2022 NFL Scouting Combine: 7 Wide Receivers Who Impressed and Could Fit the Jaguars
Day one of the NFL Scouting Combine's athletic testing is in the books, and wide receivers, tight ends, and quarterbacks have all ran, jumped, and left impressions on teams throughout at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Throughout this week, we will take a look at each position group and examine which players had particularly impressive workouts and would also theoretically fit the Jacksonville Jaguars.
With the Jaguars owning four top-100 picks and 12 picks overall, there is no shortage of possibilities as the Jaguars look to reload their roster.
In this edition, we hone in on the wide receiver group and select seven players who stood out during Thursday night's workouts and could potentially lift a Jaguars' wide receiver group that badly needs upgrading.
All Relative Athletic Scores are via Kent Lee Platte, who does a terrific job each year tracking the testing of each prospect.
North Dakota State WR Christian Watson
One of the most athletic players in the entire draft, NDSU's Christian Watson unsurprisingly put up some spectacular numbers at the combine. Watson's speed at his size stood out consistently on tape and he backed it up in Indianapolis, putting forth the best RAS score among wide receivers. He didn't do agility drills, but his 38.5-inch vertical and 11'04" broad jump are both top-notch numbers and he ran a staggering 4.36 40-yard dash, all while coming in at 6-foot-5 and 208 pounds. It is hard to envision the NFL letting a player with measurements like Watson last very long, even if his tape doesn't always reflect that of a top-50 player. The Jaguars will have a chance to be in the wide receiver sweet spot at No. 33 overall and could take Watson to develop as their long-term X-receiver, replacing DJ Chark.
Georgia WR George Pickens
Another talented X-receiver the Jaguars should have their eyes on when the No. 33 pick rolls around, few receivers had a better day than George Pickens. Pickens has long-established himself as one of the best receivers in the draft in terms of ball skills and overall potential, but the former Georgia star and mega-recruit answered quite a few questions during his workout. 12 months after an ACL injury, Pickens ran a 4.47 40-yard dash, a much better number than many predicted after Pickens entered college as a 4.7 player. Pickens ended the day with the 11th-best RAS among receivers thanks to his 40-time and height, while also putting forth impressive numbers in the broad jump.
Western Michigan WR Skyy Moore
Skyy Moore didn't end Thursday night as one of the true athletic marvels of the receiver class, but he did answer some questions and impress in more than just a few drills. His 6.83 RAS score is merely above-average and is dinged due to his poor size and agility scores, but two things stand out: his hand size and his speed scores, with Moore running a terrific 4.41 and putting forth a 1.55 10-yard split. Considering he is a slot receiver projection, it was encouraging to see him flash legit long speed to be a home-run threat while also having massive mitts that will help him over the middle of the field.
Northern Iowa WR Isaiah Weston
Tied with Watson for the best RAS score among receivers this year, Isaiah Weston is another small-schooler who stood out in a big way in Indianapolis. After a terrific weigh-in and bench that saw him bench 20 reps at 6-foot-3 and 214 pounds, the dynamic wideout went on to record top-tier numbers in the 40-yard dash (4.42, 1.55 10-yard split) and with his jumps (40-inch vertical, 11'03" broad jump). Weston is one of the most athletic wideouts to test in the last several years and while his lack of agility drills means we don't get a full picture, what we do have is a glimpse of one of the most athletic players in the entire draft.
Cincinnati WR Alec Pierce
A big winner after Thursday night, Bearcats wide receiver Alec Pierce likely earned himself a lot of fans and more than a few second looks on tape. With the size, frame and length of a prototypical X-receiver, Pierce is intriguing for a Jaguars team that could look far beyond the No. 33 pick for wide receiver depth. He didn't post good agility times but he still finished with the fourth-best RAS among wide receivers thanks to top-tier size (6-foot-3, 211 pounds), unreal explosion (40.5-inch vertical, 10'09" broad jump) and enticing speed (4.41 40-yard dash, 1.55 10-yard split). With numbers like that at Pierce's size, he deserves consideration from any team in need of size at receiver.
Notre Dame WR Kevin Austin
Kevin Austin had just one year of production at Notre Dame (48 catches for 888 yards and seven touchdowns in 2021), but his performance at the combine will earn him more than a few looks from NFL teams. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Austin finished with the third-best RAS thanks to a 39-inch vertical, 11'00" broad jump, 4.43 40-yard dash, 4.15 shuttle time, and 6.71 three-cone. Considering most receivers didn't do agility drills or flat out didn't test well in them, Austin doing so at his size says a lot about the type of athlete he is.
Memphis WR Calvin Austin III
Posting the seventh-best RAS among receivers despite measuring in at 5-foot-7, 170 pounds, Calvin Austin deserves continued consideration from NFL teams as his strong offseason continues. An undersized but electric weapons, Austin ran a blazing 4.32 and had elite jumps (39-inch vertical, 11'03" broad jump) and a 4.07 shuttle score. His size will have him off some boards, but he could potentially see a similar rise to Tutu Atwell's skyrocketing rise last offseason.
