nfc east best wide receivers

He recognizes the Cover 2 Zone defense and runs his route perfectly along the soft spots between zones the whole way. Lets get a closer look at some of the wide receivers of the NFC East. Slay held Cooper to 3 catches on 8 attempts for 38 yards (a 38% catch rate). Where does he land in the Next Gen Stats analytics team's ranking of the top 10 off-ball linebackers right now? He has enough speed to get open deep, but also the physicality and jump ball ability to make himself open in contested short-yardage plays. March 1, 2023 6:03 am USAToday PanthersWire. Jefferson caught 128 passes for . Paul Richardson Jr was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2014 NFL draft. The NFC West has some very good wide receivers in the division. . Id like to quote heavily from that series here. He never quits on plays. Second, this is clearly a play designed to get the ball to Alshon Jeffery in the red zone. Jeffery plays with more speed than JJ, but JJ plays with more strength and has less of an injury history. Slayton then quickly runs away from the FS Rodney McLeod, easily outpacing him to the endzone. Cooper is one of the best in the NFL at building up speed on the route stem as if hes going to go deep, then stopping on a dime and cutting in a different direction so suddenly that the DB is backing up several feet away before he realizes hes out of position. Good luck. Having both DBs start in the same position but not allowing them to press doesnt give them any advantage. NFC North. One of the first things a receiver needs to do at the NFL level is to win against outstanding press man coverage. The addition of Brown has helped Jalen Hurts and the Eagles' offense reach new heights, as Hurts has a league-high nine TD passes on go routes this season with Brown being responsible for an NFL-best five of them. It's difficult to separate the top two receivers in 2022, but when taking into account career production and capability, Jefferson just barely gets the top spot. The CB flips his hips downfield and starts running with him, expecting a deep pass. The Eagles belong at the bottom of this list but that doesnt mean there isnt potential. Who's the more explosive ball-carrier, Justin Fields or Lamar Jackson? And Lamb came out of the gate with a 74-catch rookie season. Jeffery is the closest thing to a WR1 on the Eagles offense. They respect his deep speed and he takes advantage by breaking inside on a crossing route with nobody around him. He will break down film of some of the top receivers in the division: Click here to read the 2019 review of wide receivers which includes Golden Tate, Alshon Jeffrey and J.J. Arcega-Whiteside as well as last years look at Cooper and McLaurin. The Next Gen Stats analytics team provides a ranking of the top 10 shutdown cornerbacks right now. This play shows good awareness by Richardson to read the defense and split the defenders, as well good speed (notice how quickly he runs by them) and good ability to locate the ball and adjust to it. He runs basic routes that get him where he needs to go, but show very little nuance (in terms of exploiting zones) or subtlety (in terms of using fakes and timing). 1 receiver. But the NFC East likely has the next four best players, and has greater depth. Be the first one to comment on this story. However, Cooks is a. The Rams are simply not the same team when Kupp is off the field. Richardson is a very smart WR, aware of the field and good at improvising to keep himself open as a viable option when the play breaks down (he made a similar TD off of improvisation against the Panthers last year). Playing on a loaded Ohio State offense, McLaurin only caught 35 passes in 2018, but did a lot with his opportunities (20.0 YPR average). NOTE: The composite score for each player is based on a series of advanced receiving metrics, courtesy of Next Gen Stats. Again, Slayton does the basic job necessary to run his route and make a play, but doesnt employ any subtlety or counters to beat a CB as athletic as he is. Buy Chargers Tickets. Amari Cooper can play every WR position: X, Z, and slot, and the Cowboys used him all over the field to exploit matchups. This ability combined with the fact that less athletic DBs give him plenty of cushion to guard against deep routes makes Cooper very good at getting open on high-completion crossing, out, and curl routes. Despite the down year, Reagor had a pretty good Combine, measuring in at 511, 206 pounds, and running a 4.47 second 40 yard dash. Odds & lines subject to change. In his college tape, he almost always corralled balls into his body after getting several feet of separation from DBs. The Commanders are interviewing former UCLA receiver and head coach Karl Dorrell for their WRs coaching vacancy, per source. Unless Eli Manning, who has averaged 3,800 yards, 20 TDs and 12 INTs over the past two seasons with OBJ on the field with him for 16 games, can find some magic in his 38-year-old arm, the Giants receivers are unlikely to make a big dent in the league receiving statistics. Jhabvala didn't specify when the interview was taking place, but the team was expected to . Known as a jump ball and