Gotta love a good 6-pack. Not too much, not too little—just the right amount for a good time. That’s exactly what I’ve got for you here: six quick hits for a solid read.
This week: NFL draft wide receiver comparisons! Everybody loves tearing apart draft comps.
Here’s what I’m seeing from some of the top wideouts in this year’s draft class.
Do you agree?
Matthew Golden, Texas
I think Golden is the best receiver in this draft. He has an impressive combination of speed, hands, and athleticism. He can play in the slot and be a menace, but typically plays outside and wins. He can run any part of the route tree while being one of the fastest players on the field, and showed this past season with Ewers he’s got top-tier adjustment skills and can cleanup QB mistakes to turn them into positive plays.
Comp: Terry McLaurin
Luther Burden III, Missouri
Burden is a very intriguing player to me and my personal #2 in this draft. Many are comping Deebo Samuel, and though Burden can run well with the football, I wouldn’t necessarily qualify him as a wideback. Both have excellent twitch and vision with the ball in their hands, but Burden is more of a speed runner compared to Samuel’s power style. That’s not to say he avoids contact, he lowers his shoulder fine when he needs to, but he doesn’t seek it out quite like Samuel does nor does he run between the tackles.
Outside of the utility role, Burden can really catch a football. He’s got great hands, runs nice routes and has a good feel for where the DB is when he’s going up for the ball. He excels on turning short routes into large gains and can also provide a deep threat with excellent tracking skills.
Comp: DJ Moore
Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona
I see a big body receiver who moves fluidly for his size and has a knack for the jump ball but can also stick his foot in the ground and go on short receptions. His large frame makes certain rotes difficult and at-times has to round off his cuts, rather than being able to decelerate and push hard laterally. He seems to lack initial burst off the line but makes up for it with solid body positioning against the DB downfield and good hands.
Comp: Drake London
Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State
When watching Egbuka I saw flashes of impressive playmaking but more times then not I just saw flat out consistency. His floor is high and its very clear he does all the little things well: in the right place, nice hands, breaks tackles, etc. If paired with a good QB he can be a go-to receiver, but at the very least a plus starter in the slot.
Comp: Rashee Rice
Kyle Williams, Washington State
Williams moves extremely well and he’s electric with the ball in his hands. He’s got break away speed defenses will need to respect and his shiftiness makes him tough to tackle. Pair all of that with great hands and impressive concentration, and you have someone who might be a steal in this draft if he goes to the right situation.
Comp: Tyler Lockett
Elic Ayomanor, Stanford
Ayomanor is an interesting size / speed combo, but isn’t extremely explosive. He plays hard without the ball in his hands, seeking ways to help block during the run. He has shades of Keenan Allen where he seems to just have the knack for getting open and catches most anything thrown his way, but still has quite a ways to go to get on Allen’s level. I see at the very least a solid WR 2/3 that will be a zone beater and can surely help in the run game.
Comp: Adam Thielen
