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Draft preview: Receivers run deep in 2004

April 7, 2004

By Pete Prisco

SportsLine.com Senior Writer

NFL scouts always like to say receivers in the draft are a dime a dozen.

This year that might mean someone has to cough up 20 cents.

Larry Fitzgerald likely has the best hands and star power of the group. (AP)

The 2004 NFL Draft is shaping up as one of the deepest receiver drafts in a long time -- maybe ever -- and scouts are saying this receiving group could be 25 deep.

"The thing about this draft," one NFC personnel director said, "is that the 10th receiver taken could end up being better than the first. That's how good this draft is at the receiver spot."

By now, everyone knows Pitt's Larry Fitzgerald, Roy Williams of Texas, Reggie Williams of Washington and Southern California's Mike Williams are all ranked near the top of most teams list (although Mike Williams has slipped some).

What many don't know is those players ranked in the 20s on some teams receiving boards, guys such as Texas Tech's Carlos Francis and Oregon's Sammie Parker, also have scouts and coaches excited. Those two have both been clocked in the low 4.4s or even better, which is why they have opened some eyes.

But both are small players -- Francis at 5-9½ and Parker at 5-10 -- which is the reason they are not in anybody's top 10.

Remember, though, speed is what all teams want from at least one of their receivers. The threat of the big play helps open up the offense, and having receivers who can run is essential in the modern NFL.

"Certainly the strongest area would be the wide receivers," Houston Texans coach Dom Capers said. "It's pretty obvious."

Francis and Parker are the exceptions to the rule in this year's draft, because they are in a receiver class that features big, strong players. Some of those have the size and the speed of Parker and Francis.

Our NFL Draft Preview

Mock drafts | Profiles | Draft order

Date Column

Apr. 5 Prisco: Quarterbacks

Apr. 6 Glazer: AFC East

Apr. 7 Prisco: Wide Receivers

Apr. 8 NFC East

Apr. 9 Offensive Line

Apr. 12 NFC South

Apr. 13 Running Backs

Apr. 14 AFC South

Apr. 15 Defensive Line

Apr. 16 AFC West

Apr. 16 NFC West

Apr. 19 Linebackers

Apr. 20 AFC North

Apr. 21 Secondary

Apr. 22 NFC North

Apr. 23 Draft preview

On many team's boards, the top eight -- although the order might differ -- is Fitzgerald, the three Williamses, LSU's Michael Clayton, Wisconsin's Lee Evans, Oklahoma State's Rashaun Woods and Ohio State's Michael Jenkins. Of those eight, only Evans (5-10½) is smaller than 6-2.

Mike Williams (6-5), Jenkins (6-4½) and Reggie Williams (6-3 3/4) are the biggest of the group. Mike Williams, who also weighs 230 pounds when in shape, looks more like a tight end.

"We're getting bigger receivers," Capers said. "And the corners aren't getting any bigger."

"Look at all the receivers coming out in the draft, they're all 6-1, 6-2, 6-3, some of them are 6-4, 6-5," New Orleans Saints coach Jim Haslett said. "You aren't going to find a corner that's 6-5. You can't find them that are 6-foot."

The league plans to crack down on illegal contact and holding in the secondary, which should help the receivers even more. The bigger players won't get mugged, and the faster receivers will have easier releases.

Couple that with more and more teams spreading out defenses, and that's why having a deep receiver draft is a good thing.

Roy Williams of Texas is battling Fitzgerald to be the first receiver taken. Williams runs better than Fitzgerald, but the scouts who watched Fitzgerald's workout came away raving.

"It was one of those things that you just know he's going to be a heck of a player," one AFC coach said. "He nailed it."

Roy Williams was timed under 4.4 at his workout, which has him atop several team's draft boards. The Raiders, who have the second overall pick, are eying him because Al Davis loves deep speed (remember Warren Wells and Cliff Branch?).

Roy Williams and Fitzgerald should both be gone in the top 10, with Reggie Williams just outside of it. Mike Williams' draft fate is tied to his workout this week in Tampa. If he runs well, he'll be a top-15 pick. If not, he could go at the bottom of the first round.

Clayton, Evans, Woods and Jenkins could all hear their names called by the end of the first round. First round, though, doesn't necessarily mean success.

"There have been a lot of busts taken high at the receiver spot," Haslett said.

In the past 10 drafts, there have been 37 receivers taken in the first round. Of those 37, the only ones to play in a Pro Bowl are Keyshawn Johnson, Marvin Harrison, Randy Moss, Torry Holt, David Boston and Eric Moulds

POLL

Who should be the first WR taken?

Larry Fitzgerald

Roy Williams

Michael Clayton

Reggie Williams

Mike Williams

Johnson is the highest receiver drafted the past 10 years, having gone first in 1996. Holt went sixth in 1999 and Boston went eighth that same year. The three other Pro Bowl receivers were taken outside the top 10.

Drafting receivers in the top 10 has proved to be a risky proposition. Aside from the three listed above, there have been 11 other receivers taken in the top 10 of the draft the past decade. Most have not proved to be worth such a high pick. Among them are: Michael Westbrook (fourth to the Redskins in 1994), Ike Hilliard (seventh to the Giants in 1997); Peter Warrick (fourth to the Bengals in 2000); and David Terrell (eighth to the Bears in 2001).

There has been a receiver selected in the top 10 in each of the past 10 years with the exception of 1998. That also happened to be the year the Vikings took Moss with the 21st pick.

Last year, the Lions took Charles Rogers with the second pick and the Texans took Andre Johnson with the third pick. Both of those players flashed star ability as rookies, but Rogers had his season cut short by injuries.

