First Wide Receiver Selected in the 2019 NFL Draft - Odds and Predictions

With the 2019 NFL Draft taking place in just two weeks – it runs from Thursday, April 25 through Saturday, April 27 – oddsmakers have begun to determine the various favorites this year (as well as the long shots), breaking down their futures bets into individual positions.

Here we look at the top ten NFL prospects of the 2019 wide receiver class, a group filled with a lot of talent but who have suffered some injury, so it will be up to teams to figure out which athlete will be durable enough to last in the big leagues.

We go over each of their strengths and weaknesses as well as list the odds and predictions of which of these incredibly talented college football receivers will be selected first in the upcoming NFL draft.

Quick history: who were the first wide receivers drafted over the last five years?

Here are the first wide receivers to be selected in the last five NFL drafts.

Most of them are still productive in the league except for Corey Coleman, who after being promoted from the New York Giant’s practice squad last October posted just 5 receptions for 71 yards in 8 games played, and just had a $2.03 million tender placed on him in March.

The others are becoming familiar names in the NFL.

2018: D.J. Moore:

24^th pick overall, Carolina Panthers, ranked the 57 most productive receiver in the league his rookie season after catching 55 balls for 788 yards and 2 touchdowns, also selected for the PFWA All-Rookie Team;

2017: Corey Davis:

5^th pick overall, Tennessee Titans, played in 11 games his rookie season and made 34 receptions for 375 yards with no touchdowns in the regular season, but in two playoff games that same year Davis caught 9 balls for 98 yards and 2 touchdowns;

2016: Corey Coleman:

15^th pick overall, Cleveland Browns, after breaking his hand during practice in September of his rookie season, Coleman only played in 10 games, caught 33 passes for 413 yards and 3 touchdowns, but after he dropped a relatively easy pass late in the fourth quarter to seal the Browns’ 0-16 season in 2017, Coleman was traded to the Buffalo Bills;

2015: Amari Cooper:

4^th pick overall, Oakland Raiders, played in all 16 games (started all but one) his rookie season and was ranked the 20^th most productive receiver in the league for his 72 receptions for 1,070 yards and 6 touchdowns, and was also selected for the PFWA All-Rookie Team;

2014: Sammy Watkins:

4^th pick overall, Buffalo Bills, an immediate starter, he played in all 16 games and caught 65 balls for 982 yards and 6 touchdowns, his longest an 84-yard reception that would have been an 89-yard touchdown had he not celebrated prematurely and gotten tackled.

Odds and Predictions of the first wide receiver selected in the 2019 NFL Draft

Will D.K. Metcalf, the perfectly sculpted NFL specimen with injury baggage, be selected first, or will it be Hollywood Brown, the smaller receiver with lightning speed who is also haunted by the injury ghost?

Or will the honor go to someone further down the line without a history of missing games?

Here are the odds and predictions of which of these top ten wide receiver NFL prospects will be drafted first.

If you live in New Jersey and want to bet on futures in NFL you can do so on 888sport.

Check out the latest odds here – good luck!

Metcalf D.K

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College: The University of Mississippi (Ole Miss), 2 seasons (2 redshirts due to injury)

Hometown: Oxford, Miss

Age: 21-years-old

Size: 6-foot-3 and 228-pounds

Speed: 40-yard dash in 4.33 seconds

College Stats Line: 67 touches for 1,228 total yards from scrimmage and 14 touchdowns, averaging 18.3 yards per touch.

Biggest Accomplishment: Caught 5 passes for 83 yards and 2 touchdowns against Kentucky in 2017.

Strengths: Large frame and a giant wingspan that he uses to win catch battles, excellent route runner, quick feet and the speed to be a deep threat; 

Weaknesses: Difficulty with judging catching high points tends to have concentration drops, and his injury history is a definite concern.

Prospect Grade: 6.3 – should become an instant starter.

Notable injuries: 2016, season-ending foot injury; 2018, season-ending neck injury.

Brown, Marquise

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College: Oklahoma (2 seasons)

Hometown: Hollywood, FL

Age: 21-years-old

Size: 5-foot-10 and 170-pounds

Speed: 40-yard dash in 4.33 seconds

College Stats Line: 135 touches for 2,413 total yards from scrimmage and 17 touchdowns, averaging 17.9 yards per touch.

Biggest Accomplishment: First Team All-American (2018) and First Team All-Big 12 (2018)

Strengths: Blazing speed with lateral quickness to match, decent and willing blocker, able to catch the ball cleanly and make defenders miss.   

Weaknesses: Small size puts him at a disadvantage with contested catches, an injury could be a concern.

Prospect Grade: 6.15 – should become an instant starter.

Notable injuries: 2019, suffered a Lisfranc injury that could sideline him until late summer.

Butler, Hakkem

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College: Iowa State (4 seasons)

Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland

Age: 22-years-old

Size: 6-foot-5 and 227-pounds

Speed: 40-yard dash in 4.48 seconds

College Stats Line: 110 touches for 2,149 total yards from scrimmage and 18 touchdowns, averaging 19.5 yards per touch.

Biggest Accomplishment: Second Team All-Big 12 (2018)

Strengths: Shows good separation on comeback routes, great body control, makes good adjustments on the ball, has the size to run inside and is a huge middle-of-the-field threat, can also block.  

Weaknesses: Consistency – struggles with drops, with 9 in 2017 and 12 last season.

Prospect Grade: 5.69 – chance to become NFL starter.

Notable injuries: N/A

Brown, A.J.

