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2022 NFL Draft: Best of the Rest - Wide Receivers



By Doug Orth | 4/29/22 |

It is much better to have an idea of where you stand on an incoming talent before he is drafted, if only the public tends to cater to popular opinion and "fit" after he is selected. Evaluating the incoming rookie class before the draft gives us a more stable ground with which to base our opinions and helps us avoid some of those "popular" pitfalls.

The goal with this piece (and the position-by-position ones to follow) is to provide a slightly quicker but still very thorough overview of some of the top prospects that were not covered in my draft profiles. The hope is that this exercise will give readers all the information that could ask for as they began preparing for upcoming rookie drafts.

Skyy Moore

Skyy Moore Draft Profile

Vitals

College: Western Michigan
Height/Weight: 5'10"/195
Hands: 10 1/4"
Age: 21 (at the time of the 2022 season opener)


Important NFL Combine Numbers

40-Yard Dash: 4.41
Vertical Jump: 34 1/2"
Broad Jump: 10’5”
20-Yard Shuttle: 4.32
3-Cone: 7.13

College Production (Stats)

High-end NFL Player Comp(s): Golden Tate
Low-end NFL Player Comp(s): Sterling Shepard

Position-Specific Attributes and Grades
Attribute Att Grade Scale
Ball Tracking 8.5 10.0
Contested Catch/Body Control 8.0 10.0
Hands 9.0 10.0
Release 9.0 10.0
Route-Running 8.5 10.0
Run After Catch 9.0 10.0
Physicality/Competitiveness 7.5 8.0
Separation 4.5 6.0
Speed 3.0 4.0
Blocking 1.5 2.0
Film Grade 69.0 80.0
     
Pre-Draft Fantasy Prospect Grade* (out of 50): 41.5

* - How well does his skill set carry over to the fantasy game? For receivers, a player needs to be a realistic threat for 70 catches and 1,000 receiving yards at some point early in their career to be a candidate for a perfect grade. Positional scarcity at the pro level is also a part of the equation.

Positives

Moore may be on the short end when it comes to his height, but he is not small - nor does he play that way. (Perhaps one of the most telling statistics on his resume is an FBS-best 26 missed tackles forced in 2021, according to Pro Football Focus.) The concept of a player having more upside because he is new to his position is often an overplayed one, but it bears mentioning that Moore did not start playing receiver until after he arrived in Kalamazoo. (He played quarterback and cornerback in high school and was recruited at the latter position.) Despite his late start at receiver, he is exceptional at leveraging his routes and efficient with his footwork. Moore is not exactly a field-stretcher (and probably will not be in the NFL), but he shows a second gear when he needs it and almost always comes down with any ball in his general area. Perhaps part of that sure-handedness can be attributed to the fact he has some of the biggest hands in the draft class (10 1/4"), which is almost unheard of for a receiver of his size. Moore is also very adept at getting off the line of scrimmage clean; he achieved this largely because he is so quick but also because he varies his releases and possesses very good strength for a player of his size.

Negatives

While Moore does a fine job overcoming his less-than-ideal height by being incredibly elusive, the fact he also is not a true burner could end up hurting his cause to be anything more than a complementary receiver at the next level. Receivers typically need some combination of unusual height, incredible athleticism (vertical jump, in this case) or elite speed to win downfield consistently in the NFL. Moore has none of those attributes working in his favor. He also does not consistently stack his defender downfield, making it harder on himself. While Moore proved to be a hard guy to tackle in the MAC last season and has the strength to carry that over to the NFL, he will need to continue to get better at creating separation to take more advantage of his ability to maximize his run-after-catch opportunities. Prospects with his size also usually have significant special teams experience; Moore has almost none. He also has some durability issues, including missing a large chunk of the season opener against Michigan and the next game versus Illinois State in 2021. (He also suffered two significant ankle injuries in high school.

Bottom Line

It is hard not to be impressed by what Moore has accomplished (and what he can already do at a high level) three years into his receiver journey. (He stepped onto the field as a freshman with less than a year of training and posted 802 yards.) Moore is also not afraid to work the middle, which bodes well for his future in the slot. His ability to separate from NFL corners figures to be the deciding factor in whether he will be a long-term option or not. The fact he has picked up so much in such a short time suggests he will figure it out sooner than later. While it is easy to see shades of Steve Smith in his game on occasion, Golden Tate makes a ton of sense as a player he could look to emulate. Tate did not have any of the elite traits mentioned for a downfield receiver in the previous paragraph and was still consistently very good after the catch and in the short and intermediate passing game.

