ESPN NFL Draft expert ranks Top 10 wide receivers in 2023 class
The latest top 10 ranking of NFL Draft eligible wide receivers is out, per ESPN’s Matt Miller.
Ohio State’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba leads the list, despite virtually not playing during the 2022 season due to injury. He broke out last season, particularly in the Rose Bowl for the Buckeyes, to emerge as the top play making wide receiver.
But according to Miller, he could be one of the few wide receivers that are worth a first-round grade and could develop into a top flight pass catcher at the pro level.
“Scouts widely agree that there are talented receivers — including some who may emerge or develop into WR1 playmakers — but few have a true first-round grade at this point,” Miller wrote for ESPN.
ESPN ranks Top 10 wide receivers in 2023 NFL Draft.
1. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State
2. Jordan Addison, USC
3. Quentin Johnston, TCU
4. Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee
5. Zay Flowers, Boston College
7. Rashee Rice, SMU
8. Kayshon Boutte, LSU
10. Trey Palmer, Nebraska
“Yeah, it was frustrating for him mostly,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said of missing Smith-Njigba almost all season. “I mean, nobody was more frustrated than Jaxon. Nobody wanted to play more than Jaxon. I know that. It was tough this year not having him. We had a lot of the offense kind of designed around him and then had to adapt as time went on and hoped we’d get him back but it just never quite got to where he was comfortable playing and then certainly gotten reevaluated there the last month and just determined that he wasn’t gonna make sense for him to go back on the field. Just too much risk there and it was hard for him.”
The Buckeyes star broke out last season, finishing with 95 catches for 1,606 yards, nine touchdowns and 16.9 yards per catch. His historic Rose Bowl performance led the Buckeyes to a win over Utah.
Addison won a Biletnikoff Award last season while with Pitt. He then transferred to USC and had another productive season, but missed the Cotton Bowl due to a setback with an injury. But according to Miller, Addison is the top playmaker available behind Smith-Njigba.
Boutte was a curious case at LSU due to his immense talent. He originally decided to return to LSU for the 2023 season, but pivoted in December and declared for the NFL Draft.
Kayshon Boutte began his career at LSU in 2020 as the No. 4 wide receiver and No. 29 overall player in the class, according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He made an immediate impact his freshman season, catching 45 passes for 735 receiving yards and five touchdowns during his first season with the Tigers.
Through turmoil and turnover for LSU, Boutte still shined bright, amassing 38 catches for 509 receiving yards and nine touchdowns his sophomore season. He rose to become one of the most feared pass catchers in the nation, and someone the defense would be forced to spotlight throughout a game.