Re-ranking the 2019 NFL Draft wide receiver class in year three. Who takes the top spot in a wild class?
The 2019 NFL Draft process was one full of debate. From a one-quarterback class to a ton of talent on the defensive line, it was a class of interesting picks at the top. The Clelin Ferrell and Daniel Jones selections were interesting to say the least, and the Dave Gettleman proclamation of “wait three years” isn’t looking good. Not to mention, the Giants’ rival, Washington, took a quarterback who’s no longer with the team. The Raiders basically botched three selections, Brian Burns and Jeffery Simmons fell into the teens, and the Packers moved around selecting two defensive talents in the first.
The wide receiver class was one of serious debate at the top. From arguments discussing dominator rating, three cone times, age, and more, there was a serious divide between sections of analysts covering the NFL Draft. There were plenty of great moments throughout the process, from a certain breakout at the Senior Bowl to a 40 time that had everyone swooning.
All in all, it ended up a class that only featured two first round selections. There were plenty of receivers selected on day two, and a certain run at the end of the second round will be looked at for a long time. A player who many in the draft sphere were high on fell all the way to day three as well. There have been clear breakout stars and clear busts in the class, and we’re here to sift through it all.
Let’s re-rank the 2019 NFL Draft receiver class as the players traverse their way through year three.
1. Terry McLaurin, Washington Football Team
When the 2019 NFL Draft went down, to think that through almost three seasons Terry McLaurin would top the list, was a bit ambitious. It’s definitely earned, though. McLaurin was a third round pick for Washington in 2019, and really rose in the draft process with his Senior Bowl performance.
The value McLaurin brought to the table with that pick was immediate. He caught 58 passes for 918 yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie, and followed that up with 1,118 yards in his second season. He’s on pace to cross the 1,000-yard mark again in 2021.
McLaurin has been dynamic since he stepped on a field for Washington. His burst and explosion is evident from his release package and out of breaks in his stem. That burst, efficiency, and bend to break down and explode out of breaks makes him lethal with intermediate crossers. McLaurin can win in the quick game as well, and use his speed to eat up cushion to stack corners quickly. He’s a good route salesman and can attack blind spots with ease.
McLaurin has really improved in a few areas as his third season rolls along. He looks more confident in contested spots, hauling in 23 of those passes this season. McLaurin has always been a plus tracker, but he’s used his frame better to maintain position when he needs to slow up and adjust. But perhaps the most stark improvement is how he’s using his speed to his advantage more. To accelerate quickly and sell vertical while snapping off comeback routes efficiently is a big deal, and makes it that much more difficult to cover him.
Terry McLaurin is still a bit of a body catcher, one of the main issues analysts had with him in the draft. Still, he’s proven that the age concern was no problem as he leads the 2019 NFL Draft receiver class.
2. A.J. Brown, Tennessee Titans
He’s almost 1b to McLaurin’s 1a, but A.J. Brown has been stellar so far in his young career with the Tennessee Titans. Brown produced in a loaded receiving group in college, one that featured D.K. Metcalf, DaMarkus Lodge, Elijah Moore, and Dawson Knox. He operated in the slot a ton, and crossed the 1,250-yard threshold twice in his career with the Rebels.
Brown was an instant-impact player for the Titans, using his speed and toughness to be a threat at every level. He quickly ate up space against off-coverage, and was efficient enough through his breaks to maintain some separation. His strong hands helped him thrive in contested spots and catches through contact over the middle.
Where Brown was the most dominant as a rookie (and in his second season) was after the catch. Through two seasons, Brown averaged a whopping nine yards after the catch per reception, using that speed and thick frame to run away from and through defenders after the catch.
Brown has made some fantastic catches in his career so far, from one-handed grabs in tight coverage to excellent displays of tracking the ball. He’s improved as a route runner too, using his hands much more effectively to stay on course throughout his stem.
Year three has presented some injury challenges, as he’s currently on IR, but A.J. Brown has been dynamite for this Titans offense and could come back and key a stretch run in 2021.
3. Deebo Samuel, San Francisco 49ers
His third season has definitely vaulted him higher, but Deebo Samuel is a unique player in the NFL. Samuel dealt with some injuries in college at South Carolina, and again in the NFL, which wiped out a lot of his 2020. However, 2021 has been a special season for Samuel.
Backing up to how it started, Samuel came into the league with a running back build, good play speed, and a breadth of knowledge on how to separate using that speed, hand usage, and sinking his hips to quickly change direction. What stood out most for Samuel is his rookie campaign was how much he created after the catch.
We mentioned Brown’s ability to do so, but Samuel, through December of 2020, had averaged an absurd 12 yards after the catch per reception. His speed, toughness, and field vision brought that out, along with a Kyle Shanahan scheme that freed him up to make plays with the ball in his hands in the quick game.
Year three has proven that the 49ers selection of Samuel in the 2019 NFL Draft was a great one. He’s a consistent separator at every level of the field, and most notably, in the intermediate area. His ability to win on downfield routes and quick routes were there, but sinking and exploding or maintaining his speed on those deep in-breakers has been huge. Samuel is also winning in contested spots, which is rare for someone of his size, and is a definite contributor to his 18 yards per reception this season. His build is still contributing to success after the catch as well.