David Bell Draft Profile

Vitals

College: Purdue
Height/Weight: 6'1"/212
Hands: 9 1/4"
Age: 21 (at the time of the 2022 season opener)


Important NFL Combine Numbers

40-Yard Dash: 4.65
Vertical Jump: 33"
Broad Jump: 9'10"
20-Yard Shuttle: 4.57
3-Cone: 7.14

College Production (Stats)

High-end NFL Player Comp(s): Michael Thomas
Low-end NFL Player Comp(s): Corey Davis

Position-Specific Attributes and Grades
Attribute Att Grade Scale
Ball Tracking 9.0 10.0
Contested Catch/Body Control 9.0 10.0
Hands 9.0 10.0
Release 8.5 10.0
Route-Running 9.0 10.0
Run After Catch 8.5 10.0
Physicality/Competitiveness 9.0 8.0
Separation 3.0 6.0
Speed 1.5 4.0
Blocking 1.0 2.0
Film Grade 67.5 80.0
     
Pre-Draft Fantasy Prospect Grade* (out of 50): 41.0

* - How well does his skill set carry over to the fantasy game? For receivers, a player needs to be a realistic threat for 70 catches and 1,000 receiving yards at some point early in their career to be a candidate for a perfect grade. Positional scarcity at the pro level is also a part of the equation

Positives

There is something to be said about a player who produces every week even though he is clearly the best player on the team and the focal point of the defensive game plan. Bell is the rare big receiver (212 pounds) that wins not only with excellent body control but also with exceptional route-running ability. He plays physically with the ball in his hands. Bell was very good at getting a clean inside release with a double-hand swipe in the four or five games I watched and he does a fine job of attacking the leverage of his defender by using tempo and selling his fakes well. While he is far from a speedster (more on that later), he possesses decent build-up speed and is strong enough to pick up some yards after contact (25 missed tackles forced - third in college football in 2021, according to Pro Football Focus).

Negatives

While athletic testing numbers are far from the end-all and be-all of player evaluation, Bell's Combine marks are alarming. His triangle numbers (40, vertical and broad jump) reflect the kind of player he is: he is not particularly explosive, lacks suddenness and has below-average speed. That combination could lead NFL corners to sit on his short and intermediate routes if he fails to prove he can get behind them once or twice per game. Bell did not create a lot of separation in college, which makes it very likely he will struggle to do so in the NFL.

Bottom Line

Bell figures to pay the price for a disappointing NFL Combine in the draft and probably will not enter the league with much fanfare as a result. A quick look at some historical Combine numbers reveals that Gabriel Davis, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Jarvis Landry also fared poorly in many of the same areas that Bell did. Only JuJu was remotely close to Bell in terms of college production. Ultimately, I choose to believe he is a better athlete than he tested. There is too much nuance to Bell's game to believe he will fail after enjoying such a dominant college career. Comparisons to Anquan Boldin and Thomas may be a bit too pie-in-the-sky for Bell, but I believe he will be a No. 1 receiver at some point in his career.

John Metchie III Draft Profile

Vitals

College: Alabama
Height/Weight: 5'11"/187
Hands: 9 1/4"
Age: 22 (at the time of the 2022 season opener)


Important NFL Combine Numbers

40-Yard Dash: N/A
Vertical Jump: N/A
Broad Jump: N/A
20-Yard Shuttle: N/A
3-Cone: N/A

College Production (Stats)

High-end NFL Player Comp(s): Hunter Renfrow
Low-end NFL Player Comp(s): A more refined K.J. Osborn

Position-Specific Attributes and Grades
Attribute Att Grade Scale
Ball Tracking 7.5 10.0
Contested Catch/Body Control 8.0 10.0
Hands 8.0 10.0
Release 9.5 10.0
Route-Running 9.5 10.0
Run After Catch 8.0 10.0
Physicality/Competitiveness 6.0 8.0
Separation 5.5 6.0
Speed 2.5 4.0
Blocking 1.5 2.0
Film Grade 66.0 80.0
     
Pre-Draft Fantasy Prospect Grade* (out of 50): 39.5

* - How well does his skill set carry over to the fantasy game? For receivers, a player needs to be a realistic threat for 70 catches and 1,000 receiving yards at some point early in their career to be a candidate for a perfect grade. Positional scarcity at the pro level is also a part of the equation

