Receivers; First, Second and Third rounds

[RashanGary]

Simms noted that Pierce's production was because of the system. They could have gone to him much more.

Pierce is my top pick for the Packers. It's a no brainer. I agree on Watkins, but he is perfect for MLF's system and also can return.

My guy is Jahan Dotson. It looks so easy for him, going and getting the ball. Hes as natural of a pass catcher as youll find. A little small. But man, I cant see him failing. Hes smart and super skilled. Hes gonna be a player.

[RashanGary]

I added the most productive year at college to each of these guys

Top 21 receiving yards leaders from 2021. I added a few players who were injured in 2021 after the top 10.

Cooper Kupp
Round 3 Pick 5
1,700 yards

Justin Jefferson
Round 1 Pick 22
1,540 yards

Davante Adams
Round 2 Pick 21
1,719 yards

Ja'Marr Chase (pro day)
Round 1 Pick 5
1,780 yards

Deebo Samuel
Round 2 Pick 4
882 yards

Tyreek Hill (pro day)
Round 5 Pick 26
281 yards

Stefon Diggs
Round 5 Pick 10
848 yards

Tyler Lockett
Round 3 Pick 5
1,515 yards


Diontae Johnson
Round 3 Pick 2
1,278 yards


DJ Moore
Round 1 Pick 24
1,033 yards

Kenny Golladay
Round 3 pick 32
1,156 yards

AJ Brown
Round 2 Pick 19
1,320 yards

Allen Robinson
Round 2 Pick 29
1,432 yards

DeAndre Hopkins
Round 1 Pick 27
1,405 yards

Calvin Ridley
Round 1 Pick 26
1,045 yards

Mike Williams (pro day)
Round 1 Pick 7
1,361 yards

Keenan Allen
Round 3 Pick 12
1,343 yards

Chris Godwin
Round 3 Pick 20
1,101 yards

CeeDee Lamb
Round 1 Pick 17
1,327 yards

Tee Higgins (pro day)
Round 2 Pick 1
1,167 yards

Michael Pittman
Round 2 Pick 2
1,275 yards



3 out of 21 did not go for 1,000 yards in college. By and large these were all dominant college players who came to the NFL. Alec Pierce's lack of production is a huge concern. If he was that good, his QB would have been getting him the ball. Facts. And his QB is a second round draft pick. No excuses.

[HarveyWallbangers]

When we draft Watson, I'm going to bump this.

[HarveyWallbangers]

I'm a homer on Watson. He's a great kid and hard worker. My daughter got his autograph (plus Trey Lance and Cordell Volson) this past weekend. During the Bison ring ceremony on Saturday, there was a tornado warning, so the players and some of us fans were all huddled together in the basement of the Fargodome for about 30 minutes. I got to talk to Watson and Phoenix Sproles (Darren's cousin). Really great kids. I told him Green Bay would be a great fit for him.

I think some of the things being said about him aren't actually fair or true. His hands aren't great, but they aren't nearly as bad as people make them out to be. This isn't MVS. 2 drops on 58 targets (43 receptions) his senior year. He eliminated the concentration drops. His depth of target is crazy, and he didn't get the luxury of screens and crossers to pad his catch rate stats. I don't think he'll ever have good ball skills, but it's not as important for players like him. MVS would have been fine with better hands and better ball tracking ability. Watson has ball tracking ability in spades.

https://steelersdepot.com/2022/02/contextualization-of-wr-christian-watsons-2021-pass-targets-at-ndsu/

[RashanGary]

If there is 1 player who checks every box that the elite NFL players check, it's Jalen Tolbert.

6'1" (He's in the perfect height range)
194lbs (He's just on the lower edge of being in the perfect weight range)
4.49 40 (He ran right in the range of great NFL players)
7.08 (He's right on the edge)
36" vert (He's well in the range)
Elite college production
Great senior bowl


Jalen Tolbert is the sleeper in this draft, not Alec Pierce

[HarveyWallbangers]

I like Tolbert, but he's a small college kid who looked pretty ordinary at the Senior Bowl with a step up in competition. He had a hard time getting off CBs. I like him, but he has his warts. I would be okay settling on him.

Calvin Austin and Christian Watson were the two best at getting separation at the Senior Bowl. Watson was voted top WR by opposing DBs.

One CB who gave the WRs a real hard time at the Senior Bowl was Tariq Castro-Fields.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Check out the 5:55 mark of that Watson video above for why MLF is going to like Watson. I think he and Alec Pierce are the best at it in the draft. Pickens can be, but isn't always motivated.

[Deputy Nutz]

I'm a homer on Watson. He's a great kid and hard worker. My daughter got his autograph (plus Trey Lance and Cordell Volson) this past weekend. During the Bison ring ceremony on Saturday, there was a tornado warning, so the players and some of us fans were all huddled together in the basement of the Fargodome for about 30 minutes. I got to talk to Watson and Phoenix Sproles (Darren's cousin). Really great kids. I told him Green Bay would be a great fit for him.

