Over the past six years, the Pittsburgh Steelers have used seven draft picks on the wide receiver position. Out of those seven players, only Mike Wallace (2009, 3rd round), Emmanuel Sanders (2010, 3rd round) and Antonio Brown (2010, 6th round) have produced results worthy of being drafted. Last spring, the team drafted WR Markus Wheaton of Oregon State in the third round. Wheaton was limited by injuries in his rookie campaign, playing in just 12 games and catching six passes for 64 yards. The speedy receiver figures to have a bigger role in 2014, whether that comes from being a starter on not will be determined in Latrobe. The last time the Steelers used a first round pick on a wide receiver was all the way back in 2006 when they snagged Santonio Holmes with the 25th overall selection. Holmes was a productive player for four seasons, culminating with a 79-catch, 1,248-yard performance in 2009. The Steelers traded Holmes to the New York Jets in April 2010 after continuous run-ins with the law, receiving a 5th round pick in the 2010 Draft in return.
Also on the Steelers WR depth chart are former Rochester (Pa.) High School and Penn State star Derek Moye (6-foot 5, 210lbs) and 2013 6th round pick Justin Brown. Practice squad players Kashif Moore, Jasper Collins, and Danny Coale do not figure to be in the teams extended plans. Should the Steelers bring back both Jerricho Cotchery and Plaxico Burress (unlikely), the team would have six receivers on the active roster heading into the draft. What the Steelers are missing – and frankly, have been missing since the early years of Burress – is a large, dynamic playmaker for Roethlisberger to target in the red zone and to take pressure off of Antonio Brown between the 20’s.
With our history lesson finished, that brings us to the 2014 NFL Draft. Many draft experts have been projecting the Steelers to take a wide receiver with their first-round pick. The upcoming draft class is considered one of the deepest at the position in years, and there are several possible targets for Pittsburgh with the 15th overall pick. The top overall prospect in the draft at WR is Sammy Watkins (6-foot 1, 205lbs) of Clemson. Watkins is projected as a top-ten pick, and could even go as high as fourth to the Cleveland Browns. Unless the Steelers decide that they absolutely need Watkins and trade up to take him, the odds of him falling to No. 15 are slim. Watkins is perhaps the most complete NFL-ready player in the entire draft. Wherever he lands, Watkins will be an instant starter and he has the potential to immediately become a Pro Bowl-level receiver. His combination of speed, hands and open-field running has been compared to Julio Jones and A.J. Green. As amazing as it would be to see him hauling in passes from Big Ben this fall, there is a better chance he will be lining up for the Browns against the Steelers in 2014.
That leaves us with three possible first-round targets for the Steelers at WR – Texas A&M WR Mike Evans, Florida State WR Kelvin Benjamin, and USC WR Marqise Lee.
WR Mike Evans – Texas A&M Aggies – 6-ft, 5 in 231lbs 20-years old
Evans has slowly progressed up the draft boards after a great performance at the 2104 NFL Combine. He is a huge target who combined with QB Johnny Manziel for 2,499 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns over the past two seasons. He has started every one of his 26 college games since coming out of Galveston Ball (Tx.) High School in 2011, after being redshirted his freshman year. Evans was a big time college basketball recruit as well, showing his athleticism on the court by averaging 18.3 points, 8.4 rebounds and 5.2 assists his senior year. He had basketball scholarship offers from several D-I schools, but chose to accept a football ride to Texas A&M instead. It turned out to be the correct choice.
The only sub-par factor for Evans is speed. While he is not a lumbering tall wide receiver like Sidney Rice, Evans is not a burner. He ran a 4.53 40-yard dash at the Combine, and his game speed (in pads, running routes) is more than adequate. Evans more than makes up for his lack of speed with his incredible size, length and power – battling for balls high above most any defensive backs. His 37-inch vertical jump is astonishing for a man his size. He utilizes that height advantage very well in the end zone, giving his quarterback a target that is literally heads and tails above the defender. At 231lbs. – very little in body fat – Evans is also a very wide target. He is able to box out defenders and power through tackles, dragging defensive backs and safeties for an extra 4-5 yards. His highlight films show his specialty, the over-the-shoulder catch. With an arm length of 35 1/8 inches, he is able to stretch out and haul in those tough passes with ease. His hands have been compared to Calvin “Megatron” Johnson of the Detroit Lions. He does not back down from tackles, and on film, you can see that he invites contact. He is the best blocking WR in the draft, dominant on the outside to allow his running back to hit the edge every time. He can take on linebackers, and simply dominates corners and safeties. Initially, Evans will make his money as a possession receiver, third down chain-mover and end zone target. As he grows into his frame (he will only be 21 years old at the start of the 2014 season), he should become a complete receiver capable of playing any route on the field.