That “get the ball in his hands” mentality has trickled into Shanahan’s complex running game, and Samuel is now getting carries in the backfield to maximize that speed and contact balance, and his 8.1 yards per carry is outstanding.
When you have a consistent separator at all three levels, and he can win at the catch point and after, he’s a budding superstar. Deebo Samuel is that guy, and he could climb even higher on these rankings down the road.
4. Diontae Johnson, Pittsburgh Steelers
Perhaps the best true route runner from the 2019 NFL Draft, Diontae Johnson has continued the trend of successful Steelers receivers, no matter where they’re drafted. Johnson entered early as a junior out of Toledo, and his sophomore production (1,278 yards, 13 TDs) spoke for itself despite a down junior campaign.
The NFL production isn’t maybe where Steelers fans want it to be, as he’s yet to cross the arbitrary “you’re good now” 1,000-yard threshold, but the Steelers have consistently had a deep room the last several seasons. There’s an argument to be made that Johnson has been the best of them this whole time.
Johnson is technically savvy when discussing his game, especially in his first couple seasons. He always made things difficult for corners in press or press-bail coverage, varying up his release, and more importantly, his tempo off the line of scrimmage. Johnson made it hard to key in on his tendencies, speaking to his advanced skill set. He attacks blind spots well and sink his hips to change direction with little wasted motion and steps. Johnson wins in the quick game as a slant maestro among other routes, and that’s helped a Steelers offense that’s struggled to throw it deep and give enough time to do so.
Drops have really plagued Johnson’s young career. On 144 targets in 2020, Johnson led the league with a concerning 14 drops. Most of these were the result of rough hand positioning, with some resulting in a quick look up the field.
2021 has been a different story. Entering December, Johnson has zero drops on 109 targets and the massive improvement hasn’t gone unnoticed. He’s also become a much better deep ball receiver and vastly improved with the ball in the air. His double moves are showing up more, and he’s slowing his stride and maintaining great position when tracking the football. He’s making subtle usage of late hands to generate a little more separation as well. His field vision is improving, and while his speed isn’t top tier, he’s making plays after the catch.
The improvement is impressive, and it’s vaulted Diontae Johnson in these rankings. The 2019 NFL Draft pick has become the Steelers WR1.
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.
6. Marquise Brown, Baltimore Ravens
The first wide receiver taken in the 2019 NFL Draft was Marquise “Hollywood” Brown. It was a surprising selection considering his size (5’9″, 180 pounds) but the Ravens needed a deep threat in the worst way. Brown was a great deep threat for the Oklahoma Sooners, and could maintain his speed with little adjustments needed on post and corner routes. He could accelerate in an instant and run away from defenders post-catch.
That speed and explosion played into the quick game, and Brown has thrived in those two areas so far in his career. He’s turned some slant routes into scores, and is a very good deep threat who can eat into and stress defenses, even ones that primarily play a lot of two-high. His tracking is very good down the field as well.
Teams have to respect Brown’s speed, and that’s allowed him to thrive on hitch/stop and comeback routes to win underneath. When he’s faced with off-coverage, Brown takes advantage, as does Lamar Jackson in finding him.
There’s a clear and defined role with those two aspects for Brown in the Ravens passing game, and that keeps him from the top couple of tiers in this 2019 NFL Draft class. He’s not going to be a number one guy, and he still struggles with drops and against stronger, press coverage guys. Brown isn’t a bust in any aspect, and he’s done his job well within this Baltimore offense through (nearly) three seasons.
7. Jakobi Meyers, New England Patriots
After the top six is where this 2019 NFL Draft group gets interesting. Jakobi Meyers cracks the list as number seven, the first UDFA to make the list. Meyers wasn’t the standout McLaurin was at the Senior Bowl, but he made some plays and wound up with the Patriots.
Meyers doesn’t have the physical gifts of others in the rankings. He isn’t the fastest, quickest, and won’t be a dynamic game-changer. However, Meyers has worked to be an efficient route runner and possession receiver while adding even more doing his job in the Patriots offense.
He is a crafty route runner in the quick game, has great hands, and can make good adjustments and win in the air. He’s great at finding holes in the zone, and is a great run blocker and blocker in space.
8. Hunter Renfrow, Las Vegas Raiders
Speaking of crafty route runners, Hunter Renfrow has been an excellent slot receiver for the Raiders. A fifth round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, Renfrow didn’t have a ton of fans, but he’s carved out an excellent role for himself.
Renfrow is another creative route runner, and he does great work to create space over the middle of the field. He’s developed three and four part routes that are mesmerizing to watch, and he’s tough through contact. Renfrow has passed the 600 yard mark every season so far and will be a key cog in their offense going forward.
9. Mecole Hardman, Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs were intent on adding speed in the 2019 NFL Draft, selecting Mecole Hardman in the second round. He was a returner at Georgia and could play in a similar role to the likes of Tyreek Hill.
