Will the depth of the 2020 WR class help K.J. Hamler come back for his redshirt Junior season?
Meet the elite wide receiver class for the 2020 NFL draft: 8 potential first-round picks
play
Dec 6, 2019
Mike Renner
Profootball focus
By now you might have heard the rumors about the greatness of the wide receiver class for the 2020 NFL draft.
We here at Pro Football Focus can confirm that what you've heard is true.
ADVERTISEMENT
This is the deepest and most talented group since the vaunted 2014 class that featured Sammy Watkins, Mike Evans, Odell Beckham Jr., Brandin Cooks, Davante Adams, Allen Robinson II, Jarvis Landry and John Brown. That class had five receivers go in the first round and seven more in Round 2.
With seven receivers among the top 32 of PFF's latest draft board and nine more in the top 100, don't be surprised if the 2020 class comes close to topping the 2014 class. Make no mistake, this is the best receiver group we have ever graded.
Let's dive into the strengths and weaknesses of our top eight wideouts, all of whom have a chance to be first-rounders, using our stats and grades from every play:
1. Jerry Jeudy, Alabama
2019 stats: 101 targets, 71 receptions, 959 yards (487 YAC), 9 touchdowns, 14 broken tackles, 121.7 passer rating
2019 PFF grade: 83.2 overall, 83.8 receiving
2020 NFL draft coverage
What you need to know:
• Kiper's Big Board: Top 25 prospects »
• McShay's updated Top 32 rankings »
• Draft outlook for CFB's stat leaders »
• Full draft rankings from Scouts Inc. »
Jeudy might not have quite the numbers he had a year ago, but he is a special prospect. Not many receivers around the country are fighting for targets with three other potential first-round receivers, so we'll give Jeudy a pass for only 959 yards this season. There isn't a single thing about the receiver position that Jeudy can't do at a high level. His route running is as good as it gets. His speed is such that last season he ran away from Ole Miss safety Zedrick Woods, who ran a 4.29 40-yard dash at the 2019 NFL combine. Jeudy has broken 30 tackles on 139 catches since the start of last season. It all adds up to a receiving weapon that can be deployed at any level of the field.
That's not to say there aren't some legit concerns with him as a prospect. Jeudy is an unknown against press coverage, having faced it only 62 times all season. The vast majority of routes in his career have come from the slot, which can often mean he's open via scheme and not necessarily beating a defender one-on-one. But we've seen more than enough of him leaving defensive backs in the dust over the past couple of seasons to be too worried.
Where he could be picked in the 2020 draft: The top three picks wouldn't be too high to take Jeudy. He's a special talent who won't leave the first half of Round 1.
2. CeeDee Lamb, Oklahoma
2019 stats: 70 targets, 50 receptions, 1,033 yards (553 YAC), 14 touchdowns, 18 broken tackles, 147.3 passer rating
2019 PFF grade: 87.8 overall, 88.8 receiving
Even in a loaded receiver class, Lamb and Jeudy are still in a tier of their own. Lamb is the total package by any measure of receiver play. He has incredible ball skills, with only two drops on 52 catchable passes this season. The junior has arguably been the most electric player in the country after the catch, with 18 broken tackles and an 11.1 YAC average. While his 1,033 yards isn't eye-popping, Lamb's 3.81 yards per route is the highest in the class.
Ceedee Lamb and the Sooners play Baylor for the Big 12 title on Saturday. Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images
The only real knocks on Lamb are simply things we haven't quite seen him do. He has faced press coverage only 65 times this season and has only 38 contested-catch situations in his career (he has hauled in 19). He obviously plays in a favorable offense and conference for passing-game production, but that didn't stop teammate Marquise Brown, a first-round pick by the Ravens in 2019, from hitting the ground running in the NFL. If they were ranked in the same draft class, Lamb would be well ahead of Brown on our board. That's how highly we think of the Oklahoma star.
Where he could be picked in the 2020 draft: Lamb proved that he's second fiddle to no one this season. He's a true No. 1 who should be coveted by every team. No way he makes it past the top 15 picks.