I think some of the things being said about him aren't actually fair or true. His hands aren't great, but they aren't nearly as bad as people make them out to be. This isn't MVS. 2 drops on 58 targets (43 receptions) his senior year. He eliminated the concentration drops. His depth of target is crazy, and he didn't get the luxury of screens and crossers to pad his catch rate stats. I don't think he'll ever have good ball skills, but it's not as important for players like him. MVS would have been fine with better hands and better ball tracking ability. Watson has ball tracking ability in spades.

https://steelersdepot.com/2022/02/co...rgets-at-ndsu/

We had a kid go to NDSU to play football last year and unfortunately he didn't make it out of camp, and came home. Great kid who always did everything right, but he was with the big boys and I think it was a struggle for him and he came to realization that he was done with football. I hold the program in very high regard. I consider NDSU at top 15-20 program nationally. I have listened to their coaching staff on both sides of the ball speak at clinics and they are very knowledgeable and are one of the most in demand staffs at clinics nation wide. I would assume any draft prospect from NDSU has had the best coaching and is ready for the next step

[RashanGary]

I heard Tolbert had a good senior bowl. Only problem I've read is focus drops.

[HarveyWallbangers]

I heard Tolbert had a good senior bowl. Only problem I've read is focus drops.

I watched all of Senior Bowl practices and the game. I would say he was solid. He didn't do anything to hurt or help his stock, but he wasn't anywhere near as good as Watson. A guy like Calvin Austin is going to look better than a guy like Jalen Tolbert in those settings, so I don't fault him too much. That's what makes Watson's week so impressive. He's 6'4", but he's twitched up.

I'll take Pierce's Jordy Nelson to Tolbert's Michael Gallup.

[RashanGary]

I watched all of Senior Bowl practices and the game. I would say he was solid. He didn't do anything to hurt or help his stock, but he wasn't anywhere near as good as Watson. A guy like Calvin Austin is going to look better than a guy like Jalen Tolbert in those settings, so I don't fault him too much. That's what makes Watson's week so impressive. He's 6'4", but he's twitched up.

He has a hesitation and uncertainty going after the ball. Watch Dotson go get the ball and then Watson. It's night and day. One is natural and the other is clumsy. I could see a Will Fuller like trajectory for Watson. I don't doubt that Watson looks like the best player running routes and after the catch. But actually catching it. I'm not a fan.

[RashanGary]

Watson's low production in college is a big red flag too. Only 3 of 21 of the top receiving yards leaders didn't go over 1,000 in college. Big red flag.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Watson's low production in college is a big red flag too. Only 3 of 21 of the top receiving yards leaders didn't go over 1,000 in college. Big red flag.

Did you watch that video? NDSU ran the ball 70% of the time--which is certainly unique. They basically threw it 1/2 as many times as the other WRs teams, so his 800+ yards is like 1600+ yards. Per Cheesehead TV: Watson and Jameson Williams ran almost the exact same pass routes (meaning routes where a team threw the ball) in college--which is crazy. Watson was more productive, had better career stats. That video explains the "lack of production". You can blame the NDSU offense entirely for that. Their second leading WR had 250 yards receiving last year. They threw the ball around 250 times last year and had 2200 yards passing.

[RashanGary]

Did you watch that video? NDSU ran the ball 70% of the time--which is certainly unique. They basically threw it 1/2 as many times as the other WRs teams, so his 800+ yards is like 1600+ yards. Per Cheesehead TV: Watson and Jameson Williams ran almost the exact same pass routes (meaning routes where a team threw the ball) in college--which is crazy. Watson was more productive, had better career stats. That video explains the "lack of production". You can blame the NDSU offense entirely for that. Their second leading WR had 250 yards receiving last year. They threw the ball around 250 times last year and had 2200 yards passing.

Fair enough. That makes sense.

Alec Pierce is definitely a red flag. A second round pick for a QB and only 880 yards. The next guy had 550. Not good.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Fair enough. That makes sense.

Alec Pierce is definitely a red flag. A second round pick for a QB and only 880 yards. The next guy had 550. Not good.

I don't think Javon Walker had 1000 yards in his college career. Circumstances. Pierce was open a lot more than he got the ball--that's for sure. Ridder also had a tendency to overthrow him on deep shots. I watched a lot of Cincinnati film (Ridder, Pierce, Jerome Ford). It's why I'm not real high on Ridder. He has accuracy issues.

To be honest though, a lot of the success these guys have in the NFL will be on the team they go to and the scheme fit. I think Watson, Pickens, Pierce, and Tolbert would all do well with the Packers. Pierce is certainly more talented than Lazard, and he's a great blocker. Watson is certainly more talented than MVS, and he's a great blocker. I'd be very happy if we could get two studs at other positions in the first round (DT Travis Jones and S Daxton Hill, for example)--yet still get 2 of those 4 guys OR one of those guys and Trey McBride. I have a feeling we'll get one, but only one, of those guys.