Ranking The 2019 NFL Draft WR Class In Year Three: Who Tops The List?

5. D.K. Metcalf, Seattle Seahawks

This may feel like a slight, and if Seahawks fans take it that way, I apologize. The fifth best in the class right now is still very good, especially considering D.K. Metcalf was the ninth receiver selected in the 2019 NFL Draft.

Metcalf was the WR1 of many on the lovely place we call draft Twitter, and the pre-draft discourse was quite a ride. His 4.33 40-yard dash at the combine got many out of their seats, including a super fun reaction from The Draft Network. The speed for his size was incredible, and he was more than a straight line speed guy, considering the three cone time was a big deal to some.

Metcalf put the three cone nonsense to bed pretty quick. He worked on a vertical plane a lot in his rookie season, and worked crossers as well. Both utilized the unreal speed he had to generate separation. His burst made things difficult on corners, and Metcalf separated on vertical routes much quicker than many corners anticipated. Metcalf was also able to widen windows for Russell Wilson with his wide catch radius and ridiculous explosion to high point.

So how can Metcalf be this low with 25 touchdowns in his first 40 games? As much as his speed release, hand usage, and route tree have gotten better, along with his ability to help on the scramble drill, 2021 has presented some challenges.

Drops have hurt Metcalf, and his win rate at the catch point hasn’t been as impressive. While he can win the quick game with out-breakers and drags on mesh concepts, his struggle to sink and change direction efficiently gives him issues with intermediate crossers and in-breakers.

The Seahawks season is sunk, and Metcalf’s numbers have dropped in year three, but he’s still a great size/speed threat who hopefully can bounce back at the catch point. Metcalf is still a 2019 NFL Draft steal.