3. Laviska Shenault Jr., Colorado
2019 stats: 80 targets, 56 receptions, 764 yards (420 YAC), 4 touchdowns, 15 broken tackles, 111.7 passer rating
2019 PFF grade: 83.2 overall, 83.8 receiving
Go back to the sophomore tape on Shenault from 2018. A preseason surgery and multiple other injuries have forced him to play a different role this year. After he was almost always around the ball last season, whether it was from the slot, wing or backfield alignment, Shenault has been playing much more on the outside this season in an effort to subject him to fewer hits. It's why he has only 56 receptions in 2019 after having 87 last year.
With the ball in his hands, though, Shenault is a threat to take it to the house on every play. He broke 29 tackles after the catch last season and managed 15 this season. He cranks it up from 0 to 100 mph in the blink of an eye and has thoroughly been underutilized as a downfield receiver in Colorado's offense. While he might get pigeonholed as a "gadget" type player, we believe he has shown far more than that. His ball skills have been exceptional, with 14 contested catches on 22 opportunities the past two years.
Where he could be picked in the 2020 draft: Shenault has the talent to be a top-15 pick, but injuries might scare teams away. He's still likely to be a first-rounder.
4. Henry Ruggs III, Alabama
2019 stats: 50 targets, 38 receptions, 717 yards (401 YAC), 7 touchdowns, 3 broken tackles, 157.1 passer rating
2019 PFF grade: 74.9 overall, 75.0 receiving
Ruggs doesn't get a ton of targets in Alabama's offense, but good things happen when the ball is thrown his way. In his three college seasons, Ruggs' targets have resulted in a passer rating of 153.5 for his quarterbacks.
play
0:34
Jones overshoots target, Ruggs hauls in TDMac Jones overthrows his intended target, but Henry Ruggs III is lurking in the back of the end zone to snag the Alabama touchdown.
He is legitimately in the conversation for fastest receiver in the country and has an extra gear that few defensive backs have been able to match. Unlike a lot of pure speed receivers, he attacks the ball extremely well. He has dropped only four of 100 catchable passes in his career. With everyone else in the Alabama receiving corps outpacing his numbers, though, Ruggs could be a candidate to return to school in 2020 to be "the guy."
Where he could be picked in the 2020 draft: True 4.3 speed doesn't last long in the draft. He's a much more polished speedster than Phillip Dorsett was coming out in 2015, and Dorsett went 29th overall.
5. Tee Higgins, Clemson
2019 stats: 61 targets, 43 receptions, 900 yards (255 YAC), 10 touchdowns, 7 broken tackles, 138.8 passer rating
2019 PFF grade: 88.8 overall, 89.0 receiving
If you're looking for a bigger receiver in this draft class, Higgins is your man. His ball skills are out of this world with only five drops on 107 catchable passes the past two seasons, and he has converted 19 of 35 contested catches over that span. The junior has already developed a fantastic rapport with quarterback Trevor Lawrence, as they routinely connect on back-shoulder throws.
Higgins' 3.57 yards per route is the third highest in the draft class, and at 6-foot-4, 216 pounds, he's not solely a possession receiver. He has 12 deep catches this season, ninth in the country. While he might not have the top-end speed and separation ability of some of the others in the draft class, he makes up for it with other elite traits.
Where he could be picked in the 2020 draft: I expect Higgins to leapfrog one of the receivers above him come draft day because he offers something they don't: size. He's the best big receiver in this class and will be highly coveted because of it.
6. Jalen Reagor, TCU
2019 stats: 89 targets, 43 receptions, 611 yards (141 YAC), 5 touchdowns, 5 broken tackles, 71.0 passer rating
2019 PFF grade: 69.1 overall, 66.9 receiving grade
No receiver in the country has suffered more from his situation the past couple of seasons than Reagor. It's not simply the shoddy quarterback play at TCU but also the offense around him. Defenses knew where Reagor was lining up snap after snap, as 653 of his 786 snaps last season came at right outside wide receiver. From there, TCU coaches made no effort to get the ball into their most dynamic playmaker's hands; Reagor was targeted on only 11 screens. In fact, 162 players in college football have seen more screen targets this year than Reagor. For a receiver who will almost surely run in the 4.3s and have a vertical jump around 40 inches, that's difficult to believe.
play
0:37
Reagor snags TD catch over defenderMax Duggan tosses it up to Jalen Reagor, who makes a great touchdown grab over the defender.
