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As the 2017-18 college football season has come to an end, everyone's attention now turns towards the 2018 NFL draft in April.
Teams and fans alike have followed the action on Saturday nights and have formed an opinion on which player will be the best fit for their team. One position that has been making rounds during draft talk has been that of the wide receivers. There is a lot of talent in this year's class and pinning one guy has been tough.
Here are five of the best Wide Receivers that college football has to offer for the 2018 NFL draft.
#5 Anthony Miller - Memphis Tigers
With hard work, anything can be achieved and Memphis Tigers wide receiver Anthony Miller can vouch for this fact as he went from a walk-on to his program's all-time leading receiver.
A potential first-round pick in the 2018 NFL draft, Anthony was a recruitment afterthought who failed to receive a college scholarship and had to join the University of Memphis as a walk-on.
He redshirted in his first season while picking up a shoulder injury in his second season and hence failed to record a single snap for two seasons.
In 2015, Anthony had his first taste of college football when he hauled in 47 of his targets for 694 yards with an impressive 5 touchdowns, thereby showing the coaches what he was capable of when given a meaningful snap count.
Anthony had his breakout season in his junior year where he recorded 95 receptions for 1,434 yards with 14 touchdowns at an average of 15.1 yards per grab. His performances earned him Second-Team All-Conference honors, putting him on the radar of many NFL teams, but he opted not to forgo his eligibility and returned for his final year of college.
He maintained his performance levels in his senior year as he caught 96 of his targets for 1,462 yards with 18 touchdowns at an average of 15.2 yards per catch while also breaking the Tigers all-time receiving record in that period.
Anthony is a quick-twitch athlete who has the shiftiness to make defenders miss. He runs crisp and clean routes which help him create separation. His speed makes him a downfield threat as he is easily able to outpace the defenders.
On paper, he might look undersized but his ball skills, intelligence, and competitiveness make him much more effective than other receivers. Overall he is a very strong prospect with a huge upside and has a legitimate chance to become one of NFL's better playmakers in the future.
#4 Christian Kirk - Texas A&M
One the most talented and explosive players in college football, Christian Kirk has been a headache for most head coaches in the SEC due to his elite pass-catching and returning ability.
Kirk has had a huge influence on the Aggies since his freshman year when he lined against some of the best corner talents and still came out with 1,009 yards on 80 catches with 7 touchdowns at an average of 12.6 yards per grab. He also displayed his elite punt returning ability averaging 24.4 yards per return with 2 touchdowns.
He faced some inconsistent quarterback play during his sophomore and junior year but still managed to rack up 928 and 919 yards on 83 and 71 receptions respectively. He also managed 4 punt-return touchdowns in that period.
Kirk finishes his A&M career second in all-time receptions (234), third in receiving yards (2,856), and the all-time leader in punt return touchdowns (6).
Kirk is shifty and elusive which makes him a very dangerous threat with the ball in his hands. He is lightning-fast and can bolt past cornerbacks and safeties with ease. Along with his speed, Kirk also has a strong, solid frame which makes him extremely difficult to bring down after a catch and given the passing nature of the NFL, Kirk has the potential to become an elite wideout threat.
#3 Courtland Sutton - SMU
With a solid performance in his junior year, SMU wide receiver Courtland Sutton capped off 3 seasons of tremendous productivity with the Mustangs and right now is one of the most sought-after receivers in the 2018 NFL draft.
A three-star prospect out of high school, Sutton committed to SMU for his college football career. In 2014, his freshman year, Sutton played in two games before picking up an injury and deciding to take a medical redshirt.
In his next season, Sutton took over SMU's passing game and posted 49 catches for 867 yards with 9 touchdowns at an average of 17.6 yards per grab. The next best receiver on his team had just 263 yards on 23 catches with 2 touchdowns.
Sutton raised the bar the very next season as he hauled in 76 of his targets for 1,246 yards with 12 touchdowns at an average of 16.4 yards per catch. His sophomore year performances led to implications that he might declare for the 2017 NFL draft but Sutton returned to SMU for his junior year.
