not hesitate to catch passes in traffic; he does not peek at the defense and holds onto the ball after hard hits. Once off the line, he has the burst and speed to run past cornerbacks downfield. Hall is a bit raw but an excellent senior season could put him position to be drafted in the second or third round.
10. Sammie Stroughter, Oregon State, 6-0, 185, Sr. Stroughter is a productive college receiver and return man but has received little national attention. He is smooth and fluid and runs excellent routes; he gets in and out of cuts quickly and sells fakes nicely. He shows good hands, reaching out and plucking passes away from his body, and he gets upfield in a blink. He shows good instincts as a runner, following blockers and bursting through holes to make big plays. Stroughter is the type of receiver who often gets overlooked on draft day because he lacks great size and won't wow anyone in pre-draft workouts, but he is most certainly a playmaker.
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Draft Dish: Doucet, Jackson top '08 WRs
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