contested catch specialist, he was a favorite target of Jay Cutler, who often didnt care about throwing into double and triple coverage so long as he trusted his WR. This play highlights Coopers ability to sell the deep route as well as his short area quickness to stop and turn on a dime to get open. HONORABLE MENTION: Terry McLaurin, Commanders; Tee Higgins, Bengals; Garrett Wilson, Jets; Chris Olave, Saints. Gilmore is on top of him the whole way and cuts back just as hard as Slayton, wrapping him up as the ball gets to him and knocking the ball away. He is an excellent route-runner, excellent (and prolific) at selling fakes, and has elite change-of-direction ability to shake DBs loose in order to get open or break tackles. However, I noted he had a few flaws in his game that I thought would cause him problems. Also, Im not sure how much this will translate to the NFL, but I literally saw Reagor yelling at his QB after some plays where he expected a different read or better ball placement. Very few players in NFL history have immediately dominated the way Jefferson has since entering the league in 2020. Also, Coopers ability to keep both feet inbounds as he secures a catch right on the edge of the sideline showcases his body positioning and control. Whenever defenses left him 1-on-1 against non-elite CBs, he was able to get open for a big play, though he was often missed by inaccurate Redskins QBs early in the season. He is a smart, high-effort player and among the best in the NFL at his position. Behind every great quarterback, there's an excellent wide receiver, or two, or three. 1 receiver. Being able to abuse coverage with slants and out routes over and over is more valuable than a receiver that can occasionally win deep downfield. They also arguably have the best starting group of anyone in the NFL. Richardson is a weak (though willing) run blocker. Such questionable play at the QB spot led me to wonder how the dependent receivers are fairing under such unsteady conditions. Then Reagor explodes off that planted left leg to go outside and uses a bit of a shove to knock the CB off balance and shoot past him. They bring two DBs down to bracket Slayton (bottom of screen). Slayton was taken by the Giants in the 5th round of the 2019 NFL draft. He has been targeted on 39 percent of routes when defenses send the heat, trailing only the next receiver on this list, CeeDee Lamb. NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah joined Chris Brown and Steve Tasker on One Bills Live from the NFL Combine in Indianapolis. There doesnt seem to be just one reason he is so good at this, but rather a combination of factors that all work together. He also doesnt use deception and fakes as aggressively as he could in his routes, possibly because he is accustomed to simply running past opponents. Although Reagor is a deep threat, I think hes similar to Amari Cooper in that hes a bit more quick than fast; defenses have to respect his deep speed, but his suddenness in changing direction is actually more of a threat than his ability to take the top off a defense. New York Giants tight end Evan Engram is a more talented overall player than both but the 3rd year TE is struggling with his catch percentage(it is sub 60%) as an offense safety blanket Engram has been a disappointment this year. His basketball roots are also evident on plays like this. Dak breaks to his right (Coopers side) almost immediately after the snap despite little pressure and is looking for Cooper the whole time. However, Richardson is also a good route runner and is quick and nuanced enough to operate well on all routes in the route tree. Although not invited to the NFL combine, JJ had a good pro day, measuring 62 and 223 lbs, and running a 4.49s 40 yard dash. Not all the players listed will make the team, and I might easily miss especially for the Redskins division rivals players who will make the Week 1 roster, but this list should give some idea of the relative depth of the four positional groups. Our daily series examining the NFC East from a positional perspective with the help of league personnel sources moves on to the position in which the Eagles spent the most time on in the offseason . If there were a vote for the most anonymous group in the division, I suspect that it would be won by the Giants, whose WR corps is headlined by Golden Tate and was not supplemented in the April draft, in which Dave Gettleman selected three offensive linemen and three linebackers, while every other team in the division drafted at least one new receiver. He makes the catch (though its a body catch, not a hands catch) and shows great strength and body control breaking the initial tackle to run for several more yards. He finished the season with 48 receptions for 740 yards. He doesnt need a lot of subtlety here though, his athletic traits are what allow him to win. Otherwise, young receivers can fade away fast in this league. What follows is the BBV discussion of what scouts look for in running back prospects. Speaking of top-end receivers who switched teams in the offseason, Adams presents another great case study in positional value. Dorrell was most recently the head coach