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College: The University of Mississippi (Ole Miss), 3 seasons

Hometown: Starkville, Mississippi

Age: 21-years-old

Size: 6-foot-0 and 226-pounds

Speed: 40-yard dash in 4.49 seconds

College Stats Line: 189 touches for 2,984 total yards from scrimmage and 19 touchdowns, averaging 15.8 yards per touch.

Biggest Accomplishment: 2x First Team All-SEC (2017, 2018)

Strengths: Slot receiver who is good at finding soft spots in zone coverage, strong after-the-catch runner, efficient out of breaks, high-volume receiver who controls the middle of the field.

Weaknesses: Struggles with press-man coverage, needs to be a more consistent blocker.

Prospect Grade: 6.08 – should become an instant NFL starter.

Notable injuries: Minor hamstring issues and a minor knee injury during college career, but nothing too alarming.

Harry N’Keal

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College: Arizona State, 3 seasons

Hometown: Chandler, AZ (Born in Toronto, Canada)

Age: 21-years-old

Size: 6-foot-2 and 228-pounds

Speed: 40-yard dash in 4.53 seconds

College Stats Line: 236 touches for 3,033 total yards from scrimmage and 25 touchdowns, averaging 12.9 yards per touch.

Biggest Accomplishment: 2x First Team All-Pac-12 (2017, 2018)

Strengths: Great hands, can line up anywhere on the field, excels at the screen game, his size makes him tough to matchup against, regularly wins catch battles.

Weaknesses: Lack of breakaway speed, struggles to win at the line of scrimmage.

Prospect Grade: 5.87 – chance to become an NFL starter.

Notable injuries: N/A

Harmon, Kelvin

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College: Arizona State, 3 seasons

Hometown: Palmyra, N.J (Born in Liberia)

Age: 22-years-old

Size: 6-foot-2 and 221-pounds

Speed: 40-yard dash in 4.60 seconds

College Stats Line: 177 touches for 2,665 total yards from scrimmage and 16 touchdowns, averaging 15.1 yards per touch.

Biggest Accomplishment: First Team All-ACC (2018)

Strengths: Great route runner, his size and speed make him difficult to tackle after the catch, effortlessly gets in and out of breaks, makes tough, contested catches.

Weaknesses: Struggles separating from defensive backs, slow 40-yard-dash speed, though he doesn’t look sluggish on the field.

Prospect Grade: 5.62 – chance to become an NFL starter.

Notable injuries: N/A

Paris, Campbel

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College: Ohio State University, 4 seasons

Hometown: Akron, OH

Age: 23-years-old

Size: 6-foot-0 and 205-pounds

Speed: 40-yard dash in 4.31 seconds

College Stats Line: 166 touches for 1,978 total yards from scrimmage and 17 touchdowns, averaging 11.9 yards per touch.

Biggest Accomplishment: First Team All-Big 10 (2018)

Strengths: Light feet, generates separation on all three levels, has the size to break an initial tackle, capable kick returner.

Weaknesses: Limited route-tree experience, doesn’t change route tempo very often, catch focus needs work.

Prospect Grade: 6.11 – should become an instant NFL starter.

Notable injuries: Slipped and took an awkward tumble during pro day and came up with a slight limp but avoided serious injury.

Ridley, Riley

Metcalf D.K

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College: University of Georgia, 3 seasons

Hometown: Coconut Creek, Florida

Age: 21-years-old

Size: 6-foot-1 and 199-pounds

Speed: 40-yard dash in 4.58 seconds

College Stats Line: 73 touches for 1,061 total yards from scrimmage and 13 touchdowns, averaging 14.5 yards per touch.

Biggest Accomplishment: Riley caught for 9 touchdowns his junior season (2018).

Strengths: Scoring machine, great size, precise route runner, strong hands, brother (Calvin) already plays in the NFL for the Atlanta Falcons.

Weaknesses: No top-gear, not as physical as he could be, low number of college touches.

Prospect Grade: 5.81 – chance to become an NFL starter.

Notable injuries: Injured his left ankle freshman year and had it surgically repaired.

Samuel, Deebo

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College: University of South Carolina, 4 seasons

Hometown: Inman, S.C.

Age: 23-years-old

Size: 5-foot-11 and 214-pounds

Speed: 40-yard dash in 4.48 seconds

College Stats Line: 173 touches for 2,230 total yards from scrimmage and 23 touchdowns, averaging 13.0 yards per touch.

Biggest Accomplishment: First Team All-American (2018) and First Team All-Sec (2018)

Strengths: Dangerous, explosive kick returner, his overall strength, excellent route runner, lateral quickness.

Weaknesses: Durability, missed games due to injury, struggles with separation, has had some drops.

Prospect Grade: 5.96 – chance to become an NFL starter.

Notable injuries: 2015 – hamstring, 2017 – broken fibula, season-ending.

Arcega-Whiteside, JJ

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College: Stanford University, 4 seasons

Hometown: Inman, S.C. (Born in Zaragoza, Spain)

Age: Unlisted

Size: 6-foot-2 and 225-pounds

Speed: N/A

College Stats Line: 135 touches for 2,219 total yards from scrimmage and 28 touchdowns, averaging 16.4 yards per touch.

Biggest Accomplishment: Second Team All-Pac-12 (2018)

Strengths: Impressive body control, ability to box out defenders, strong hands, basketball background gives him an advantage in jump balls.

Weaknesses: Tends to double catch the football, has a false step in his get-off when not facing man coverage, limited route tree experience.

Prospect Grade: 5.78 – chance to become an NFL starter.

Notable injuries: Injured his right ankle last November against Washington, was taken off the field on a golf cart.