Top Five Wide Receivers in the 2021 NFL Draft
By John Blair
2021 NFL Draft wide receiver rankings
5. Kadarius Toney, Florida
2020 was a breakout year for Florida wide receiver Kadarius Toney. Going into the season Toney only had 50 receptions for 606 yards. However, this season Toney’s production shot up as he caught 70 passes for 984 yards just this year.
He also helped out on special teams for the Gators as he averaged 11.3 yards on punt returns and returned one for a touchdown.
When scouting Toney the first positive to note is his ability to make plays with the ball in his hands. He is a very elusive runner in the open field and is a similar player to Jaylen Waddle when it comes to this area of his game.
Another positive with him is that he can be used in a variety of different ways on offense. This could include throwing him a bubble route and allowing him to make yards after the catch, handing the ball to him on a jet sweep or just throwing him the ball in your typical offense. He also will help any team with his ability to return punts.
The biggest red flag with him is he is not your traditional wide receiver, and will probably have to play slot in the NFL. This is due to his lack of size and the fact he is far from a polished route runner. I also worry about the fact that he has only had one really productive year at Florida, so he is still somewhat of a one-year wonder.
The last concern I have with him is how fast is he. While he does show top-notch short-area quickness, his 40-yard dash time will be critical to determining where he is drafted.
In my latest Chicago Bears mock draft, I had them picking Toney with the 20th pick of the 2021 NFL Draft. This would be a good match for Toney as the team likes to throw shorter passes to its wide receivers and allow them to make plays after the catch, which is where Toney would excel.
Another team that would be wise to strongly consider him would be the Washington Football Team.