2012 NFL Draft Preview: Wide Receivers

This is our WR NFL draft preview. I’ll be giving you three players I think are terrific players and who offer good value, two that I don’t like as much, and one late round sleeper.

This one is a little more difficult because this WR class I feel while deep is really going to depend on where the player is drafted more than the players themselves. If Stephen Hill gets drafted by the Browns he might be awful, if he gets drafted by the Steelers he could have a career filled with Pro-bowls.

Three Studs:

Michael Floyd, WR, Norte Dame

Floyd reminds me of Larry Fitzgerald with his ability to go up and catch the ball at it’s highest point. Fitzgerald wasnt a terrific athlete either. I’m not saying Floyd is going to be Fitzgerald, but I do think in the right situation Floyd can easily be one of the best wide receivers in the game. Wide receivers though are largely dependent on the team that they are drafted by and the quarterback they get to play with, but I think regardless of where Floyd lands he can be special.

Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

Is Blackmon going to be great? I don’t think so. Can he be Hakeem Nicks? In the right situation yes. Blackmon has some maturity issues and potentially some Diva in him, but he’s a terrific player who should be able to rack up the yards after catch in the N.F.L. He can go over the middle and make big plays and be a weapon in the red-zone. If he gets drafted by the Rams with Sam Bradford he could have a very nice career.

Chris Givens, Wake Forest

I’m a big fan of Chris Givens. Givens is explosive and shifty and can really runa fter the catch. Givens fits pretty much every system and can be the bes tslot WR in this class. I’d be comfortable with him in the mid to late 2nd round though I think he goes later than that.

Two Duds:

Kendall Wright-I don’t think Wright is a bad player, in fact he’s quite good. The issue I have with Wright is that his where he’s being projected (usually top 25) doesn’t fit the value of the pick. Wright is short, and not as fast as a DeSean jackson type player. He might be best suited as a slot WR in the NFL You don’t want to spend a first round pick on a guy who is a slot WR. I like WRight, but I don’t think he’s a guy who makes a QB better–now if he ends up going late first round to a team like the Texans or Giants and doesn’t have to be the guy he could have a terrific career.

Juron Criner, Arizona

It’s not that he’s a bad player but his reputation doesn’t quite preced him. Criner could have a nice career, but if he gets drafted in the second round it’s a major reach to me. Criner does a good job of attacking the football when it’s in the air, but he’s not a second round talent. If he gets drafted on day three it’s a good pick.

One Sleeper:

T.J. Graham, North Carolina State

Graham had no one to really throw him the ball, but he might be the most explosive WR in the N.F.L. draft. He’s rarely rated very high on draft boards, but and probably won’t get drafted until day three, but three years from now we might be taling about the best deep threat fromt his class. Graham is also a dynamite Kick returner one of the most productive kick returners in ACC history (might even be the all time leader in Kick return yards if I remember correctly). If Graham ends up on your team be excited.

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