INDIANAPOLIS -- When it comes to the highly anticipated, much-hyped, possibly historic class of wide receivers who are available in the 2020 NFL draft, it might be time to defer to Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts, who played his first three seasons at Alabama.
Over the last four years, at two of the best programs in the nation, Hurts has thrown 1,047 passes with 80 touchdowns to several of the best receivers on this year's draft board. His assessment:
"They're all dogs, great players, catch the ball, they can all run -- great players."
Or as Las Vegas Raiders general manager Mike Mayock said last week at the NFL combine:
"I've seen all these numbers about guys that are going to go in the first three rounds. Here's what I'll tell ya, the average over the last five years for wide receivers going in the first three rounds is 12, between 12 and 13 a year. You can easily make an argument, from a grade perspective, that there are 20, 25 of those guys out there this year. ... So there's depth throughout, and there's quality up top."
We polled scouts, pro personnel executives, coaches and general managers -- and rolled the tape -- to help us put this receivers class into tiers, showing off the elite talent at the top and good players all the way through the end of the third round. We included top traits, best fits and notable quotes for each wideout. Here's how the bounty of pass-catchers looks right now (with a general ranking in each tier):
Jump to a tier:
1 | 2 3 | 4
Best of the rest
TIER 1 (TOP-10 TALENT)
Jerry Jeudy, Alabama
Height: 6-foot-1 | Weight: 193 pounds
Top trait: The total package with speed, body control and quality routes. Take a look at his six-catch, 204-yard effort against Michigan to end the season for a few of the many reasons that teams have him as the top receiver on the board -- and in a tier all by himself.
Where he fits best: He has the versatility to line up outside, depending on the scheme, but plenty of offensive coaches see a slot receiver who can consistently do damage. He can challenge a defense sideline-to-sideline from the slot with his ability to create immediate separation, keeping defenders away from the ball and winning with explosiveness vertically.
What they're saying: "He had some drops at times, but for me, he's the top guy and there's even a little gap after him. Not much, but a little one." -- AFC area scout
TIER 2 (TOP-15 TALENT)
CeeDee Lamb, Oklahoma
Height: 6-2 | Weight: 198
Top trait: With many of the top prospects at the position projecting as slot receivers, Lamb, too, will find himself inside at times. But he is coming off a season in which he lined up outside on the majority of his snaps. He isn't that far behind Jeudy on the do-it-all scale and might be the best contested-catch receiver on the board.
Where he fits best: He'll get plenty of snaps in the slot, but some offensive coaches see him learning all of the spots in their schemes. The one major advantage Lamb has over Jeudy is his significantly more wins on 50-50 balls.
What they're saying: "Some people are going to this guy as the top guy [at wide receiver] on the board. And they won't be wrong." -- AFC general manager
TIER 3 (TOP-40 TALENT)
Henry Ruggs III, Alabama
Height: 5-11 | Weight: 188
Top trait: His top-end speed (4.27 40 at the combine was the fastest of any prospect) and ability to change gears in his routes made him almost a constant double-cover with the Crimson Tide. He is best on crossers and deep overs, but he has the potential to add to his résumé because he shows preciseness in his routes. Ruggs also has value as a potential special-teamer, both as a returner and gunner on coverage.
Where he fits best: His profile suggests he could work in the slot where pick plays could get him free out of bunch formation, but he will need some work on his release against stronger NFL corners.
What they're saying: "I'm not the biggest guy, but I'm not afraid to throw my body around ... I'm a complete receiver." -- Ruggs
Justin Jefferson, LSU
Height: 6-1 | Weight: 202
Top trait: If job No. 1 is to catch the ball, this is your guy. Jefferson has exceedingly reliable hands and top-shelf concentration in a crowd; he will save more than a few bad throws even though he didn't see many in LSU's high-end attack last season. His 4.43-second 40 at the combine has forced people who might not have looked long enough to re-evaluate the idea his speed was just OK.
Where he fits best: Jefferson has the ability to play both inside and outside, but he worked out of the slot almost exclusively in 2019. He finished with 111 catches, 1,540 yards and 18 touchdowns, and he will likely start in the slot in an NFL offense.
What they're saying: "I don't know how people think Justin was slow. That's crazy." -- LSU cornerback Kristian Fulton
Tee Higgins, Clemson
Height: 6-4 | Weight: 216
Top trait: Higgins' ball skills are elite, especially in contested situations in the red zone, where he consistently wins at the high point. He had 27 touchdowns on 135 receptions -- a 20% scoring rate -- in his career.
Where he fits best: Higgins played all three positions at Clemson, but some in the league see him on the outside first because his best work is on routes with a little more room rather than quick, change-of-direction option routes. He hasn't been timed in a 40 since the end of the season, electing not to run at the combine and wait for Clemson's pro day.
