Hicks: Ranking the Top 12 Wide Receivers in the 2022 NFL Draft

With the NFL Draft just two weeks away, it is finally time for me to release some positional rankings for the site. Let's start with the most important positional group for Indy: Wide Receiver.

The 2022 NFL Draft is officially two weeks away. The Indianapolis Colts currently hold seven selections in this upcoming draft, and they have depth spots up for grab across the entire roster.

While we pass the time until draft day, I have decided to release a few of my personal positional rankings for positions of need on the roster. Kicking off this new series will be the wide receiver position, a spot that the Colts would certainly like to address early in this draft.

To give a quick overview on this class in general, I don't believe there to be many top-tier talents in this draft class. I see a lot of players as WR2's or role players in the NFL, with very few of them being able to ascend to top wide receiver status.

With that being said, let's get into my top 12 rankings:

12. Jalen Tolbert, South Alabama

Height: 6'1"

Weight: 195 pounds

Testing Numbers: 40 Time: 4.49 seconds / Vertical: 36 inches / Broad Jump: 123 inches / 3-Cone: 7.08 seconds

Pro Comp: Van Jefferson (Los Angeles Rams)

Overview: Tolbert is a highly productive player that is dynamic after the catch. He brings the alpha/bully mentality that the Colts, and I, absolutely love about the wide receiver position. He is difficult to tackle in the open field and flashes some outstanding ability on circus catches in traffic.

While there are a ton of things to love about his game, he is still a fairly raw player that will have to work to build consistency in the NFL. I love his fit as a big-slot in the NFL and hope that the team that drafts him looks to use him on bubble screens and drag routes to get him the ball in space.

11. Jahan Dotson, Penn State

Height: 5'10"

Weight: 178 pounds

Testing Numbers: 40 Time: 4.43 seconds / Vertical: 36 inches / Broad Jump: 121 inches / 3-Cone: 7.28 seconds

Pro Comp: Cole Beasley (Free Agent/Buffalo Bills)

Overview: Dotson was one of the tougher evaluations in this class for me. He was an outstanding college receiver that won at all three levels of the field. He creates separation with ease on film and is so so fluid in his route running. While he was never a contested catch type of receiver in college, he did possess a great ability to go up and get it for a smaller player.

The concerns, for me, mostly come down to size and overall athleticism. While I do think that he is a much better athlete than how he tested, I don't see a special mover on film. For a player with his height and weight, that is a major concern. Overall, I love how developed he is and think he can have an immediate role as an underneath receiver, but I don't know if he can be much more than that in the NFL.

10. Christian Watson, North Dakota State

Height: 6'4"

Weight: 208 pounds

Testing Numbers: 40 Time: 4.36 seconds / Vertical: 38.5 inches / Broad Jump: 136 inches

Pro Comp: Laviska Shenault (Jacksonville Jaguars)

Overview: Watson was a player that I was abnormally high on early in the process compared to other draft analysts. However, since then, I seem to be the one that is now lower on his game. Let me preface this by saying that Watson is a SPECIAL athlete and that ability shows on film. He glides on the football field, and he rarely gets caught in open space.

However, I do think people are overlooking the limitations in his game just a bit. He double catches a lot of the balls thrown his way and he's never been a player known for winning the 50/50 ball. After the catch he runs past defenders, but he will rarely make defenders miss or break a tackle. Watson has all of the ability to be a special play maker in the NFL, but he needs some time to truly get there.

Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

9. Alec Pierce, Cincinnati

Height: 6'3"

Weight: 211 pounds

Testing Numbers: 40 Time: 4.41 seconds / Vertical: 40.5 inches / Broad Jump: 129 inches / 3-Cone: 7.13 seconds / Short-Shuttle: 4.28 seconds

Pro Comp: D.J Chark (Detroit Lions)

Overview: Speaking of players that I was once higher than everybody else on, you would be hard pressed to find a bigger Alec Pierce supporter back in January. I said for weeks that he was the best receiver prospect at the Senior Bowl, and that he is arguably the best deep threat in this draft class.

While I love his ability vertically down the field, I don't know if there is much more to his game. He is a fairly stiff player that is a bit labored coming out of his routes. He also struggles a bit against press coverage, which is a pretty big concern for his pro prospects. Overall, I think Pierce is a one-trick pony, but he has the potential to be great at that one trick (winning vertically).

8. John Metchie III, Alabama

Height: 5'11"

Weight: 187 pounds

Testing Numbers: N/A (injury)

Pro Comp: Sterling Shepard (New York Giants)

Overview: John Metchie III may not be the most athletically or physically gifted receiver in this class, but he is a phenomenal route runner that understands how to get open. He is exceptional against press coverage and knows how to work a defender's blind spot in man. He will be a quarterback's best friend in the NFL as an underneath security blanket.

While it is a bit cliche, Metchie III is that prototypical player that gets the "he will be a 10+ year pro" label in this class. His game is an easy transition to the NFL, even if he may never be anything more than an above average slot receiver in the league.

7. Skyy Moore, Western Michigan

Height: 5'9"

Weight: 195 pounds

Testing Numbers: 40 Time: 4.41 seconds / Vertical: 34.5 inches / Broad Jump: 125 inches / 3-Cone: 7.13 seconds / Short-Shuttle: 4.32 seconds

Pro Comp: Emmanuel Sanders (Free Agent/Buffalo Bills)

Overview: While I typically don't find myself gravitating towards undersized receivers anymore (Chris Ballard might have broken me), it is hard to overlook a dynamic play maker like Moore. He is one of the more sudden players in this class in and out of his breaks, and he arguably has the best release game in the draft.

