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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.
A few weeks ago, we began to look at the potential 2017 NFL Draft class, beginning with the quarterbacks. This week, we are examining the wide receivers eligible for the 2018 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 pass catchers who might be selected high in the 2018 NFL Draft.
10. Trenton Irwin (Stanford) – The 6’2”, 200-pound Sophomore only hauled in 12 passes in 2015. But, he has emerged as a solid possession receiver in 2016. Irwin has caught seven passes in two games this year and has emerged to be the steady, sure-handed pass catcher the Cardinal needed to go with tailback Christian McCaffery. Irwin entered Stanford with high hopes and much fanfare. He was a five-star recruit by Rivals and PrepStar, and was Rivals 31st-ranked recruit of the recruiting class. That ranking shows the level of talent Irwin possesses. The uncertainty at the quarterback position has made it difficult for the youngster to get in a groove. We expect him to be a household name in 2017.
9. DaMarkus Lodge (Mississippi) – The lanky (6’2”, 190 pounds) Sophomore has flashed potential but has failed to assert himself into the Mississippi offense with any regularity. Yes, the Rebels have a very good receiving corps. But, Lodge had caught just 12 passes coming into the game against Georgia Southern. This was after the youngster had just one reception as a Freshman. But, he came to Mississippi with high expectations. Before Lodge stepped onto the college campus and put on the uniform, ESPN wrote about how Lodge compared to Tennessee’s Justin Hunter. ESPN’s Gerry Hamilton and Tom Luginbill wrote, "Both players are long, lean, flexible and have a penchant for making acrobatic catches look easy … They are similar in size and structure as well. Hunter was lean and lanky coming out as a prep star, but with great body control and flexibility to make very difficult grabs when elevated and in contested matchups downfield. This is also where Lodge shines." So, we know Lodge is talented and has big upside. This ranking is more about his potential with the hope that Lodge will put it together very soon.
8. Noah Brown (Ohio State) – The redshirt Sophomore only had five catches coming into the 2016 season. But, the early-September game against Oklahoma thrust the 6’2”, 222-pounder into the national spotlight. In that contest, he caught five passes, with four going for touchdowns. Brown missed the 2015 season with a major leg injury. We do not know if the big receiver will bulk up and play tight end in the NFL or look to be a pass catcher in the mold of Kelvin Benjamin. For a big man, Brown accelerates very well to go with great agility and body control. He is still learning how to be an effective receiver (gaining a clean release, setting up the defender, etc.) so we hope he does not go professional after the season. After the Oklahoma game, Chad Reuter of NFL.com, said Brown "is fluid off the line and challenges defenses with very good speed for his size." He went on to say "Now healthy again, Brown used his strong, 6-foot-2, 218-pound frame to separate from Oklahoma cornerbacks in the end zone, and made an amazing catch for one of his scores … He and QB J.T. Barrett will be a dangerous combination throughout the rest of the season." This is the reason we relate Brown to Benjamin. The Carolina receiver knows how to use his size to gain separation and make contested catches. With the conservative offense of the Buckeyes, Brown does not see the pass targets of many on this list so we have to project his upside on a smaller-than-desirable sample size.
7. Antonio Callaway (Florida) – The 5’11”, 197-pound Sophomore has been limited by a conservative offense and poor quarterback play throughout his collegiate career. It is amazing that Callaway has topped the 100-yard mark twice this season. He is finally past the serious legal problems and is playing well. One thing NFL scouts will get wind of is Callaway’s marijuana use which came to light with the legal investigation. As Florida enters the national spotlight, Callaway will see a much larger spotlight. He profiles as a Jeremy Maclin-type receiver for the NFL. Sure hands and the ability to get open for make plays in the middle of the field are traits that will translate well to the next level.
6. Malachi Dupre (LSU) – The Junior possesses optimal size (6'3”, 195 pounds) and makes huge plays in the air. Dupre is tall and a tremendous leaper. He will grow into a red-zone threat over time. The slender wide receiver is not relied upon as much as he could be due to his team having Leonard Fournette lined up in the backfield. Those who just look at box scores will be disappointed in Dupre. Given the lack of production, he is the player most likely to move down the rankings after this season and the dust settles with a new coaching staff. But, the quarterback change has us hopeful. He has performed well when targeted in the passing game. Pro Football Focus' Steve Palazzolo had some positive things to say about Dupre before the season began. Palazzolo wrote, "A smooth runner with the speed to challenge the defense down the field, Dupre can track the ball extremely well, making him a downfield threat … Dupre does a nice job running the vertical route tree." He went on to say, "The volume hasn’t been there for Dupre, or his teammate Travin Dural for that matter … We’d like to see him targeting more often, particularly in the middle of the field where he doesn’t consistently catch the ball in traffic." Palazzolo had Dupre ranked as the fourth-best receiver who could enter the NFL Draft this season. Given the lack of quality statistics, we are including Dupre in this list because he has a great chance to stay in school. The coaching change may determine whether Dupre stays in Baton Rouge or goes to the professional level.
