There is a growing movement in the Dynasty community toward “devy” players. The term “devy” refers to developmental players carried on the dynasty league rosters. These devy players are usually college players but can even be high school athletes. During each week of the season, we will look at a different set of devy rankings.
We began the season looking at the potential 2017 NFL Draft class, beginning with the quarterbacks. This week, we are examining the top wide receivers eligible for the 2019 NFL Draft.
As we survey devy prospects, we will be looking at traits, abilities, and skill sets that will translate to the NFL. So, let’s get started on the pass catchers who might be selected high in the 2019 NFL Draft. Since these players are Freshmen so much could change in the next two years. Also, much of the ranking is a projection into future versus performance in year one.
8. Kyle Davis (Auburn) – The physically imposing Freshman (6’2”, 219 pounds) enrolled at Auburn in January after graduating early from high school. He was a Top 10-ranked receiver for both ESPN and 247 Sports. Davis has grabbed 11 passes for 235 yards and a pair of touchdowns on the season. The Tigers have endured major issues at the quarterback position and lean heavily on the running game, offering few opportunities for the talented receivers.
7. Riley Ridley (Georgia) – The 6’2”, 195-pound Freshman is commonly known as Calvin Ridley’s little brother. Interestingly, it was Calvin who suggested Riley go to Georgia, not Alabama. The Bulldogs are stacked with talented Freshman. With quarterback Jacob Eason and running back Elijah Holyfield, the offense is loaded for coach Kirby Smart even though the youngsters were recruited by the previous regime. Ridley was not as highly recruited as many on this list, but he has played well in 2016. Ridley has caught 12 balls for 238 yards and 2 scores on the year. But, like his brother, Riley is much older than the average Freshman. This is a concern. He was 20 years old before the season even began. Also of note, Ridley was enrolled at Georgia in January after graduating “early” from high school.
6. A.J. Brown (Mississippi) – The Freshman is solidly built (6’1”, 220 pounds) and has started to get valuable playing time as the season progressed. He has grabbed at least three passes in four of the last five games. For the season, Brown has 29 receptions for 412 yards and 2 touchdowns. To give an indication of Brown’s athletic ability, he was just the second-ever player to be selected to both the Under Armour football and baseball All-American games. The Rebels have great talent and depth at the receiver position, but Brown could be the best of the bunch.
5. Tyrie Cleveland (Florida) – The 6’2”, 196-pound Freshman has garnered more playing time as his team needed plays down the stretch. His 98-yard touchdown helped the Gators to a 16-10 victory over LSU a few weeks ago. The conservative offense and middling quarterback play have limited Cleveland’s upside, but he is talented. Like many youngsters, Cleveland committed several mental errors in the SEC Championship game against Alabama. The Gators also have Josh Hammond in the recruiting class. The pair should give the Florida offense plenty of big plays over the next few years.
4. Devin Duvernay (Texas) – Duvernay stayed home to play at Texas. He has average size (5’11”, 195 pounds) but the wide receiver makes big plays for the Longhorns. For the year, Duvernay had 20 catches for 412 yards and 3 touchdowns. His 20.6 yards-per-reception average has to grab the attention of Longhorn opponents. Duvernay was highly recruited (WR3 by ESPN, WR4 by Scout, and WR8 by Rivals) and was a great “get” by the former coaching regime. His brother, defensive back Donovan Duvernay, also plays on the team.
3. Nate Craig-Myers (Auburn) – The wide receiver came to Auburn with high hopes. He was ranked highly in the recruiting class by the recruiting sites: ESPN WR2, Rivals WR3, 247 Sports WR6, and Scout WR8. Craig-Myers also made the USA Today All-America team. He has only caught three passes this season but has flashed big-play potential. The Freshman has the size (6’2”, 204 pounds) and just needs to refine his wide receiver skills. He and his Freshman receiver teammates, Kyle Davis and Eli Stove, will be a force in the SEC for the coming years. The conservative Tiger offense will limit the upside of this trio, at least until a quarterback emerges. His brother, Jayvaughn Myers, is a teammate on the Auburn team.
2. Demetris Robertson (California) – Robertson is a slender pass catcher (6’0”, 175 pounds) who will add weight after another offseason training program. The true Freshman from Savannah, GA, is having a big season. Many recruiting services had him as the top receiver in the country out of high school. For the year, Robertson has 50 receptions for 767 yards and 7 touchdowns. The Freshman has been great at making big plays for the struggling Bears offense. There is good reason. Robertson has big speed as evidenced by his 10.51 100-meter dash in high school. His track coach gave a glowing review of who Robertson is as a person. Coach Deedee Colter said, "He’s wonderful, talented, respectful, does anything you ask him to do … He cares about the other kids. It’s amazing what he can do to rally a team. He’s always asking how the other kids did, supporting them, no matter how good they are." We like seeing the positive stories about the top recruits. While Robertson plays on a below-average California team, he is still making plays and could become a quality pro pass catcher.
1. N'keal Harry (Arizona State) – Harry is a big receiver (6’3”, 210 pounds) who has made a big impact early in his college career. In the loss to Utah last month, the true Freshman had his best game of the season, hauling in 8 passes for 114 yards. For the season, Harry has caught 58 passes for 659 yards and 5 touchdowns. Sadly, the Sun Devils have lost six consecutive games, and are not in contention for a bowl game. In high school, Harry caught 119 passes for 2,715 yards and 25 touchdowns. A little-known fact is that current Arizona State quarterback Bryce Perkins was Harry’s teammate in high school and the pair won the state title in 2014. Rivals ranked Harry as the top wide receiver and the 18th best prospect in the country. His stellar pedigree and quality play as a Freshman vault Harry to the top of our list.
Also, keep an eye on:
Diondre Overton (Clemson) – The Freshman has not been able to see much playing time with the talented receivers ahead of him on the Clemson depth chart. Overton has the size (6’5”, 210 pounds) that the Tigers seek. Let’s remember that both Mike Williams and Deon Cain are big men playing the receiver position. With Williams and Artavis Scott expected to leave for the NFL after the season, there will be opportunity for Overton to emerge in 2017.
Eli Stove (Auburn) – The 6’0”, 177-pounder is very intelligent (he is an Engineering major) and a talented musician who enjoys playing several instruments. He has hauled in 19 passes for 185 yards during his Freshman campaign. Along with Craig-Myers and Davis, above, the Auburn receiving corps should be set for years, especially with Baylor transfer Jarrett Stidham under center.
DeKaylin Metcalf (Mississippi) – Many in the devy community love Metcalf. We are not as high on him as the crowd. The massive receiver (6’4” 210 pounds) does not have the speed to be a high-end pro prospect (4.71 in the 40-yard dash). He was an All-American selection by both the U.S Army and MaxPreps. The Rebels are loaded at the position with young talent and Metcalf will need to live up to his potential in order to maximize his NFL Draft appeal.
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