Five big WR questions heading in to 2019 season

Pro Football Focus is an invaluable resource to dive deeper into statistics when thinking about college football and the NFL Draft. Here is a breakdown of five wide receivers heading into next season, what their numbers could mean down the road and a take from Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell.

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Overview: When it came to receiving yards last season, the top four receivers from Power Five conferences all hailed from the Big 12 with Oklahoma State’s Tylan Wallace, Texas Tech’s Antoine Wesley, Oklahoma’s Marquise Brown and Iowa State’s Hakeem Butler leading the way. All four of them had more than 1,300 receiving yards and Wallace led all Power Five receivers with 1,489 yards. Of the four, only Wallace returns next season as the others are off to the NFL.

The age-old question remains: Are Big 12 offenses incredibly innovative and impossible to stop – as evidenced by Wallace’s yardage with 86 catches and 12 touchdowns – and special receivers shine there? Or, is defense just weak in the Big 12, as league teams averaged more than 31 points last season.

Farrell’s take: The reason is a combination of great receivers and poor pass defense. The Big 12 is a passing league, there is no doubt about that, but the defense isn’t stellar, especially the pass defense. Until that changes, players will continue to put up huge numbers. And it’s not just this past season; it’s been this way for a while now. I don’t think defenses de-emphasize pass coverage, but when they get spread out like they do and the Big 12 has so many good receivers, it’s just hard to keep the numbers down. It’s no wonder Oklahoma became the first team to land three five-star receivers last year and Bru McCoy spurned USC for Texas. They can all put up huge numbers.

Overview: Moore’s stats in his freshman season were incredible: The Purdue freshman led all receivers in college football with 114 catches for 1,258 yards and 12 touchdowns last season. He was targeted 154 times and caught 74 percent of the passes thrown his way, also an impressively high number. Moore was the first true freshman consensus All-American pick in Big Ten history. He was by far the No. 1 option in Purdue’s passing attack all season.

In the 2018 class rankings, Moore was the No. 100 receiver. He had a decent week at the Army All-American Bowl but certainly not all that impressive. He was fourth in the state of Kentucky rankings. Some obvious misses there but did Moore deserve a five-star ranking at 5-foot-9 and 175 pounds?

Farrell’s take: No, but he’s playing like one. How can I say no? Because when we saw Moore out of high school, numerous times, he wasn’t five-star dominant, especially in the Army Bowl and his size was a question mark.

This is the case of a very talented kid picking the right program for him that has allowed him to shine and a player who is just starting to peak. It happens. Players like Moore are becoming more popular among teams looking for dominant slot receivers who can also work out of the backfield on reverses and inside handoffs. Moore is that guy, but he didn’t show that five-star talent out of high school. Four-star yes, but not five-star.

Overview: The top-rated prospect in Alabama and No. 15 overall, Ross finished second in the receiver rankings behind USC’s Amon-Ra St. Brown in the 2018 class and it was not much of a debate heading into the final release about which of those two five-star receivers should lead the way. But Ross clearly had the better freshman season and looks to be on pace to be Clemson’s next superstar receiver. The jury is still out on where St. Brown will go.

In his freshman season, Ross finished with 46 catches for 1,000 yards and nine touchdowns. He had six receptions for a game-high 153 yards and a score in Clemson’s clobbering of Alabama in the national title game. By comparison, St. Brown had 60 catches for 750 yards and three touchdowns as USC stumbled to a 5-7 record, hardly horrible numbers but Ross had the better freshman campaign.

Farrell’s take: Time will tell, but right now I’d take Ross over St. Brown if I were picking one to start a team. Why? Because he’s bigger, more agile and adjusts to the football better and he’s a better 50/50 guy. St. Brown will have a big year this season and will be an excellent receiver at USC over his career and in the NFL, but Ross just looks special. St. Brown was one of the most complete receivers we’ve seen in years when it comes to hands, power, route running and separation but Ross is likely just starting to peak. Both are great but give me Ross right now.

Overview: When it comes to discussing Alabama’s passing offense, the receiver most mentioned is Jerry Jeudy. Rightfully so, since he had 68 catches for 1,313 yards and 14 touchdowns last season and he’s clearly quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s favorite target. Jeudy had 101 targets last season, far more than the team’s second-best receiver Henry Ruggs. And herein lies the question.

Ruggs had as many targets last season as Jeudy had catches (68). He made the most of them. The former four-star who was ranked as the No. 19 receiver in the same class that Jeudy was ranked third at the position, caught 67.6 percent of his targets for 729 yards and 11 scores. Does Ruggs get enough credit?

Farrell’s take: I don’t think Ruggs gets the respect he deserves and is underrated when people talk about the best wide receivers in the country. However, there is only one football at Alabama and you can’t blame the Tide for targeting Jeudy as often as they do. He’s an exceptional talent. Both will have big seasons next year again and if Jeudy is a first-rounder down the road, Ruggs will be in that second- or third-round range.

Overview: In only nine games last season, Laviska Shenault had one more catch than Texas receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey, three more catches than Ole Miss’ A.J. Brown, 12 more grabs than Oklahoma’s Marquise Brown and 14 more receptions than Arizona State’s N’Keal Harry. Shenault was so good early on that there was some Heisman Trophy discussion happening and he was completely dominant when he played, with 87 catches for 1,019 yards and six TDs. He had 108 targets in nine games and caught an astronomical 80.6 percent of passes thrown his way.

Because of a foot injury and then a torn labrum, Shenault was sidelined late in the season but he’s returning for his junior season healthy. Were his numbers a product of a weak Pac-12 or should Shenault be considered the best receiver in the country?

Farrell’s view: Shenault has proven he is one of the best wide receivers in the country regardless of conference so I don’t think he’s a product of a weak Pac-12. He’s a special talent and a great pickup for Colorado on the recruiting trail a couple of years ago because now the Buffaloes can sell his talents to future wide receivers. Here’s hoping he stays healthy this year. Is he the best wide receiver in the country? I wouldn’t go that far. I still think Jeudy and some others are a bit better, but he’s up there.