Big receivers steal the show at NFL combine
INDIANAPOLIS — In the runup to the NFL Scouting Combine, the 2019 draft was all about the defensive prospects.
Some mock drafts forecast two-thirds of the first-round picks were going to be defenders with as many as half of the 32 picks being used on defensive linemen or edge rushers.
That still might be the case when it’s all said and done, but the early combine headlines are being dominated by receivers, particularly big receivers. Many of them ran so fast that they could have general managers reevaluating their draft boards.
D.K. Metcalf of Mississippi was the best known receiver in this class before the combine, and he stole the show Saturday when he ran a 4.33 in the 40-yard dash. It
wasn’t the fastest 40 time among receivers, but considering his height and weight — he’s 6-3 and 228 pounds — his performance was being compared to some other great combine showings of the past, including other big receivers Julio Jones and Calvin Johnson.
Jones and Johnson were selected in the top 10 in their respective draft years. Metcalf is now expected to do the same.
But Metcalf has growing competition in a receivers class that features some big and freaky athletes.
• Hakeem Butler of Iowa State is the tallest receiver in this class at nearly 6 feet 6. He also has the longest wingspan (84 inches) and largest hands (nearly 11 inches). He’s so big the NFL asked him to work out as a tight end at the combine. They probably withdrew that request when they saw him run a 4.49 in the 40-yard dash.
• Noah Fant of Iowa is a 6-4, 249pound tight end and ran a 4.50. That was the fastest time among the tight ends at the combine and better than many times of the top receivers that are here. He also displayed crazy athleticism with the best vertical jump (39½ inches), best broad jump (127 inches) and best 3-cone drill time (6.81 seconds) among tight ends.
• N’Keal Harry of Arizona State is a 6-2, 228-pound receiver who came to Indianapolis dogged with questions about his speed. He ran a 4.53. Already known in NFL circles for his ability to win battles for contested catches, Harry’s combine performance likely solidified his place among the top receiver prospects.
The Steelers were keeping a close eye on the happenings at receiver Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium. They’re scouting receivers hard as general manager Kevin Colbert and his staff plan for life without Antonio Brown.
They’ll have receivers of all shapes and sizes to choose from, but a big receiver with big-play ability would be an intriguing addition to Ben Roethlisberger’s arsenal late in his career. He had a big receiver during his rookie season when Plaxico Burress played his final season with the Steelers. He had Martavis Bryant for three seasons from 2014-15 and again in 2017 before drug problems derailed his career.
Bryant added a different dynamic to the offense because he was a big target and had the speed to threaten defenses with the deep pass.
Butler, if he comes through on background checks, could be Bryant without the baggage. He might have improved his stock the most of any receiver over the weekend.
Butler was the most polarizing receiver in this class before the combine. Some draft analysts had a third-round grade on him before he worked out. There were questions about his speed and his hands.
“He’s got rare size and length, and he has some circus catches, when you study him,” NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah said. “His catch radius is just ridiculous. He’s outstanding down in the red zone. The concerns, he’s a little bit kind of a long strider, a little bit plodding as a runner. When you get to the top of your route, can he get in and out? It’s tough — there’s a reason why we don’t see that many 6-6 wide receivers in the NFL. It’s tough to get in and out of your break at that size.”
Butler is brash but personable. He told reporters Friday afternoon he was the best receiver at the combine.
“You think there’s been a lot of buzz about me?” Butler asked. “I disagree with that. I don’t think there’s been enough buzz. But we’re gonna fix that soon.”
Then he went out and ran his 4.49 the next day to back up his bravado.
“I just know me,” he said. “It’s up to you to believe who you are. I believe I’m the best.”
Butler has been working out with Johnson and Anquan Boldin. Johnson, the No. 2 overall pick in 2007, has become a mentor to him.
“I don’t think he knows every word he gives to me, I’m hanging on it,” Butler said. “It means a great deal to me. I hang on every word.
“Those dudes, both of them are legends. They have a different mentality than anybody I’ve talked to. They get it every day. Every day they want to be the best. They wake up, eat, sleep, breathe and want to be the best. You’ve got to have that to be successful in this league.”
Could Butler still be had in Round 2 when the Steelers select at No. 52? If the Steelers trade Brown for an early second-round pick or a late first-round pick, could Butler be had there?
There were plenty of other big receivers at the combine that didn’t stand out quite as much. Kelvin Harmon of N.C. State entered with some first-round buzz, but he ran a 4.60 and didn’t perform extremely well in any of the other drills. He’ll now be available on the second day. Other big receivers such as J.J. Arcega-Whiteside (6-2, 225) of Stanford and Lil’ Jordan Humphrey (6-4, 210) of Texas also could be available in the second and third rounds or after.
Humphrey’s draft stock took a hit when he ran a 4.75 in the 40. That can be a death knell for some receivers. But Boldin, who ran a 4.71 at the combine in 2003, was still selected in the second round. Jarvis Landry ran a 4.77 in 2014, albeit with a gimpy hamstring, also was a second-round pick who has thrived in the NFL.
Big receivers, no matter their speed and athleticism, can be matchup problems all over the field — not just as deep threats.
The Steelers know this better than any other team. Defending big receivers has been their Achilles heel for years now. Keenan Allen of the Chargers ran a 4.71 at the 2013 combine. Against the Steelers in December, Allen had 14 catches for 148 yards. He has been one of the best receivers in the league for the past five years.
If the Steelers do go the big receiver route in the draft there are plenty available. From combine freaks to combine flops, the 2019 draft has a plethora of productive college receivers entering the league.
“I would say I’m underrated,” Harmon said. “But I’m used to it just coming in and having to prove myself. Had to do it in college, and if a team picks me up, I’ll just do it all over again.”