The trend towards a heavier emphasis on the vertical passing game in the NFL has put a greater emphasis on the wide receiver position and finding the next star player at the position. Four wide receivers were selected in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft and it wouldn’t be a surprise if that number was matched or topped in 2017. Here is a look at the top wide receiver prospects in college football right now.
JuJu Smith-Schuster
USC Trojans
All Smith-Schuster did a year ago was record 89 catches for 1,454 yards and 10 touchdowns despite dealing with nagging injuries and inconsistent play at the quarterback position. Smith-Schuster will have every opportunity to top those numbers now that he is fully healthy and should have more stable play from his quarterback. The 6’2’’, 220-pound wide receiver doesn’t have elite speed but he is an incredible route runner with sufficient quickness and elusiveness in the open field. Smith-Schuster will put up big numbers in the Trojans’ offense in 2016 and a strong showing could result in him being the top college football wide receiver off the board in the 2017 NFL Draft.
Malachi Dupre
LSU Tigers
Dupre has averaged nearly 18 yards per catch throughout his first two college football seasons at LSU. The 6’4’’, 195-pound wide receiver is at his absolute best in one-on-one situations where he can create separation from defenders using his intriguing combination of size, speed and athleticism. Dupre will need to improve his route-running ability in his final season with the Tigers but the raw talent is there for him to emerge as a potential first round pick in next year’s NFL Draft. The other main challenge for him will be the quarterback play of the Tigers starter. Right now, the starter is Brandon Harris and as we saw in the opening game at Wisconsin where the Tigers couldn’t really move the football, the Tigers’ passing game is quite challenged. That’s going to affect someone like Dupre and his draft stock directly. Unless the Tigers make a change at the position, it will be hard for Dupre to shine before the scouting combine and pro day workouts.
Ricky Seals-Jones
Texas A&M Aggies
Seals-Jones has elite size at 6’5’’ and 240 pounds but can still move with enough speed and athleticism to create major matchup problems for opposing defenses. Seals-Jones is particularly effective in the red zone where his incredible size allows him to shield the ball from opposing defenders. However, he will have to prove his speed is sufficient enough to remain a top talent at the next level. Seals-Jones should put up big numbers in the Aggies’ offense in 2016 and it will be interesting to see what happens with his draft stock and whether or not NFL teams buy in to his potential to be a first round pick. The Aggies had a strong start to the season with a big win over No. 16 UCLA. If the Aggies are going to be competitive and their offense can play like it did in the opener, which will only help Seals-Jones’ stock in the eyes of college football scouts.
Mike Williams
Clemson Tigers
Williams’ return should provide a major spark for a Clemson offense that was already among the best in the entire country a year ago. The 6’3’’, 225-pound Williams missed nearly all of last year after suffering a fractured neck in week one but he has worked hard to get back to full strength and he has spent the entire offseason working with Deshaun Watson and company to regain the chemistry they had before he was injured. Williams has an intriguing combination of size, speed, athleticism and pass-catching ability and a strong season at Clemson should result in him skyrocketing up draft boards as a potential first round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. Williams had a very strong showing in the Tigers opener against Auburn. It was pretty clear that Clemson is a better team when he’s in the lineup and many scouts are going to be watching him closely as he piles up the stats with star quarterback Deshaun Watson this college football season.
