Cleveland Browns: 10 Wide receivers to watch at 2019 NFL Combine

Bad receiver classes no longer exist in the NFL, so the Cleveland Browns will have plenty to research at this year’s scouting combine ahead of the 2019 NFL Draft.

The 2019 NFL Scouting Combine is fast approaching and the Cleveland Browns should be in the market for what is always a loaded field of wide receivers. Early returns on Antonio Callaway have been positive and they have some decisions to make on free agents Rashard Higgins and Breshad Perriman, but the Browns should continue to add weapons for Baker Mayfield. Just how high a priority it is remains to be seen, but there for day two and three of the draft, there are plenty of attractive options that could solidify or help themselves with athletic testing.

Since the Browns have Baker Mayfield and everything on offense is going to be shaped around him, it would suggest focusing on receivers that can create yards after the catch. Mayfield has the accuracy and timing to put them in position to excel and the receivers included have demonstrated some ability in that area of the game. Perhaps by sheer coincidence, Antonio Callaway fit this mold in the draft last year, but it seems like that’s the type of skill set they want.

These 10 receivers all have elite production as well. They didn’t all face the same level of competition, so that would be factored in, but they all were dominant against the opponents they faced. Combined with good athletic testing, it increases their chances of being successful in the NFL.

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A poor outing at the combine is not the end of the world. They have their pro day to perform better if needed. The combine is obviously a better look, simply because all the prospects are running on the same track, so it’s more of an apples to apples comparison.

The ordering of the ten receivers listed is completely arbitrary. It’s not a ranking or anything else. It’s just how they came out in writing the article. Without further ado, here are ten receivers to keep an eye on during this year’s combine.

Kelvin Harmon, N.C. State

81 receptions for 1,186 yards (30.1 percent) and 7 touchdowns in 12 games in 2018. Harmon did not participate in the team’s bowl game.

Harmon is physically imposing. Incredibly strong for the position, he’s easily able to overpower opponents on the sideline and down the field. Back shoulder fades where he could box out defenders were a staple with him in the offense.

Harmon looks the part of a true X receiver and a good day in terms of testing could solidify him in the second round, potentially getting him into the first. One issue with Harmon is that as good as he is in terms of owning space and making plays in traffic, he doesn’t do much to extend his catching radius. Harmon lets the ball come to him rather than going out and attacking the football, which in the NFL, could be a recipe for having passes poked away from him.

Hakeem Butler, Iowa State

60 receptions for 1,318 yards (42 percent) and 9 touchdowns in 2018.

Butler might be the most polarizing receiver prospect in this class. Some will argue he’s the best receiver in the entire class and others view him as a mid-round pick. His highlights are jaw dropping and spectacular while his low lights, largely drops, are incredibly frustrating. There will be coaches who subscribe to the idea that if a player can do something once, it’s the coach’s job to get him to do it consistently, who will be all in on Butler.

It’s all about the 40 for Butler. If he proves he’s a burner, he could be the first receiver off the board. If he runs in the 4.6 range, he could be productive, but won’t be quite as tantalizing. Any slower than that and it’ll raise some flags. The drills could be good to get a sense of where his hands are and whether or not they are improving.

N’Keal Harry, Arizona State

73 receptions for 1,088 yards (37.5 percent) and 9 touchdowns in 12 games in 2018. Harry did not participate in the team’s bowl game.

Harry is a big bodied receiver with excellent body control and the knowledge on how to use it. He has a nasty stiff arm and can overpower opponents, but he is impressive in terms of his short area quickness. His calling card is how he finds and attacks the ball in the air, especially down the field and his highlights are some of the best out there.

There are a few questions with Harry. The first few should be simply a matter of verification in terms of how big he actually is and then his agility. The much larger focus with Harry will be on his speed. If he’s legitimately around 225 pounds, he doesn’t need to run a 4.4 to be successful in the NFL. He could be effective with a 4.6. But the price point will change dramatically, depending on the results.

AUSTIN, TX – NOVEMBER 03: Lil’Jordan Humphrey #84 of the Texas Longhorns celebrates after a touchdown reception in the first quarter against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on November 3, 2018 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) /

Lil’Jordan Humphrey, Texas

86 receptions for 1,176 yards (32.4 percent) and 9 touchdowns in 2018.

Humphrey has elite production and brings impressive size and strength. He’s shown ability to make plays in traffic and after the catch. At Texas, he worked almost exclusively out of the slot and he’s raw at the position, particularly when it comes to route running and creating separation. His athletic testing will be important, but how he does in the drills could be informative as well.

