Another year, another loaded receiver class. Get used to it, because it's going to be a regular occurrence. We're very likely to see three wideouts in the top 10 or 11 picks in late April, and there are a few more first-round talents outside of Ja'Marr Chase, Jaylen Waddle, and Devonta Smith.
Below I've ranked each of the consensus top eight wideouts in the qualities I deem most necessary to be successful at the position in the pros (listed in order of importance straight from my grading system). I've also added one player who should be available a bit later in the draft that excels at each particular trait.
As for the actual draft, you'll be able to stream our live coverage right here on CBS Sports HQ (or download the CBS Sports app for free on any mobile or connected TV device) breaking down all the picks and everything you need to know during draft weekend.
These are the consensus top eight wideouts included in each category: Alabama's Jaylen Waddle, LSU's Ja'Marr Chase, Alabama's Devonta Smith, Purdue's Rondale Moore, Minnesota's Rashod Bateman, Florida's Kadarius Toney, Ole Miss' Elijah Moore, LSU's Terrace Marshall
Separation ability
- Jaylen Waddle
- Devonta Smith
- Rondale Moore
- Ja'Marr Chase
- Elijah Moore
- Kadarius Toney
- Rashod Bateman
- Terrace Marshall
My go-to descriptor for how Waddle moves on the field, even compared to Chase and Smith is "different." He's incredibly sudden at the line and in his routes. He'll be an effortless separator in the NFL. Smith is ultra smooth, and his flexibility allows him to run crisp routes because he doesn't have to slow much to change directions. Rondale Moore is a touch less sudden than Waddle but still a blur. Chase is deceptively quick, especially for being a "power" wideout. Elijah Moore is your classic slot who may have problems at the line against physical corners but gets out of his breaks in an instant. Toney and Bateman are quality route runners for their size, as is Marshall.
Sleeper: Western Michigan's D'Wayne Eskridge
Likely thanks to immense experience at Western Michigan -- Eskridge is well-versed at beating press at the line, and there's plenty of juice in his start-stop capabilities.
Yards after the catch
- Chase
- Waddle
- Smith
- R. Moore
- Toney
- E. Moore
- Bateman
- Marshall
Chase has some wiggle, but he has the highest YAC grade in my system because of his A.J. Brown/Deebo Samuel similarities: contact balance and lower-half power. Waddle, Smith, and Rondale Moore can all take a jet sweep or a swing pass to the house with multiple cuts and serious acceleration down the field. Toney does freaky things with the ball in his hands. He can bounce around a little too much, though. Elijah Moore isn't as electric after the catch as you would expect for his type. He's quicker than fast. Bateman is deceptively good with the football in his hands, and Marshall's YAC almost strictly is the byproduct of his chiseled physique and speed combo.
Sleeper: North Carolina's Dazz Newsome
Newsome kind of got lost in the shuffle on a run-heavy North Carolina team that also featured another NFL wideout in Dyami Brown. But the times when Newsome got the football, he made the most of it with a dazzling display of vision, violent cutting skills, and dangerous YAC talent. He's probably my favorite "discount" wideout in the class.
Ball skills
- Chase
- Smith
- Waddle
- Bateman
- Marshall
- E. Moore
- Toney
- R. Moore
Sure, some were dimes from Joe Burrow, but Chase was remarkable reeling in contested catches in 2019, and Smith plays like he's 6-foot-5 because of his leaping ability, long arms, and big hands. Waddle. too. plays much bigger than his size. Bateman will be a consistent jump-ball wideout in the NFL, and Marshall plays to every inch of his 6-3 frame.
Sleeper: Oklahoma State's Tylan Wallace
At around 6-0 and 195 pounds, Wallace's frame isn't anything special. Tracking the football? Tremendous. He bounces off the ground like he's on a trampoline and has no problem contorting his body and catching the football with arms extended even with coverage draped on him.
Speed
- Waddle
- Smith
- R. Moore
- Marshall
- Chase
- Toney
- Bateman
- E. Moore
This class has some burners. In the open field, Waddle looks every bit as fast as Henry Ruggs, and Smith's smooth movements don't speak to how often he runs by everybody. Rondale Moore is a lightning bolt, and Marshall is a long-striding gazelle. Chase and Toney don't look incredibly fast on long plays but have some juice to hit 40-plus yard touchdowns in the NFL.
Sleeper: North Texas' Jaelon Darden
The North Texas star was used on a plethora of quick, boundary screens or go routes in 2020, and once he clicks it into gear, he's gone.
Position fits
Outside
- Chase
- Marshall
- Bateman
- Smith
- Waddle
- R. Moore
- E. Moore
- Toney
Given his physicality at the line of scrimmage, power through contact, and difficult-grab mastery, Chase is ready to routinely win on the outside in the NFL. Marshall and Bateman were actually highly effective as "big slots" in college, but their frames alone give them perimeter receiver appeal. Smith can do it all, and the same goes for Waddle. Doesn't matter where they align pre-snap. Rondale Moore, Elijah Moore and Toney will be best inside.
Sleeper: Stanford's Simi Fehoko
The Stanford sleeper has an NFL boundary wideout frame right now, is very fast down the field, and like most Cardinal wideouts, flourishes when the catch is contested. He's twitchy, too, so he should be able to generate some space against bigger, taller but less agile corners in the pros.
Slot
- Waddle
- R. Moore
- E. Moore
- Toney
- Chase
- Smith
- Bateman
- Marshall
The first three have All-Pro ability from the slot, but Waddle and Rondale Moore give you more home run-hitting opportunities from there. I wouldn't be shocked if Elijah Moore has a few 100-catch seasons on his NFL résumé, and Toney's juking will get on plenty of retweets next season.
Sleeper: Clemson's Amari Rodgers
One of the other "thick" wideouts in this class, with phenomenal contact balance, Rodgers flashed some downfield talent at Clemson but is best underneath and at the intermediate level. Defenders fly off him, and it's always a task bringing him to the turf. He has an ideal body frame to be utilized inside on jerk routes and drags over the middle.
