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		Top Ten NFL Receivers "Jordan" 49ers Paradise Fan Press 03.07.2002 I was?just reading through my most recent evaluation article, one ranking the NFL's top ten receivers. I would like to say I am quite humbled by the fact that I put Randy Moss at #2 on my list back in September when I wrote it up. It's been a year now, and I feel I've gained a lot more perspective on the game over this time. Now that the 2001-2002 season is over, I thought I'd take another stab at ranking the NFL's top 10 receivers. I think you'll find this to be the most accurate and comprehensive evaluation of the elite at the position you've seen yet.I will rank them using what was formerly the Ultimate Sports Magazine's scale. 7.5-8.0-Franchise caliber player 7.0-7.5-Pro Bowl caliber player 6.5-7.0-Front line NFL starter 6.0-6.5-Solid NFL starter 5.5-6.0-Average NFL starter 5.0-5.5-Below average NFL starter. 1. Terrell Owens, SF-For a man his size, he's an incredibly smooth runner. You could put a cup of coffee on his head while he's running and not spill a drop. He makes plays in all phases. He can catch the short pass, over the middle, the sideline pass, the deep sideline pass, deep over the middle, the crossing route, the skinny post. He is one of the best third down/traffic receivers in football. He is fearless, and he is agressive. Everyone seems to forget one very important quality in this guy-his speed. In terms of speed receivers, he's probably one of the ten fastest in the NFL. He plays like a man-among-boys. After the catch, it's showtime. Brining him down after the catch is like trying to bring down Barry Sanders in his prime. He can get away from you so many ways. When his head is sound, he's unstoppable. Positives: Superlative size, speed, agility, hip motion, strength, elusiveness, body control, and football smarts. Negatives: A head case. Inconsistent focus and composure. Overall Rating-7.3-If the team were smoother on offense, who knows what this guy would do?!?! 2. David Boston, ARZ-He's always been big, strong, fast, and lethal. But this past season he gained a soft pair of hands and started to put his talent to full use. By the end of the season, he was arguably as good as Owens. He seemed to finally be enjoying himself. If he continues to work on his route running, he's got a chance to be the best in the game. He's got a 40-inch verticle jump, 4.3 speed, and an incredible physique. He could be even more of a man-among-boys than Owens in the future. Positives: Phenominal athlete with big, powerful legs and a long stride. Like a basketball player in terms of ball skills-Outstanding leaper and fluid ball skills, terrific hand-eye coordination. Negatives: A little shaky in terms of concentration. Not perfect in ball security like he could be. Overall Rating-7.1-Could rise to prominent status in terms of league history with a better team around him. He's Randy Moss without the attitude problem and with the strength to go over the middle. 3. Ed McCaffrey, DEN-I've always loved the way this guy plays but have never really had the guts to express it. Well, after watching Denver stink it up in the cellar without him I can no honestly say I think he's got a case for saying he's the best receiver in football. No, he's not fast. But he has everything else. He's a huge target, he's got great fundamentals (route running, ball skills, ball security) and when they throw it up there, there's a 99% chance he's going to come down with it. He has worked harder on his hands than any other receiver in the game, and he's at that point where he simply doesn't drop 'em. It's not whether he's going to catch it, but what he's going to do after the catch. The other thing he does for you is knock safeties and corners out of the play in the blocking game. Positives: Wingspan, leaping ability, strength. Nimbility is exceptionally good for a guy his size. Big, soft, strong hands. Wonderful technical blocker with good quickness into blocks and a taste for contact. Tough to bring down after the catch. Negatives: Had a major injury (broken leg). However, knowing this guy, he'll probably come back as strong as ever and finally go to the Pro Bowl. Never been that fast, and his lack of breakaway speed keeps him from being the best receiver in football. Overall Rating-6.9 *Contingent upon injury recovery 4. Jimmy Smith, JAX-Has good size, deceptive speed, tremendously soft hands, and a knack for the big play. He knows where the soft spots are in coverage and hits them perfectly. And once he catches the ball, he's looking upfield and gaining maximum yardage. It's amazing how good a player he is, especially considering what body illness he came back from. Positives: Good size. Very smooth route runner, can be physical when he has to be. Has the extra burst on the deep ball. Fantastic hand-eye coordination and wonderfully soft hands. Tough guy. Negatives: Doesn't have game-breaking speed. Must rely on intelligence and instincts to make the huge plays that he does. Has had some injury problems but has played through them anyway. Overall Rating-6.8-Figures to be a Hall of Famer. Should be main building block for the Jaguars. 5. Keyshawn Johnson, TB-O.K, so he didn't score touchdowns. He did everything else for them. He always finds the open spots in coverage, and it's thrown in there, he's so big and strong and has such strong hands that it's over. He's not a speed guy, and he's not elusive, but when guys see the ball going his way, they usually end up falling down because of his strength, and he runs away from them. The thing I like is that he finishes his runs. Blocking, he's always been dominent. He has a passion for downfield blocking and he seems to be very competitive in general. Positives: Size, strength, smoothness, hands. Dynamite blocking wideout and team leader. Negatives: Sometimes will mouth off and become a distraction. Severely lacks speed and quickness; not very elusive after the catch. Overall Rating-6.6-It's hard to argue with his consistent production, and he always gives you his full effort in all areas. 