2017 NFL Draft Prospect Rankings: Wide receivers (Final)

theScore's 2017 draft prospect rankings are compiled by NFL editor Dan Wilkins, breaking down the top talents and potential sleepers at every position group.

Overall
Top 50
Offense
QB | RB | WR | TE | OT | G/C
Defense
DL | EDGE | LB | CB | S

Top Talents

Corey Davis

Davis is the most complete receiver prospect in this class, and he should be ranked accordingly on draft boards around the league. Atop the lengthy list of impressive traits is a combination of athleticism and route-running ability that allows him to create separation with relative ease. He's a nightmare for defenses when he's given the opportunity to pick up yards after the catch, but the Western Michigan standout also flashes his size and strength at the catch point to go up and win over the top of defenders in contested situations. Putting it all together, this is what a No. 1 receiver looks like at the next level.

Some incredible college production must be put into context, given that the vast majority of which came against a lower level of competition, but everything Davis shows on tape should have teams confident that his skill set will translate. The only concern teams will likely have, as it pertains to the draft process, is that a minor ankle surgery has kept him out of both the combine and his pro day. As long as teams are confident in the athleticism he demonstrated throughout his college career, Davis should still be a favorite to be the first wideout off the board.

Mike Williams

Having a power forward-type receiver who can physically outmatch the vast majority of cornerbacks is a game-changer for offenses. That's exactly the kind of player Williams can be in the NFL. As he demonstrated throughout his career at Clemson, and most impressively so en route to a national championship this past season, his ability to win in the vertical game makes him a true difference maker and the second of two clear-cut No. 1 receivers in this class.

Williams' strength and body control at the catch point allows him to make the kinds of plays that simply aren't an option for other receivers. As evidenced by Deshaun Watson's clear trust in him, the ability to high-point the ball and win contested plays truly makes him "open" in almost any solo coverage. But that's not all he can do. That physicality and aggressiveness also shows up after the catch, where Williams is constantly fighting for extra yards. He doesn't have the same extensive route tree that Davis boasts, but his skill set makes him just as valuable in different situations. A pro day 40 time in the 4.5 second range did more than enough to answer any speed concerns and effectively lock him in as a first-round pick.

John Ross

Speed isn't everything, but it sure is something. Confirming the burner status he earned in college, and perhaps even exceeding any realistic expectations, Ross set a new NFL Scouting Combine record with a 40 time of 4.22. Those wheels, along with a natural and often overlooked ability to track the ball downfield, will make the Washington star one of the league's top vertical threats from the moment he sets foot on the field. Both in terms of production and impact he would have on opposing defenses, forcing coverage over the top more often than not, Ross will be an incredible weapon wherever he lands.

He's not exactly a one-trick pony, either. For a smaller wideout that will draw endless comparisons to DeSean Jackson, Ross has an impressive amount of red zone production. That's due primarily to short-area quickness and polished releases off the line of scrimmage. Add in the potential for getting him the ball in space with some manufactured touches, and Ross becomes a prospect that can contribute in a number of different ways. It's a first-round skill set, without a doubt, but where he comes off the board will depend on how teams feel about his medicals. A history of knee issues, a recent shoulder surgery, and the fact that he came up hobbled at the end of his impressive 40-yard dash, all contribute to questions about his durability.

Chris Godwin

Davis, Williams, and Ross are getting the majority of the attention at the wide receiver position leading up to the draft, and deservedly so. All three are easily first-round talents, injury concerns will be the only factors, if any, that could hold them back from hearing their names called on Day 1. But this wide receiver class is downright stacked. The second tier of talent actually isn't that much of a drop-off, and that group starts with a quietly complete talent in Godwin. While the stat sheet won't necessarily compare to other top prospects, he can do everything an offense could possible ask of a lead receiver.

