CLASS OF 2019 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | State | Position | Team
CLASS OF 2020 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | State | Position
The NFL Scouting Combine is about to get underway in Indianapolis. Here is a look at our rankings of players at each position heading into the event. We move on to wide receivers and tight ends.
NFL COMBINE: Top 5 QBs | RBs | Breaking down the Power Five conferences
Recruiting: A high four-star prospect from Mississippi State’s hometown of Starkville, Miss., Brown committed to Ole Miss over the Bulldogs and Alabama on National Signing Day.
Stats: Brown led the Rebels this past season with 85 receptions for 1,320 yards and six touchdowns averaging 15.5 yards per catch. He finished with 1,252 receiving yards and 11 scores in his sophomore season.
Farrell’s take: Brown was a big and thick receiver with great physical skills coming out of high school. He was our No. 9 wide receiver and No. 53 player overall in our 2016 Rivals100 and there were some internal arguments that he should have been ranked higher. At Under Armour week, he was one of our top performers all week, showing excellent hands and a great ability to make big catches in traffic. He may be the most complete receiver in the country when you consider his size and power, and is my No. 1 at wide receiver for April's draft.
Recruiting: In November of his senior season, Harry committed to Arizona State over Texas A&M, Washington and others.
Stats: By far, Harry led the Sun Devils with 73 catches for 1,088 receiving yards and nine touchdowns this season averaging nearly 15 yards per catch. In three seasons, the former five-star totaled 213 receptions for 2,889 yards and 22 TDs.
Farrell’s take: The first time I saw Harry at one of our Rivals Camp Series events in Vegas, I knew he was a five-star. He was big, strong and very fluid, and he had an extra gear rare for a 200-pound high school receiver, which allowed him to gain great separation. The No. 1 wideout in the 2016 class, he has adjusted to college very early and one can only imagine the numbers he would have at Arizona State with an above-average quarterback. Some have him lower on this list than I do, but I am a big fan of his upside.
Recruiting: Metcalf committed to Ole Miss in the summer before his sophomore season. Alabama, Auburn and Cal made a run at him but Metcalf stuck with his commitment. His father, Terrence, uncle, Eric, and grandfather, Terry, all played in the NFL. Calvin Johnson is Metcalf’s cousin.
Stats: Playing in only seven games this past season, Metcalf totaled 26 catches for 569 yards and five touchdowns averaging nearly 22 yards per grab. He sustained a neck injury against Arkansas and missed the remainder of the season.
Farrell’s take: Metcalf was a huge receiver with a big frame to add weight and the ability to be a red zone receiver and possession guy. He didn’t have great speed and his hands were off at times but his ceiling with his size was too much to ignore. Now he’s a monster at the wide receiver position and scouts are falling in love.
Recruiting: After playing at Santa Clarita (Calif.) College of the Canyons, Brown picked Oklahoma mainly over West Virginia, but TCU, Tennessee, USC and others were also involved.
Stats: Brown led the Sooners with 75 receptions for 1,318 yards and 10 touchdowns averaging more than 17 yards per catch this season. In 2017, Brown finished with 57 catches for 1,095 yards and seven TDs in his first season at Oklahoma.
Farrell’s take: Size was a question mark when it comes to Brown, but not much else as he had the speed and home run potential to be a star after dominating at the JUCO level. A slot receiver with catch-and-run speed, we liked Brown as an instant impact guy for the Sooners. His quickness was evident, and he has added a good 20 pounds from his high school days, when he was a 5-foot-10, 155-pounder on a bad team. He’s the top pure slot receiver in the draft.
Recruiting: Rated as an athlete who played running back in high school, Campbell committed to Ohio State shortly after being offered by the Buckeyes. His recruitment had just been heating up with new offers from Michigan State, Indiana and Tennessee.
Stats: This season, Campbell had 90 catches for 1,063 yards and 12 touchdowns. In four seasons, he finished with 143 catches for 1,768 yards and 15 scores, so he really came on the scene in a big way this past year.
Farrell’s take: Campbell has athleticism, we all know that, and while he was raw out of high school, his versatility was impressive. He played running back for the most part in high school, so the transition to receiver was a tough one as his route running was weak. However, he was a burner and you could see it would take time for him to develop and eventually he would get it. This year was his breakout year and he’s risen on many lists.
