Breaking down the Broncos' options at wide receiver in the 2019 NFL Draft

As we round out the offensive prospect previews for your Denver Broncos, one role that hasn’t been addressed yet is wide receiver, where Denver has some interesting young players and a whole lot of uncertainty.

For the Broncos new-look offense to work, speed must be added at wide receiver to maximize Joe Flacco’s arm and allow new offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello to utilize his full arsenal of plays.

So while most fans seem happy to develop the youngsters already on the team, it’s far from a certainty that the Broncos feel that way. Especially as Denver needs to start planning for life after Emmanuel Sanders—who’s returning from an Achilles injury at 32. We saw what the Broncos receiving crop looked like when Sanders went down at the end of last year (not good) and to avoid that again Denver has to add talent.

Unlike our other position previews, there aren’t any first-round candidates we’re going to bother looking at, as this class just doesn’t have a top talent worth the 10th overall pick. Without further ado here are the options for Denver in every round of the draft after round one.

Day two options

N’Keal Harry, WR, Arizona State

Harry isn’t a burner, at least not off the line, as his burst is easily the most concerning part of his game but he’s on this list because he’s a terrific wideout that Denver’s shown interest in. If he can be more physical and sudden in disengaging from press coverage the sky is the limit for this kid.

The Pac-12 star can play outside or in the slot and had a special career with the Sun Devils. He is a phenomenal athlete with the ball in his hands—as a returner or receiver—with smooth hands. He also has deceptive quickness in the open field and has shown promise as a route runner.

Harry’s a big wideout with a long frame and solid ball skills, which could become special if he improves his physicality and savvy when creating space for himself as he attacks the ball.

The all-conference selection is a prototypical big-bodied receiver with a bit more nuance to his game when getting open underneath, which would allow him to not be redundant with Courtland Sutton, making the Broncos interest in him that much more intriguing.

Deebo  Samuel, WR, South Carolina

One of the big stars of the Senior Bowl, Samuel would be an ideal long-term replacement for Sanders, even if he’s a bit different from Denver’s star receiver.

Built like a running back, Samuel is physical and tough in contested ball situations, despite not being the lankiest receiver, thanks to his soft hands and ability to sky and get 50-50 balls.

He’s also quick as can be and will get open underneath at will. That superb quickness also makes him incredibly tough to bring down once the ball is in his hands in the open field. He might not be an elite burner but he has more than enough speed to stretch the field with plenty more to bring to the table beyond his speed.

He has been a steady producer and profiles to be a very safe pick who fits what the Broncos are searching for to a T. He’d be a terrific selection in round two if he were to drop to 41.

Riley Ridley, WR, Georgia

Like Harry, Ridley isn’t a pure burner either but he’s the most polished route runner in the class among the top-50 candidates. Brother of former Atlanta Falcons first-rounder Calvin, Riley has obvious family lines which ease some of the concerns with his lack of production in the Bulldogs run-first offense.

He has soft hands and a strong frame and would complement a contested catch specialist like Sutton. Ridley can be a reliable chain mover on the outside to help round out Denver’s receiving corp.

Terry McLaurin, WR, Ohio State

McLaurin has been a favorite of the draft world after lighting up the Senior Bowl and then showing off his blazing speed at The Combine in Indianapolis.

A two-time captain at Ohio State, McLaurin is exactly what Denver needs: a deep threat with high character who can be a huge asset on special teams too.

Per McLaurin, the Broncos were very impressed with him when they put him on the board back in his interview with the team in Mobile and has worked really hard to improve his hands since back in high school. 

Had he been more productive in college, he would almost certainly be selected in round one. Given all his natural talent and off-the-charts intangibles, he should still go fairly early on day two.

McLaurin was never one of the top receivers for the Buckeyes, so projecting what he’ll be in the NFL is a bit complex, but he’s a high-floor prospect who would be a valuable third or fourth wideout with a high ceiling to become one of the elite deep-threats in the game.

Parris Campbell, WR, Ohio State

Campbell was the Buckeyes’ top receiver the last two seasons and is a big-time weapon with the ball in his hands.

Whether it’s on jet sweeps, quick screens or short dump offs, Campbell is an all-world athlete who plays at the 4.3 speed he ran in Indianapolis and is an elusive runner.

That speed makes him close to impossible to cover on crossers against man coverage, where Campbell is liable to break off a big play at any moment. Add him to your offense and you’re suddenly much more dynamic, that’s his appeal. 

The bigger concern is if he has the hands to be a more natural deep threat who can track throws over his shoulder or come down with contested grabs.