Clean releases off the line, smooth route-running ability, sneaky speed, and quickness in and out of his breaks allow Godwin to create separation at all levels of the field. The only potential reservation about his well-rounded athletic profile is his relatively average height, but the consistency with which he wins contested catch situations allows him to play far bigger than his listed height of 6-foot-1. Body control and adjustments at the catch point seemingly come easy to Godwin. All that, along with the desire to pick up yards after the catch and a willingness to get involved as a run blocker on the perimeter, make it tough to poke any holes in his game. A high-floor, high-ceiling player who is likely an immediate starter, Godwin should be an early Day 2 pick at the latest.

Zay Jones

There wasn't a receiver who did more for himself throughout the pre-draft process than Jones. A supremely productive pass-catcher who has experience lining up all over the field, the East Carolina standout should have every opportunity to emerge as a big-time playmaker in today's NFL. Based on the way he was used in college, and successfully so, a logical projection looking ahead to the professional level for Jones would be that of a high-end slot receiver. And given his quickness, route-running, and ability to navigate the short to intermediate levels of the field, that could very well be how his career starts.

Jones was also able to make the most of the opportunities he had downfield, though, and that ability showed up again with a particularly impressive Senior Bowl performance. After a combine showing that effectively silenced any concerns there may have been about athleticism that can translate to the next level, Jones is comfortably in the second tier of wideouts behind the consensus top three. The upside and potential for instant impact should make him another no-brainer pick on Day 2.

Best of the rest

• JuJu Smith-Schuster will never blow anyone away with his speed or athleticism, but that's not a problem considering everything else he can do. Cornerbacks in the NFL should have the same issues as those in college did when it comes to trying to match up with his physicality. The strength both when the ball is in the air and when he's looking to pick up extra yards will make him a particularly reliable possession target.
• Another Texas A&M wideout with a huge frame, Josh Reynolds is a big play waiting to happen. Not only does he have the size and body control to go up and win over top of smaller defenders, but he also has the straight-line speed to slip behind them downfield. Any success with expanding his route tree to better fit NFL offenses will make Reynolds a dangerous target.
• One of the the many prospects entering this year's draft with their positional fit seemingly up in the air, Curtis Samuel cracks the top 10 receivers due to his potential from the slot. The Ohio State product's combination of speed and quickness makes him tough enough to cover one-on-one, and his route-running should only continue to improve if he begins to focus on receiver while only taking occasional backfield reps.
• Ryan Switzer was the security blanket for Mitchell Trubisky at North Carolina. A 5-foot-8, 181-pound frame is less than ideal, but his role isn't one that demands size. Switzer is an intriguing slot prospect who has the suddenness to separate from man coverage underneath, as well as a natural feel for working his way through zones. He has rock solid hands and he also brings punt return value.
• After a slow start to his college career, Chad Hansen came out of nowhere to emerge as Davis Webb's top target and put together a sensational junior season. The sample size is small, and the offense certainly helped, but Hansen has all the physical traits of a starting boundary receiver and high-level red zone target at the next level. Hansen can really go up and get it when given the opportunity.

Potential sleepers

KD Cannon, Baylor

The benefit of playing in a high-flying Baylor offense will have teams remaining cautious not to overreact to Cannon's output in 2016. There's always room for game-breaking speed in NFL offenses, though, and he undoubtedly has that in his arsenal. Cannon is an absolutely burner who can take the top off a secondary. You'll gladly put up with the occasional drop and limited route capabilities for that kind of unteachable trait, especially if it becomes available toward the latter half of Day 3.

Michael Clark, Marshall

NFL teams love their size and speed. Clark is as raw as they come, to be sure. The former basketball player was on the field for just one year of football at Marshall, where he tallied 37 receptions for 632 yards and five touchdowns. That production level screams undrafted free agent, and perhaps that's where he ends up. But there will be plenty of coaching staffs looking for the chance to mold a 6-foot-5-plus wideout that runs in the low 4.5s.

Overall
Top 50
Offense
QB | RB | WR | TE | OT | G/C
Defense
DL | EDGE | LB | CB | S

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)