Reagor is yet another prospect who will have to let his 2018 tape do the talking. That season, he brought in 71 balls for 1,040 yards and nine scores. Even with one of the lowest-graded quarterbacks in the country, he put up legit numbers as a true sophomore. He didn't help himself this season with seven drops, but he has played bigger than his listed 5-foot-11, 195 pounds with 27 contested catches in his career.
Where he could be picked in the 2020 draft: Reagor's lack of production in 2019 could drop him into the second round. That'd be a steal for the team that gets him at that point.
7. Tyler Johnson, Minnesota
2019 stats: 104 targets, 75 receptions, 1,113 yards (390 YAC), 11 touchdowns, 9 broken tackles, 138.0 passer rating
2019 PFF grade: 89.9 overall, 90.0 receiving
Maybe the most amazing thing about the 2020 receiver class is that it took us this long to get to a receiver who isn't a true junior. Johnson easily could have been a Day 2 pick after going over 1,000 yards last season, but he returned to row the boat another season.
The biggest issue he had to clean up from 2018 was his drops. He let 10 of 88 catchable passes last season hit the turf and had seven on 42 catchable balls the year before. He has improved some this year with six drops on 81 catchable throws, but it's likely something you'll just have to live with when drafting the Minnesota receiver.
The reason we're still high on him is that the drops look far more concentration-based than indicative of his ability to catch. He hauled in 14 of his 20 contested targets this season, which is an impossibly high rate for someone who did have legitimately bad ball skills. Johnson might not win at a high rate deep, but he's an incredibly refined route-runner whose 27 catches in the intermediate range (10-19 yards downfield) was sixth in college football this season.
Where he could be picked in the 2020 draft: Johnson has a similar skill set to a player like Davante Adams coming out of Fresno State back in 2014. Adams went in the back half of Round 2, which feels like a fair estimation for Johnson at this point.
8. Michael Pittman Jr., USC
2019 stats: 122 targets, 95 receptions, 1,216 yards (470 YAC), 11 touchdowns, 14 broken tackles, 124.6 passer rating
2019 PFF grade: 83.3 overall, 82.5 receiving
EDITOR'S PICKS
Kiper & McShay: NFL draft prospects to know in each conference title game
Kiper's 2020 NFL draft Big Board rankings: Can anybody top Chase Young?
Colorado WR Shenault declares for NFL draft
While it took Pittman until his senior season to truly break out, there are a few reasons why we're ready to believe he's no fluke. The first is that he has had to deal with more press coverage (153 snaps) this season than any other receiver on this list, and he still produced.
The second is that even in a loaded USC receiving corps featuring Amon-Ra St. Brown and Tyler Vaughns, Pittman rose to the top as the Trojans' go-to guy, with 23 more targets and 337 more yards than the next closest USC wideout. Additionally, Pittman's hands have us sold on his ability. He has dropped only four passes on 169 catchable in his career. Those are some absurdly sticky mitts for a 6-foot-4, 220-pound wideout who will do wonders in the red zone at the next level.
Where he could be picked in the 2020 draft: Pittman's lack of top-tier athleticism could push him out of the first round, but don't let that make you think he won't be productive. His game is very much in the mold of players like Michael Thomas and Kenny Golladay, who have both done all right for themselves as Day 2 picks.
This receiver class is so deep we haven't even mentioned Sage Surratt (Wake Forest), Justin Jefferson (LSU), Tylan Wallace (Oklahoma State) or Devonta Smith (Alabama), all receivers whom others have mocked into the first round and put up ridiculous numbers themselves when healthy this season.
