Bucs Draft 2023 Preview + Bucs Best Bets: WRs

Pewter Report analyzes the top players in the 2023 NFL Draft with its position previews – energized by CELSIUS, the official energy drink of Pewter Report. Matt Matera continues the previews with the wide receiver position, and a comprehensive look at what the Bucs have and what they need at receiver. Matera also provides a detailed list of this year’s top wide receivers. In addition, Scott Reynolds offers up the Bucs draft needs and the annual Pewter Report Bucs’ Best Bets – the most likely receiver for the Bucs to select in Rounds 1-3, and in Rounds 4-7.

What The Bucs Have At Wide Receiver

Once again the Bucs have one of the league’s top wide receiver combinations with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. It’ll be their seventh season playing together and potentially their most interesting one yet.

Though his numbers were more than solid, Evans is coming off a down year by his own standards with 77 receptions for 1,124 yards and only six touchdowns in 15 games. That’s eight less TDs than the year before when he set a franchise record with 14 in 2021. Evans is still a great wide receiver and should get a contract extension, but he’s also turning 30 this summer.

Godwin returned last season after rehabbing a torn ACL injury, making a remarkable 104 receptions in 15 games for 1,023 yards and three touchdowns. Expectations will be even higher with him fully healthy and in the second year of a contract that pays him $20 million per season. Both receivers will be crucial in working with the quarterback that wins the starting job.

Russell Gage will be WR3 and is the most intriguing of the whole group. He was the best receiver in training camp last year, but a hamstring injury sustained in a joint practice against the Dolphins essentially ruined him for the rest of the year. Gage never fully recovered and struggled to show any explosiveness during the season.

He struggled so much that the Bucs made him take a $3 million pay cut, but he can earn back some of his salary with incentives. With that said, Gage was able to find the end zone five times, and if fully healthy, he can do some damage in this offense. It’s a huge year for him because another poor performance would likely see him cut by the following season.

Tampa Bay will see a lot of change outside their top three. They didn’t sign any new wide receivers while Scotty Miller signed with the Falcons and Breshad Perriman is still available in free agent. Neither player contributed much to the Bucs last season and Miller wasn’t on Tampa Bay’s radar to be re-signed, so Perriman shouldn’t be either.

They have a couple of speedy undrafted free agents that made the practice squad last year that are going into their second season. Deven Thompkins ended up becoming the team’s kick returner after they released Jaelon Darden and could very much have that role again. Kaylon Geiger might be even faster and is a potential target for the practice squad this season.

What The Bucs Need At Wide Receiver

What Tampa Bay is looking for is speed, speed and more speed, but preferably with a little more height. General manager Jason Licht has talked about how this team needs to get stronger and faster. They have elite level talent with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, but need to fill out the rest of the depth chart.

Implementing Scotty Miller and Jaelon Darden along with Deven Thompkins and Kaylon Geiger certainly gave them speed, but they were all small and could be tackled easily. Thompkins is listed at 5-foot-8 while Geiger is 5-foot-10. The Bucs have gone for short, quick receivers before, but it’s time to find a playmaker that’s taller but can still be a weapon with a great deal of speed to his game.

Top Wide Receivers In 2023 NFL Draft

*Important Note: These players are NOT listed in the order of Pewter Report’s ranking for them. Rather, the numbers are provided to show you the rough order in which we expect them to come off the board during the draft.

1. TCU WR Quentin Johnston – Junior – 6-3, 208 – N/A

TCU WR Quentin Johnson – Photo by: USA Today

Johnston has a great combination of size, speed and athleticism, which makes it no surprise that he’s at the top of many boards as the top wide receiver in the draft. It’s not just his ability to make a big play down the field on a vertical route, Johnston can also catch a five-yard pass and break tackles to take it to the house.

He got playing time as a freshman and sophomore but it was last year as a junior where he really exploded onto the scene during TCU’s run to the national title game. Johnston made 60 receptions for 1,069 yards six touchdowns. He had two absurd games with 206 yards on 14 catches in a win over Kansas, and then racking up six receptions for 163 yards and a score against Michigan in the Fiesta Bowl. Johnston met formally with the Bucs at the NFL Combine and is a first-rounder.

2. Ohio State WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba – Junior – 6-0, 196 – N/A

Another player that met formally with the Bucs, Smith-Njigba is a smooth operator. He’s terrific as a route runner, gliding through the field and getting separation from defenders without too much of a hassle. On top of that, he’s as reliable as it gets as pass catcher.

In a wide receiver room full of stars at Ohio State, Smith-Njigba was considered by some as the best of the group that included Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson in 2021. That year, he caught 95 catches for 1,606 yards and nine touchdowns. Unfortunately, Smith-Njigba had a difficult hamstring injury in 2022 that forced him to miss all but three games last season. He’s still a first-round pick.

3. USC WR Jordan Addison – Junior – 5-11, 173 – 4.49

Addison has all the playmaking abilities a team could ask for in a wide receiver. He has incredible balance and can run any route at any level. He is very well versed having played with several quarterbacks and coaches between Pittsburgh and USC. Addison is just has a nose for the football and understands how to beat defensive backs.

He won the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s top wide receiver with Pittsburgh in 2021 when he had 100 receptions for 1,593 yards with a whopping 17 touchdowns. Addison then transferred to USC and helped quarterback Caleb Williams win the Heisman Trophy as Addison recorded 59 catches, 875 yards and 8 touchdowns. He formally met with Tampa Bay at the Combine and is considered a late first- or early second-rounder.

