The "Triple Take" team takes a deeper dive into the wide receivers in their second look at the position. In this installment of this draft prospect preview by position, the Steelers Radio Network trio of Matt Williamson, Dale Lolley and Mike Prisuta give their takes on the top prospects. If you want to hear the audio version of "The Triple Take" click here.
The opinions of these Steelers Radio Network personalities do not reflect the views of the Steelers organization.
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Dale's Take …
First Draft
5 - Zay Flowers, Boston College (5-9, 182 lbs.)
4 - Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee (6-0, 176 lbs.)
3 - Quentin Johnston, TCU (6-3, 208 lbs.)
2 - Jordan Addison, USC (5-11, 173 lbs.)
1 - Jaxon Smith-Njigba (6-1, 196 lbs.)
After Further Review
5 - Zay Flowers, Boston College (5-9, 182 lbs.)
4 - Jordan Addison, USC (5-11, 173 lbs.)
3 - Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee (6-0, 176 lbs.)
2 - Quentin Johnston, TCU (6-3, 208 lbs.)
1 - Jaxon Smith-Njigba (6-1, 196 lbs.)
Analysis - No change in the top five overall, but I did shift the order a bit. Smith-Njigba stays in the top spot, but I bumped Johnston and Hyatt ahead of Addison because they have traits that can't be coached – size for Johnston and speed for Hyatt.
ALSO WORTH CONSIDERING
Heading into last season, Cedric Tillman was considered the superior prospect to Hyatt. Hyatt (6-3, 213 pounds) had his senior season wrecked by an ankle injury. But he still snagged 37 passes for 417 yards and three scores in six games. He ran a fine 4.54 40 at the NFL Scouting Combine and also had a 37-inch vertical jump. He's a nice second-day prospect. … At 6-2, 220 pounds, Jonathan Mingo of Ole Miss ran a 4.46 40-yard dash at the Combine. He also had a 39.5-inch vertical jump. He didn't have a ton of production in college with 112 career catches, but he averaged 15.7 yards per catch. He's tough to get on the ground and is a tough blocker. … LSU's Kayshon Boutte was an all-freshman performer in the SEC before ankle injuries that required two surgeries limited his playing time the past two seasons. If his ankle checks out OK, he's an electric performer.
Mike's Take ...
First Draft
5 - Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State (6-1, 196 lbs.)
4 - Zay Flowers, Boston College (5-91/2, 182 lbs.)
3 - Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee (6-07/8, 176 lbs.)
2 - Quentin Johnston, TCU (6-3, 208 lbs.)
1 - Jordan Addison, USC (5-111/8, 173 lbs.)
After Further Review
5 - Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State (6-1, 196 lbs.)
4 - Zay Flowers, Boston College (5-91/2, 182 lbs.)
3 - Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee (6-07/8, 176 lbs.)
2 - Quentin Johnston, TCU (6-3, 208 lbs.)
1 - Jordan Addison, USC (5-111/8, 173 lbs.)
ALSO WORTH CONSIDERING
North Carolina's Josh Downs had 11 receiving TDs in 2022 and has caught 195 passes for 2,364 yards and 19 touchdowns over the last two seasons … Rashee Rice of SMU broke Emmanuel Sanders' program record by producing 1,355 receiving yards for the Mustangs in 2022. Rice led FBS receivers with an average of 112.9 receiving yards per game … Stanford's Michael Wilson has only played in 14 games over the last three seasons but he's been productive when he's played, as evidenced by his six-catch, 176-yard, two-touchdown game at Washington in 2022. He's also a good special teams player … Purdue's Charlie Jones had an FBS-leading 122 catches in 2022 … Nathaniel "Tank" Dell of Houston specialized in big plays on the way to 1,398 receiving yards and 17 receiving TDs in 2022. Dell had 29 touchdown catches over the last two campaigns … Michigan State's Jayden Reed is a contested catch specialist who returned two punts for touchdowns for the Spartans in 2021 and three in a collegiate career that included a season at Western Michigan. Reed had a habit of playing his best in the biggest games at MSU … TCU's Derius Davis was clocked at 23.47 m.p.h. against SMU, the fastest any player, college or pro, managed to run in 2022. His 4.36-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine was the second-fastest among wide receivers. Davis was the Big XII Special Teams Player of the Year last season and has six career return TDs (five on punts, one on a kickoff) … Princeton's Andrei Iosivas is a three-time Ivy League Heptathlon champion. His 6.71 60-meter dash in 2022 is the fastest in NCAA Indoor Championships meet history. He can go up and get it … BYU's Puka Nacua was the only player in FBS with five rushing and five receiving touchdowns in 2022. He had 625 yards receiving and 209 rushing on 73 touches in nine games for the Cougars … Malik Heath of Mississippi has size (6-foot-23/8, 213 pounds) and can go up for and come down with jump balls. He caught 60 passes for 971 yards and five touchdowns in 2022 for the Rebels after transferring from Mississippi State.
Matt's Take ...
First Draft
5 – Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee (6-0, 176 lbs.)
4 – Zay Flowers, Boston College (5-9, 182 lbs.)
3 – Jordan Addison, USC (5-11, 173 lbs.)
2 – Quentin Johnston, TCU (6-3, 208 lbs.)
1 – Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State (6-1, 196 lbs.)
After Further Review
5 – Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee (6-0, 176 lbs.)
4 – Zay Flowers, Boston College (5-9, 182 lbs.)
3 – Jordan Addison, USC (5-11, 173 lbs.)
2 – Quentin Johnston, TCU (6-3, 208 lbs.)
1 – Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State (6-1, 196 lbs.)
Analysis - No change here. But, if anything in the top five, Smith-Njigba has even further separated himself from the pack-and he has yet to run the 40-yard dash. But it barely even matters what Smith-Njigba runs, as his game is built on rare quickness, body control and route running. His change of direction numbers at the Combine were exquisite.
ALSO WORTH CONSIDERING
While 40-yard dash times are overrated for wide receivers, there were five recievers in Indianapolis that blazed under 4.4 seconds. But none faster than Nebraska's Trey Palmer's 4.33. TCU's Derius Davis, Matt Landers from Arkansas, West Virginia's Bryce Ford-Wheaton, and Oklahoma's Marvin Mims Jr. all ran between 4.36 and 4.38. ... As mentioned, Smith-Njigba's change of direction traits are unworldly. To put that in perspective, his 3-cone time of 6.57 wasn't only best in this class, but Princeton's Andrei Iosivas (6.85) and Grant DuBose (6.89) from Charlotte were the only others to come in under 6.90. Mims did also run a 6.90 in the 3-cone and improved his stock overall at the Combine.