Positives

Metchie is the kind of player that will keep changing the tests on opposing cornerbacks the minute they believe they have the answer guide. He is a route technician. His releases are almost always clean. He understands how to set up his moves, the importance of changing up the tempo of his routes and he is quick enough to take advantage of the slightest misstep. He has plenty of experience in running most of the routes he will be asked to run in the NFL and he will not shy away from running any of them. Although his overall physical strength will be questioned (and rightfully so), he was among the best receivers in college football in terms of missed tackles forced last year with 20. Metchie will give his team an honest day's work and then some, working hard for his quarterback on the scramble drill and blocking better than most might expect. In short, he gets as much out of his talent as any receiver in this draft class does.

Negatives

While he has most of the mental game mostly mastered, it is hard to pinpoint one elite physical trait or attribute Metchie has. His quickness is very good, but that may be about it. His hands are good but not great, as evidenced by the fact he has more career drops than touchdowns (15-14). (Things did get better in that regard in his final year, however, as he registered a drop rate of 7.7 percent.) While he is willing to get physical after the catch and better than expected in contested catch situations, the only two plays of his career that covered more than 46 yards happened in his first career start against Texas A&M in October of 2020. His December of 2021 ACL tear is only the most recent of his durability issues; he had ankle and shin surgeries in 2020 and was diagnosed with an enlarged heart in high school.

Bottom Line

Metchie is one of the best bets of all the receivers in this draft class to produce immediately, especially relative to where he will be selected. Of course, this all assumes things go well with his ACL recovery. The question is not whether or not he will enjoy a long career in the NFL, but rather how much upside he has. At worst, Metchie should be a high-end slot receiver. A more likely scenario is that his ability to create separation almost at will carries over and he ends up serving as a quality second receiver.

Jalen Tolbert Draft Profile

Vitals

College: South Alabama
Height/Weight: 6'1"/194
Hands: 10"
Age: 23 (at the time of the 2022 season opener)


Important NFL Combine Numbers

40-Yard Dash: 4.49
Vertical Jump: 36"
Broad Jump: 10'3"
20-Yard Shuttle: 4.24 (pro day)
3-Cone: 7.08

College Production (Stats)

High-end NFL Player Comp(s): Marvin Jones
Low-end NFL Player Comp(s): Quez Watkins

Position-Specific Attributes and Grades
Attribute Att Grade Scale
Ball Tracking 9.0 10.0
Contested Catch/Body Control 9.0 10.0
Hands 8.5 10.0
Release 9.0 10.0
Route-Running 8.5 10.0
Run After Catch 7.5 10.0
Physicality/Competitiveness 5.5 8.0
Separation 3.5 6.0
Speed 2.5 4.0
Blocking 1.0 2.0
Film Grade 64.0 80.0
     
Pre-Draft Fantasy Prospect Grade* (out of 50): 39.0

* - How well does his skill set carry over to the fantasy game? For receivers, a player needs to be a realistic threat for 70 catches and 1,000 receiving yards at some point early in their career to be a candidate for a perfect grade. Positional scarcity at the pro level is also a part of the equation

Positives

Although no one will confuse the Sun Belt for the SEC, Tolbert was extremely and consistently proficient at creating big plays - especially in his final college season. The Mobile (AL) native managed to beat defenses for at least one 40-yard play in each of the Jaguars' first seven games of the season. (He ranked sixth per Pro Football Focus with 16 deep catches AND 646 deep catch yards.) What he lacks in elite speed, he makes up for with his ability to win at the catch point. Tolbert's background as a baseball player shows up repeatedly as someone who is very adept at tracking the ball in flight, which allows him to get into position to win as many contested catches as he did in 2021 (12, per PFF). His long arms (32 5/8 inches) and big hands (10 inches) help him in that regard and make him an inviting target for quarterbacks. Tolbert consistently gets off the line of scrimmage easily, possesses good initial burst and understands the importance of changing tempo on his routes to get a bit of extra separation late.

