2022 NFL Draft Preview: Wide receiver sleepers and Broncos fits

The Denver Broncos will get the most out of their wide receiving corps this year due to the addition of superstar quarterback Russell Wilson. He’s coming to a team with a plethora of weapons in the passing game, highlighted by rising stars like Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy and Tim Patrick.

The production hasn’t been there – to the full potential – with these receivers, but that can easily be explained by the subpar quarterback play they’ve been dealing with for years. That reason (not an excuse) is now out the window with the addition of Russell. We all know the Broncos receivers have talent, and now they’ll get to flaunt it every Sunday.

The strength of that group changes the approach for the team in the draft. The Broncos won’t be in the wide receiver market early. However, there are some mid-to-late round prospects they should certainly be interested in – even though they are jam-packed in the receiver’s room.

In this article, I will look at the market for the position. I will also write about sleepers at the wide receiver position and some players who could fit what the Broncos need in the 2022 NFL Draft.

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Market Watch

The best wide receiver in this talented class is coming off a knee injury. Jameson Williams (Alabama) suffered a knee injury in the national title game against Georgia, but I still consider him a top-10 talent and the top receiver in 2022. The reports about Williams recovery have generally been positive and there is strong speculation that he could be ready for the start of the regular season.

Williams is electric with the ball in his hands. He’s got the long speed to take the top off the defense and Williams does a good job tracking passes over his shoulder. I like his “late hands” which don’t tip off defenders that passes are coming in, and I think Williams will have no problem gaining separation at the pro level. Not only does he have speed, but Williams has good length and will stab passes out of the air.

Drake London (USC) is a football star with a basketball skill set. He’s the biggest of the first-round receivers, measuring in at 6-feet, 4-inches and 220 pounds. London’s size means he’s going to box out smaller defenders all over the field but especially in the red zone. Not only does he use his frame well, London has great “my ball” mentality and wins at the catch point regularly.

For a man his size, London has a fine athletic profile. He has good leaping ability and knows how to time his jumps to regularly catch passes at the highest point. I like the way he’s a quarterback’s best friend when he works his way back to the ball and squares his shoulders to the line of scrimmage to present the largest target. With his size, London is quite the capable blocker – drawing some comparisons to former Broncos great Ed McCaffrey in that department.

Speed is the name of the game with Ohio State’s Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson – both are top-20 picks in this draft class. These guys can both fly, and they have instant burst to get past unsuspecting defenders. Both also have an extra gear to pull away from pursuit. Just when you think they’re running as fast as they can, Olave and Wilson can turn on the turbo boost. Olave is the route technician who can make defenders look silly at the stem of the route. Wilson is the run-after-the-catch demon who is nigh impossible to get a bead on.

Jahan Dotson, from Penn State, is a big play waiting to happen. He knows how to use his speed and athleticism to get open with varied route-running techniques. This is rare for a such a young player, as Dotson plays with the savvy of a veteran receiver. Dotson is highly intelligent and uses timing against defenders tasked with covering him, often making cornerbacks trip up when they bite on one of his double moves. All of the receivers in this section should easily be first-round picks.

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Sleepers

Charleston Rambo spent three seasons at Oklahoma, flashing big ability but plagued with inconsistency, before transferring to Miami. With the Sooners, Rambo was plagued by drops and was a player known for great potential but not great production. When he transferred to play for the Hurricanes, Rambo revamped his game.

He’s a deceptive route runner, primarily using a variety of moves to get off the line of scrimmage quickly and cleanly. Rambo is a smaller prospect, but he’s got the work ethic of… well… Rambo. He’s going to outwork anyone on the roster and has some fight to his game. Rambo provides versatility both outside and in the slot, plus he has the willingness to play special teams on coverage or as a return man.

Reggie Roberson has been banged up quite a bit during his college career, starting at West Virginia but ending up with SMU. If Roberson was healthy during his college career, he might be a first-round pick instead of a late-round gem. He certainly has the physical skill set that matches the receivers who will be selected in the top round.

This makes Roberson a great value play on Day 3 of the draft. If he stays healthy and plays up to his potential, some team could get a Pro Bowl caliber player. If not, then it’s a late-round pick who won’t damage your team that much. Roberson is explosive, can get open often, and I love the way he plucks the ball out of the air. He almost attacks the pass and rips it from opponents. I’d like to see Roberson wind up with the Broncos where he could learn from former SMU great Courtland Sutton.

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Broncos Fits

The Broncos have a ton of talent at the wide receiver position. This means they don’t need to look for talent at the position early in the draft, and some would make the argument they don’t need to draft a wide receiver at all.
Stanley Berryhill III was a standout player at the University of Arizona. I saw him at the practices for the East-West Shrine Bowl earlier this year and came away impressed. He backed up what he showed on film, and that was mainly the consistency as a primary target.

Berryhill sets up his routes nicely, and he doesn’t waste time at the beginning of his route. I love his footwork, and he’s got incredible foot frequency which allows him to take a hit and keep his balance to continue running after the catch. He can score from anywhere on the field, and Berryhill is one of the best special teams players in this class. Adding receiver depth and at least getting a quality return man would be a great plan for the receiver rich Broncos.

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