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2012 NFL Draft Summary – Wide Receivers
Justin Blackmon – The Jaguars moved up in the first round to select Blackmon with the No. 5 pick of the draft. Blackmon has strong, large hands and plays a very physical brand of football. His game speed is not exceptional and he has minor character concerns. General Manager Gene Smith said the team plans on using Blackmon as the "X" receiver, or split end, which seems like a poorer fit for his skill set than having him be the “Z” receiver, or flanker. Redraft owners should approach him as a WR3/WR4 candidate with PPR upside this season while dynasty owners should draft him in the top half of the first round and hope that Blaine Gabbert either develops or steps aside at quarterback.

Michael Floyd – The Cardinals were able to stay patient and still land Floyd with their first-round selection. Floyd has great size and very good hands to go with good long speed. He is not a quick twitch athlete which may cause some issues getting separation and multiple alcohol-related incidents suggest he could be a character risk. He should earn a starting role opposite Larry Fitzgerald which should ensure plenty of single coverage. Floyd should be looked at as a WR4 in most redraft leagues while dynasty owners will take him in the top 6-8 picks hoping for improved quarterback play.

Kendall Wright – The Titans surprised a few people with the selection of Wright in the first round. Wright brings suddenness and speed to the field along with confidence and good hands. He’ll need to work on improving his routes and his strength to get the most out of his abilities. Look for him to ply his trade mostly in the slot though he will see some action outside as well. He’ll likely be a late-round addition in redraft leagues while dynasty owners will like the combination of Wright’s speed and Jake Locker’s arm enough to grab him in the 7-10 pick range.

A.J. Jenkins – The 49ers used their first round pick to select Jenkins who would have gone to the Rams with the first pick of the second round had he still been on the board. Jenkins offers exceptional quickness on short routes as well as excellent long speed on deep routes. He’ll need to add some weight and strength as well as work on his hands at the next level. His versatility will allow him to play anywhere on the field but he faces a crowded receiving group this year. Redraft owners should probably not draft him at this point while dynasty owners will start finding value for him in the second round.

Brian Quick – The Rams opened the second round of the draft by selecting Quick. One of the best athletes in this draft class, Quick has great size and coordination to go with outstanding leaping ability and very good speed. He’ll need to work on the nuances of his position and could be slow to adapt to a new offense. He’ll be given every opportunity to start as a rookie and will be the team’s WR1 when ready. Redraft owners will likely find him having a better second half of the year while dynasty owners also must keep in mind that early returns may not justify his lower half of the first round selection though later returns should more than make up for that.

Stephen Hill – The Jets threw the dice on Hill in the top half of the second round. Hill flashed a mind-numbing combination of size and speed to go with great leaping ability. He’ll need to work on his route running along with adding some strength to his frame. He’s already considered a starter for the team opposite of Santonio Holmes, but he’ll need to prove it in camp and preseason. Redraft owners should add him late in the draft for his upside while dynasty owners have to balance the fact that he might have the most upside of any receiver in this class against the inconsistencies of Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow and take him in the bottom half of the first round.

Alshon Jeffery – The Bears added a big receiver when they selected Jeffery in the second round. Jeffery has tremendous hands and size to go along with being dominant in the air. There are questions about his ability to separate at the next level and his route running needs a good deal of work. He’ll be given the opportunity to start opposite of Brandon Marshall. Redraft owners should consider adding him for bench strength and due to Marshall’s possibility of being suspended for an unknown duration this year. Dynasty owners face a tough evaluation due to the strong positives and negatives associated with him, so he’s not for those who shy away from risk, but he starts making sense in the bottom of the first round.

Ryan Broyles – The Lions added Broyles to their arsenal of weapons in the second round. Broyles has great hand and foot quickness and is very creative with the ball. He’ll need to add bulk and power to his game as he continues to rehab his left ACL. When that knee is fully healthy, he’ll be the team’s primary slot receiver which will likely push Nate Burleson out the door shortly thereafter. Redraft owners should not draft Broyles as he stands a good chance of starting the season on the PUP list. He’s a second-round pick for dynasty owners in a pass-happy offense.

