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Vic's picks: Top 5 wide receivers in draft
By Vic Carucci
National Editor, NFL.com
1. Calvin Johnson, Georgia Tech (Underclassman)
Positives: Size (6-foot-5, 239 pounds) ... Extraordinary hands and long arms ... Tremendous concentration and focus on the ball, especially in a crowd ... Consistently runs precise routes and does a nice job of setting up defenders with fakes ... Strong enough to beat jams ... Good footwork and agility for his size ... Can withstand hard hits and hold onto the ball ... Excels at delivering crack-back blocks.
Negatives: Hardly any for the player many scouts believe is the most talented of this year's college crop ... Could be more explosive, but also can rely on intelligence and strength to gain separation in man-to-man coverage.
2. Robert Meachem, Tennessee (Underclassman)
Robert Meachem had a breakout season in 2006 and is among the top receivers in this year's draft.
Positives: Size (6-2, 214 pounds) and speed ... Reliable hands ... Consistently makes catches in stride ... Elusiveness in the open field ... Ability to be productive at any wide receiver spot ... Durability.
Negatives: Needs to develop more toughness, especially when going over the middle ... Concentration on the ball ... Ability to work through jams ... Blocking.
3. Dwayne Bowe, LSU
Positives: Size (6-2-plus, 221 pounds), strength ... Surprising speed and athleticism for his size ... Precise route-running ... Burst and explosiveness ... Wins most battles for jump balls ... Toughness, especially over the middle ... Particularly effective in the red zone and on short and intermediate routes.
Negatives: Tends to catch too many passes with his body rather than with his hands, which are good ... Doesn't make enough game-breaking plays ... Needs to be more consistent at breaking tackles in the open field.
4. Ted Ginn Jr., Ohio State (Underclassman)
Positives: World-class speed ... Tremendous athleticism and balance ... Capable of game-breaking plays as a receiver and kick-returner ... Explosiveness off the line, which allows him to avoid jams ... Given his smallish (5-11-plus, 178 pounds), shows surprising ability to take big hits and continue running.
Negatives: Too many dropped passes and muffed punts ... Lacks discipline in running routes ... Blocking ... Still rehabilitating a foot sprain suffered while celebrating a touchdown on the opening kickoff of the national championship game, and, therefore, unable to work out for NFL scouts.
5. Sidney Rice, South Carolina (Underclassman)
Positives: Good size (6-3-plus, 200 pounds), speed, and athleticism ... Great acceleration and explosiveness ... Superb hands ... Ability to make acrobatic and over-the-shoulder catches look routine ... Wins most battles for jump balls.
Negatives: Needs to be more elusive ... Has tendency to round off routes ... Struggles to beat jams and doesn't break enough tackles; added bulk and strength would help in both areas.
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