The few downsides to Mike Evans, as we discussed earlier, are his lack of traditional speed and his youth. He has only played two full years of college football, and he was never fully utilized in every facet of the Texas A&M passing game, being limited to specific route trees in the Aggie offense. He will need to learn a complex NFL playbook, and that could take some time. Evans is also known as a hothead and at certain times, he can let his emotions get the best of him. He will need to learn to keep those in check in the pros.
Bottom line: Mike Evans will be an immediate contributor wherever he ends up playing. It may take him a few years to become a well-rounded, all-purpose receiver, but he will provide a solid possession and red zone target from day one. He would fit in well with the Steelers and Roethlisberger, who has been jockeying for a tall target for a few years now.
WR Kelvin Benjamin – Florida State Seminoles – 6 ft, 5in 240lbs 23-years old
If Mike Evans is unavailable, Kelvin Benjamin is a carbon copy of him from a size perspective. Similar to Evans, Benjamin has only played two full seasons of college football after being redshirted his freshman year. In 2012, he played in all 14 games but did not start, tallying 30 catches for 495 yards and four touchdowns. Quarterback E.J. Manuel was a senior, and Benjamin seemed to finally start developing a rapport with Manuel towards the last five games. He was behind senior WR Rodney Smith and junior WR Kenny Shaw on the depth chart. The Seminoles finished 12-2 in a preview of the team that would go 14-0 and win the BCS National Title in 2013. Benjamin was a major part of that 2013 championship team, teaming with Rashad Greene and Shaw to form a solid trio of receivers for freshman phenom QB Jameis Winston, the 2013 Heisman Trophy Winner. Benjamin led the Seminoles in touchdowns with 15, and caught 54 passes for 1,011 yards.
Benjamin is also not a burner, running a 4.61 40-yard dash at the Combine in Indianapolis. His vertical jump (32,5 inches) and his broad jump (119.0 inches) demonstrated the athletic ability desired by NFL coaches in top-tier wide receivers. Benjamin is a massive mismatch for safeties and most cornerbacks, and in the slot he is a mismatch for linebackers as well. He shows great separation on film, especially in his 2013 games against Duke, Florida and Clemson. Benjamin runs crisp routes, and he owns the middle of the field. His height allows him to jump over opposing defenders, even when he is in movement and has to turn to come back to the ball (a play he would need to do quite often in the Steelers offense).
He is a highly-emotional player with a huge chip on his shoulder. That competitiveness shows on the field, as more times that I can count I watched him carry defenders another 4-5 yards after the initial contact. He has very strong hands – big too, 10 ¼ inches – that enable him to catch passes thrown low or high and still maintain full range of movement. He is a violent blocker in the run game, sealing off the edge easily, even against defensive ends and speedy outside linebackers. Finally, Benjamin is a “big game” player who seems to always come up big in the crucial situations. Against Auburn in the BCS National Title Game, Benjamin came up with the game-sealing TD catch to secure the National Title for the Seminoles.
Downsides to Kelvin Benjamin are few. His speed, even for a big man, leaves a lot to be desired. He has a tendency to grab and gets called on offensive pass interference more than you would like. Similar to Evans, Benjamin worked from a very simple playbook at Florida State. He will need to learn the complex route structure of an NFL offense. He was saddled with a few drops last season, plays where he seemed to start running before securing the ball (vs. Florida, vs. NC State and vs. Miami). I have gone back and watched all of his game tape from 2012 and 2013, and I predict that those drops are more a product of inexperience than of some legitimate shortcoming. Once he gets into an NFL training program, he should be able to pack another 10-15 pounds of muscle to his already chiseled frame. Also, signing quickly and attending as many voluntary minicamps as possible will be imperative to him being able to step in as a starter in his rookie season.
