2020 NFL Draft: Top 40 wide receiver rankings and analysis
As I stated earlier, there are a handful of receivers in the 2020 NFL Draft that I think are franchise-changing, truly dynamic number one caliber wideouts at the next level, who should go in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
1. Henry Ruggs III, Alabama
Henry Ruggs III has blinding speed, but he is much more than just fast. Ruggs is an absolute touchdown machine, scoring every four times he touched the ball at Alabama. He is dangerous at all three levels, not just as a deep threat. He can certainly burn you deep and it would not be a good idea to try to press him in man coverage.
On short routes and screens, he isn’t the most shifty player with the ball in his hands but his speed and vision allow him to attack open spaces in the defense with ease. Where he should really surprise some people on tape is his work on intermediate routes. He really excels at finding space in zone coverage, settling, then getting the ball and turning on the jets.
He isn’t the most nuanced or diverse route runner in the 2020 NFL Draft, but he uses his speed to his advantage and can cut quickly to get open in man coverage. Ruggs has great hands and is a reliable third-down target.
Henry Ruggs is much more like Tyreek Hill than John Ross and I think he can fill a similar role and be nearly as productive right away if he goes to a team that uses him effectively.
2. Jerry Jeudy, Alabama
Jerry Jeudy is a very versatile wide receiver who is arguably the best route runner coming out of college that we have ever seen and certainly the best in the 2020 NFL Draft. He’s that good. He is nuanced with his routes at all three levels and uses his head and feet to fake out defenders.
Jeudy is effective from the outside and from the slot and would continue to be an absolute match-up nightmare if he goes to a team that has a couple of other dangerous weapons like they did at Alabama.
With a 4.45 40-yard dash time, Jeudy is a legitimate deep threat and can take any pass to the house. He is just as shifty with the ball in his hands, making him a great target in the short game.
Despite a few drops that have some evaluators concerned, Jeudy has all the tools to be a legitimate number one receiver in the NFL coming out of the 2020 NFL Draft and would be a luxury if able to utilize him out of the slot.
3. CeeDee Lamb, Oklahoma
CeeDee Lamb is an absolute problem with the ball in his hands. He has legitimate running back traits in contact balance, vision and feel. No matter where he catches the ball, Lamb immediately turns into a running back. He strings together smart, simple moves to shed arm tackles and earn extra yards.
He’s not the most nuanced route runner, but he can get open and is dangerous when he does. Lamb is also effective deep down the field with great tracking and ball skills, winning many jump balls.
If Lamb can continue to develop as a route runner, he could become a top tier receiver in the NFL. Right away out of the 2020 NFL Draft, Lamb will definitely be heavily involved in the quick game, getting the ball in his hands and letting him make a play, as well as an occasional deep bomb.
4. Tee Higgins, Clemson
I really don’t get why more people don’t love Tee Higgins. Higgins was ultra-productive at Clemson and there isn’t much on tape that he doesn’t play at a very high level.
Higgins has great size at 6-foot-4 and 215 lbs and 34-inch arms. He did not participate in any testing at the combine, but likely would have run well and jumped even better. He is great at going up and getting 50/50 balls and is very effective down the field. He is a solid route runner and is good with the ball in his hands.
He scored a touchdown on 20% of his catches at Clemson and is always a threat to take it all the way. He can line up anywhere on the field and win with his blend of size, speed and hands.
There are some injury concerns that flared up throughout his time at Clemson, but when healthy I really like Tee Higgins as a true number one receiver with Pro Bowl potential coming out of the 2020 NFL Draft.
5. Justin Jefferson, LSU
Justin Jefferson is probably the best slot receiver in the 2020 NFL Draft class. He really came on this season as a junior when operating nearly exclusively out of the slot. Jefferson isn’t the crispest route runner, but he is smooth with good feel and usually finds a way to get position on the defender to make a play on the ball.
Jefferson improved greatly on film even from the start to the end of this season and should continue to grow and develop at the next level. He has very solid hands and displays great ball skills on jump balls. He is very effective with the ball in his hands, often targeted on screens and shorter routes.
Towards the end of the season, Burrow started finding Jefferson more and more down the field and was ultra-productive when it mattered most down the stretch and in the playoffs.
Justin Jefferson doesn’t necessarily do any one thing spectacularly, but man is he solid across the board. His production should carry over to the NFL, especially if he is able to go to a team that already has a playmaker or two on the outside.