Football
With the pre-draft process complete, today we will be ranking and analyzing the top fifteen wide receivers in the 2023 NFL draft. These rankings are based off a vote that was taken amongst some of SB Nation’s community draft analysts. These rankings are not a reflection of any one person’s rankings, but rather a consensus of multiple opinions.
This receiver class, albeit less than stellar compared to recent draft classes, is intriguing in its own way, as the majority of the top receivers are best suited for the slot in the NFL. There are not many guys at the top with the size and physicality to line up outside in a formation, and the depth of the receiver class as a whole is only average.
Here are SB Nation’s top-15 wide receiver rankings for the 2023 NFL Draft.
15. Kayshon Boutte, LSU
Boutte is an immensely talented receiver, but he is a diva, simply put. Boutte had a strong finish to the season, but the beginning of the year was filled with ups and downs, and Boutte did not keep secret his displeasure with the quarterback play and offense’s scheme. He is a me-first guy, and that is something unlikely to resonate well with NFL teams. He also did not test as well as expected athletically, creating even more concern about his overall game. There are a lot of varied opinions on Boutte, and in our voting, he received and vote at 7, a vote at 8, and two votes at 23.
14. Xavier Hutchinson, Iowa State
Displaying great physicality after the catch, Hutchinson is a true boundary receiver with good size and sufficient speed. Occasional dropped passes decrease his value, but his willingness to fight for jump balls and make catches in traffic will give NFL teams positive vibes.
13. Nathaniel Dell, Houston
How in the world did Dell ever receive the nickname “Tank”? He is the furthest thing from such a name, measuring in at only 5’8”, 165 pounds. Dell overcomes his lack of size with extreme quickness in and out of cuts as well as suddenness in his release off the line. He does not possess as much speed as I would like in a receiver this small, but in an offense that can get him the ball in space, Dell could be a key role player for years to come.
12. Jonathan Mingo, Ole Miss
Mingo is a physical receiver who is best utilized as a big slot receiver. While Mingo may not be the most natural hands catcher, he uses his frame to box out defenders in the middle of the field, hauling in the vast majority of passes that are thrown into traffic. He is not a precise route-runner, but he has a knack for finding the soft spots in zone coverage and getting open underneath. His ceiling is that of a Deebo Samuel or A.J. Brown, which is what could make him a top-50 pick when all is said and done. He received a 7 and a 9 in our voting, but half of his rankings were worse than 12 where he ultimately lands.
11. Jayden Reed, Michigan State
Reed has been a riser throughout the process, and at this point, I would be shocked if he is still on the board when we get to Day 3. Known for his route-running prowess, Reed is surprisingly physical, putting his body in good position to fight for contested catches. He also plays with an aggressive attitude, always going out to prove the doubters wrong. I have a third-round grade on Reed and expect him to be selected on Day 2 of the draft.
10. Cedric Tillman, Tennessee
Tillman was expected to be the WR1 in Tennessee, but injuries opened the door for Jalin Hyatt’s emergence, making Tillman an afterthought in draft conversation. Ultimately, Tillman is your typical big-bodied outside receiver. He lacks ideal speed, but he displays good body control and has proven an ability to win contested catches.
9. Rashee Rice, SMU
Unlike many receivers in this class, Rice put up big-time production, bringing in nearly 100 catches for over 1,300 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2022. Top-end speed may not be there, but Rice is quick off the snap, and he has proven an ability to separate late on vertical routes with a second-gear burst. However, an area of concern I have for Rice is his ability to get off the line. He struggles to get good positioning against physical corners who press him, which will greatly limit his versatility in the NFL if not fixed.
8. Tyler Scott, Cincinnati
What Scott does not provide in size, he makes up for in explosiveness. Utilized in many different facets, Scott lined up all over the field for Cincinnati, being used for jet sweeps, misdirection, and screens on occasion. He and fellow Cincy receiver Tre Tucker fed off each other and their similar playing styles, which makes their evaluations slightly more difficult. Nonetheless, I like Scott in an offense that allows their slot receivers to go deep.
7. Marvin Mims, Oklahoma
Mims helped himself greatly at the combine, running a sub-4.4 40 time and displaying sure hands. It sometimes takes him a minute to get up to full speed, but his ability to turn his speed into second gear allows him to pull away from defenders on vertical routes. Overall, Mims is still unpolished, but a player with his traits is still going to get looks early in the draft. He is not escaping Day 2. There was a big drop off from Mims to the number 6 player on our list.
6. Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee
Bursting onto the scene after Cedric Tillman went down with injury, Hyatt is a late bloomer who could hear his name called anywhere between picks 25 and 50. From an evaluator’s standpoint. Hyatt is a true deep threat with good straight-line speed and even better playing speed. While his game is not the most complete, nobody could stop his simple approach in college. Nonetheless, becoming a more precise route-runner is something he needs to focus on early in his career. He was ranked as high as 3 by our experts and no worse than 8.
5. Josh Downs, North Carolina
Downs has not received tons of hype at any point in the draft process, yet he has consistently remained the WR5 or WR6 on most draft boards. His acceleration off the line is top-notch, and his quickness in and out of cuts allows him to create separation at the breaking point of the route. He is likely a Day 2 pick in the draft, but his upside is near or at the same level as the first-round guys. In our voting, there was a clear top four picks (all of whom received votes in the top 2), then Downs and Hyatt, then the rest of the field.
4. Jordan Addison, USC
Addison could very well be the best receiver from this class five years from now. However, weighing in at the combine at only 173 pounds is concerning. He plays quicker than he timed in the 40, but ultimately, he has never had to play in a poor passing offense. He went from Kenny Pickett to Caleb Williams in college, which makes one wonder how much of an impact Addison was truly making himself.
3. Zay Flowers, Boston College
Flowers impressed me both on and off the field at the combine, displaying great poise at the press conference podium while also putting on a show during on-field drills. Flowers is best suited as a slot receiver in the NFL, although his recently added weight gives him a little more versatility. With his combination of soft hands and crisp route-running, he will have plenty of teams intrigued in the back half of Round 1.
2. Quentin Johnston, TCU
Johnston is the only first-round receiver that is a true boundary receiver. He possesses outstanding body control, leaping over and around defenders to make catches while still maintaining balance and staying on his feet to make something happen after the catch. The most talked-about issue is the drops, but another concern I have with Johnston is his lack of speed at the beginning of his route. He does not have a great first step off the line, and it sometimes takes him a couple steps to really accelerate. Nonetheless, he has as much upside as any receiver in this class and received one first-place vote in our rankings.
1. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State
Smith-Njigba has begun to separate himself from the other receivers in this class, and was the nearly unanimous top receiver in our voting. While not blazing fast, Smith-Njigba possesses outstanding quickness and route-running ability, consistently separating from defensive backs late in the route. If he is not the first receiver taken on draft night, it will be one of the biggest storylines.
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