On top of his ability to create separation, he also has phenomenal body control down the field. He can go up and make circus catches if he has to, which is a great trait to have as a smaller receiver. While I do have some concerns stemming around his size and level of play, he is a truly dynamic prospect that can immediately serve a role in an NFL offense.

6. Treylon Burks, Arkansas

Height: 6'2"

Weight: 225 pounds

Testing Numbers: 40 Time: 4.55 seconds / Vertical: 33 inches / Broad Jump: 122 inches / 3-Cone: 7.28 seconds

Pro Comp: Poor Man's A.J Brown (Tennessee Titans)

Overview: Stacking the top six receivers in this class was extremely hard for me, and Burks may be the toughest one to rank. On one hand, he has a true alpha dog mentality at the position. He is very A.J Brown-like in his ability to be a physically imposing player at receiver. He simply wears down his opponents and is a monster after the catch.

However, every other aspect of his game is a bit concerning. He relied heavily on schemed touches in college, which lessened his ability to show contested catch ability or route running on film. He is a surprisingly raw player that lacks a lot of nuance for someone that dominated in the SEC. Overall, Burks will thrive in the NFL in the right role. If a team tries to make him an instant all-around number one receiver, the results may not be as pretty.

5. Chris Olave, Ohio State

Height: 6'0"

Weight: 187 pounds

Testing Numbers: 40 Time: 4.39 seconds / Vertical: 32 inches / Broad Jump: 124 inches

Pro Comp: Robert Woods (Tennessee Titans)

Overview: Olave is a pro's pro at the wide receiver position. He is a phenomenal route runner that is silky smooth in and out of his breaks. He simply dominated the Big Ten for years with his ability to create openings for himself against any defensive coverage.

The only reason he comes in a bit lower than some of the other players in this class is that he is very much a below-the-rim type of receiver. He won't be the type to win a 50-50 ball or even the type to out-muscle a defender of any kind. His game is all finesse and separation, which is great, but it knocks him below a few players that have higher ceilings for me.

4. Drake London, USC

Height: 6'3"

Weight: 219 pounds

Testing Numbers: N/A (injury)

Pro Comp: Michael Pittman Jr (Indianapolis Colts)

Overview: Similarly to his former teammate in Michael Pittman Jr, London is a physically imposing receiver that is surprisingly silky smooth for his size. While there have been some scary results when teams look for the big-bodied, contested catch receiver in the draft, London is different than the misses of the past.

He can create separation out of his breaks and, unlike past big-bodied misses, he is a dominant player after the catch. While this profile may be scary to some, I feel confident in wagering that London is closer to the Pittman Jr mold that actually finds success in the league.

3. Garrett Wilson, Ohio State

Height: 5'11"

Weight: 183 pounds

Testing Numbers: 40 Time: 4.38 seconds / Vertical: 36 inches / Broad Jump: 123 inches /  Short-Shuttle: 4.36

Pro Comp: Stefon Diggs (Buffalo Bills)

Overview: Wilson is as fluid as it comes for a receiver. He offers elite body control and coordination in the air, and he plays with the perfect blend of technique and athletic ability to be a nightmare for NFL wide receivers. He also boasts some elite ability after the catch to make defenders miss in space.

When it comes to Wilson, my only true concerns are his overall size/frame. He is a slender player that can be disrupted pretty easily by a defender making contact. He also needs to add a little bit more refinement to his game, as he has the tendency to round off routes and throw off timing. He is still young though, and he has plenty of time to add to his already outstanding pro game.

2. George Pickens, Georgia

Height: 6'3"

Weight: 195 pounds

Testing Numbers: 40 Time: 4.47 seconds / Vertical: 33 inches / Broad Jump: 125 inches

Pro Comp: Ceedee Lamb (Dallas Cowboys)

Overview: I know this ranking is a bit of a hot take, but just hear me out. Of all the receivers in this draft class, Pickens is the one that possesses all the traits necessary to be an NFL WR1. He is a big-bodied player with excellent hands. He has an NFL-ready release game and is an easy separator for his size. He is a smooth operator that possesses the best body control in the draft.

My only main concerns with him are that we never truly got to see his potential hit at the college level (mainly due to injuries and bad QB play). If he were healthy this past season, he would be a top 20 pick in this draft. I firmly believe that. George Pickens is a special wide receiver that is going to excel in the NFL.

1. Jameson Williams, Alabama

Height: 6'1"

Weight: 180 pounds

Testing Numbers: N/A (injury)

Pro Comp: Tyler Lockett (Seattle Seahawks)

Overview: At the end of the day, the NFL is a game that revolves around dynamic athletes. Jameson Williams is simply a difference maker on the field. He took college football by storm in 2021 and proved that he was one of the best players in the country.

Williams is an explosive player that has next-level speed. He makes running past defenders look easy on a regular basis. Where he continued to impress me, though, was in how he grew throughout the year. This was his first full year as a starter, and he quickly went from role-specific deep threat to bonafide number one wideout.

His game against Cincinnati in the College Football Playoffs was a great example. Cincinnati was sitting on the deep ball for the entire game so what did Williams do? He started to find the underneath spots in the defense, and he became the team's underneath option for that game.

Williams is a deep threat, but he can be so much more in the NFL. That is why he is my top receiver in this draft class.

Day Three Wide Receivers that are My Guys:

• Bo Melton, Rutgers
• Kyle Philips, UCLA
• Jequez Ezzard, Sam Houston State
• Danny Gray, SMU
• Dareke Young, Lenoir-Rhyne

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Follow Zach on Twitter @ZachHicks2.

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