Minnesota Vikings Draft 2017: Final rankings and grades – Offense

• Chris Godwin – Penn State

After a slow start to his collegiate career, Godwin burst onto the scene during his sophomore campaign. He followed that up with a steady and consistent 2016 season.

Godwin’s most notable game came against USC in the Rose Bowl, recording nine catches, 187 yards and two touchdowns in a thrilling 52-49 loss.

Godwin is known as a receiver who has a good catch radius, as he plucks the ball out the air away from his body. Possessing good speed, he has the upside that many coaches covet. His route-running and ability to beat press-coverage needs improvement, but those are techniques that can be improved with proper coaching.

Age: 21  (2/27/1996)

NFL Comparison: Jerricho Cotchery

• Zay Jones – East Carolina

A stat sheet stuffer in his time at East Carolina, Jones set the NCAA single-season record for most catches in a season (158) and finished his illustrious career with 399 total.

Many questioned Jones’ ability to run routes in the intermediate-to-deep areas of the field because in his offense at ECU he ran a high amount of short routes and perimeter screens. Jones went on to silence his critics at the Senior Bowl, consistently putting together consecutive impressive days of practice and in the game.

He is not gifted with any elite traits, but he does everything well. He’s a terrific hands catcher and is a savvy route runner. He most likely will never be the number on option in an NFL receiving core, but he can be a reliable number two option.

Age: 22  (3/30/1995)

NFL Comparison: Emmanuel Sanders

• Carlos Henderson – Louisiana Tech

A late bloomer in the La. Tech offense, Henderson went on to have a successful junior season. Recording 1,535 yards on 82 catches and 19 touchdowns. What stands out about Henderson is his competitiveness. He has an endless motor and lets everyone know that’s on the field with him that he’s the best player when out there.

His frame (5-foot-11, 199 pounds) is very mature and you can tell once the ball is in his hands. Henderson led the FBS with eight 50-plus yard receptions last season, and among one of the nation’s leaders in yards-after the catch.

Despite that production, he does have some stiffness in his hips, but that may be due to his overly muscular frame. Henderson also adds value as a kick returner (26.5 yards-per return).

Age: 22  (12/19/1994)

NFL Comparison: Jarvis Landry

• Ar’Darius Stewart

Stewart was a quiet bright spot for a potent Alabama offense. Known for their ground and pound offensive style, Stewart still managed to catch 54 passes for 864 yards and eight touchdowns.

It is a widely known theory that SEC receivers are never able to show their true potential due to average quarterback play and primarily run-first oriented offenses. It’s debatable that Stewart fell victim to this theory.

Once the ball is in Stewart’s hands, he runs as if he’s a running back. He has the ability to make defenders miss in space, but he also shows the attitude to attempt to run through them as well. He can be a “gadget ” player,  but he is also a polished route-runner, while also showing to be comfortable taking handoffs from the backfield.

Age: 23  (12/8/1993)

NFL Comparison: Robert Meachem

• Josh Reynolds – Texas A&M

A player who’s stock has seemed to rise over the past few months is Reynolds. Receiving praise for his ability to play “above the rim” and be an inaccuracy eraser. There are questions about his slight frame (6-foot-2, 194 pounds), and his ability to defeat press at the line of scrimmage, but you can not ignore the numbers that Reynolds amassed.

Where Reynolds wins is he knows how to properly use his length to his advantage and his field speed to separate from defenders. His catch radius is one of the best of this receiver class, as he has the ability and body control to catch passes far away from his body. He is a threat on all three levels of the field, but earns his money the most in the intermediate and deep areas.

Age: 22  (2/16/1995)

NFL Comparison: Josh Doctson

• Chad Hansen – California

A big surprise to the Cal coaching staff was the development of Hansen. His collegiate career began at Idaho State in 2013, he then transferred and had to sit out a season due to the NCAA transfer rule. In his first season, he only recorded 249 yards on 19 catches and one touchdown.

In 2016, Hansen made his presence known with an unexpected breakout season, recording 92 catches for 1,249 yards and 11 touchdowns, all career highs. He is one of those receivers that isn’t going to wow you with his test numbers or speed, but he quietly gets the job done. He’s a technician with his routes and understands the nuances of being a receiver..

Age: 22  (1/18/1995)

NFL Comparison: Adam Thielen

• K.D. Cannon – Baylor

The former Baylor receiver has plenty of speed, as he is a former Texas high school track state champion in the 100 meter dash (10.32). Track speed doesn’t always mean that it translates to the playing field, but it is easy to see that Cannon is playing at a different speed than his surroundings. There is no doubt that Cannon is a vertical threat.

As is widely known with most Baylor receivers, their route trees are limited. Only primarily running vertical routes or perimeter screens, there will be questions about what routes Cannon can run. He also is not a natural pass catcher. He has a tendency of letting balls get into his body frequently and double catching it.

Age: 21  (11/5/1995)

NFL Comparison: Tedd Ginn, Jr.