Welcome to the WR Primer, which covers every wide receiver prospect that will be at this year’s Senior Bowl. Dynasty Rookie Draft season is here. Let’s dive into these prospects.

• 2024 Dynasty Fantasy Football Draft Kit
• 2024 NFL Draft Guide
• NFL Draft Scouting Reports

2024 NFL Draft Senior Bowl Primer: Wide Receivers

Javon Baker (Central Florida)

Stats:

• 2023 (minimum 50 targets)
  • Yards per route run: 8th
  • PFF receiving grade: 24th
  • YAC per reception: 35th

Scouting report:

• Baker is a well rounded receiver. Quick feet eat and Baker has them. Quick in and out of breaks with crisp change of direction. He offers some YAC ability with a combination of shifty feet, play strength, and good vision in traffic. He also offers abilities as a deep threat with the speed to stretch the field and the ball tracking skills to haul in moon shots.
• Baker’s strong hands and impressive body control equal a large catch radius. He has plenty of back shoulder catches made in the air on tape while also sporting some shoe string grabs as well. Last season among 98 qualifying receivers he was 20th in contested catch rate. Baker has the ability to develop into a high volume receiver at the next level.

Player Comp: Chris Godwin

Jacob Cowing (Arizona)

Stats:

• 2023 (minimum 50 targets)
  • Yards per route run: 129th
  • PFF receiving grade: 57th
  • YAC per reception: 97th
• 2022 (minimum 50 targets)
  • Yards per route run: 89th
  • PFF receiving grade: 35th
  • YAC per reception: 29th

• Career
  • 75.3% collegiate slot rate
  • Posted 2.94 & 3.82 YPRR in 2020-2021 seasons
  • aDOT dropped every year from 2020-2023 (from 17.3 to 6.7)

Scouting report:

• Let’s start this off with the fact that Cowing can play on the perimeter. Solid footwork and set of releases at the line. Plays through contact well during his routes. Adds subtle nuance to his routes. Set up a corner vs. Oregon in 2022 on a post with a lean toward the boundary before jab-stepping and blowing past him on a post with ease.
• Crisp at the top of his stems, he has fluid hips and can change direction without losing speed. He has plenty of out routes where he pulls a “Hunter Renfrow” and whips back in the opposite direction, creating easy separation.
• Cowing was utilized from the slot primarily in college but can win all over the field (including deep) with his varied release package and speed. His production was neutered as he progressed through college as his aDOT dropped and he wasn’t utilized as much downfield. He’s not a burner in the open field or a tackle-breaking maven, but he can pick up extra yards after the catch.

Player Comp: Elijah Moore

Johnny Wilson (Florida State)

Stats:

• 2023 (minimum 50 targets)
  • Yards per route run: 51st
  • PFF receiving grade: 95th
  • YAC per reception: 226th
• 2022 (minimum 50 targets)
  • Yards per route run: 4th
  • PFF receiving grade: 25th
  • YAC per reception: 42nd

Scouting report:

• A receiver, Wilson’s height shouldn’t have the fluidity that he does. Quick feet and smooth hips allow him to be a weapon in the short and intermediate areas. He sinks his hips better than you’d expect from a player with his height. Wilson can get open on a comeback or drag route for days. He has the quicks to get open versus corners and the raw strength to punish them after the catch. The sum of his skill parts allows him to produce YAC either from his surprisingly quick footwork or his upper body strength and leg drive.
• This is not a knock on Wilson’s ability as a perimeter wide receiver, BUT I want to see him converted to tight end in the NFL. He already has the requisite size with the ability to put on 10 lbs or so without losing his speed and quickness. If there’s a smart NFL franchise out there, they will be handsomely rewarded. Wilson can more than hold his own as a “wide receiver,” but as a tight end, he would have ridiculous upside. He has the skills to win versus linebackers and nickels all day.
• Another reason to believe that Wilson can make the jump to tight end is his blocking. As a run blocker, he is a DAWG. He has the total strength package to drive guys off the mark and anchor them. Over the last three seasons, among all wide receivers with at least 90 run-blocking snaps, he has ranked eighth, 21st, and first in PFF run-blocking grade.
• Wilson has a huge catch radius. He will adjust for low throws while also reaching high-point throws that few defenders can get to because of his size. He has plenty of catches in traffic on film to prove his strong hands. His 40.9% contested catch rate last year isn’t truly indicative of his talent, as the ball placement on some of his tight-window throws was sketchy at best. We also have to talk about his 12.8% drop rate in college. Wilson has plenty of concentration drops on film, but I think this is something he can get cleaned up in the NFL. There are too many instances of him making special catches on his film (i.e., the one-handed grab versus Oklahoma in 2022)

Player Comp: Darren Waller

Ladd McConkey (Georgia)

Stats:

• 2023 (minimum 35 targets)
  • Yards per route run: 8th
  • PFF receiving grade: 34th
  • YAC per reception: 95th

Scouting report:

• Destined for the slot in the NFL. McConkey is a solid underneath option but lacks the extra gear to take the top off a defense. His route running prowess allows him to get open in the short and intermediate as he is sudden in movements and crisp at the top of his stem. He plays through contact well in his routes with a good swipe and upper body strength to work through press coverage.
• McConkey runs like a running back in traffic. Good vision in chaos with the shiftiness to break some tackles and provide YAC. He offers some run game utility with 13 collegiate carries for 216 rushing yards (16.6 ypc) and four scores.

Player Comp: Danny Amendola