2007 WR Rankings - Baca
by Sean Baca

Discuss the rankings in The Top 25 WR Thread

Name College Height/Weight
1 Calvin Johnson Georgia Tech 6'4" 237 lbs.

Complete is the only word you're likely to hear for the next few years when broadcasters call Johnson's name. Powerful, controlled and unbeleivably athletic, just a few adjectives that describe the best athlete of this draft. This kid is sick and it almost makes me sick to see how sick this kid is, really. The draft is set up so that the worst teams have a chance to improve through the draft and some team certainly will with Calvin. Jackpot baby!

2 Sidney Rice South Carolina 6'4" 202 lbs.

I enjoy the way Rice plays the game of football especially his attitude toward the wideout position. He plays with a chip on his shoulder and just enough arrogance to keep off the opposing teams bulletin board, but in their heads. Attitude is everything as a wideout, it is the best way to keep a defense guessing... be the aggressor. There are some sore points to his game on underneath routes, mainly in his height in and out of breaks. He has great hands and is elusive after the catch but needs to work on his cuts and also on his body positioning when fighting for the ball.

3 Robert Meachem Tennessee 6'3" 211 lbs.

Meachem might very well be the most fluid receiver in this draft. He flattens crossing routes and square in perfectly, being fast to the break, then quick and clean out of it. His speed and strength make him a great vertical threat which will only help enhance his ability to get open on breaking routes and double moves. Meachem will need to work on his timing on some routes, he tends to be little quick to the break and throw off the timing. Attitude adjustment is also needed, someone needs to crank his motor up, at least a notch or three.

4 Dwayne Bowe LSU 6'2" 217 lbs.

Bowe is a very big receiver, and I mean in the way he plays the game. He utilizes his stength very well and has great body control, a testament to his "core" strength. He sells double moves very well and knows when and where to sit down in zones. He needs to work on route running and in route body control. He is great once the ball is in the air but is often late getting his head around and flattening out routes. His broad shoulders and ability to remain square to the ball make him a very tough cover and a few minor tweaks to quick reflex muscles and you have a true number one in Bowe.

5 Anthony Gonzalez Ohio State 6' 195 lbs.

The more I see of Gonzalez the more I am realizing why he decided to leave college early. He must work on his hand strength because he does bobble the ball when he catches it inside of his frame. The one thing that stands out most, is his feel of the, game, moment and defense when he's on the field. Best when in motion or in the slot, his ability to completely sell, with great calmness, any double move be it short or long, is outstanding. A couple of weeks in the Torry Holt school of catching 100 balls a day, and he will be a tremendous slot receiver.

6 Dwayne Jarrett USC 6'5" 213 lbs.

Jarrett has amazing body control on go routes in particular along the sidelines. He has large hands and an un-wavering belief in himself. His height and size will be a very difficult cover, especially on the corner route in the end zone. He has talent, but his ego seems to get in his way at times. If he can catch a ball one handed he will, and that is one thing that just rubs me the wrong way. Use two hands and respect your opponent and the game!!!

7 Jason Hill Washington State 6'1" 210 lbs

Hill may end up being the second or third best receiver in this years class when all is said and done. He will have an adjustment period in the bigger stronger NFL, but once he turns the curve he'll be dangerous. He runs posts, corners and slants so clean and smooth that he keeps the corner on his back hip at all times. He has great hands and stays square to the ball very well. He is six feet one and 205, he can't do anything there yet, but if he were 6'3" 225, he would be much higher on this list. Give it a little time in the gym and he should be something special.

8 Ted Ginn JR. Ohio State 6' 180 lbs.

I am more than a little apprehensive when it comes to Ginn. Maybe it has something to do with how high everyone is on him, I don't know. When I watch film I see a player who is oh so dangerous with the ball in his hands, but I don't see someone who can get open at the next level. When he runs short routes he gives the route away with his lean, a lean he does not have on vertical routes. Corners will certainly pick up on this give away in the NFL. There is no shortage of love for Ginn out there so I don't think he's going to miss mine much.