Rueben Randle – After almost selecting him at the bottom of the first round, the Giants took Randle with the last pick of the second round. Randle is a receiver with great size and good speed who shows great body control and the ability to adjust to balls in the air. He’ll need to refine his routes and add some strength. He should earn the WR3 position opposite of Hakeem Nicks outside and Julio Cruz in the slot. Redraft owners should consider that touches will be inconsistent for him as a rookie while dynasty owners could see the same fate for him long term unless personnel changes are made down the road.

Devier Posey – The Texans selected Posey in the third round. Posey has good speed, gets out of his breaks cleanly and shows nice body control. He needs to work on his concentration and strength while he may not have the top-end speed to consistently stretch the defense. He will try to offer a speed option opposite of Andre Johnson but that may be a stretch as a rookie who I think was over-drafted. Redraft leagues should monitor his progress on the waiver wire while dynasty owners shouldn’t consider him prior to the third round.

T.J. Graham – The Bills drafted Graham in the third round. Graham offers plenty of speed with a strong return history and his receiving game did show signs of growth. He’ll need to add strength to his game which might finally give him the confidence to go over the middle and catch balls in traffic. Look for his primary contribution to be on special teams. Redraft owners don’t need to know his name at this point while dynasty owners might consider him late as a project receiver.

Mohamed Sanu – The Bengals selected Sanu in the third round. Sanu profiles as a possession receiver with excellent hands and body control who is willing to work inside. He’ll have issues getting separation deep due to a lack of long speed and burst. His best role might be to offer solid depth as a WR3. Redraft owners only need to know him if he earns a starting role opposite A.J. Green. Dynasty owners could see him develop into a solid role player but he’ll never be special, so don’t spend an early pick on him.

T.Y. Hilton – The Colts added Hilton late in the third round. Hilton has excellent deep speed but offers even more quickness to go along with solid separation skills and strong after-the-catch ability. He can be fragile and adding strength will help him beat man coverage. He offers the deep speed that the Colts lost when Pierre Garcon left and he’s also a strong returner. Redraft and dynasty owners should consider Hilton if he earns significant time on the field or if you get points for return yardage, but his small frame suggests that being a major contributor on offense will be difficult.

Chris Givens – It was the Rams who pulled the trigger on Givens in the fourth round. Givens features great quickness and change-of-direction skills and is one of the best route runners in this class. He’ll need to work on keeping his concentration on easy catches and some question his ability to separate deep. His skill set seems ideal for the slot but with that spot manned, look for him start at flanker. Redraft owners might see him as a late-round addition while dynasty owners might consider him sometime in the second round or later.

Travis Benjamin – The Browns selected Benjamin in the fourth round. Benjamin is best known as a returner but he has great deep speed and is very dangerous with the ball. Due to his small stature, he shies away from the middle of the field and physical corners can hold him up at the line of scrimmage. I expect him to primarily be a return specialist with the occasional big play on offense. With that outlook in mind, redraft owners should ignore him on draft day which is the same advice I’d give to dynasty owners.

Joe Adams – The Panthers selected Adams in the fourth round. Adams has an innate ability to set up corners with fakes that get him open and he is an amazing kick returner. He’s going to have to add a more physical aspect to his game to succeed at the next level. He’ll return kicks right away and should develop into a solid slot receiver in time. Redraft leagues should look for him on the waiver wire while dynasty leagues should consider him in the third round.

Devon Wylie – The Chiefs picked up Wylie in the fourth round. Wylie has great long speed and slippery moves which help him with routes and returning kicks. Durability and a lack of strength may be significant factors to overcome. Wylie looks like he was brought in to replace Dexter McCluster as a slot receiver/returner. In a run heavy offense, take a pass on Wylie in redraft leagues. Dynasty owners might consider Wylie late while keeping an eye on his health and importance to the offense.