With so many options to choose from, there's no better time to be an NFL team in need of receiver help.
Meet the elite wide receiver class for the 2020 NFL draft: 8 potential first-round picks
play
Dec 6, 2019
Mike Renner
Profootball focus
By now you might have heard the rumors about the greatness of the wide receiver class for the 2020 NFL draft.
We here at Pro Football Focus can confirm that what you've heard is true.
ADVERTISEMENT
This is the deepest and most talented group since the vaunted 2014 class that featured Sammy Watkins, Mike Evans, Odell Beckham Jr., Brandin Cooks, Davante Adams, Allen Robinson II, Jarvis Landry and John Brown. That class had five receivers go in the first round and seven more in Round 2.
With seven receivers among the top 32 of PFF's latest draft board and nine more in the top 100, don't be surprised if the 2020 class comes close to topping the 2014 class. Make no mistake, this is the best receiver group we have ever graded.
Let's dive into the strengths and weaknesses of our top eight wideouts, all of whom have a chance to be first-rounders, using our stats and grades from every play:
1. Jerry Jeudy, Alabama
2019 stats: 101 targets, 71 receptions, 959 yards (487 YAC), 9 touchdowns, 14 broken tackles, 121.7 passer rating
2019 PFF grade: 83.2 overall, 83.8 receiving
2020 NFL draft coverage
What you need to know:
• Kiper's Big Board: Top 25 prospects »
• McShay's updated Top 32 rankings »
• Draft outlook for CFB's stat leaders »
• Full draft rankings from Scouts Inc. »
Jeudy might not have quite the numbers he had a year ago, but he is a special prospect. Not many receivers around the country are fighting for targets with three other potential first-round receivers, so we'll give Jeudy a pass for only 959 yards this season. There isn't a single thing about the receiver position that Jeudy can't do at a high level. His route running is as good as it gets. His speed is such that last season he ran away from Ole Miss safety Zedrick Woods, who ran a 4.29 40-yard dash at the 2019 NFL combine. Jeudy has broken 30 tackles on 139 catches since the start of last season. It all adds up to a receiving weapon that can be deployed at any level of the field.
That's not to say there aren't some legit concerns with him as a prospect. Jeudy is an unknown against press coverage, having faced it only 62 times all season. The vast majority of routes in his career have come from the slot, which can often mean he's open via scheme and not necessarily beating a defender one-on-one. But we've seen more than enough of him leaving defensive backs in the dust over the past couple of seasons to be too worried.
Where he could be picked in the 2020 draft: The top three picks wouldn't be too high to take Jeudy. He's a special talent who won't leave the first half of Round 1.
2. CeeDee Lamb, Oklahoma
2019 stats: 70 targets, 50 receptions, 1,033 yards (553 YAC), 14 touchdowns, 18 broken tackles, 147.3 passer rating
2019 PFF grade: 87.8 overall, 88.8 receiving
Even in a loaded receiver class, Lamb and Jeudy are still in a tier of their own. Lamb is the total package by any measure of receiver play. He has incredible ball skills, with only two drops on 52 catchable passes this season. The junior has arguably been the most electric player in the country after the catch, with 18 broken tackles and an 11.1 YAC average. While his 1,033 yards isn't eye-popping, Lamb's 3.81 yards per route is the highest in the class.
Ceedee Lamb and the Sooners play Baylor for the Big 12 title on Saturday. Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images
The only real knocks on Lamb are simply things we haven't quite seen him do. He has faced press coverage only 65 times this season and has only 38 contested-catch situations in his career (he has hauled in 19). He obviously plays in a favorable offense and conference for passing-game production, but that didn't stop teammate Marquise Brown, a first-round pick by the Ravens in 2019, from hitting the ground running in the NFL. If they were ranked in the same draft class, Lamb would be well ahead of Brown on our board. That's how highly we think of the Oklahoma star.
Where he could be picked in the 2020 draft: Lamb proved that he's second fiddle to no one this season. He's a true No. 1 who should be coveted by every team. No way he makes it past the top 15 picks.