What they're saying: "I use my basketball background to help me with those balls, you know, boxing out, but if I'm obviously behind a defender I just use my jumping ability for like a rebound ... it's really being more physical than that defender, just got to muscle him and take it away basically." -- Higgins
Michael Pittman Jr., USC
Height: 6-4 | Weight: 223
Top trait: Pittman's combination of toughness and intelligence will make him a coveted player for many teams. He also knows how to use his hands to get free and has shown the quickness at the top of routes. He consistently wins the ball in short, intermediate and deep routes.
Where he fits best: His routes are crisp, but he might not have that quick-twitch work on the inside. He will have to work on his release at the line of scrimmage, but he should have impact on the outside. He looks a lot like the Broncos' Courtland Sutton at times.
What they're saying: "This kid has the mentality I want. He wants the ball, he runs 4.5 [in the 40], can play special teams and he'll get after your ass in the run game." -- NFC offensive coordinator
Laviska Shenault Jr., Colorado
Height: 6-1 | Weight: 227
Top trait: Versatility, physicality and strong hands. Shenault offers a buffet of potential as a runner, receiver and direct-snap threat. His 4.58 40 at the combine was not what some expected -- he will have surgery soon to repair a core muscle injury -- but his play speed is clear on game video.
Where he fits best: That's just it, many in the league will want to line him up all over, including in the backfield at times. Some defensive coaches say he tips his routes at times, but his body control gives him the potential to make plays against faster defenders down the field.
What they're saying: "He's had injuries, like shoulder, foot and now a [core] injury. You have to look at that, it impacts things, could move him down, we'll see about his pro day." -- AFC general manager
Denzel Mims, Baylor
Height: 6-3 | Weight: 207
Top trait: Mims is the riser in this group since the Senior Bowl, where he consistently won one-on-one situations against the best cornerbacks in attendance. He also ran a 4.38 40 at the combine. Couple that with a enormous catch window (12 TDs on 66 catches last season) and he will continue to rise on draft boards over the next month, potentially into Round 1.
Where he fits best: Mims had a limited route tree in Baylor's offense, so he projects early on the outside as a long strider who can eat up cushion against off coverage. He also has the ability to catch off-target throws without losing speed.
What they're saying: "Really liked what he did at the Senior Bowl. There's a lot to work with and that's a big athlete with speed." -- AFC wide receivers coach
TIER 4 (TOP-100 TALENT)
Brandon Aiyuk, Arizona State
Height: 6-0 | Weight: 205
Top trait: He has a big catch radius and his work after the catch is better than most given he runs with vision. You can see the ability as a runner in his work in the return game, both in junior college and when he got to Arizona State, where he averaged 18.3 yards per catch with eight touchdowns in 2019.
Where he fits best: He does need some room to rev up, so outside on catch-and-run plays, into the intermediate area, may be his best chance to contribute early. Aiyuk at out the Senior Bowl with a groin injury but ran a 4.5 40 at the combine.
What they're saying: "With my running back background, I feel like after I catch the football, I transition back into that running back I used to be." -- Aiyuk
KJ Hamler, Penn State
Height: 5-9 | Weight: 178
Top trait: Hamler didn't run at the combine, because he said he injured a hamstring in training, but he added that he had run a 4.27 40 in his pre-combine work. That speed leads his résumé, especially what he showed when matched with Ohio State's Jeff Okudah, who said at the combine Hamler was one of the receivers who "forced me to study a lot.''
Where he fits best: Hamler had some drops that have given at least a little pause to scouts, but many playcallers see his potential in the slot right out of the gate in his career with ability in the backfield as well.
What they're saying: "[Winning contested catches] is most definitely something I need to work on, attacking the ball more. My small stature is probably the biggest thing that everybody's worried about. But I'm a playmaker, I can make plays whenever you need me to." -- Hamler
Jalen Reagor, TCU
Height: 5-11 | Weight: 206
Top trait: Reagor might have dealt with more off-target throws than any of the other top prospects, and some scouts say they could see the result of that in his own concentration at times. But he is explosive all over the field.
Where he fits best: Reagor has the suddenness in his game to work on the inside and the over-the-top speed to work vertically. He'll be at his best on the routes that get the ball into his hands quickly.
What they're saying: "I play running back. I played a little bit of quarterback. I'm a little bit of a return specialist. So, I can pretty much do it all." -- Reagor
Van Jefferson, Florida
Height: 6-2 | Weight: 200
Top trait: The son of longtime NFL wide receivers coach Shawn Jefferson, the former Florida wideout is competitive on every snap and understands how to adjust his speed during a route to give himself some space to work. Jefferson is a precise route-runner who will be where the quarterback expects him to be over and over again. He consistently forces mistakes from defenders -- he drew three pass-interference penalties against Auburn last season.