Perhaps because of the layoff from Texas’s bowl game, it seems like Humphrey has lost a little steam in discussing the draft. A good day could put him right back in the day two mix. He’s a big ball of clay and it’s figuring out the best way to mold him and maximizing his immense talent.

Andy Isabella, Massachusetts

102 receptions for 1,698 yards (47.4 percent) and 13 touchdowns in 2018.

Isabella has become somewhat of a divisive prospect. His production was outstanding and he was terrific against Georgia and Mississippi State. His small size is already a strike against him with some, but he’s got tiny hands and isn’t always smooth in how he catches the ball.

Given his track background, the 40-yard dash should be easy for Isabella. He’s fast. That’s obvious. Where he should also shine is when it comes to agility testing. On tape, he shows remarkable balance and the ability to stop and start. His speed is incredible when he’s got a steam, but his agility is what creates the opportunities.

Greg Dortch, Wake Forest

89 receptions for 1,078 yards (35.1 percent) and 8 touchdowns, 25 punt returns at 11.04 yards per return, 2 touchdowns in 2018.

Diminutive in size like Isabella, Dortch isn’t quite as dense as Isabella, but he’s younger and put up elite production against consistently better competition in the ACC. He’s electric with the ball in his hands. Get him the ball, be it as a receiver or on punt returns and he’s always a threat to score. He also carries himself a little bit like Baker Mayfield, plays with a lot of passion and energy.

His balance and agility are obvious. He should crush those areas in testing. It’s more of a question of just how fast he is. Anything in the 4.4s would be fine. Slower than that might be an issue at his size. Better and it’s a bonus, though if he’s in the 4.3s, he probably won’t be an underrated receiver any longer.

Stanley Morgan Jr., Nebraska

70 receptions for 1,004 yards (33.8 percent) and 7 touchdowns in 2018.

Morgan has shown the ability to make plays at all levels of the field and after the catch. He’s willing to go up and make difficult catches in traffic, reaching out to expand his catching radius. An area of concern with Morgan is simply his ability to create separation as so many plays are in traffic or wide open.

Morgan is another player where it’s figuring out his size as well as his athleticism. He looks light on his feet with pretty good speed, but it’s a question if he will be quite as big as he was listed. The other question teams will want to figure out is why he didn’t show up to the Shrine Game. Maybe there’s an explanation there, but it at least appears as though he simply flaked out on the event, which will rub some teams the wrong way.

Antoine Wesley, Texas Tech

88 receptions for 1,410 yards (33.3 percent) and 9 touchdowns in 2018.

Short on experience, Wesley is big on size and production. He only played the one season for the Red Raiders, but he was outstanding. He’s a tall, lean receiver with long arms and legs, he creates space seemingly at will. His athleticism looks impressive on tape as well and like N’Keal Harry, has good short area quickness. He might be more athletic.

For Wesley, it’s all about the agility testing. He looks great on tape, so it should be largely a matter of confirming it to ensure he’s going to be able to create separation in the NFL. His speed will be a focus as well and he should be fine there. Last, his weight will garner some attention because he is a lean looking receiver and the hope is he will show it’s not something he will have trouble adding or keeping.

Diontae Johnson, Toledo

74 receptions for 1,278 yards (32.6 percent) and 13 touchdowns in 2017.

Dionate Johnson is another player that has shown the ability to do a little bit of everything. His biggest year was as a sophomore with Logan Woodside at quarterback and with the unfortunate injury to Cody Thompson. His junior year, the quarterback play wasn’t as good and the wealth was spread around more, though he was still the top target.

The system may be held against Johnson a little bit, but he’s a legitimate talent and the combine could be an opportunity for him to showcase it. He plays bigger than his size would suggest, but he’s not big in his listed measurables, so hopefully he’s not smaller. In addition, because of his size, it puts his testing results at a bit of a premium.

Jazmond Ferguson, Northwestern State

66 receptions for 1,117 yards (31.6 percent) and 13 touchdowns

Jazz Ferguson was a 4-star recruit that started his college career at LSU before transferring to Northwestern State. He’s enormous and looks athletic dominating his level of competition as well as having a great game against Texas A&M.

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Teams will want to vet the reasons for why he left LSU with him. After that, it’s simply showing how much of his dominance was a matter of simply being physically superior to the competition he faced versus just how special he is athletically. The fact he was such a highly regarded recruit would suggest he should do well in athletic testing.

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