The best rookie receiver was Anquan Boldin, who was taken by Arizona in the second round and ended up going to the Pro Bowl. He was the sixth receiver taken last year, second on his own team behind Bryant Johnson.

"It can be feast or famine with this position," the personnel director said. "Guys can look so good in college, but then they get to the league and they can't read coverages or they can't run routes. It's much more sophisticated and that takes more than just running by people."

That's why there are failures. And that's why some teams prefer to wait to take their receivers. So, while the top receivers in this year's draft look like potential stars, don't be shocked to see a guy taken in the second or third round end up being even better.

Prisco's No. 1 Wide Receiver

Player School Ht Wt Class

Roy Williams Texas 6-2 212 Senior

A personal favorite who lit it up when he ran under 4.4 at his workout. Only question is about his hands.

Best of the rest

Player School Ht Wt Class

2. Larry Fitzgerald Pittsburgh 6-3 225 Sophomore

Answered the only doubts about him with his good time at his Pro Day workout. He's a special kid and player.

3. Michael Clayton LSU 6-3 209 Junior

He didn't run as well as some scouts had hoped, but he has got game speed and he is a tough guy.

4. Reggie Williams Washington 6-3 223 Senior

A tall, fast receiver who was hurt by poor quarterback play in 2003. His best football is ahead of him.

5. Mike Williams Southern Cal 6-5 230 Sophomore

There are too many questions about this kid, including his speed. He should have stayed in school.

Player on the rise

Southern California's Keary Colbert was expected to be a possession receiver, but his workouts have disputed that. He has run impressive times.

Player on the decline

Mike Williams. Speed and attitude are major concerns.

Overrated

Mike Williams. If you don't run by corners in the Pac-10, you won't run by them in the NFL.

Underrated

Devery Henderson, LSU. Speed kills, and he has it. Will be more productive in the NFL than he was in college.

Sleeper

P.K. Sam, Florida State. A big, strong player who can run. Wasn't always productive as he should have been, but he could be another FSU player who gets better on the next level.

Biggest risk

Lee Evans, Wisconsin. He looks all the way recovered from a torn ACL, but that still makes him a risky pick. Knee injuries can always be a problem down the road.

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Workout keeps Williams in top-15 range

By Scouts, Inc.

For ESPN Insider

Thursday, April 8

Updated: April 8

2:57 PM ET

Much like Ohio State RB Maurice Clarett's workout earlier in the week, USC WR

Mike Williams didn't hurt himself with his workout at University of South

Florida on Thursday, but he didn't exactly help himself a great deal either.

From a size and overall physique standpoint, Williams is everything you look for

in a premier NFL wide receiver. Williams showed up to his workout at 6045, 228

pounds and also had a 34 5/8-inch arm reach. In comparison to the other top receivers in this year's class, including Pittsburgh's Larry Fitzgerald (6027,

225, 32 1/8), Texas' Roy Williams (6024, 212, 33 7/8), Washington's Reggie Williams (6036, 229, 32 1/8), LSU's Michael Clayton (6026, 209, 32 3/8),

Wisconsin's Lee Evans (5107, 197, 32 3/8), Ohio State's Michael Jenkins (6044, 218, 32 5/8) and Oklahoma State's Rashaun Woods (6021, 202, 32) -- all possible

first-round selections --

Williams is the tallest, biggest and has the longest

arms.

Mike Williams didn't do enough in his workout to move ahead of Larry Fitzgerald or Roy Williams.

While Williams was in peak condition and was chiseled with a six-pack stomach, we were told that he showed up to his workout facility in Georgia over one month ago at nearly 240 pounds.

We were also told by an NFL scout who talked to his

nutritionist that Williams can keep the weight off if he continues to work at it, but if he gets lazy once he makes it to the NFL there's a chance that he could eat his way into being moved to the tight end position.

From what we were told, Williams' position drill workout was impressive in all aspects except for his explosiveness. He dropped two passes early on, but settled into a groove and did not drop a pass after those two initial drops. He

displayed soft hands, an exceptional ability to control his body and adjust to the ball in the air.

He is very smooth in all of his movements, particularly for

a man his size. He can bend in and out of his breaks. The problem, however, is that he lacks explosive burst and sharp cutting ability. He clearly is not a burner that will out-run most NFL defensive backs and he doesn't explode in and out of his breaks.

His much anticipated 40-time really didn't tell us anything we didn't know. He ran on a fast rubber track with the wind gusting between 15 and 20 miles per hour.

With the wind he ran a 4.58. Against the wind he ran a 4.67. His 10-yard splits were 1.62 and 1.64, which are better than average for his size. He also

had an impressive 37-inch vertical jump, 10-1 broad jump and 6.95 3-cone drill.

However, his short shuttle of 4.36, which in his defense he did run on grass, did not help his cause.

Finally, we were told that Williams was described by one of his trainers as immature, but not a bad young man. He said the Williams is a hard worker and

doesn't get into any trouble off the field, but he is a young 20-year-old who

still has a lot of growing up to do before he is ready to handle the mental

pressures that come along with being an NFL player -- on and off the field.

From everything we gather, Williams' workout should solidify him as a top-15 pick and could be good enough to get him drafted by either the Falcons at pick

No. 8 or the Jaguars at pick No. 9, but it may have scared off teams such as the Raiders and Cardinals from taking him any higher than that. Furthermore, it

seems safe to assume now that both Fitzgerald and Roy Williams will get drafted ahead of him.