3. Laviska Shenault Jr., Colorado
2019 stats: 80 targets, 56 receptions, 764 yards (420 YAC), 4 touchdowns, 15 broken tackles, 111.7 passer rating
2019 PFF grade: 83.2 overall, 83.8 receiving
Go back to the sophomore tape on Shenault from 2018. A preseason surgery and multiple other injuries have forced him to play a different role this year. After he was almost always around the ball last season, whether it was from the slot, wing or backfield alignment, Shenault has been playing much more on the outside this season in an effort to subject him to fewer hits. It's why he has only 56 receptions in 2019 after having 87 last year.
With the ball in his hands, though, Shenault is a threat to take it to the house on every play. He broke 29 tackles after the catch last season and managed 15 this season. He cranks it up from 0 to 100 mph in the blink of an eye and has thoroughly been underutilized as a downfield receiver in Colorado's offense. While he might get pigeonholed as a "gadget" type player, we believe he has shown far more than that. His ball skills have been exceptional, with 14 contested catches on 22 opportunities the past two years.
Where he could be picked in the 2020 draft: Shenault has the talent to be a top-15 pick, but injuries might scare teams away. He's still likely to be a first-rounder.
4. Henry Ruggs III, Alabama
2019 stats: 50 targets, 38 receptions, 717 yards (401 YAC), 7 touchdowns, 3 broken tackles, 157.1 passer rating
2019 PFF grade: 74.9 overall, 75.0 receiving
Ruggs doesn't get a ton of targets in Alabama's offense, but good things happen when the ball is thrown his way. In his three college seasons, Ruggs' targets have resulted in a passer rating of 153.5 for his quarterbacks.
play
0:34
Jones overshoots target, Ruggs hauls in TDMac Jones overthrows his intended target, but Henry Ruggs III is lurking in the back of the end zone to snag the Alabama touchdown.
He is legitimately in the conversation for fastest receiver in the country and has an extra gear that few defensive backs have been able to match. Unlike a lot of pure speed receivers, he attacks the ball extremely well. He has dropped only four of 100 catchable passes in his career. With everyone else in the Alabama receiving corps outpacing his numbers, though, Ruggs could be a candidate to return to school in 2020 to be "the guy."
Where he could be picked in the 2020 draft: True 4.3 speed doesn't last long in the draft. He's a much more polished speedster than Phillip Dorsett was coming out in 2015, and Dorsett went 29th overall.
5. Tee Higgins, Clemson
2019 stats: 61 targets, 43 receptions, 900 yards (255 YAC), 10 touchdowns, 7 broken tackles, 138.8 passer rating
2019 PFF grade: 88.8 overall, 89.0 receiving
If you're looking for a bigger receiver in this draft class, Higgins is your man. His ball skills are out of this world with only five drops on 107 catchable passes the past two seasons, and he has converted 19 of 35 contested catches over that span. The junior has already developed a fantastic rapport with quarterback Trevor Lawrence, as they routinely connect on back-shoulder throws.
Higgins' 3.57 yards per route is the third highest in the draft class, and at 6-foot-4, 216 pounds, he's not solely a possession receiver. He has 12 deep catches this season, ninth in the country. While he might not have the top-end speed and separation ability of some of the others in the draft class, he makes up for it with other elite traits.
Where he could be picked in the 2020 draft: I expect Higgins to leapfrog one of the receivers above him come draft day because he offers something they don't: size. He's the best big receiver in this class and will be highly coveted because of it.
6. Jalen Reagor, TCU
2019 stats: 89 targets, 43 receptions, 611 yards (141 YAC), 5 touchdowns, 5 broken tackles, 71.0 passer rating
2019 PFF grade: 69.1 overall, 66.9 receiving grade
No receiver in the country has suffered more from his situation the past couple of seasons than Reagor. It's not simply the shoddy quarterback play at TCU but also the offense around him. Defenses knew where Reagor was lining up snap after snap, as 653 of his 786 snaps last season came at right outside wide receiver. From there, TCU coaches made no effort to get the ball into their most dynamic playmaker's hands; Reagor was targeted on only 11 screens. In fact, 162 players in college football have seen more screen targets this year than Reagor. For a receiver who will almost surely run in the 4.3s and have a vertical jump around 40 inches, that's difficult to believe.
play
0:37
Reagor snags TD catch over defenderMax Duggan tosses it up to Jalen Reagor, who makes a great touchdown grab over the defender.
