WR in the 2023 Draft

[Bears Whiskey Nut]

We have a FA thread, so here is a draft thread for the WR.

We all agree that we need to get Fields more help. He needs legitimate WR's. The draft is a little light on WR in the first round, but it seems to me that there is some good potential out of receivers like Jalin Hyatt and Marvin Mims in the 2nd and 3rd rounds. Making the assumption that we 1. trade back with Detroit and pick up two 1st round picks, and 2. Go EDGE and OT in the first round. Who are your top WR's in the this draft. If I had to rank them I'd go;

1. Jalin Hyatt
2. Marvin Mims
3. Zay Flowers

My concern about Flowers is his size and durability at the next level. I really like Hyatt from Tennessee as a 2nd round pick. But granted, I don't know as much about draft picks as a lot of people on this board, so I may be way off.

[wab]

I think there is a decent chance that Hyatt is the first or second WR off the board.

I like Rashee Rice and Xavier Hutchinson in that 3rd-4th round range. Trey Palmer is a player I like too...he was neutered by the Husker offense.

[Mikefive]

Considering that the FA WR room seems pretty weak and while some top flight guys may become available (and likely in their 30's) with a big purchase price in terms of draft capital and potentially cap room as well, I think this thread could very well discuss where our big swing at WR comes from.

[Moriarty]

I don't like this year's WR group much (and, obviously, neither does Poles)
+ I don't care for the desperation Claypool trade much (even in light of this year's WR class)
+ I definitely don't want another major WR trade
+ I think the biggest concerns for the team are by far OL & DL

= I don't have much interest in WR prior to Day 3, unless we acquire a shitload of picks through tradedowns or they know Mooney's outlook is worse than we do



Some of my later interests:


Iosivas - physical monster, hidden by playing at Princeton
Wicks - 2021 was intriguing
Demus - exploding before ACL, terrible after. Will it get better with more time?
Ainias - may be kind of Velus-like, if they're not going to give up on him after all, but I do like his late round potential
Nacua - could make himself interesting via Sr Bowl and Combine

[thunderspirit]

I'm kind of with Mori on a Day 3 WR, but probably not before. (From his list, I admit I don't know exactly who Ainias is — if it's Ainais Smith, he's not yet declared.)

Wicks might still have a Day 2 grade, as might Zay Flowers (knock on Flowers will be his size), but if either made it to Day 3, I'd be pretty happy to see the Bears draft either. Trey Palmer seems underrated as well, but I expect the Senior Bowl and the Combine to change that.

Tyler Hudson (Louisville) has a late Day 3 grade/UDFA, but really shouldn't, in my opinion; I'd sure take a flyer on him.

[Grizzled]

Xavier Hutchinson and Rome Odunze should be looked at in the 3rd-4th rounds.

[Moriarty]

Xavier Hutchinson and Rome Odunze should be looked at in the 3rd-4th rounds.

I'm assuming Odunze returns, although I haven't seen anything yet.
I would have some Day 3 interest if he came out too soon.

[wab]

I thought Odunze was leaning towards returning?

[Ditka’s dictaphone]

Charlie Jones is putting up numbers too.
Day 3 sleeper

[karhu]

Odunze's QB is transferring, and it seems like everything's been up in the air every offseason he's been at UW. On the other hand, he makes Ernie Banks seem like a hard-bitten pessimist, so we probably won't hear anything but go-get-'em positivity from the guy until he makes a decision. I'd lean toward him declaring...and I suspect that he won't last until our second-rounder.

EDIT: Forget the bit about his QB transferring. Penix announced six weeks ago that he's staying, and it flew under my radar. Huard's transferring, and I'd figured for a while that he was the starter-in-waiting for 2023.

[Bears Whiskey Nut]

I like Jalin Hyatt early on day 2.

[The Kaiser]

I like Jalin Hyatt early on day 2.

Me too. I think Hyatt would be a nice compliment to the WR corp of Mooney and Claypool. He has high end upside if he can evade the press. He's a monster out of the slot. His route running needs work but he's a great deep ball threat who adjusts well when the ball's in the air. Pretty good hands catcher and he's not too small like some of guys coming out.

[EricTighe]

Right now it is a pretty average class for WR. That's what makes the all-star games really important this year. Lots of potential but other then the top 3 guys the rest are boom or bust right now.

