Chris Ransom’s Top 20 Wide Receivers for 2012

South Carolina wide receiver Alshon Jeffery is the top receiving prospect in 2012.

1. Alshon Jeffery Wide Receiver South Carolina AJ Green had Andre Johnson’s size and Calvin Johnson.  Alshon Jeffery has Calvin Johnson’s size and Andre Johnson’s talent.  Jeffery can turn a potential bust like Cam Newton into a quality quarterback.  The bottom line is Alshon Jeffery is the most complete receiver in the 2012 NFL Draft.

Jeffery is an underclassmen so he could return.  I’d be very surprised if that happened though because most SEC junior’s bolt for the pro’s and Spurrier is not a coach who tries to weasel players into returning to school.

Projected Round Top 5

2. Justin Blackmon Wide Receiver Oklahoma State Justin Blackmon may not pan out as an NFL prospect in my mind because I’m not sold on his route running, but based on how he has produced at Oklahoma State he should go in the first round.

The reason Justin Blackmon is getting so much hype is because of his numbers at Oklahoma State in 2010.  In 2010 Blackmon had a mind boggling season.  Blackmon recorded 111 receptions for 1,782 receiving yards and 20 receiving touchdowns in the process.  Blackmon may be the best NFL prospect among Big 12 receivers on every draft board, but he’s not the fastest receiver and his hands are bad too.

Justin Blackmon had a chance to declare for the 2011 NFL Draft after the 2010 season and opted to return to school.  I believe this is a huge mistake that he will regret.  There’s no guarantee Blackmon goes in round 1 if his numbers decline in 2011.

Projected Round 1st Round

3. Mohammed Sanu Wide Receiver Rutgers I have a feeling a third wide receiver will go in the first round.  Right now though I’m only sold on Jeffery and Blackmon being those two first round wide receiver prospects.

After Jeffery and Blackmon its a three horse race between Mohammed Sanu, Jeff Fuller, and Michael Floyd to be the 3rd wide receiver taken.  I think Sanu has pro bowl potential as a wide receiver and may even have the potential to be a better #1 option than Kenny Britt.

Sanu is physically gifted and has the best hands among any Big East wide receiver.  Sanu is probably the #1 NFL prospect when it comes to offensive players in the Big East.

Projected Round 2nd Round

4. Jeff Fuller Wide Receiver Texas A/M Jeff Fuller  is 6 foot 3 215 pounds.  I think Fuller will need to adjust from a spread offense as a receiver to a pro style offense, but Fuller has all the tools be a pro bowl caliber target.  Worst case scenario Fuller is a #2 wide receiver complimenting a really good wide receiver.

If you love speed then Fuller is your man.  Fuller can be an effective deep threat that scores in the red zone or the end zone.  Many people consider Jeff Fuller to be the fastest wide receiver in the Big 12.

Fuller had 12 receiving touchdowns in 2010.  When I watch Jeff Fuller on film, he reminds me of a smaller version of Randy Moss in terms of size without the off the field character issues that Randy Moss had.  Fuller could be more athletic and acrobatic than Moss too who knows only times will tell with Jeff Fuller.

Projected Round 2nd Round

5. Michael Floyd Wide Receiver Notre Dame Floyd had a chance at one point to be in the same league as AJ Green or Julio Jones in terms of draft stock.  In fact many 2011 mock drafts after the 2010 NFL Draft had Michael Floyd going ahead of Julio Jones and Jonathan Baldwin heading into the year.  Injuries and off the field incidents caused Floyd’s draft stock to collapse.  I believe Michael Floyd is a slot receiver at best in terms of potential.  Slot receivers need deadly speed and Floyd’s speed is kind of rusty at this point despite his amazing route running skills.  Still Floyd’s hands and route running will get him taken in the first two rounds because he has the size along with the hands and route running of a #1 wide out.

Floyd may develop into a #1 wide receiver, but I think he is a slot receiver at best.  Floyd will probably get inserted into a lineup as a #1 wide receiver and may struggle until he becomes a slot receiver if he doesn’t work out as a teams #1 receiving target.

Projected Round 2nd Round

6. Ryan Broyles Wide Receiver Oklahoma Broyles will bust because he is undersized and because he will struggle to learn new routes to run as a route runner in the NFL.  I love Broyles intangibles and hands as a wide receiver.

Broyles had 131 receptions at Oklahoma in 2010.  Broyles has had a career 266 receptions during his career with Oklahoma.  If Ryan Broyles gets 51 more receptions he will have the NCAA record for most receptions in college football history passing Taylor Stubblefield who currently holds the NCAA record for most receptions in college football.