Where he fits best: Jefferson can play all of the receiver spots, but most in the league expect him to get on the field first in the slot. He had a Jones fracture in his foot discovered at the combine so he will need some recovery time before the draft and will not run for scouts before a team selects him. That could impact where he gets drafted.
What they're saying: "He's a real technician I feel like. He's a good receiver, just studying his routes. I feel like you gotta be patient with him.'' -- LSU cornerback Kristian Fulton
Devin Duvernay, Texas
Height: 5-11 | Weight: 200
Top trait: Duvernay is not a finished product, especially in his route running, but there is a lot to work with given he has quality hands and plays with power in tight spaces. He has also shown he can work the sideline and understands where the holes are in zone coverages. Duvernay has the ability to rack up yards after the catch.
Where he fits best: He belongs in the slot, but he looks a little tight in his core at times, so despite elite speed (4.39 40-yard dash at the combine) he doesn't always look that comfortable coming in and out of his breaks. It might take some patience, but his hands are well worth the effort (106 catches last season).
What they're saying: "I've got to continue to develop as a route runner and show I've got skills there." -- Duvernay
Quintez Cephus, Wisconsin
Height: 6-1 | Weight: 202
Top trait: Cephus has toughness and quality hands and did some of his best work against the best players he faced -- that included 122 receiving yards against Ohio State in the Big Ten title game. He understands how to make space for himself to get to the ball, and his body positioning has enabled him to repeatedly make plays against faster defensive backs.
Where he fits best: He likely does not have the short-area quickness to consistently win in the slot and his speed (4.73 at the combine) means teams will have to move him around pre-snap to get him some room to work. But he is a savvy, tough player who will work to be better, and an offense smart enough to find a way to get him some space will reap the benefits.
What they're saying: "I think he's the best receiver I went against. It doesn't matter what his 40 time is. Football is played in between the lines and he's a technician, someone that I changed my plan up for every single week. I think it might have been the only receiver to have 100 yards against us. -- Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah
Chase Claypool, Notre Dame
Height: 6-5 | Weight: 238
Top trait: Claypool might be one of the most work-in-progress prospects at the position, and there were many people in the league who went to the combine thinking he could potentially move to tight end down the road. But then biggest player who ran among the receivers got everybody's attention with one of the fastest 40s (4.42). He competes for the ball and has shown the ability to make space for himself.
Where he fits best: Claypool can work outside the numbers on short, intermediate and deep routes, but he will need work against cornerbacks willing to challenge his release at the line of scrimmage. He will be one of the best special-teams players wherever he lands, and he blocks with purpose in the run game. This is a pro player waiting to be groomed.
What they're saying: "I think I've proved I can be versatile in terms of inside, outside, No. 3 receiver, tight end. So I think I can be one of those rare guys who can line up at all positions on the field and do well, especially because I did that in my college career." -- Claypool
K.J. Hill, Ohio State
Height: 6-0 | Weight: 196
Top trait: It's production -- he finished his career as the Buckeyes' career leader in receptions (201). Some in this receiver class outshined him in terms of testing numbers, but this is a consistently reliable player who played 53 games at one of the best programs in the nation. Hill is a quality route runner who consistently helps his quarterback, and those are the guys quarterbacks trust.
Where he fits best: Hill didn't run quite as well as some expected at the combine (4.60 40). Some wonder if he can consistently get open down the field without top-end speed, and game video shows he was rarely challenged at the line of scrimmage in college, but that will change almost immediately in the NFL. He'll do his best work initially in the short and intermediate areas, but can do that either inside or outside in the formation.
What they're saying: "I'm very versatile. I played mainly in the slot at (Ohio State), but have some packages, have some plays when I was on the outside. So I feel I can do it all.'' -- Hill
Donovan Peoples-Jones, Michigan
Height: 6-2 | Weight: 212
Top trait: Peoples-Jones has the physical profile NFL teams want -- he ran a 4.48 40 at the combine at 212 pounds. He has also shown good footwork in his routes and quality body control when the ball is in the air. He scored on 17.3% of his catches over the last two seasons so he has made plays when the ball has headed his way.
Where he fits best: His timed speed hasn't always matched his production, so some teams might see him as an option in the slot to begin his career and then see if routes outside the numbers improve with time and work. Scouts like what they've seen at times -- Peoples-Jones breaks tackles, has good ball skills and is stronger than many defensive backs -- but they wonder why there wasn't more production (just 34 catches last season).
What they're saying: "I look at the guy and think he should dominate and then I see (103) catches in his career -- you know three, four catches a game. He should be producing more." -- AFC offensive coordinator
Best of the rest
Collin Johnson, Texas (6-6, 222)
John Hightower, Boise State (6-2, 189)
Gabriel Davis, Central Florida (6-1, 216)
Antonio Gandy-Golden, Liberty (6-4, 223)
Bryan Edwards, South Carolina (6-3, 212)