[wulfy]

Assuming we don't bite on WR in R1 (Quinton Johnston, Jordan Addison, Kayshon Boutte, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, etc.) - I do like Rashee Rice of SMU who probably will go right around our current second round pick. He has a knack of getting open with his route running and I think that is a skill set missing in our current group of WRs. ARob was a really good route runner also and that's how he got open without having 4.3 speed. (I cannot explain what has happened to ARob the last two years - clearly has lost his fastball).

I'm not on the Jalin Hyatt bandwagon yet - couple of things that make me anxious about him:
> I don't think Tennessee WRs are terribly well coached. Velus Jones showed up in Chicago with a very limited route tree and low grasp of basic WR fundamentals. Jones was really not ready for NFL snaps until the last couple games of the season.
> He's expected to be a 4.3 guy, but so was Jones and I find them similar plays in size, attributes and role. If they are invested in developing the 54 year old Velus Jones Jr, I'm not sure it makes sense to bring in a very similar player.

[thunderspirit]

I believe that WR is a Combine position, similar to DB and, to a lesser extent, RB — so much depends on minimum athletic thresholds. There are target numbers I look at and honestly take guys off my draftable board if they don't approach them (UDFA dice rolls consider this less, but still consider them).

Absent that info, right now, I do have a list; but the caveat is, the Combine will change this; and I'm personally not all that interested in the Bears investing in WR before Day 3. It can be early Day 3, but Days 1 and 2 should be dedicated to building the lines.

[wulfy]

I'm kind of with Mori on a Day 3 WR, but probably not before. (From his list, I admit I don't know exactly who Ainias is — if it's Ainais Smith, he's not yet declared.)

Wicks might still have a Day 2 grade, as might Zay Flowers (knock on Flowers will be his size), but if either made it to Day 3, I'd be pretty happy to see the Bears draft either. Trey Palmer seems underrated as well, but I expect the Senior Bowl and the Combine to change that.

Tyler Hudson (Louisville) has a late Day 3 grade/UDFA, but really shouldn't, in my opinion; I'd sure take a flyer on him.

It always seems to me that the Senior Bowl never is a great stage for WRs because the QBing is usually below par as the top prospects stay away.

I like Zay Flowers also, but the size scares me off - especially with Mooney being below average in size.

I can't remember the kids name, but Purdue has a Day 3 guy that I liked - Jones maybe? Not sure he's going to time very well however.

[DaSuperfan]

My guy in this draft at WR is JSN. I think he gives us something we clearly don't have, a mismatch in the slot. He could have a Cooper Kupp-like impact IMO. I think he'd be the ideal fit for what we need right now and complements Claypool and Mooney much better. The problem is, where do you draft him in terms of value? If we can trade down and acquire an additional R1 from a team like the Lions, then I'd be all for it. Or trade down multiple times out of #1, acquire additional R2 and R3 picks, and draft him in the teens in R1, I'd be fine with that too.

As much as I'd like to upgrade the OL in R1, I don't see a lot of blue-chip prospects available at that position. I'm not sold on Skoronski, Johnson or Jones. They're fine but I wouldn't be upset if we passed on them.

[thunderspirit]

It always seems to me that the Senior Bowl never is a great stage for WRs because the QBing is usually below par as the top prospects stay away.

Honestly, what you watch is how they handle the press and devour all the practice reports you read on them (from reliable sources) through out the week. The game is pretty much less important the further away you are from the ball.

I can't remember the kids name, but Purdue has a Day 3 guy that I liked - Jones maybe? Not sure he's going to time very well however.

Charlie Jones?
He'll probably time okay (I'd guess 4.55), but he's smallish (maybe 5-10, 190 lbs). The real issue with him, though, is that he'll turn 25 in October (was a 2017 redshirt at Bullalo) and didn't really break out until last year, at his third school. He does return kicks and punts, so that helps.

I dunno. Not sure he's worth a draft pick to me, despite his 2022 production. YMMV.

[bearsoldier]

Charlie Jones?
He'll probably time okay (I'd guess 4.55), but he's smallish (maybe 5-10, 190 lbs). The real issue with him, though, is that he'll turn 25 in October (was a 2017 redshirt at Bullalo) and didn't really break out until last year, at his third school. He does return kicks and punts, so that helps.

I dunno. Not sure he's worth a draft pick to me, despite his 2022 production. YMMV.

