NFL combine wide receiver rankings: A few names could be intriguing to Patriots

The Combine shifts into high gear today with the running back workouts taking center stage. If you missed my running back rankings, just follow this link. Today I'll be getting into the receivers. Look for the tight end rankings tomorrow. My apologies to all you Patriots fans, but there will be fewer connections to the Pats than we saw in yesterday's quarterback rankings. The reasons for this are not complex. The need at the receiver position is far less acute. Let's take a quick look at the expected receiver depth chart with the understanding that Belichick and company are in win-now mode more than ever before.Brandin CooksJulian EdelmanChris HoganDanny AmendolaPhillip DorsettMalcolm MitchellThe Patriots have a lot of free agent balls in the air and Amendola is the receiver they need to resign. Yes, there are rumors about Cooks being a potential salary cap casualty, but to me that's just noise. This is a player still ascending within the Patriots' scheme. I don't think New England has seen Cooks' best just yet, and you don't give up a first round pick for a one year rental. Back to Amendola. The Patriots are the absolute best when it comes to making the tough choices. They rarely pay a premium of any kind, but to me, Amendola is an exception. First of all, he's been exceedingly team-friendly in his past renegotiations. His willingness to bend for the team's good should lead to the Patriots bending slightly for him. And, let's be honest, if there's ever been a receiver who has a deeper connection with Tom Brady, I've never seen him. Amendola can do it all from a route perspective and he makes the big play in the big spot like few players I have ever seen. I just can't see the Patriots letting him go over a million dollars or so. He's the personification of the Patriot Way—if you believe in that sort of thing.At the end of the depth chart we have Dorsett and Mitchell. Dorsett has rare speed—making him a nice tactical chess piece for Brady, who still throws a potent deep ball. Mitchell only needs to stay healthy to make a significant impact. So I see this group of six returning, and really, it's a very solid group when you consider the importance of continuity in the Patriots' scheme.That being said, there a few rookies I'd enjoy watching with Brady and company. The first is Dante Pettis out of Washington. Pettis is a pure route technician with soft hands. He's that rare player who could excel in the Patriot system as a rookie—route adjustments and all. He reminds me of Keenan Allen, but in a smaller package, and like Allen, his route capabilities allow him to lineup anywhere and be effective, which is crucial in the Patriots' offense.Another player I like for the Patriots is Jordan Lasley out of UCLA. He's a solid route runner with good hands and what I really like about him is how well he tracks the deep ball. If Lasley slips to day three of the draft, he could be a potential target.I will not be getting as in-depth with the receivers as I did with the runners and the quarterbacks. The reason is pretty simple. My process with the receivers almost always takes longer, and for a few reasons. First of all, there are simply more receivers to work through. The other issue is that game film for receivers tells us a less complete story relative to the other positions. This is because the receivers play out wide—at times out of the camera's view. The crucial points in a receiver's routes are often unseen as broadcasts favor following the ball. Sometimes we never see the receiver's break or what caused him to win his route. What we see instead is him catching the ball. For these reasons and a few others, it takes more time and elbow grease to fully drill down on a receiving prospect. I'll be locked in my "film room" for most of March and April—grinding away at this class, which, while lacking in true star power, is not lacking in depth. It's torturous in a way, but thankfully I enjoy it.Now, before we get to the rankings, I wanted to talk about a few players who could really help themselves on Saturday when the receivers take the field. However, before I do that, I want to talk up one player who didn't get an invite but probably should have. That player is Northern Iowa's Daurice Fountain. I'm still scrambling to get my hands on more of his game film, but from what I've seen so far, he has a chance at getting drafted and he certainly deserved an opportunity to compete in Indianapolis. He has a chance to climb my board a bit if I can verify his game a little better and if he has a strong pro day next month. Daurice Fountain. Remember the name.Unlike Fountain, Antonio Callaway will be working out in Indianapolis, and for me, he is this year's version of DeMarcus Robinson—a player who is very talented and who could have been a fringe first round pick if he'd stayed clean off the field. Sadly, Callaway has been far from clean, with a sexual assault charge that he avoided conviction on, a marijuana possession charge, and involvement in a credit card fraud situation. This is clearly a young man who needs to get right and get right fast. He decided to come out early rather than stay in college and when you consider how he's behaved as a collegian, it's probably the right move. A professional environment could be what he needs. Callaway is a guy to know about for those of us playing in dynasty leagues. The Combine is crucial for him because he can show teams that he's been working hard rather than partying hard. If he can do that, he has a shot at being drafted in the later rounds. If he stays on the straight and narrow as a pro, he could end up making a significant impact at some point.Christian Kirk is a player we really like at Rotobahn, but his game is predicated on speed and toughness. We really have no doubts as to the latter, but we'll be very excited if his timed speed measures up to what we see on film. He could move up another spot or two on my board depending on how things shake out.James Washington is a highly productive receiver who reminds me of Taywan Taylor from last year's class. Washington is bigger than Taylor and perhaps better in the end, but the thing that makes them similar is the way they change gears during their routes. Both have a tendency to accelerate when it really counts and outrun defenders when the ball is in flight. If Washington runs well, we'll be that much more confident in his NFL chances.D.J. Moore is another receiver who would do himself well by running fast. As much as I like his film, especially after the catch and in contested situations, I want more separation. If he shows off some speed, then some minor route running improvements could help him make it at the next level.The big receivers in this class have been tough to rank for various reasons, and while I hope to find more nuance and separation in my film work over the next two months, some great performances (or stinkers) could help sort my board out a bit. The players I'm looking at closely at are:Equanimeous St. BrownCourtland SuttonAuden TateSimmie Cobbs Jr,Allen LazardJaleel ScottMarcel AtemanWhat I want to see are signs of explosiveness and high-end athleticism. Straight line speed is important, but so is strength, quickness and explosiveness. So I'll be leaning in when they jump and when they are running their three cone drills. Alright, let's take a look at the tiered rankings.Tier One (1)Calvin Ridley, AlabamaTier Two (2-7)Equanimeous St. Brown, Notre DameCourtland Sutton, SMUAnthony Miller, MemphisJames Washington, Oklahoma StateChristian Kirk, Texas A&MAuden Tate, Florida StateTier Three (8-10)Deon Cain, ClemsonDante Pettis, WashingtonJordan Lasley, UCLATier Four (11-14)D.J. Moore, MarylandKorey Robertson, Southern MissSimmie Cobbs Jr., IndianaAntonio Callaway, FloridaTier Five (15-19)Michael Gallup, Colorado St.D.J. Chark, LSUJ'Mon Moore, MissouriAllen Lazard, Iowa StateMarcell Ateman, Oklahoma St.Tier Six (20-24)Cedrick Wilson, Boise StateJaleel Scott, New Mexico St.Keke Coutee, Texas TechDaurice Fountain, Northern IowaRichie James, Middle Tenn St.Tier Seven (25-34)Javon Wims, GeorgiaDaeSean Hamilton, Penn StateBraxton Berrios, MiamiTrey Quinn, SMUDeontay Burnett, USCJake Wieneke, S. Dakota St.Darren Carrington, UtahTre'Quan Smith, C. FloridaQuadree Henderson, PittsburghJester Weah, Pittsburgh