NFL Draft 2017: Ranking the top 15 wide receivers

NFL teams are always on the lookout for dynamic game-changing receivers. Who are the 15 best receivers available in this year’s NFL Draft class?

In the NFL, passing attacks have increasingly mirrored college designs as they spread out the field with three or more receivers. That forces franchises to put an emphasis on identifying skilled pass-catchers who can get separation from cornerbacks and make highlight-reel plays. These days receivers can change games more than ever. The best make their quarterbacks look like superstars and are an integral part of deep playoff runs.

The problem is that there are so many receivers available in the NFL Draft every year. At this year’s NFL Combine, no position featured as big a list of pro prospects as the receiver position. Only 58 individuals were invited to participate in drills in Indianapolis, and some boosted their draft stock with strong efforts. Others opted to refrain from participating in the physical drills, yet still remain high on draft boards.

So which receivers from this draft class will prove themselves in the long run at the pro level?

As it stands, the total number of wideouts and slot receivers available in the this year’s draft numbers well into the triple digits. So which ones will you most likely be watching on Sundays?

Narrowing down the list to the 58 individuals who went to Indianapolis, we’ve evaluated the Combine numbers along with receiving stats for each players’ last two seasons of college. These numbers were normalized against the field on a 1-10 scale, combined, and then weighted based on the division (FBS, FCS, II, III, and NAIA) of each player.

This list thus represents the 15 players who have demonstrated both consistent production and raw athletic skills that should translate to future NFL success.

Note: These are the top 15 receivers in the 2017 NFL Draft not named Mike Williams.