This year’s wide receiver crop is pretty heavy at the top and so there will be some very good first round talent at the top of this years 2009 NFL Draft. Names like Michael Crabtree, Jeremy Maclin and Darius Heyward-Bey will be mentioned for many years to come in the sport. The following is a look at the top five players at that position as it stands right now going into the 2009 NFL Scouting Combine.
1. Michael Crabtree- Texas Tech-Right now, there is no other wide receiver better than Crabtree, a sophomore standout out of Texas Tech although that could change. Crabtree is a receiver in the mold of Terrell Owens in terms of his physical stature and the way he plays (minus the attitude). Of course, his size (6’3”, 214lbs) is one thing that stands out about him first and foremost. He is a big physical receiver that will win battles for ball almost every time. He is able to control his body well enough and isn’t afraid to go over the middle to catch a pass. He has good hands and is very reliable. The biggest issue with Crabtree is that he doesn’t have super speed and won’t beat too many quicker cornerbacks. He also played in a system that stressed production and he could drop off a bit (in production) in another system.
Until proven otherwise, Crabtree is the top receiver in the 2009 NFL Draft and will probably get off the board somewhere in the top 10 of the 2009 NFL Draft. The Seattle Seahawks are in the market for a new wide receiver so they will probably be in the market to take Crabtree with their first pick in the draft. If he does slip past them, he won’t slip past them too far.
2. Jeremy Maclin-Missouri-Maclin is another sophomore prospect who is ranked high and has a lot of good potential. Maclin is a dual threat meaning that not only can he play the wide receiver position but he can also come in and return punts and kicks making him very valuable. This “dual ability” gives Maclin a ton of upside. He also has great acceleration, great open field moves and is a hard worker that will never stop learning or trying. His ego won’t get the best of him. He is also someone who won’t be afraid to go over the middle to catch a pass. What might be wrong with Maclin is that he isn’t that experienced but he can counteract that with his ability to learn quickly.
Maclin is a natural talent that will need a little bit of development to reach his fullest potential but this guy has a lot to give and someone is going to get a great player when they draft him. If he proves himself a quick learner, he could leapfrog Crabtree and end up as the number one wide receiver. Depending on team need it’s hard to see Maclin slip out of the top ten but he is most likely to go somewhere between number five and number 15 in the 2009 NFL Draft.
3. Percy Harvin-Florida-Harvin’s entry into the 2009 NFL Draft class was a welcome addition and helped bolster what could promise to one of the best wide receiver classes in recent history. While Harvin didn’t come from a program that aired it out like a Texas Tech, he still has a ton of skill and has shown himself time and again to be a top wide receiver. Harvin has great speed and is a great athlete who can move well and make defenders miss in the open field. He could also be a valuable kickoff and punt return specialist thanks to the speed that he has. The downside to Harvin is that he still needs to learn the position a little bit more and get his route running perfected. He also lacks ideal size and there might be a question or two about his durability.
Harvin could really be a really good wide receiver in the NFL if he lands with the right team and the team has the right scheme for him. He has a ton of potential and could do a lot more than we have seen him do so far in his collegiate career so look for Harvin to end up being a big playmaker in the NFL and one day being selected to the Pro Bowl. Harvin is definitely a first round talent and will probably go somewhere between 15 and 25 in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft.
4. Darius Heyward-Bey-Maryland-Bey looks to be moving up a lot of teams draft boards and with a good combine performance, Bey could quite catch for any NFL team that wants to take him. The upside to Bey is that he is he is very athletic and one of the more speedy receivers in the draft. Once he breaks into the open field he is difficult to catch from behind. He is a big time playmaker and a threat to go the distance every time he touches the ball. The downside to Bey is that he is still young and still learning the finer points of playing the wide receiver position and should be able to develop well under the tutelage of a good wide receivers coach. He needs practice but he has a lot of talent and a lot of positive potential.
With good workouts, it’s not impossible to say that Bey may leapfrog into the number two or even the number one spot and become the top wide receiver in this year’s 2009 NFL Draft. He has the skill he just needs to develop it. Look for Bey to go somewhere between 15 and 32 in the 2009 NFL Draft.
5. Kenny Britt-Rutgers-Britt comes in as the fifth rated wide receiver in the 2009 NFL Draft but with the kind of talent he has, he might wind up just a little bit higher (rated) when he it is all said and done. Looking at Britt, you will see that he is very big for the position allowing him to overpower defenders and reach up high enough to snag the ball out of the air. His size also allows him to be a reliable red zone target and the guy that’s going to come up with the jump ball. Britt isn’t afraid to catch passes over the middle either and has the ability to be physical in the passing game. What Britt doesn’t have is overall great speed and won’t burn anybody. He also has some of the same “thinking” that NFL wide receiver Terrell Owens and Chad Johnson have and that could raise a red flag with some NFL scouts.
Britt has a ton of talent but lacks the overall speed that many would like to see in someone who has first round talent. If he can do decent in his workouts and interviews, he could slip into the middle to later half of the first round in the 2009 NFL Draft. Right now, he looks like an early second round pick.
By Bryan Dietzler
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