Top 5 wide receiver prospects in the 2021 NFL Draft
1. Ja’Marr Chase
Some fans may have forgotten about Chase after his decision to opt-out of the 2020 season, but NFL scouts still are very aware of his potential. Any team that declines to draft him based on the lack of recent tape available is going to regret the decision for years to come.
Chase may not have truly elite size or speed, but he’s got enough juice in his 6-foot-1 frame to create separation against NFL defensive backs. It’s his polish as a receiver that really makes him special. Throw on his 2019 tape working with Joe Burrow and you see a guy who makes opposing defenders look lost with his ability to change speeds and get in and out of his breaks all over the field.
A good comparison for him at the NFL level would be Calvin Ridley. Neither guy is going to blow scouts out of the water with their athletic testing, but both have an ability to create serious separation on a wide variety of routes. Chase is a No. 1 wideout waiting to happen at the next level.
Next. 3 NFL Draft prospects Dolphins should avoid. dark
That’s why he deserves to be the first wide receiver off the board without much debate. Some teams might prefer to deploy more of an athletic freak as their first option on the outside, but that’s outdated thinking. Chase is ready to make big plays as a rookie and grow into a Pro Bowler in short order.