WR Marqise Lee – USC Trojans – 6 ft 192lbs 22-years old
Marqise Lee may not have the massive physical tools of Mike Evans or Kelvin Benjamin, but he might be the most complete wide receiver in this draft after Sammy Watkins. Upon entering USC as a freshman, Lee was talented enough to earn a starting job at wide receiver across from high-school teammate Woods. As a true freshman, Lee started 12 games and caught 73 passes for 1,143 yards and 11 touchdowns. By 2012, he had established himself as the go-to receiver in the high-powered Trojan offense. He led the nation in catches with 118 and racked up 1,721 yards and 14 touchdowns. During this time, he also showed a knack for the return game, averaging 28.5 yards per kick return and running two kickoffs back for touchdowns. Lee was a 2012 1st team All-American, and won the prestigious Fred Biletnikoff Award as the top wide receiver in the country. His junior season of 2013 saw Lee play in just 11 games due to a knee injury. He finished up his college football career with a 57-catch, 791 yard, four touchdown season before declaring he would forego his senior season to enter the NFL Draft. Also of note is that Lee was a standout on the USC Track and Field team, excelling in the long jump and sprint relay.
Marqise Lee has slightly-above average speed (he ran a 4.52-second 40-yard dash at the Combine). He is a strong runner, with great elusiveness that could be utilized in the return game at the NFL level. He can run just about any route in the playbook, works just as well in the slot or middle of the field as he does on the sidelines. He creates great separation by taking perfect routes to the ball in the air. He is able to understand coverage schemes and at USC he acted as a coach on the field, analyzing the defensive set and helping to move his fellow receivers into better position. His best receiving attribute is his ability to catch long sideline passes, break containment and open up space to run with the ball. He has great acceleration in the open field, and his long strides make him tough to bring down at first contact.
Downsides for Marqise Lee are a penchant for dropping balls and losing fumbles. He will need to improve on his ball security once he reaches an NFL camp. He is not a monster receiver like Evans or Benjamin, but a more refined, all-around talent with a quiet competitiveness to him. Some scouts have worried about his long-term durability at just 192lbs., but Lee should be able to hit the weights and add another 10-15 pounds to his 6-foot frame fairly quickly. He did have a few injuries in his college days – knee and shoulder injuries cost him a few games.
Overall, Lee does not bring the size or strength to the table that Evans or Benjamin do, but he is a much-more refined wide receiver who has learned and excelled with three different playbooks in his college career. His catching ability is on par with either of the other two prospects, and his life experience has matured him quicker than the others. Lee is a complete receiver, a player who can come in and start right away. He will remind Steelers fans of Holmes when Holmes came out of Ohio State – his size, ability and demeanor are all very similar to the former Steeler.
Those are the three first-round graded wide receivers. Now let’s take a look at a few mid-to-late round prospects who the Steelers could be eyeing up after day one.
Odell Beckham (5-ft, 11 in 198lbs) from LSU has climbed up into the discussion as a late first-round pick, but most likely will be a day two selection. Beckham has a ton of experience, starting 34 games in three seasons for the LSU Tigers. He is a smaller receiver with good hands and fluid running ability that should end up as a slot receiver at first. Beckham also has punt and kickoff return experience.
Allan Robinson (6-ft, 2 in 220lbs.) from Penn State is a large target who is able to go up to make catches and turn short passes into long gains with his open field running style. His lack of speed and average college production are what keep him in the 2nd-3rd round range. He played in a traditional pro-style offense at Penn State, which should help him learn NFL playbooks quickly. Robinson will need to vastly improve his blocking at the professional level.
Brandon Coleman (6-ft, 6 in 225lbs.) of Rutgers is a projected 3rd-4th round pick. He has great size and height and makes a solid red zone target. Played three full seasons at Rutgers, starting 27 games. Coleman was a team captain as voted by his teammates in 2013, showing leadership capability. His long arms allow him to target like a tight end in space. Was plagued by drops in his college career and needs to improve at catching on the run. An interesting project for a team that can afford to draft him and let him learn for a season or two.
Jeff Janis (6-ft, 3 in 219lbs) from Saginaw Valley State is a small school prospect who put himself on the map with an amazing combine performance. Janis is a five-year college player who redshirted in 2009. All four of his seasons were extremely productive, culminating with an 83-catch, 1,572-yard performance in 2013. Janis is a very passionate and character-driven player who is an absolute burner on the field. He also tested through the roof on the bench press (20 reps or 225lbs), leading all wide receivers in that category. Downside is that he played against D-II competition. Janis will be a 3rd-4th round pick and could emerge as a surprise talent out of the 2014 Draft.
