#3 - Drake London, USC
Drake London is, perhaps, the most unique athlete out of all the receivers in the 2022 NFL Draft.
He stands at 6ft 3in and weighs 219 pounds but is still able to move with the low-gravity of a much smaller player.
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London is a perfect example of a big-bodied receiver who can push off defenders with ease, but he doesn’t lack the requisite speed to make moves after the catch.
If you think of catches made by Rob Gronkowski in New England, there is a bit of that about London, given his size. Now, he isn’t a tight end, but it’s obvious that he can use his power to get himself into a position to make catches traditional receivers shouldn’t be able to.
Looking at London’s lack of elite speed, teams interested in him would ideally hope to partner him with a true speed-demon. If a defense has to, perhaps, offer double-coverage against a star wideout, having Drake London as WR2 could create mismatches and a top-level offense.
London would be considered one of the two highest-ranked wide receivers in the 2022 NFL Draft had it not been for the broken ankle he suffered in 2021.
The recovery time from this injury has dragged into the 2022 NFL Draft process, and he is yet to run a 40-yard dash time. If you consider that natural speed isn’t his strong point anyway, teams may be wary of the long-term damage to his ankle.
#2 - Jameson Williams, Alabama
Injuries have been a recurring theme in the 2022 NFL Draft at the receiver position, with Jameson Williams also having a turbulent year at Alabama due to fitness concerns.
Irrespective of his late-season injury, Williams was still able to dazzle fans of the Crimson Tide, dominating the SEC upon arrival.
Bryce Young was his quarterback, and the pair struck up a partnership that caused defenses a lot of problems.
Don’t be at all surprised to see NFL teams assess the success the Cincinnati Bengals have had by pairing LSU teammates Chase and Joe Burrow together in the professional arena, and look to copy this by taking Williams in preparation to maybe reunite him with Young in the 2023 draft.
Williams has an explosive first step that you’d normally associate with a pass rusher. He is able to leave the backfield defenders for dead at the line of scrimmage and set up plays worth a sizable yardage. This, combined with a natural instinct for following the ball, made Williams one of the most productive players to declare for the 2022 NFL Draft.
If Williams needs to focus on one area of improvement, it is his route-running, which is often erratic and sees plays break down.
His torn ACL has teams sweating over his recovery, but a player of his productivity can’t drop out of the first-round.
#1 - Garrett Wilson, Ohio State
Ohio State was blessed with quite a wonderful receiver room in the 2021 season, having both Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave in the same team, but as we head closer to the 2022 NFL Draft, it’s Wilson who is considered to be the best receiver in the class.
Gaining separation is easy for Garrett Wilson, and his natural athleticism makes route-running come relatively easy to him.
Teams looking for a reliable playmaker on offense need look no further, with Wilson available on almost every play.
With the cutting motion of a running back, Wilson is a real dual-threat receiving talent, which could make him attractive to one of the more modern offenses, like San Francisco, although they would have to trade up a long way to be in play for Wilson.
It is difficult to make a case for the Ohio State star to fall any further than #14 in the 2022 NFL Draft, depending on trades.
All of his footballing traits make up for a lack of natural length and size, while making the most of what he does have through elongation and sideline awareness keeps Wilson as a viable target in time-sensitive drives.
Wilson needs to become a more effective blocker, although his frame isn’t naturally suited to this endeavor. In truth, there are very few glaring holes in his game.
If you were to ask for the closest thing to a lock receiver in the 2022 NFL Draft, then Garrett Wilson would be the answer. It’s impossible to rule out a team making Wilson a top-10 pick on draft night.
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