9 Paul Williams Fresno State 6'1" 205 lbs.

Shhh, be very quiet about this guy, he is going to ba steal in any round. He has attitude, pure and simple and he plays the position rough and rugged. His ability is more geared toward the vertical game but no doubt he will be an over the middle threat. He has great feel for where to position his body when the ball is in the air and every ball is his. His hips are allways underneath him allowing for maximum balance through contact and the ability to go get the ball from any position. Brash is applicable when describing him, but if you don't want the spotlight then you don't want the ball, and Williams wants the damn ball.

10 Steve Smith USC 5'11" 199 lbs.

Smith can work the underneath with great precision great timing. His pad speed is a question but his explosiveness out of his breaks allows for separation and his willingness to come back to the ball keeps his separation. He has very good hands and secures the ball quickly. At 5'11" he is slippery and works through the zone very well, sliding in and out as he crosses. He knows the game and can, despite his lack of size, get clean releases from the line. If he can get better route speed, not necesarily pad speed, but speed to push the corners off, he will be much more of a weapon.

11 Dave Ball New Hampshire 6'1" 201 lbs.

Success as a wide receiver is simple to measure, can you produce when the defense is keying on you. Div.1AA or Big 10, records are records, and in New Hampshire, Ball was the man week in and week out. I need only point to one over-the-shoulder catch he made in the combine to qualify him as an NFL prospect. He makes the toughest catches look routine, that is a special receiver. His hand eye coordination is unreal and I await April to see who gets this kid. Speed is a problem, and if Ball were blessed with some, he would land in my top 5.

12 Courtney Taylor Auburn 6'1" 209 lbs.

Taylor is a fierce competitor and that is what lands him fairly high on this list. He focuses on the ball when it's in the air and every ball is his. His route running is a little rounded and he does not always sell his move, instead breaking quickly. He catches the ball with his palms and not his fingers making it look a bit sloppy, but he is, as a matter of fact, sure handed. His ability to read zone defenses and his fire are what make him a threat as a receiver, and if he cought the ball cleaner he'd be even higher.

13 Rhema McKnight Notre Dame 6'2" 212 lbs.

McKnight is in the mold of many Notre Dame receivers in that he is big and physical and catches the ball well with his hands. He is not a burner and will be defined as a possesion receiver in the NFL. He runs good routes but needs to improve on his timing, he is late on a lot of routes, taking to long to sell his fakes. He stays square to the ball very well but has some difficulty adjusting to the ball in the air, seeming to lose his balance a lot on downfield routes. Converting third downs will be where he will be most affective as a receiving threat.

14 Johnnie Lee Higgins UTEP 5'11" 184 lbs.

Speed cannot be tought and is a b**ch to cover. Higgins gets up on corners very fast and when he is even, he is most definatly gone. He lacks no confidence and that carries onto the football field where he does not let his size inhibit his play. His size is a factor however and offenses will have to work to find ways to get him clean releases from the line. Higgins will be a weapon that will help keep a "D" off balance when he's in the game. Speed kills and he has at on ton of it... in pads.

15 Jacoby Jones Lane 6"3" 210 lbs.

Jones is definatly a player who is worth taking the chance on and coaching into a complete receiver. He has had a great post season and has opened many eyes around the NFL with his frame and great quickness. He will cause match-up problems with his ability to stop and start the way he does and again with his vertical speed. He must improve on his concentration lapses and be willing to utilze his heigth over the middle. Clean up the route work and concentration and he's ready made to make plays at the next level.

16 Aundrae Allison East Carolina 6 202 lbs.

Allison is a pure athlete and would be higher on this list if he were all of his 202 lb. frame. He is very shifty and elusive with a great explosion off the line as well as in route. The main drawback with him is that he will have to be game-planned for by his own team, as they try to find ways of getting him the ball. He is a weapon that will be drafted and if used properly, be very useful. Great hands and good route running ability, but he may have to start as special teamer before he becomes a starting wideout.