6. Darrell Jackson, SEA-Man, does he look brilliant or what? He's so fluid, so smooth, he runs so beautifully, it makes me drool. He is a perfectionistic route runner, he has tremendous playing speed though not a great timed guy. He has superb hands. He doesn't have the big, soft hands Holmgren is used to (John Taylor, Jerry Rice) in his receivers in the West Coast Offense, but he catches everything naturally and runs the same way that Rice and Taylor did. He also shows an enormous amount of potential blocking. He's already a good one, but I have a feeling he's going to be a great one. The best in Seahawk history, no doubt. Positives: Smooth, crisp route runner. Beautiful flowing motion. A great fit for the West Coast Offense. Shows willingness to work and has become a near perfectionist as a route runner. Good size, great playing speed, and good vision. Negatives: Not as physical as he could be, and doesn't run through the ball quite as well as he could. Overall-6.5^-Jackson has all of the West Coast Offense tools, (good size, deceptive speed, fluidity, great hands) and is a major find for Holmgren. If Holmgren either steps it up for the Seahawks or steps down as coach and hires a new West Coast Offensive mind to run the team, Jackson could reach prime stardom. 7. Rod Smith, DEN -You can look at him on tape, and you will have no idea how this guy beats so many people. He runs in the high 4.6?s, but he is very smooth in transition, he beats people with his route running. He really works the DB. Once he?s open, the ball is usually right on the money to him as he?s in Mike Shannahan?s offense, and he catches almost everything thrown his way, which is what you?d expect. Probably the best part of his game is his run after the catch ability. He gets good enough separation to where he can run by you with that deceptive speed, and he finishes his runs. But a breakaway game-breaker he is not. Positives: Has solid size, is a tremendous worker who runs routes the way they?re supposed to be run. Has very, very good ball-in-air skills. Tremendous blocker who fits offense perfectly. Negatives: Doesn?t have the kind of speed to beat a whole lot of people deep and after the catch. He?s not really a big-play guy. He?s consistently good, not great. He?s simply not a guy you game plan for. Overall-6.3 -Terrific "system" receiver who works hard and does all of the little things to be one of the better receivers in football. I?m just not sure of how much of a go-to guy he is with his lack of big-play ability. 8. Torry Holt, STL -He?s not as smooth as Isaac Bruce, he doesn?t explode out of his routes anywhere near Ike?s level. But he knows how to set up and beat coverage pretty damn well. He?s not afraid of contact with the DB, he?ll push off to get separation. He?s got fairly good speed, but he?s certainly no burner. He?s got a terrific set of hands and has cut down on the silly drops and fumbles. The main problem I have with him is that he doesn?t run after the catch. He has copied Bruce in that-if it?s not wide open for the next ten miles, he?s going to slide, go down, step out of bounds, whatever. He?s a catch-and-slide receiver. Positives: Good size, great hands, good route runner. Negatives: Is not a very tough receiver and is not a threat after he catches the ball. He could be, but it seems the Rams? coaches teach their receivers to kill off big plays by sliding like wimps. Overall-6.3^ -He simply knows how to get open, and that?s his biggest strength. Has clearly surpassed Isaac Bruce. 9. Joe Horne, NO -He?s got good size, terrific speed and all-around athleticism. One-on-one, it?s damn near impossible to cover him. After the catch, he?s big, strong, and he has the kind of game-breaking ability you?re looking for in a West Coast Offense receiver. When he wants to turn it up to another level, he can do that as well as anyone. He just doesn?t show consistent effort, which keeps him down in the rankings. Positives: Has very good size, phenomenal athletic ability. Tough as hell to bring down after he catches the ball. A complete receiver when he wants to be. Negatives: Inconsistent effort. Not much of a blocker. Overall-6.2 -Horne had a better 2000 season than 2001, but he?s still a game-breaker. Nobody works a defensive back quite like Horne. When he?s on, nobody in this league can cover him. The trouble is, there?s only a 50-50 chance that he?s gonna be on. 10. Isaac Bruce, STL -He?s got the kind of quickness out of his breaks and the fluidity to go along with it that you can?t teach. He is extremely smooth, extremely deceptive. He is terrific at beating man-on-man coverage. But that?s about it. He?s is NOT a small receiver. He simply wears so little padding that it?s as if he stepped onto the field in street clothes. He looks smaller on the field, naturally. In terms of speed, he runs 4.5-something, but because he doesn?t have to drag the 16-LBS of equipment around, he plays to that forty time. He knows how to get wide open, but after that, he?s going to go down. He?s never liked to get hit, but he also knows that he has mediocre speed. He couldn?t out-run a fast linebacker, much less a fast safety. And so he slides, or falls down, or scampers out of bounds. He?s a complete non-threat after the catch. The quintessential catch-and-slide receiver. Positives: Silky smooth, great ball skills, hard worker. Consistent producer because he knows how to get open. Negatives: A complete non-factor after the catch. If it?s not wide open, he?s going to slide like a wimp. He kills so many big plays because of this. Lacks breakaway speed. His big plays come from the deep routes solely. Overall-6.2 -Still has a great work ethic and runs routes as well as anyone. A big-game receiver who steps up in the clutch. He and Marvin Harrison were almost identical, so I chose Bruce simply because I was in the mood to shaft Marvin, whom I feel is one of the game?s most overrated players. He?s probably the worst runner after the catch in football. He?d dance in pink underwear before he would attempt to run after the catch." Talk about it in the 49ers Forum

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