Jarius Wright – The Vikings drafted Wright in the second half of the fourth round. Wright has the speed to get behind defenses while also exhibiting the lateral agility to get open underneath. He’s a small receiver who will have difficulty beating press coverage until he improves his strength. With Percy Harvin in the slot, Wright will try to make it on the outside. Redraft leagues should be safe to ignore him while someone in a dynasty league might burn a late pick to try and catch lightning in a bottle.

Keshawn Martin – The Texans drafted Martin in the fourth round. Martin is very good at getting separation and he has the speed to get behind many defenses. His route running lacks maturity and which will hinder him early. He’ll be involved in the return game and might see some time in the slot. That lack of experience means that redraft owners should ignore him in 2012 while patient dynasty owners with roster room might consider spending a pick on him to see what might develop as he has more raw talent than Devier Posey whom the Texans selected ahead of him.

Nick Toon – The Saints added Toon in the fourth round. Toon is a talented route-runner with plus hands and more polish than normally found at this level. He lacks elite quickness while speed and injuries have been a problem. Toon will provide receiving depth early and he will try to work his way into the rotation. Off draft boards in redraft leagues, he may have to wait for Marques Colston to move on before he has value in dynasty leagues as their games are similar.

Greg Childs – The Vikings drafted Childs with a compensation pick in the fourth round. Childs uses his body well to position himself for catches and shows good body control along with good hands. A torn patella affected his separation ability and deep speed last season. Childs will try to fight for a spot in the receiver rotation this season and has some upside moving forward. His size will make him an end-of-the-bench candidate in redraft leagues if he gets red-zone looks. Dynasty owners could do far worse things than give him a roster spot to see what his upside might be with his size/speed potential should his knee fully heal.

Danny Coale – The Cowboys selected Coale in the fifth round. Coale has good quickness and understands the difference between running routes against man and zone coverage. He is not dangerous with the ball in his hands and big corners give him trouble. He’ll be asked to work in the slot where Laurent Robinson was so successful last year. Redraft owners will want to carefully watch how integrated Coale is to the offense and draft accordingly. Dynasty owners should also be interested as the Cowboys may have finally decided that a slot weapon is for them after last season’s success there.

Marvin Jones – The Bengals selected Jones in the fifth round. Jones has great body control to go along with excellent hands and concentration. He does not have great speed and until he gets stronger, he’ll struggle against physical corners. I think there’s a good chance that Jones can beat out Mohamed Sanu to start across from A.J. Green. Redraft owners should be interested in him as a waiver acquisition if this happens while dynasty owners may be frustrated early with the balanced offense that he plays in limiting his upside.

Juron Criner – The Raiders selected Criner in the fifth round. Criner has very good size, strength and hands which allow him to compete for all balls in the air. He will need to work on running a proper route tree and he’ll need to prove that he can separate from NFL cornerbacks. Criner will offer depth on the roster and he could carve out a niche as a red-zone target. That may not be enough to entice either redraft or dynasty owners to draft him at this point in his career.

B.J. Cunningham – The Dolphins selected Cunningham in the sixth round. Cunningham has excellent hands and superior body control while knowing how to set up his routes. His lack of deep speed and inability to vary to his speed on routes may hinder his ability to separate at the next level. Cunningham will struggle to get on the field at this point in time and will need to find a niche in special teams to start his career. He’s off the Fantasy radar for both redraft and dynasty leagues.

Marvin McNutt – The Eagles selected McNutt in the sixth round. McNutt is a tall, long player with very good hands, a strong upper body and who is fearless in traffic. He’ll need to work on getting separation by varying his speed and selling his routes better. His presence could push Riley Cooper out of a job. He’ll only be relevant in redraft leagues if there are injuries ahead of him but he might be an interesting long-term stash in dynasty leagues.