His route running isn’t bad by any means but he’s not a conventional outside receiver at this point and will need to eliminate some drops. He’s a risky pick who used the right way could be an absolute game breaker.

Andy Isabella, WR, UMass

Typically a small receiver with short arms and small hands coming from a small school isn’t going to go in the first two days of the draft. However, Isabella is a bit of an exception to the rule as he was one of the best receivers in all of college football and blazed a 4.31 40-yard dash.

He’s shown great one-on-one skills getting open at will at the Senior Bowl and is an extraordinary route runner, with the type of quick-twitch athleticism that makes him virtually impossible to cover underneath. Isabella is also a big-time threat after the catch where he’s a true YAC machine and is hard to bring down with his low center of gravity.

His size is an obvious concern but less so now that the rules of the modern game make it easier for receivers to catch passes over the middle. His small hands and a few drops are a bigger corner but his talent is so enticing out the slot that he should be gone by round three.

Day three gems

Dillon Mitchell, WR, Oregon

It’s unclear why Mitchell at 6-foot-1 and 197 pounds, who ran a 4.46 and is coming off a terrific season for the Ducks, hasn’t received more buzz.

He doesn’t always play as fast as he tested but has shown strong ball skills and the ability to create big plays after the catch. His hands can be inconsistent but he’s also made tough grabs throughout his career, so as long as he can stay focused his hands aren’t a concern.

If developed as a route runner, Mitchell has the requisite upside to become a starter-level receiver who checks off a lot of boxes for the Broncos.

Penny Hart, WR, Georgia State

Like Isabella, Hart is another undersized small-school standout who impressed at the Senior Bowl with his quickness and route-running ability.

While his production wasn’t as impressive as the UMass standout, he’s more physical both as a blocker and at the catch point which makes him intriguing.

He’d be a valuable day-three pick who could be put in the slot and carve up defenses underneath. His one big concern, aside from his diminutive size, is if he has the long speed to stretch defenses vertically, though there’s no denying how good he is at getting open over the middle of the field.

Emanuel Hall, WR, Missouri

Drew Lock’s favorite weapon when healthy, Hall is a true vertical threat who can stretch defenses and would fit nicely in Denver.

Injuries are concerning but he’s crafty winning at the stem of his route and creating separation quickly. He’ll need to be developed but he ran a 4.39 and was a big-play weapon in the SEC. He’d be a worthwhile pick on day three.

Johnnie Dixon, WR, Ohio State

Dixon, similarly to Campbell, was an extension of the Buckeyes running game as a quick dump off option who created YAC at will and beat man coverage with ease on crossers.

Dixon is on the short side and lacks physicality on contested catches, with inconsistent hands, but he has the goods to be a deep threat who could profile inside if developed as a route runner.

Diontae Johnson, WR, Toledo

Another burner, Johnson ran a 4.52 and disappointed a bit at The Combine but he showed his speed throughout his college career and could be a valuable weapon in the return game as well.

Johnson’s hands will need to become more consistent and he’ll have to be more physical against press coverage, but he’s exactly what Denver should be searching for as far as deep threats who can add depth to the receiver crop.

Staying local

Preston Williams, WR, Colorado State

The Broncos have had lots of luck in snatching up undervalued skill-players from Colorado institutions who’ve turned out to be valuable contributors at the bottom of the roster; from Phillip Lindsay to Kapri Bibbs and even Kyle Sloter, Elway’s found some nice pieces in the undrafted ranks when staying in The Centennial State.

Williams’ stock is all over the place, as his effort was disappointing in his pro day and he has some real off-field questions that need to be addressed.

The reason he’s all over the board is that he’s coming off of a spectacular season in the Mountain West where he was simply dominant on 50-50 balls and showed great ability to run after the catch, playing faster than the mid 4.5 he ran at his pro day.

If he were to slip to day three or even go undrafted, he should be a priority signing as his upside is significant—he’s a former highly touted recruit who couldn’t make it work at Tennessee—with all the requisite raw skills needed to be a potential No. 1 wideout.

Alex Wesley, WR, Northern Colorado

We covered Wesley prior to the Senior Bowl, where he underwhelmed but was also slowed down by injuries.

What can’t be disputed about the Texas native is his speed, as he comes from a track background and was an elite deep threat for the Bears the last two seasons. He was also asked to play some in the slot in his final year, and with some development, could become a solid route runner which combined with his speed could make him a real weapon.

He’ll need to be more physical but would be a great fit for Denver at the end of the draft or especially as an undrafted free agent. He has NFL speed and would be lethal combined with Flacco’s big arm, don’t sleep on him.