He continued his junior year from where he left off recording 68 receptions for 1,085 yards with 12 touchdowns at an average of 16 yards per reception. Sutton finally decided to forgo his final year of eligibility and declared for the 2018 NFL draft
Sutton is a big bodied receiver. He measures in at 6'4" and 215 pounds and throws that body around the field. He is a physical player who will fight for yards after a catch and contribute as a blocker. All in all, Sutton provides his quarterback with a big target who is very good at winning contested catches. Sutton has shown signs of his raw talent at college level and will have a lot of NFL teams excited at the chance of developing him.
#2 James Washington - OSU
After dominating the college football arena by amassing over 4,000 receiving yards in the past three seasons, James Washington aka "The President" declared for the 2018 NFL draft and is the top pick on many teams' draft board.
As a true freshman, Washington played in all 13 games of his rookie season and managed 456 yards on 28 catches with 6 touchdowns at an average of 16.3 yards per catch.
After a promising freshman season, he was upgraded to the starting wide receiver position in his sophomore year where he hauled in 53 of his targets for 1,087 yards with 10 touchdowns at an average of 20.5 yards per grab. His performances in his sophomore year were enough to earn him Second-Team All-Big 12 honors.
In 2016, Washington became one of the nations best wideout threats as he recorded 71 receptions for 1,380 yards with 10 touchdowns at an average of 19.5 yards per reception. His production earned him an appearance in the 2016 First-Team All-Big 12. Washington was expected to declare for the 2017 NFL draft after a fruitful season but he decided to return for his final year of college.
In his final season of college football, Washington all but solidified his case of being a first-round selection with an impressive stat line of 74 receptions, 1,549 yards, and 13 touchdowns. His mind-blowing 2017 season earned him a unanimous selection in the All-American team and also the Biletnikoff Award.
A smooth route runner with reliable hands, Washington comes up with the ball consistently even when he is covered and is able to make difficult catches. He is deceptively fast, a deep threat who can outrun defenders deep down the field.
Washington has a solid frame which allows him to work through contact and create his own space away from the defenders. Overall he is an athletic player who can deliver touchdowns in a hurry and has a limitless ceiling
#1 Calvin Ridley - Alabama
One of the elite wide receiver prospects from one of the best programs in college football which has nurtured and produced the likes of Julio Jones and Amari Cooper, Calvin Ridley certainly comes into the 2018 NFL draft with a reputation.
A five-star prospect out of high school, Ridley was considered the number one receiver in his class and he chose one the nation's best college programs in Alabama for his college football career.
Ridley was assigned the role of a starting wide receiver in his freshman year itself and he repaid Nick Saban's faith in his ability by hauling in 89 of his targets for 1,045 yards with 7 touchdowns at an average of 11.2 yards per grab.
The Crimson Tide were crowned the national champions in 2015 and Ridley played an integral part in their title-winning run as he was Alabama's leader in receiving yards.
After a promising freshman season much was expected of Ridley in his sophomore season but unfortunately, he could garner only 769 yards on 72 receptions with 7 touchdowns at an average of 10.7 yards per reception. It was still enough to earn him a spot on the Second-Team All-SEC.
Ridley came into 2017 season with the intention to prove that he was not just a flash in the pan and show he did as he recorded 967 yards on 63 catches with 5 touchdowns at a stunning average of 15.3 yards per catch. He managed all of this while keeping up with the run-first mentality of the Alabama offense. He earned a spot on First-team All-SEC for his efforts.
Ridley is an explosive playmaking wide receiver who possesses blazing speed, reliable hands, and a polished route running ability. He is tough on the defensive backs and can put his foot on the ground and explode out of cuts. He also has the body control to find the ball and flip his body if the ball is going the other way.
Overall, Ridley is a top-drawer talent with a huge upside and NFL teams should have no qualms on spending their first round pick on a guy who can become an instant impact and a legitimate target in the future.