Tommy Streeter – The Ravens selected Streeter in the sixth round. At this point, Streeter is an athlete with an amazing size/speed combination who has flashed some talent. He does not possess NFL toughness or confidence in his game and will need to learn how to play receiver at this level. He comes in as a raw project who will be worked with to see how far he can be developed. Ignore him in redraft leagues, but he’ll get picked in the third round or beyond in dynasty leagues by someone hoping to find a pot of gold.

LaVon Brazill – The Colts selected Brazill in the sixth round. Brazill has good hands with solid speed and quickness that allow him to be a deep threat. His routes, especially over the middle of the field, need refinement and he’ll need to add strength. Look for him to primarily be on special teams while adding depth at receiver. Both redraft and dynasty owners should look elsewhere for receiving help.

Rishard Matthews – The Dolphins selected Matthews in the seventh round. Matthews has a very mature body and uses his long arms to win balls in physical situations. His route running is not refined and he will struggle to separate and get deep at the next level. He’s an interesting project who might peak as a WR2 some day. Redraft owners can take him off their boards while dynasty owners will also struggle to find a roster spot for him.

Toney Clemons – The Steelers selected Clemons in the seventh round. Clemons is a big, physical and tough receiver who has very good strength and surprising speed. His hands are very inconsistent and he can be too aggressive in his blocking at times. He’ll provide depth early in his career, but his game fits what the Steelers like almost perfectly. Pass on him in redraft leagues while adventurous dynasty owners might be interested late in their drafts.

Jeremy Ebert – The Patriots selected Ebert in the seventh round. Ebert is a very competitive player who succeeds more on quickness than speed and is not afraid to play in the middle of the field. He’s not going to get deep too often and his strength will need to grow. He’ll be looked at for special teams and to see if he can develop as a slot receiver. He’s not a draft candidate for redraft or dynasty owners at this point.

Junior Hemingway – The Chiefs selected Hemingway in the seventh round. Hemingway is a big, strong receiver who does a very good job working against zone coverage. He may struggle getting separation against man coverage and he’ll need to learn the full route tree. He should provide quality depth to begin his career. He’s not a target in redraft leagues but he does show some long-term potential for dynasty owners.

Jordan White – The Jets selected White in the seventh round. White is a tough and physical player who will win his share of 50/50 balls and who has very good balance. After two ACL surgeries in college, he is not a quick-twitch athlete and he won’t take the top off of defenses. His future might be on special teams. He should not be on draft boards for redraft or dynasty leagues at this time.

Dwight Jones – The Texans signed Jones as an undrafted free agent. Jones has great length, size and strength and can make the spectacular catch. He takes a while to get to top speed, change of direction is a problem for him and he lacks consistency in all phases of his game. His future may be decided by how hard he’ll work for it. He’s not a draft candidate in redraft leagues and I’d mark him as someone to watch in dynasty leagues though I’d resist the urge to add him right away.

Jeff Fuller – The Dolphins signed Fuller as an undrafted free agent. Fuller has excellent size to go with strong hands and good agility, and he has learned how to use his feet to improve his quickness. He has disappointed in his site adjustments and needs to improve his concentration. He’s an intriguing player who stands a fair chance at making the final roster. He should not be selected in redraft leagues but he is a person of interest in dynasty leagues.

Lance Lewis – The Redskins signed Lewis as an undrafted free agent. Lewis has good size and long arms and legs that allow him to find success. He’s not a physical player and his concentration lapses can be frustrating. He’ll need to find a role on special teams to make an NFL roster. Take him off your Fantasy radar for now in all leagues.

Chris Owusu – The 49ers signed Owusu as an undrafted free agent. Owusu is an intelligent player who knows how to sell his routes, is very good in the air and has reliable hands. He does not have great speed and his concussion history is a concern. He excels in the return game and if healthy, he’d make a great addition to a team. Redraft owners can avoid him while risk-taking dynasty owners could roll the dice while keeping an eye for medical setbacks.