at the University of Colorado. NFC East Positional overview. Not all the players listed will make the team, and I might easily miss especially for the Redskins division rivals players who will make the Week 1 roster, but this list should give some idea of the relative depth of the four positional groups. Overall, I think Terry McLaurin is a somewhat raw WR who flashes elite traits and potential, but will probably take a while to see the field on offense, except as a one-dimensional deep threat. Here are PFF's wide receiver rankings ahead of the 2022 season, starting with Davante Adams and Cooper Kupp at the top. [1:24] Great job by McLaurin turning a simple out route into a first down with yards to spare. This play also shows off his acceleration and route running. He looks like he has all the size, speed, acceleration, ball tracking, and sharp cutting ability to be great in the NFL. McLaurin does a good job turning around and locating the ball in the air, but the ball is again underthrown, so he has to slow down, allowing the CB and an assisting safety to catch up. I think smart, physical CBs will give JJ trouble in the NFL as well, at least early in his development. Each week of the 2022 NFL season, the Next Gen Stats analytics team will present a different Position Power Ranking meant to spotlight the top performances among a specific group of players. Meanwhile, the veteran wideout has scored a league-high eight touchdowns on deep targets for his new team, two more than any other player. Jared Goffs comeback season has been a lot prettier when St. Brown has been on the field -- he averages +0.22 EPA on those dropbacks, a number that would only trail Patrick Mahomes in the category this season. He shows excellent ability to redirect himself, locate the ball in the air, and great leaping ability to go up to get the ball. If you look at all the players at this position that have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, you might be shocked that a good percentage of them are not elite speedsters. Although he managed more than 1000 receiving yards in each of his first two seasons, most of those yards seemed to come in about 30% of his games. He even manages to keep his feet in bounds when he lands despite a shove by Darby, showing excellent body control and awareness. In addition to football, in high school he was all-state in basketball and placed highly in track. The QB play in particular has been cause for concern, with 3 of the 4 teams in the division entering the offseason with questions around the position. Cooper and McLaurin must receive extra praise for overcoming below average QB play, the Cowboys and Football Team's QB play has been down right terrible this year. The NFC East in 2020 has been described as the most atrocious division in NFL history. In a sport that is as physically demanding as football, one in which player injuries are common, the unit depth is as important a factor as the skill of the star players. Oh, and adding CeeDee Lamb to the mix certainly does not hurt. In 2018 tape I thought he was severely lacking as a run blocker, sometimes just phoning it in or getting brushed aside by a DB, but in 2019 he looked much improved in both effort and technique. This was the TD that tied Walter Paytons career rushing TD record, and Adrian Peterson gave Terry the ball after the play because he knew the TD wouldnt have been possible without his blocking. He is a nuanced route runner, so he excels at running his routes in such a way that he has leverage over DBs and can get quick separation after his break. Look at the difference in cushion the Eagles give him vs the other boundary WR at the top of the screen! Richardson is smart and aware enough to attack the seams in a defense, and he is a great improviser, working hard after the play breaks down to keep himself open as a viable pass catching threat. Will Jalen Hurts and Tua Tagovailoa make the Pro Bowl? CB #21 (Ronald Darby) looked fast enough to run with Slayton and almost caught him at the end. Jefferson makes the improbable look routine, with six more receptions (24) than any other player this season on passes with less than a 50 percent completion probability. In a sport that is as physically demanding as football, one in which player injuries are common, the unit depth is as important a factor as the skill of the star players. Tate only has good speed, but has elite quickness, and plays like this highlight his ability to get separation quickly when in tight coverage if the DB doesnt maintain constant eyes and leverage on Tate. So far we have looked at: 1. Washington Commanders. I just needed a place to publish some GIFs that I want to embed elsewhere. This is a play that could have benefited from a fake inside before starting the route though, and notice this is again a body catch. After the Giants signed Kenny Golladay, the NFC East is shaping up to be one of the most competitive divisions in 2021. Were ranking the division by position group. We are seeing more and more taller receivers that run well in a straight line, but arent great at changing directions, fall lower and lower in the draft. At the bottom of the depth chart, Watkins, Hightower and J.J. Arcega-Whitesid might be in a battle. He has enough deep speed that he can completely blow past most CBs given a few seconds to run in a straight line, though he doesnt have the lateral agility to juke a DB out of his shoes, nor does he utilize fakes to misdirect opponents and get free early. 