Negatives

Tolbert is more of a glider than a speed demon, which means he typically is not going to pull away from his defender after the catch unless he has a runway. That alone could make a difference in his big-play ability at the next level. The Jaguars' all-time leader in catches, receiving yards and touchdown catches is more than capable of sinking his hips and making quick turns but does not always do so. Between that and not always selling his routes well, he allows the defender time to make breaks on short and intermediate throws. Tolbert is yet another receiver in this draft class who needs to add about 10-15 pounds of muscle. While Tolbert burned Tennessee (7/143/1) late last season, it was the only time in his final 34 college games that he faced a Power 5 opponent. (Tolbert fared well at Senior Bowl practice, somewhat silencing the level of competition concerns.)

Bottom Line

Tolbert has a starter's kit to work with at receiver, although his lean frame and lack of strength (for a 23-year-old receiver, no less) are concerns. Still, his ball skills are legit and there are flashes of the speed he needs to have to become a viable (and consistent) deep threat one day in the league. A realistic goal for Tolbert is to be able to add 10-15 pounds of muscle over the next few months or years. If he can do that, he could be a decent replica of Josh Palmer.

Khalil Shakir Draft Profile

Vitals

College: Boise State
Height/Weight: 6'0"/196
Hands: 9 1/2"
Age: 22 (at the time of the 2022 season opener)


Important NFL Combine Numbers

40-Yard Dash: 4.43
Vertical Jump: 38 1/2" (pro day)
Broad Jump: 10'4"
20-Yard Shuttle: 4.21
3-Cone: 7.28

College Production (Stats)

High-end NFL Player Comp(s): A lighter and more versatile version of T. J. Houshmandzadeh
Low-end NFL Player Comp(s): Antwaan Randle El

Position-Specific Attributes and Grades
Attribute Att Grade Scale
Ball Tracking 9.0 10.0
Contested Catch/Body Control 9.5 10.0
Hands 8.0 10.0
Release 7.0 10.0
Route-Running 9.0 10.0
Run After Catch 9.5 10.0
Physicality/Competitiveness 7.0 8.0
Separation 3.5 6.0
Speed 3.0 4.0
Blocking 1.0 2.0
Film Grade 66.5 80.0
     
Pre-Draft Fantasy Prospect Grade* (out of 50): 38.5

* - How well does his skill set carry over to the fantasy game? For receivers, a player needs to be a realistic threat for 70 catches and 1,000 receiving yards at some point early in their career to be a candidate for a perfect grade. Positional scarcity at the pro level is also a part of the equation

Positives

Shakir has a rare motor and can do a bit of everything on offense. (He logged snaps out of Wildcat, at running back, on jet sweeps and as a returner for the Broncos.) His concentration is particularly impressive in contested-catch situations. Shakir repeatedly snares balls only a few receivers could hope to snag by exhibiting exceptional body control and contorting his body in unique ways while in the air. He is not the least bit timid inside the hashes and embraces contact, although he is aware and athletic enough to make his man look silly in the open field if he senses there is more meat on the bone. Shakir often wins with tempo on his routes and does not tip them off very often.

Negatives

There are a few contradictions in Shakir's game, namely how a receiver who makes so many difficult catches look easy can end up dropping 10 catchable targets in a season (or sport a drop rate of 11.5 percent) or have 20 drops in his career. His focus drops are correctable, but it is worth wondering if he feels as if he needs the extra split-second to make up for his relatively average athleticism. His 38 1/2-inch vertical jump shows up on film, but he rarely looks like he is moving like a receiver capable of running 4.43. As such, he may be limited to a possession receiver role in the NFL. Shakir also ran 74 percent of his routes out of the slot in 2021. With short arms (29 1/8 inches) and relatively average strength, he may be limited to slot work in the league. Shakir was not asked to block much and did not show much in that regard when he did.

Bottom Line

Shakir is the kind of receiver that physically looks like he might stick around two years but will probably end up playing for 10. He undoubtedly has traits that play in the NFL, including the kind of toughness, grit and guile that should make him a fan favorite and a coach's pet. Two of the primary deciding factors in how his career will evolve include his ability to curb his focus drop issues and add some muscle. It is one thing to challenge the manhood of Mountain West defenders after the catch, but it is another thing to do it against NFL safeties. Receivers cannot live on body control and the ability to win the contested catch alone. Those attributes may be the two areas where he can be confident he is pro-ready.

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Doug Orth has written for FF Today since 2006 and been featured in USA TODAY's Fantasy Football Preview magazine since 2010. He is also a high-stakes player who often appears as a guest analyst on a number of national sports radio shows, such as Sirius XM’s “Fantasy Drive." Doug is also a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association.