Hardman was an explosive threat in his rookie campaign, averaging 20 yards per reception and using his speed to eat up cushion, exposing coverage, and erasing angles quickly on schemed touches. He could turn any reception into a touchdown, and was helpful to stress defenses that already had to worry about Hill and Travis Kelce.
As his career has gone on, Hardman is still a schemed touch guy who can help with his speed. His depth of target has dropped sharply, partially due to teams playing more two-high and forcing the Chiefs to play patient and convert on long, sustained drives. The issue is that Hardman hasn’t developed much in terms of route running and underneath/intermediate separation. He’s good for what he is though, but it’s hard to not have some hindsight considering where he was drafted.
10. Darius Slayton, New York Giants
Darius Slayton pleasantly surprised the Giants in his rookie season. A sixth rounder in the 2019 NFL Draft that presented a good blend of speed, reliable hands, and toughness, Slayton burst onto the scene with 48 catches for 740 and eight touchdowns. He built a rapport with rookie quarterback Daniel Jones and became a strong deep threat in the offense, with the strides to stack quickly and continue to separate with speed.
Slayton had another strong season in 2020, but the addition of more weapons in the passing game, along with the better health of Sterling Shepard, has phased him out a bit in the passing game. He’s a strong role player, and has definitely returned on his value for the Giants. Hopefully he can contribute down the stretch.
Who From The 2019 NFL Draft Has Struggled?
The NFL Draft is never straightforward. If it was, there would be nothing to talk about. First round picks would dominate, mid-rounders would be role players, and UDFAs wouldn’t make it. That’s what makes the draft so interesting. It’s figuring out why things worked for some and not for others. The 2019 wide receiver class is no different.
One of the more polarizing players from this class was N’Keal Harry. Harry’s production was excellent at Arizona State, and the analytics community loved him, and for fair reasons. However, it was how Harry won that drew concerns. He was winning at the catch point and after the catch with mostly athletic gifts.
For Harry, hanging your hat on winning at the catch point is tough to translate, as is winning after the catch with contact balance and limited twitch. He’s struggled to be a consistent separator, an issue that was there in college.
Hakeem Butler was another darling in the draft community, with insane explosion, highlight reel catches, and some juice to win in a straight line after the catch. It was surprising to many to see Butler fall to day three of the 2019 NFL Draft, and he never really got traction in the NFL. Butler was another who struggled technically, but there were also concerns with his dedication that came up after the draft and once camp started.
J.J. Arcega-Whiteside was a surprising selection by the Eagles, as a player with some twitch at the line of scrimmage and the ability to win deep with good acceleration and long speed. His combine 40 contributed to the jump in draft stock, and the Eagles took him late in the second. Drops and a struggle to win anywhere than on a vertical plane have been the reason he never took off.
Miles Boykin tested well athletically, but never honed in on the athletic gifts to become technically refined. Jalen Hurd struggled to make the move from running back to receiver, and injuries and others developing made it hard for him to carve out a role. Riley Ridley was a film Twitter darling, but he wasn’t super dynamic or athletic to enhance his separation skills. Andy Isabella was all speed, but his hands and struggles through contact made carving out a role difficult.
2019 NFL Draft Role Players
Not everyone is going to be a dominant force as a receiver. There’s a reason it’s hard to reach the elite tier. Offenses need role players for a defined part of their scheme, whether it be quick game separators or speed threats, possession receivers who can block, whatever it may be. The 2019 NFL Draft produced some of those guys.
He could’ve been on the previous slide, but there’s still hope for the oft-injured Parris Campbell. The selection was a bit too rich for this writer (there are receipts don’t worry), but Campbell was there to be a speed demon on deep routes, mesh concepts, and levels concepts to turn short gains into touchdowns. Hopefully he can become that guy in 2022.
Scotty Miller is a smaller receiver, but he can make plays underneath in tight coverage and can take the top off with his speed. He made a big play in the NFC Championship game last season, and is there when called upon to move the chains. Deonte Harris is getting more chances for the Saints and does similar things well.
Steven Sims played well for Washington, using his burst and explosion to win on double moves and stay efficient through his breaks. He was crisp but could round things off and maintain his speed. He’s shown some great body control and made some big plays. Unfortunately, the room got too crowded and he moved on, but Sims was a good role player for Washington.
Travis Fulgham stepped up big for the Eagles in 2020 down the stretch after being drafted by the Detroit Lions. His big body/frame and large catch radius made him a reliable target, and he found a way to create some separation. Jalen Guyton got some run with the Chargers as a deep threat last season. Preston Williams was thought to be a major steal, but the Dolphins have gotten some production out of the big-bodied receiver. Olamide Zaccheaus has made some plays as a fill in for the Falcons as well.
The 2019 NFL Draft definitely produced some great talent at the receiver position, from elite stars to role players. It provided intrigue at the top, and let us go back to see why certain players thrived and others struggled. It’s a good class to continue to look back on to provide help for scouting the position in the future.