Reagor is yet another prospect who will have to let his 2018 tape do the talking. That season, he brought in 71 balls for 1,040 yards and nine scores. Even with one of the lowest-graded quarterbacks in the country, he put up legit numbers as a true sophomore. He didn't help himself this season with seven drops, but he has played bigger than his listed 5-foot-11, 195 pounds with 27 contested catches in his career.
Where he could be picked in the 2020 draft: Reagor's lack of production in 2019 could drop him into the second round. That'd be a steal for the team that gets him at that point.
7. Tyler Johnson, Minnesota
2019 stats: 104 targets, 75 receptions, 1,113 yards (390 YAC), 11 touchdowns, 9 broken tackles, 138.0 passer rating
2019 PFF grade: 89.9 overall, 90.0 receiving
Maybe the most amazing thing about the 2020 receiver class is that it took us this long to get to a receiver who isn't a true junior. Johnson easily could have been a Day 2 pick after going over 1,000 yards last season, but he returned to row the boat another season.
The biggest issue he had to clean up from 2018 was his drops. He let 10 of 88 catchable passes last season hit the turf and had seven on 42 catchable balls the year before. He has improved some this year with six drops on 81 catchable throws, but it's likely something you'll just have to live with when drafting the Minnesota receiver.
The reason we're still high on him is that the drops look far more concentration-based than indicative of his ability to catch. He hauled in 14 of his 20 contested targets this season, which is an impossibly high rate for someone who did have legitimately bad ball skills. Johnson might not win at a high rate deep, but he's an incredibly refined route-runner whose 27 catches in the intermediate range (10-19 yards downfield) was sixth in college football this season.
Where he could be picked in the 2020 draft: Johnson has a similar skill set to a player like Davante Adams coming out of Fresno State back in 2014. Adams went in the back half of Round 2, which feels like a fair estimation for Johnson at this point.
8. Michael Pittman Jr., USC
2019 stats: 122 targets, 95 receptions, 1,216 yards (470 YAC), 11 touchdowns, 14 broken tackles, 124.6 passer rating
2019 PFF grade: 83.3 overall, 82.5 receiving
EDITOR'S PICKS
Kiper & McShay: NFL draft prospects to know in each conference title game
Kiper's 2020 NFL draft Big Board rankings: Can anybody top Chase Young?
Colorado WR Shenault declares for NFL draft
While it took Pittman until his senior season to truly break out, there are a few reasons why we're ready to believe he's no fluke. The first is that he has had to deal with more press coverage (153 snaps) this season than any other receiver on this list, and he still produced.
The second is that even in a loaded USC receiving corps featuring Amon-Ra St. Brown and Tyler Vaughns, Pittman rose to the top as the Trojans' go-to guy, with 23 more targets and 337 more yards than the next closest USC wideout. Additionally, Pittman's hands have us sold on his ability. He has dropped only four passes on 169 catchable in his career. Those are some absurdly sticky mitts for a 6-foot-4, 220-pound wideout who will do wonders in the red zone at the next level.
Where he could be picked in the 2020 draft: Pittman's lack of top-tier athleticism could push him out of the first round, but don't let that make you think he won't be productive. His game is very much in the mold of players like Michael Thomas and Kenny Golladay, who have both done all right for themselves as Day 2 picks.
This receiver class is so deep we haven't even mentioned Sage Surratt (Wake Forest), Justin Jefferson (LSU), Tylan Wallace (Oklahoma State) or Devonta Smith (Alabama), all receivers whom others have mocked into the first round and put up ridiculous numbers themselves when healthy this season.
With so many options to choose from, there's no better time to be an NFL team in need of receiver help.