TWO TO WATCH
Recruiting: An early commitment to South Carolina did not hold as Harmon committed to NC State right before National Signing Day. He chose the Wolfpack over Miami and others.
Stats: Second on the Wolfpack in receptions, Harmon finished with 81 catches for 1,186 yards and seven touchdowns, both team-highs. In three seasons at NC State, Harmon had 177 grabs for 2,665 yards and 16 TDs.
Farrell’s take: Harmon was a thick receiver who got better each time we saw him in high school and had good but not great speed. Now his body control and ability to work the sidelines has the NFL intrigued and he can also be a deep threat.
Recruiting: After an impressive showing at summer camp and a big senior season, Samuel earned an offer from South Carolina and quickly committed to the Gamecocks. North Carolina, NC State, Vanderbilt and others were in the mix.
Stats: Samuel led the Gamecocks with 62 catches for 882 yards and 11 touchdowns this past season. In four seasons at South Carolina, with a junior year marred by injury, Samuel finished with 2,076 receiving yards and 16 TDs.
Farrell’s take: Samuel was a burner out of high school who didn’t have great size, but had that extra gear to beat anyone he needed. It’s unclear why he wasn’t recruited a bit heavier and we certainly underrated him as a high three-star. He showed excellent route-running ability as well as reliable hands and excelled at the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas, where he probably should have earned that fourth star.
TIGHT END
Recruiting: A three-star tight end from small-town Iowa, Hockenson committed to the Hawkeyes in the summer before his senior season. His only other offers were from Iowa State and Eastern Michigan.
Stats: Hockenson had 49 catches for a team-high 760 receiving yards this season averaging 15.5 yards per reception. He added six touchdown catches.
Farrell’s take: Hockenson put up massive numbers in high school, but was a low three-star prospect for us because we questioned his overall speed and athleticism. He put up huge numbers against weak competition, but this game shows he can do it against future NFL talent, as well. Regionally recruited but not on any major radar out of high school, he had good size and good hands and has improved his quickness and ability to adjust to the ball very well. He’s always been an accomplished pass-catcher and he’s become a great blocker as well.
Recruiting: Fant committed to Iowa in August before his senior season. Nebraska and Minnesota remained contenders in his recruitment, but close to signing day Fant shut his recruitment down.
Stats: Fant was third on the team with 39 receptions for 519 yards, good for second on the Hawkeyes, behind only Hockenson. Averaging 13.3 yards per reception, Fant led Iowa with seven touchdown catches.
Farrell’s take: Fant was a high three-star coming out, with good size and length and a great frame to build on, but there were questions about his explosiveness. He has proven that’s not a problem as he emerged as the No. 1 tight end early in the process while showing good hands, excellent field presence and downfield speed. This is a potential touchdown machine.
TWO TO WATCH
Recruiting: Smith had been committed to Texas A&M but made it clear he was going to take other visits with Texas, Memphis and Alabama as his destinations. A late trip to Tuscaloosa a few weeks before National Signing Day convinced him it was the right place and in early February he announced his intentions to sign with the Crimson Tide.
Stats: The Alabama tight end finished the season with 44 catches for 710 yards and seven touchdowns. It was a close battle for second place in catches on the team since receivers Henry Ruggs had 46 and Jaylen Waddle had 45 on the season.
Farrell’s take: Smith was a high three-star coming out of high school with good athleticism and who used his body to block out opponents and make plays. He was a red zone threat but needed to add a bit more speed, which he has obviously done. He’s a very fluid and quick tight end who needs to work on his blocking a bit.
Recruiting: The first player Stanford offered in the 2016 class, Smith committed to the Cardinal in the spring before his senior season over Alabama, Texas, Baylor and others.
Stats: Smith finished third on the team with 47 catches for 635 yards and only two touchdowns this season as he averaged 13.5 yards per reception.
Farrell’s take: Smith had elite pass-catching skills coming out of high school, and could work outside or inside and stretch the field. He had good hands, was fluid as an athlete and he showed last year he can stretch the field at times.