I am local to Purdue and had season tickets this year... I love Charlie, but his success was really due in part to his longtime QB Aidan O’Connell who grew up playing with.

He is an undersized UDFA practice squad depth WR at best. O’Connell may get the chance as backup QB somewhere and hope they somehow go to the same NFL team.

[wab]

Yeah, I'm only spending a 6th or a 7th on Jones if I have a surplus of picks (because of his return ability). Otherwise no.

[cblaz11]

I’m 100% on board with Jordan Addison in the first after a trade down or after trading back into the 1st

Kids the real deal

[thunderspirit]

I'm kind of with Mori on a Day 3 WR, but probably not before. (From his list, I admit I don't know exactly who Ainias is — if it's Ainais Smith, he's not yet declared.)

Follow-up: according to the NFL, Smith is one of four players who didn't need to declare.

[bearsoldier]

I like Jalin Hyatt early on day 2.

The stats from this tweet really favor him. Targets vs. Contested = Speedy WR

[wulfy]

Here are Dane Brugler's Top 15 WRs from The Athletic - I think he's low on Boutte and Flowers:

1. Jordan Addison | USC | 6-0, 180
2. Quentin Johnston | TCU | 6-4, 215
3. Jaxon Smith-Njigba | Ohio State | 6-1, 193
4. Josh Downs | North Carolina | 5-10, 175
5. Jalin Hyatt | Tennessee | 6-0, 185
6. Rashee Rice | SMU | 6-1, 203
7. Tyler Scott | Cincinnati | 5-11, 185
8. A.T. Perry | Wake Forest | 6-4, 203
9. Zay Flowers | Boston College | 5-9, 170
10. Cedric Tillman | Tennessee | 6-3, 214
11. Kayshon Boutte | LSU | 6-0, 205
12. Parker Washington | Penn State | 5-10, 210
13. Dontayvion Wicks | Virginia | 6-2, 202
14. Marvin Mims | Oklahoma | 5-11, 180
15. Jonathan Mingo | Ole Miss | 6-2, 220

[Z Bear]

I really like Cedric Tillman... I think he is getting devalued due to getting injured this year. Last year and when healthy this year he was a beast. Dude put up 37 catches for 417 yards and 3 TDs in a little over 4 games (only played a quarter when he got hurt). I would take him in the 2nd if they do not add anything in free agency.

[BearsFanInMN]

Mims, Perry, Flowers, and Rice all intrigue me after round 1.

[karhu]

Since we've already spent #32 on something that we've decided to call a WR, I don't want to see a receiver until the third day. That takes Jayden Reed out of contention. Right now, I think Michael Wilson or Ronnie Bell would look good on the outside; Parker Washington and Tank Dell (yep, even at his size) could be pretty great in the slot for us.

[thunderspirit]

I'm pretty sure Parker is going Day 2, especially after the Combine. Trey Palmer probably is as well, and that bums me out. But I'm with you on not looking for another investment that early in the 2023 draft.

Wide receivers are really hard to stack before they run, honestly. Speed is such a major factor in the evaluation. Right now, without any stopwatches, I'm intrigued most by
Louisville's Tyler Hudson (transfer from FCS-level Central Arkansas), Wake Forest's AT Perry (he'll turn 24 this October, so likely to slide into Day 3), UAB's Trea Shropshire (good size but needs weight work), and Jadakis Bonds from FCS Hampton. Each is reliably estimated to run around 4.50 and each has the frame to be an effective blocker in the Bears' offensive system. Some other guys with size and build need to run faster than the estimates — Pitt's Jared Wayne, Southern Miss' Jason Brownlee Jr, and Shaq Davis from South Carolina State, another FCS school — to be worth considering.

[karhu]

Perry and Xavier Hutchinson strike me as guys with better than 50/50 shots at the second round. Maybe that's just me wishing we'd headed into this draft with two second-rounders and a roster spot available for a tall receiver, 'cause in a different timeline each of those guys would've looked good with #56.

Thanks for the small-school names; I'm still wrapping my head around the WR class. Receivers tend to be a big lump for me until the combine, which is why my list is pretty well limited to guys I've seen on tv and those like Dell who I saw today at SB practice.

[wab]

Hutch is my guy at WR, but I also don't think the Bears take one before R3 so I haven't really focused on them this season. Perry is interesting...he's ESB if ESB was a dynamic route runner.