Safe Pick: Draft analyst lists 48 WRs with a Round 7 or better grade
If you want or need a wide receiver, this is the year to get him.
Not a huge priority? Missed out on Day 1 and 2? That’s OK, you can still find a solid receiver deep in the draft.
The Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller’s latest player rankings include 48 receivers with a Round 7 or better grade. That includes four in the first round and 17 between rounds two and three.
But the sweet spot, according to Miller’s rankings, is Round 6, where he has 15 WRs listed. The next deepest round for a position is the seventh, where Miller has 14 linebackers listed.
The WR breakdown includes:
- Round 1: Four
- Round 2: Nine
- Round 3: Eight
- Round 4: Six
- Round 5: Six
- Round 6: 15
- Round 7: 0
22. #Vikings – CB Kristian Fulton, LSU
Better to wait on a WR in a very deep class and get a starting CB while you can. Fulton played hurt and temp. saw his stock drop but he's smart, tough, instinctive and ready to start Day 1.
— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) April 10, 2020
The draft is top-heavy at offensive tackle, while 10 cornerbacks have rounds 1 or 2 grades, according to Miller. Add in the four quarterbacks expected to be drafted in Round 1, and you could see more reaches than usual. For example, Miller only lists two edge rushers with first-round grades (Ohio State’s Chase Young and LSU’s K’Lavon Chaisson) and no first-round safeties.
So you could conceivably see receiver-needy teams draft a lower-ranked Edge rusher or safety in Round 1, thinking they can still find a potential starter at WR in later rounds.
And you know the drill from there, as it’s always risky to draft a lower-ranked player over one that’s graded higher on your board.
Jake Rigdon (jake@sydwriting.com) covers the NFL draft for Fanspeak and the On The Clock, which is the only NFL draft simulator that allows you to customize and use your own big board while giving you control over trades.