While I’m not sold on Sooner quarterback Landry Jones or his wide receiver Ryan Broyles in the NFL, I am sold on this team making a move towards the National Title if they can run the table and go 12-0.

Projected Round 2nd Round

7. Dwight Jones Wide Receiver North Carolina Dwight Jones has all the physical tools of a true #1 wide receiver, but he lacks the intangibles at this point.  Jones has the potential to develop into a solid #2 receiver for some NFL team down the road as a sleeper in the NFL.

Projected Round 3rd Round

8. Juron Criner Wide Receiver Arizona Criner is the #1 receiving target that Nick Foles throws to at Arizona.  Criner has the tools of a #1 at Arizona.  Criner has elite durability, size, and production.  The rest of his game needs work.  I see Criner as a #6 wide receiver for depth on an NFL roster.

Projected Round 3rd Round

9. Greg Childs Wide Receiver Arkansas I’m not sure if Greg Childs will succeed in the NFL because from what I heard he is struggling to maintain that #1 receiver role at Arkansas and may even get bumped down to slot receiver.  I loved DJ Williams last year, but I have bashed every Arkansas prospect since.

At one point when Arkansas nearly knocked off #1 Florida in 2009, I liked Childs as a receiving prospect so I have mixed feelings about how his career will unfold.

Projected Round 3rd Round

10. Devier Posey Wide Receiver Ohio State Posey probably wishes he had declared in 2011.  In the end, I believe Posey will develop into a true #1 wide receiver that a team can count on for big plays despite the fact that he is missing the first 5 games for the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Just like Dwight Jones you get another sleeper at wide receiver by taking Devier Posey.

Projected Round 4th Round

11. Jermaine Kearse Wide Receiver Washington Jermaine Kearse was Jake Locker’s #1 wide receiver at Washington.  He has the ability to contribute as a #5 wide receiver for depth so he’s a good pickup if you want to add depth at wide receiver in the 4th round.

Projected Round 4th Round

12. Marquis Maze Wide Receiver Alabama Marquis Maze has elite production and intangibles.  He is a work in progress everywhere else though.  Maze lacks the physical tools of a top notch wide receiver.

Projected Round 4th Round

13. Ty Hilton Wide Receiver Florida International Hilton a practice squad receiver who should not be on an NFL roster as a receiver, but his return skills on special teams are deadly.

Projected Round 4th Round

14. Nick Toon Wide Receiver Wisconsin Nick Toon has all the tools to be a pro bowl caliber wide receiver.  The problem is he cannot stay healthy.  Still I expect someone to take a flyer on him by round 5.

Just like Ohio State wide receiver Devier Posey Nick Toon should be another #1 target from a Big 10 school in the NFL unless injuries occur or Nick Toon has a poor work ethic.

Projected Round 5th Round

15. Marvin McNutt Wide Receiver Iowa McNutt has the size of a wide receiver at 6 foot 4 215 pounds.  McNutt would have been a 6th round pick in 2011 had he declared so I expect him to be a 5th round pick in 2012.

Nothing else with McNutt stands out, but he has the potential to be a slot receiver who creates mismatches against nickel corners due to his size.  Can McNutt play the slot on the inside?  That is the only question that NFL Scouts wonder.

Regardless I expect McNutt to be a sleeper at wide receiver in this draft.

Projected Round 5th Round

16. Jarrett Boykin Wide Receiver Virginia Tech Boykin has the durability, size, and intangibles of a top notch receiver.  Boykin was Tyrod Taylor’s #1 receiving target last year at Virginia Tech plus he goes up against Jayron Hosley a first round cornerback prospect every day in practice.  I think Boykin is more of a #4 wide receiver who may end becoming a slot receiver down the road due to his speed off the release.

Projected Round 5th Round

17. Chris Owusu Wide Receiver Stanford Owusu has the skill set to be a #6 wide receiver on a depth chart.

Projected Round 5th Round

18. Lance Lewis Wide Receiver East Carolina Lance Lewis was a product of an offense last year with wide receiver Dwayne Harris and 2012 quarterback prospect Dominique Davis.

Projected Round 6th Round

19. Marvin Jones Wide Receiver California Marvin Jones is undersized and learns plays at an average rate.  Other than that he is a complete wide receiver prospect with the speed of a DeSean Jackson type receiver plus his route running, hands, and jumping ability is better than Jackson’s based on what I’ve seen from Marvin Jones on film.

I doubt Jones posts the receiving yards that DeSean Jackson displays.  Still, his speed is similar plus his intangibles have more potential than DeSean Jacksons.

Projected Round 7th Round

20. Bert Jones Wide Receiver Florida State Bert Jones was a product of Christian Ponder and EJ Manuel.  I don’t see him making it in the NFL.

Projected Round 7th Round