5. Isaiah Ford (Virginia Tech) – As a Sophomore, the Hokies star put up big numbers in relative anonymity. The 6’1”, 190-pounder caught 75 passes for 1,164 yards and 11 touchdowns. He has started off the 2016 season in strong fashion as well. A week ago against Pittsburgh, the Junior hauled in 10 passes for 143 yards and a score. While Ford is not overly fast, he makes up for it by superb quickness, running great routes, and awesome body control. Many worry about Ford’s slight frame but we expect him to add muscle before entering the NFL Draft. Dane Brugler said the Virginia Tech star’s "short-area quickness, field vision and production have attracted NFL attention." Keep an eye on Ford as the season winds down. He is eligible to go professional after the season but is likely to remain in school another year.
4. Deon Cain (Clemson) – Many people who follow and write about college recruiting had Cain as one of the top players in the entire recruiting class. The former high school quarterback has been clocked at 4.44 40-yard dash. The issues for the talented Sophomore are all off the field. Last year, he reportedly failed a drug test last year and was suspended from the team. This suspension caused Cain to miss the National Championship game against Alabama, a game the Tigers could have used the talented receiver. Before the suspension, Cain emerged to fill the void left by Mike Williams, who was lost for the season after suffering a broken neck. Cain is a physically impressive player (6'1”, 210 pounds), with great speed, and is still learning how to become a star at the receiver position. If he was not already well-known nationally, the big game against Louisville earlier in the season solidified Cain as a top pass catcher. In that contest, he caught five passes for 98 yards and two touchdowns. Lance Zierlein wrote about the future NFL star, “Cain was a prominent contributor on a Clemson offense that was loaded with weapons. Keep in mind that Cain was a high-school quarterback, and has had very limited time at the wide receiver position. As he continues to get more comfortable at the position and learns the nuances of route running, his stock should steadily rise as he has the size and speed that NFL teams covet.” We very much concur. On a team with at least three NFL pass catchers, Cain could be the best pro. This was evidenced in the game against Syracuse Saturday where Cain reeled in 5 passes for 125 yards and a pair of scoring grabs.
3. John Ross (Washington) – The redshirt Junior has more receptions and yards than the rest of his collegiate career combined. The 5’11”, 190-pound receiver missed the 2015 season due to a knee injury. He entered college as one of the fastest players on campus (clocked at 4.25 in the 40-yard dash) and still has the same burst after the knee injuries. Quarterback Jake Browning has built a great rapport with Ross. His position coach, Butch Hamdan, recently was quoted as saying, "the game’s slowing down a little bit [for Ross], for sure, from a route-running standpoint … Just understanding when to use his speed, when he’s got to kind of trust his technique and slow down a little bit … I think he’s become a stronger player, better against press coverage. Just overall a more complete player." Bucky Brooks, of NFL.com, wrote last month about Ross, “He has always intrigued scouts with his combination of speed and quickness, but I've been impressed with his route-running ability and ball skills … Ross is a natural pass-catcher with outstanding explosiveness, as evidenced by his three-touchdown effort against Oregon … Ross' ballerina-like toe tap on his 15-yard touchdown on a post route will definitely intrigue scouts looking for a dominant WR1 on the perimeter." While Ross is eligible to enter the NFL Draft this coming April, we hope he stays in school another year to get another year past the injuries. However, the huge game against Cal late Saturday night may sway the speedy receiver to leave school. In the first half, alone, he caught three passes for over 100 yards and all three catches went for scores. He ended the contest with 6 catches for 208 yards and the first-half touchdowns. While the numbers were huge, no doubt, the Cal defense is a sieve so we are trying to not get too excited for the performance.
2. Christian Kirk (Texas A&M) – All throughout his football career, people have been discounting Kirk due to his smallish frame (5'11, 190 pounds), but the true Sophomore is one of the better receivers in the country. He played wide receiver, running back, kick returner, and defensive back in high school and his versatility has helped Texas A&M. Kirk is an elite athlete whose versatility will be viewed as a positive in the NFL. To us, he looks like a young DeSean Jackson, able to get open with ease any time he desires. Plus, like Jackson, Kirk is dangerous on screen passes. Coming into the upset loss against Mississippi State Saturday where quarterback Trevor Knight was injured, Kirk caught at least five passes in all but one game this season. As a Freshman, he totaled 80 catches for 1,009 yards and 7 touchdowns. This year, with the change at quarterback, Kirk has caught mostly short passes, with his average yardage per reception dropping from 12.6 to a little over 8. The Aggies are trying to get the ball into the play-maker’s hands.
1. Calvin Ridley (Alabama) – Ridley enjoyed an impressive Freshman season. The 6'0”, 180-pounder easily seized the WR1 duties for the Crimson Tide. We expect Ridley to continue to add bulk to his slight frame. He is a dangerous receiver down the field and with the ball in his hands. But, Ridley has impressed most with his ability to win contested passes. He has an impressive ability to high-point the ball and aggressively attack it. This is a trait which will translate well in the NFL. For those who track the age of the incoming rookies, Ridley is one year older than most of the other Sophomore receivers, and two years older than one or two top pass catchers in his draft class. He still is a great prospect, nonetheless, after catching 75 passes for 893 yards and five touchdowns, as a Freshman in the run-oriented Alabama offense. In the victory over Kentucky last month, Ridley caught 11 passes for 174 yards and two touchdowns. It was an impressive showing. The star pass catcher has struggled with a knee injury the past couple of weeks so it is something to monitor.
Feel free to email me (Tefertiller@Footballguys.com) with feedback. Also, I am on Twitter (www.Twitter.com/JeffTefertiller), LinkedIn, and Google+, so you can ask me questions on one of these as well.