The wide receiver position is usually a position of strength in the draft. 25 receivers have gone in the first round since 2012. Six were drafted in 2015 alone. It would be shocking if more than two receivers were drafted in the first round of this draft.

Here are top twenty receivers and some thoughts on the position.

XNOJOE’s Top 20 Receivers

1. Calvin Ridley, Alabama, 6-1 190

2. Courtland Sutton, SMU, 6-4 225

3. D.J Moore, Maryland, 5-11 215

4. Christian Kirk, Texas A&M, 5-11 201

5. James Washington, Oklahoma State, 6-0 205

6. Dante Pettis, Washington, 6-1 195

7. D.J Chark, LSU, 6-3 187

8. Simmie Cobbs, Indiana, 6-4 220

9. Deon Cain, Clemson, 6-2 200

10. Tre’Quan Smith, UCF, 6-1 209

11. Michael Gallup, Colorado State, 6-1 195

12. E.Q St. Brown, Notre Dame, 6-5 204

13. Allen Lazard, Iowa State, 6-5 223

14. Deontay Burnett, USC, 6-0 170

15. DaeSean Hamilton, Penn St. 6-1 210

16. Marcell Ateman, Oklahoma State, 6-4 220

17. Cedrick Wilson, Boise State, 6-3 188

18. Jaleel Scott, New Mexico State, 6-6 215

19. Auden Tate, Florida State, 6-5 225

20. Jordan Lasley, UCLA, 6-0 209

Ten Thoughts on the Position

• This receiver class is loaded with size. The average height of the top 50 receivers in this class is 6-2. This is as tall a receiving class as I can remember since I started covering the draft in 1999.0

• Calvin Ridley is the best receiver in this class but when I watch him on tape, he always leaves me wanting more. In his defense, he wasn’t featured as much at Alabama as Julio Jones was. I don’t think Bama utilized him enough. Especially underneath.

• SMU’s Courtland Sutton is impressive physically but he is too North, South. I don’t see enough lateral movement there. The other thing I don’t see on film is him challenging corner, especially in jump ball situations. Sutton is talented but he needs to prove he can do more.

• Maryland’s D.J Moore is a solid route runner, has strong hands and produces after the catch. I like the fluidity in which he gets in and out of his cuts. He does a great job of setting up secondary routes in his breaks.

• Christian Kirk is the best play making receiver in this class. He is a big target out of the slot. Kirk gets in and out of his breaks quickly and is smooth transitioning out of the route and getting up field. Kirk has good hands but needs to be more consistent catching the ball. He will be a weapon in the return game.

• Dante Pettis of Washington and DJ Chark of LSU are your classic burners who can take the top off of a coverage. Both are also effective underneath on perimeter screens. Pettis and Chark are long and slender which means they are injury prone. They must prove they can stay healthy.

• Clemson’s Deon Cain is another big Tiger receiver with length and speed. He is along the same lines as his predecessors Sammie Watkins, Martavus Bryant and Mike Williams.

• EQ Brown of Notre Dame is a big target at 6-5 223 but is explosive after the catch. He can separate and finish once he gets into the third level. Brown has been inconsistent in his career. When you watch him at times, he looks like a first round talent. He doesn’t always play like it however. He needs to do more with his size in one on one, jump ball situations.

• Colorado State’s Michael Gallup has the potential to be one of the top receivers to come out of this great. I think he is the most complete route runner in the group because he gets in and out of cuts with ease but he is also effective on double moves and he knows how to get open against any type of coverage. Gallup has terrific hands and a wide catch radius. The tools are in place for him to be starting wide receiver in the NFL.

• Tre’Quan Smith of UCF and DaeSean Hamilton of Penn State have similar size and skill sets. Both are good route runners with strong hands that can separate after the catch. The production was not eye popping for either receiver but both were pretty good.

The wide receiver position isn’t as top heavy as it usually is but there is good depth with this group and there is enough talent that teams could draft a quality receiver that could make an impact well into day three.