Not all drafts are built the same, but the 2024 draft sure seems a lot more like 2022 class.
Much like in 2022 when six wide receivers went off the board in the top 32 selections, WWL's Mike Detillier has six WRs rated in the first round of 2024.
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"Just think about that draft class," Detillier said. "There was an All Pro in there, a Pro Bowler and he didn’t get picked, Rashid Shaheed. Now, he made it as a return man, but he didn’t get picked because he was coming off of a knee injury and you had other guys in that class like Christian Watson with the Packers. Remeo Doubs, also with Green Bay, got picked, George Pickens with the Pittsburgh Steelers. This draft class of receivers reminds me of the 2024 group, and I have three wide receivers going in the top 10"
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MORE POSITION BREAKDOWNS: quarterback | running back | tight end | offensive tackle | safety | cornerback | defensive tackle
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So who are those players, and in what order? Scroll below for Detillier's WR rankings, his takes on several and a draft projection for each of the top 13.
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1. Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State
- Mike's take: "We all saw his dad at one time or another. He was a tremendous player. He’s a little bit different football player than his dad, bigger, thicker guy, probably faster. He’ll never be as good a route runner. ... Over the last two years he’s averaged 16.4 yards a catch, 17.6 yards a catch, constant double-team coverage, 28 touchdowns for Marvin Harrison Jr. I think he’s gonna be — once you get past the quarterbacks in whatever order it’s gonna be ... Marvin Harrison Jr. is going to be the next guy off the board, most likely the No. 4 overall pick.
- Draft projection: top-10 pick (likely top 5)
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2. Malik Nabers, LSU
- Mike's take: "We all got to see him over the last two years and what he’s been able to do at LSU, and I think his biggest improvement has been in his ability to get off press coverage, because now you become the man, they're focusing on you, and you’ve got to get off the line of scrimmage clean. They’ve been trying to use bracket coverage on him, everything else, all he did last year was catch 80 passes, average 17.8 yards a catch and 12 touchdowns. He knows how to use his hands well. He’s got a nice little, subtle move to get around people and he’s tough. He’ll go over the middle to make that real difficult catch in traffic."
- Draft projection: top 10
Related
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3. Rome Odunze, Washington
- Mike's take: "He was outstanding the last two years, really a big part of that offense along with Michael Penix Jr. Two years ago he averaged 15.3 yards a catch. This year, now they were loaded at wideout, they’ve got some talent there, he averaged 18.3 yards a catch, 13 of them went for touchdowns. He’s a terrific receiver when it’s contested catches. In between arms, hands, people around him, short yardage, red zone and Odunze really gets the job done."
- Draft projection: top 10
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4. Brian Thomas Jr., LSU
- Mike's take: "Brian is sort of new in the business as a football player. He picked it up late in his high school career, he was more of a basketball player, track athlete than he was a football player. Last year, 68 catches, 17.3 yards a catch, but 17 touchdown passes. He’s not one-step fast, but he’s two-step fast. You put him out there and he gets that second step on you and he’s blazing away from you. What I thought last year was impressive is he made adjustments to sometimes not the best thrown ball, and he would come back and make a catch. He’s learned that over the last couple years at LSU. He’s got great size, and once he gets those wheels turning he is scary, and I think he’s a top 20 pick in this draft class and a really good football player."
- Draft projection: mid to late 1st round
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5. Keon Coleman, Florida State
- Mike's take: "Another Louisiana guy comes in at the five spot, Keon Coleman, started out at Michigan State, transferred to Florida State last year, 50 catches, 11 of them went for touchdowns. Big, physical receiver and not as fast as Rome Odunze, but a guy that can make it happen. Third down, red zone receptions, I think Keon is gonna be a 20s pick."
- Draft projection: late 1st round
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6. Troy Franklin, Oregon
- Mike's take: "My last first round pick guy ... caught 81 passes last year, 14 of them went for touchdowns, averaged a little over 15 yards a catch, blazing speed. Man, if I’m the Chiefs and he’s still sitting there at 32, I’m picking him, because I know I can team him up with Rashee Rice and we’ve got something. I’ve got something now that can really help out Patrick Mahomes at the wide receiver spot"
- Draft projection: late 1st round-early 2nd round
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7. Adonai Mitchell, Texas
- Draft projection: early 2nd round
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8. Xavier Worthy, Texas
Mike's take: "Two guys I think will go very early in Round 2, both from the University of Texas, Adonai Mitchell and also Xavier Worthy. Mitchell is the bigger guy. Xavier a former sprint champion in high school, both guys can flat-out play.”
- Draft projection: early to mid 2nd round
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9. Roman Wilson, Michigan
- Mike's take: "He didn’t get a lot of passes thrown his way at Michigan, but man, he really lit it up at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, and this year he connected. He averaged over 16 yards a catch from J.J. McCarthy, so you saw his growth as a receiver.”
- Draft projection: mid to late Day 2
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10. Ladd McConkey, Georgia
- Draft projection: Late Day 2 to early Day 3
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11. Devontez Walker, North Carolina
- Draft projection: Late Day 2 to early Day 3
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12. Malachi Corley, Western Kentucky
- Mike's take: "The sleeper of this group is Malachi Corley. … Who he’s built like, Anquan Boldin, and he sort of runs like him. He’s not the fastest cat in the world, but you talk about a thickly built guy who can run that jet sweep, do a lot of things. I don’t want to compare him to Deebo Samuel, but he physically reminds me a lot of Anquan Boldin, the way he catches the ball in traffic. … I had a coach tell me this, he’s got a deep spine. He ain’t afraid to get hit.”
- Draft projection: early to mid Day 3
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13. Ja'Lynn Polk, Washington
- Draft projection: early to mid Day 3
This article is the third in a draft preview series with WWL analyst Mike Detillier, check back for breakdowns of other positions leading up to the NFL Draft.