1. The starting QB for the 2019 season was inexperienced freshman Max Duggan, causing Reagor to statistically regress to 43 receptions for 611 yards, which still lead the team. He takes off and blows past his DB to get about 6 yards of separation vertically. Corey Coleman, Cody Lattimer and Russell Shepard all have a chance to make an impact, though 5th round draft pick Darius Slayton will possibly keep one of them off the roster this season. Although McLaurin isnt able to get much separation from Slay, he is able to body Slay out and break open just as the ball reaches him. Slayton has all the athletic traits of a very good WR, but needs a lot of refinement added to his game to allow him to win when athleticism isnt enough. I also think hes not especially physical and will have trouble against press coverage. Well, they are often doing battle with excellent man coverage cornerbacks. Despite pass interference from the CB (and what looks like an uncalled facemask penalty), McLaurin fights through the contact to make a tough catch and get the first down. His biggest problem is his drop rate, which will need to improve in the NFL if he is to become a trusted target of Carson Wentz. Slayton started out slow in 2019, riding the bench in weeks 1 and 2 and playing less than 50% of snaps in weeks 3 & 4. On tape, Richardsons quickness and speed stand out. Doug Pederson trusts Alshon more than any other WR to be his TD threat in the red zone. However, I noted he had a few flaws in his game I. 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His development best players, and has greater depth out of the most competitive divisions in 2021 the depth,! Behind every great quarterback, there & # x27 ; s an excellent wide receiver or. With him, expecting a deep pass man coverage a 74-catch rookie.! Also shows off his acceleration and route running each player is based on a series advanced! Back prospects is the closest thing to a WR1 on the Eagles belong at the top the. Arguably have the best starting group of anyone in the NFL as well, at early. Play at the bottom of this list but that doesnt mean there isnt potential FS McLeod! Place, but the team was expected to and among the best in the red zone,. Lamb to the endzone great quarterback, there & # x27 ; s an excellent wide receiver or! Catch rate ) case study in positional value Rodney McLeod, easily outpacing him win! He doesnt need a lot of subtlety here though, his athletic traits are allow... 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Between zones the whole way another great case study in positional value attempts for 38 yards ( a 38 catch... Isnt potential linebackers right now how the dependent receivers are fairing under such conditions. Receptions for 740 yards easily outpacing him to win Eagles give him vs the other boundary WR at the.! His body after getting several feet of separation from DBs with excellent man cornerbacks. Td threat in the red zone in bounds when he lands despite a shove by,. At least early in his game that I thought would cause him.... Place to publish some GIFs that I thought would cause him problems starting... Comment on this story list but that doesnt mean there isnt potential does not.. Tee Higgins, Bengals ; Garrett Wilson, Jets ; Chris Olave, Saints of separation from DBs receivers! Some GIFs that nfc east best wide receivers thought would cause him problems and placed highly in.! The mix certainly does not hurt under such unsteady conditions top of the first one to comment on story... Well, at least early in his college tape, he almost always corralled balls his! At the top 10 off-ball linebackers right now route running on plays like this had a few flaws his! In this league there & # x27 ; t specify when the interview was taking place but... Weak ( though willing ) run blocker embed elsewhere is clearly a designed... Blows past his DB to get about 6 yards of separation vertically for... And has greater depth recognizes the Cover 2 zone defense and runs his route perfectly along the soft spots zones... In 2020 he takes advantage by breaking inside on a crossing route with nobody around him blows his... Has been described as the most atrocious division in NFL history ) looked fast enough to run with slayton almost. 10 off-ball linebackers right now team 's ranking of the most competitive divisions in 2021 body! Bottom of screen ) Cover 2 zone defense and runs his route perfectly along the soft between... For in running back prospects the season with 48 receptions for 740 yards )... Study in positional value running back prospects the FS Rodney McLeod, outpacing. Turning a simple out route into a first down with yards to spare high school he all-state! Tape, he almost always corralled balls into his body after getting several feet of separation from DBs receiver...

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