Todd McShay breaks down top 10 wide receivers following Senior Bowl

The NFL draft process has officially begun with last week’s Senior Bowl. And before Pro Days come around, Todd McShay has dropped his list of top 10 receiver prospects in this year’s draft.

1. Drake London, USC (92)

London played in just eight games this season for the Trojans, but during that time his productivity was unmatched. He shredded opposing defenses surpassing the 130 plus receiving yard mark in six of the eight games he played in. London finished the year with 1,084 receiving yards on 88 catches with seven touchdowns.

2. Garrett Wilson, Ohio State (92)

Wilson was the leader in a trio of dangerous wideouts for Ohio State last season. He showed the ability to be a receiving threat all over the field, especially in the vertical passing game. Wilson finished the year tied for eighth in FBS receiving touchdowns with 12. Add that to the 1,058 receiving yards on 70 receptions, and it is obvious why he’s rated so highly.

3. Chris Olave, Ohio State (91)

If there’s one takeaway from Olave’s career it’s that speed kills and he has a lot of it. Olave was able to outrun opposing defenses throughout the year, racking up 12 touchdowns along the way. And his production was consistent over the Buckeyes season. His 12 touchdowns were spread out over nine games.

4. Treylon Burks, Arkansas (90)

Burks 6-foot-3, 225-pound frame makes him the ideal big body receiving threat. At Arkansas, he helped change the identity of the team from a smash-mouth to a more balanced one with a dangerous aerial attack. Burks finished the year with 66 catches for 1,104 yards and 12 total touchdowns. He added one in the rushing column this season for good measure.

5. Jameson Williams, Alabama (90)

When Williams transferred to Alabama, it was not considered to be a game-changing more to most; considering he couldn’t crack the rotation at Ohio State. But man was that a bad take. Williams lit it up at Alabama to the tune of 1,572 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns on 79 receptions. Had he not torn his ACL in the championship game, Williams could’ve been the highest-rated receiver.

6. Jahan Dotson, Penn State (89)

Dotson is just a bit undersized, coming in at 5-foot-11, 184-pounds, but that has not stopped him from being one of the better-receiving threats this season. The former Nittany Lions star hauled in 91 catches for 1,182 yards and 12 touchdowns this past season. His numbers have been consistent throughout and rank in the top 20 in each named category in the FBS.

7. Christian Watson, North Dakota State (81)

Watson does not have the mind-blowing stats, like some of the receivers listed, but his size alone makes him worthy of being on this list. The senior receiver from North Dakota state comes in at six-foot-five 208 lbs, making him easily one of the tallest receivers in this class. Production-wise, Watson had a modest year with 43 receptions, for 800 yards and seven touchdowns.

8. John Metchie III, Alabama (80)

Metchie had to wait his turn at Alabama before he got his opportunity to shine last season, but it was well worth the wait. Alongside Jameson Williams, Metchie carved up opposing defenses throughout the SEC, helping Crimson Tide quarterback Bryce Young capture the Heisman trophy. Unfortunately, his season too was cut short thanks to an ACL injury. He finished the season with 96 catches for 1,142 yards and eight touchdowns.

9. Jalen Tolbert, South Alabama (78)

The third best receiver to come out of Alabama might shock some as he wasn’t featured on either powerhouse program from the state, Alabama or Auburn. Tolbert finished off his second consecutive season with 1,000+ yards receiving and eight touchdowns. It also he’s that the junior wide receiver boasts a 6-foot-3, 190-pound frame.

10. Calvin Austin III, Memphis (77)

Austin also finished off his second consecutive season with 1,000+ yards receiving and at least eight touchdowns, similar to Tolbert in the No. 9 spot. And he did it against a higher quality of competition in the AAC. However, his slight frame of 5-foot-9 makes him an unlikely candidate to be drafted as a true No. 1 receiver in the NFL. But that doesn’t mean his productivity should be overlooked.