3. Receivers aplenty and ready to help now
Once again, the draft class will be offering a plethora of receiver talent. It’s to the point over the last several years that a bounty of receiver talent has come to be assumed and the 2022 class is no exception.
“Eleven first round receivers the last two years and almost all of them have hit,” said ESPN NFL draft analyst Todd McShay in an appearance on ‘One Bills Live.’ “And then the second rounders like Michael Pittman was I think like the 33rd or 34th pick a year ago. This first and second round has been outrageous at receiver and the league is getting spoiled again this year with the talent. I think I’ve got another six first rounders projected to go this year, which would make it 17 first rounders in a three-year span, which is outrageous. Wide receiver is loaded.”
L.A. Chargers GM Tom Telesco, who has prepared for NFL drafts for the better part of the last 25 years, admits receivers are not only more plentiful, but the ones at the top of the board are producing right away too.
“It seems like there are more of them,” said Telesco. “The way it is with receivers coming into the league you can get receivers in the second, third round, sometimes fourth that come in and play. I remember we had Reggie Wayne when I was in Indianapolis, and it wasn’t that long ago, and it took him some time to get going. Receivers now are coming into the league and producing at a high level much earlier.”
In McShay’s opinion, this year’s receiver class could produce quality prospects as late as day three.
“This guy Skyy Moore from Western Michigan. He’s a player,” said McShay. “He’s going to be a third-round pick because there are six receivers in the first round and that backs up everybody else. Christian Watson from North Dakota State is a 6’3′, 210-pounder and runs in the 4.3s. I know it’s FCS, but he’s just like five yards behind everyone. And he had a really good Senior Bowl week. David Bell from Purdue is like a slot jitter bug type. Wan’Dale Robinson from Kentucky, I’m convinced in this receiver class in the third, fourth round, there will be starters.”