17 Craig Davis LSU 6'1" 207 lbs.

I know this seems low for Davis, but he has a few very bad habits that cause him to be this low. "Buster" has very quick feet and is very elusive with the ball in his hands. Like many other in this draft though, he will most likely have to make an impact on Special Teams first. His route running and timing are very erratic. He uses head fakes far to often, but it's when he breaks the Cardinal sin that hurts him the most. He catches the ball with his body every chance he gets. Patient coaching and reps would do a world of good for an athletic reciver with his size and abilities with the ball in his hands.

18 Steve Breaston Michigan 6'1" 193 lbs.

As I have said numerous times, I am a huge Michigan fan and would love to listen to my heart and vault Breaston into the top ten. The fact is though he is speedy and quick on a football field, he is neither when running routes. He has the hands and the heart to fight for the ball and make plays, but it's the lack of separation on his breaks that causes him to have to make plays. He will improve a teams return game and be a sound number three receiver, that will make him a valuable enough commodity in the NFL. Post Script...I hope I am wrong on this one.

19 Mike Walker Central Florida 6'2" 200 lbs.

Walker has proven to be a player to keep a close lookout for. He has phenomenal hands and displayed them for eveyone with great results at UCF's Pro Day. Even though he ran in 4.3 range at the combine, he doesn't have great pad speed. He is strong off the line and creates separation with his physical style of play. When a player can catch a ball the way he can, teams will find him, and it seems that since the Combine, teams are taking notice. Tough nosed posession receivers are what I personally LOVE to see on a gridiron.

20 Brandon Myles West Virginia 6'3" 190 lbs.

Myles has very good size and he utilizes it well. He competes for the ball using his size to get up and over smaller defenders. His burst and suddeness are in question as he dos not get much separation in his routes. He has very good hands and has the strength to catch the ball outside of his frame, but has a bit of grooming to get done before he can be productive at the next level. His lack of quicks will cause him problems when trying to get open and he'll be forced, at 190 pounds to fight for a lot of balls.

21 Dallas Baker Florida 6'3" 207 lbs.

Baker is a built for a west coast dink-and-dunk offense. He is not going to be an over the top threat with his speed but he does have the sudden moves to keep a well timed offense on track. He runs his routes with superb timing, getting in and out of his break in tune with the play. He catches the ball away from his body but needs to stay more square, with his slender build. He will be an asset in three step drop routes, and will work best from the slot or in motion allowing him free releases.

22 David Clowney Virginia Tech 6' 184 lbs.

Clowney is very sound as a deep threat from the slot or when in motion. In the NFL, size does matter, no matter what she says, it matters, and Clowney just lacks it. What he does not lack is athleticism and desire to fight for the ball in the air. He does misjudge balls but has incredible make-up speed when the ball is up. He is one of the best in country at going and getting the ball, fewer in route mistakes will help him immensely. His route running makes for an easy cover and his speed won't be as much of an equalizer in the NFL.

23 Maurice Price Charleston Southern 6'1" 189lbs.

Sad but true, it's hard to tell if the sepeation Price was able to get was him, or his competition. The one eyed monster never lies though and through it. you can see a crafty and quick receiver. He is very quick out of his break and runs crisp routes which leads to great separation. 189 pounds is very light though and drives him to the slot and also drives him down on a list his talents, would otherwise merit a better rank.

24 Laurent Robinson Illinois State 6'2" 199lbs.

Laurent can work the seams and creases in a defense and seldom disappeared from games. He is long and wiry and will have a steep hill to climb before he will be a consistent producer in the NFL. His knowledge and instincts should het him drafted and from there he will begin his climb.

25 Jarrett Hicks Texas Tech 6'3" 212 lbs.

Hicks some major character issues that will cause G.M.'s to pause before selecting him, however, he has the skills to be in the NFL. He is great in and out of his breaks and has adequate speed to at least threaten to get deep. His sure hands also help his case and to be honest, if not for his past, he could be a legitimate draft prospect, as it is, he is a late addition to a list that his skills suggest he is a lock to make.

NFL Draftguys is not affiliated in any way with the National Football League or the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Any school or player images displayed within this site are the property of their respective teams and should not be used without consent. This website and its content is the exclusive property of the owners and proprietors of NFL Draftguys. If you wish to reproduce or reuse the original content available here, please contact us.