4. Boston College WR Zay Flowers – Senior – 5-9, 182 – 4.42

Boston College WR Zay Flowers – Photo by: USA Today

Arguably the most electrifying receiver in college football, Flowers has been compared to former Buc Antonio Brown. He’s very undersized but has exceptional quick burst speed and route running to beat any defender. Once the ball is in his hands, watch out, because he’ll outrun any team trying to catch him.

It’s very difficult to standout when you’re on a 3-7 college football team like Flowers was with Boston College, but he was somehow able to do so. In his last year at the school, he produced 1,077 receiving yards on 78 receptions with 12 scores. Flowers could sneak into the first round with the right team, but is a sure-fire second-rounder otherwise.

5. Tennessee WR Jalin Hyatt – Junior – 6-0, 176 – 4.4

If a team wants a player to go deep down the field on a vertical route, Hyatt is the guy. He had the highest success rate on passing plays of over 20 yards among receivers in college football and also can bring in the football with great hands.

While he had a pedestrian 2020 and 2021 season, Hyatt more than made up for it in 2022. He won the Biletnikoff Award that year and dominated the college football landscape with 108 catches, 1,769 yards and a wild 19 touchdowns. Hyatt is a second-round pick.

6. North Carolina WR Josh Downs – Junior – 5-9, 171 – 4.48

Known for his abilities as a slot receiver, Downs meant a great deal to the Tar Heels, as he broke single-season records at the school in 2021 with 101 catches and 1, 335 receiving yards. He followed that up in 2022 with 94 catches, 1,029 yards and a personal best 11 touchdowns.

Downs is great a making contested catches, and has a big enough radius to get him the ball. As a former basketball, baseball and soccer player and a track runner, he’s got plenty of athleticism to help him get the better of his opponents. Downs is a second second-rounder.

7. Tennessee WR Cedric Tillman – RS Senior – 6-3, 213 – 4.54

Tillman is a big receiver that relies on his size to get the better of the defensive back trying to guard him. He does a good job of controlling his body when the ball is coming his way and can make any catch when the play is near his direction. Tillman played five years at Tennessee and it well experienced.

It wasn’t until the 2021 season, though, that Tillman finally hit the scene. He became the receiver to get over 1,000 yards for the Volunteers since 2012. Overall he went for 1,081 yards, 64 receptions and 12 touchdowns. An ankle injury that caused him to get surgery forced Tillman to only play six games in 2022. In that time he recorded 37 catches, 417 yards and three touchdowns. Tillman figures to be a second-round selection.

8.  Nathaniel “Tank” Dell – Junior – 5-8, 165 – 4.49

Versatility is paramount when it comes to Dell. He lined up almost everywhere in Houston’s offense along with returning punts and he excelled in 1-on-1 matchups. Dell can move it down the field, showcasing excellent acceleration. He plays bigger than his 5-foot-8 size, but that’s still going to hurt him at the NFL level.

Dell began his college career at Alabama A&M and Independence Community College before transferring to Houston. In three years with the Cougars he recorded 228 receptions for 3,155 yards and 32 touchdowns. He was first team All-AAC over the last two seasons and is likely a third-round pick.

9. Oklahoma WR Marvin Mims Jr. – Junior – 5-11, 183 – 4.38

Mims can take the top off of a defense with his vertical presence and has a good amount of playmaking ability. He’s all about the yards after the catch, posing as a threat to any defense once he has the football. Mims can make some truly entertaining highlight catches where it’s not exactly clear how he came down with it.

In three years at Oklahoma he made 123 catches, recorded 2,398 yards and scored 20 touchdowns. He also made first team All-Big 12 last season. Look for Mims to go in the third round or possibly in the late second.

10.  Stanford WR Michael Wilson – RS Senior – 6-2, 213 – 4.58

Wilson looks NFL ready due to his frame, ability and understanding of the game. Even at the college level he knows how to decipher a defense by adjusting and finding the advantage in coverage. Between catch radius, route running and overall speed, there’s not much to dislike. It all comes down to injuries.

He’s had a series of foot issues that caused him to play only 14 games over last three seasons. As a five year player, he’s only played in double digit games for a season in 2018 and 2019, but that’s a trend in the wrong direction. Wilson’s best season came in 2019 where totaled 56 catches for 672 yards and five touchdowns. He had a good start to the 2022 season, producing four touchdowns in six games.

11. SMU WR Rashee Rice – Senior – 6-1, 204 – 4.51

Though he’s limited at the moment as a route runner, Rice has the right kind of frame and body type that’s made for the NFL level. He can battle for the ball and usually come up with the play. Rice isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty as a blocker as well.

Playing in all four years at SMU, Rice saved his best for last in the 2022 season. He totaled 96 catches for 1,355 yards and 10 touchdowns. That earned him second-team All-American honors and first time All- AAC. He’s likely a third-round selection.

12. Cincinnati WR Tyler Scott – Junior – 5-10, 177 – 4.44

When talking about speed receivers Scott must be in the conversation. He ran a 4.44 at the NFL Combine and an even more impressive 4.37 at Cincinnati’s pro day. He’ll take teams deep and get by them just with speed alone. Scott isn’t too bad at making catches either despite his smallish frame.

Earning second team All-AAC honors last year, he recorded 59 receptions for 899 yards and nine touchdowns in his final season with the Bearcats. He’s likely a Day 2 pick in the third round.

13. Iowa State WR Xavier Hutchinson – RS Senior – 6-2, 203 – 4.53

Iowa State WR Xavier Hutchinson And Stanford CB Kyu Blu Kelly – Photo by: USA Today

After two years at Blinn College, Hutchinson made a statement of his three years at Iowa State. He was a three time first team All-Big 12 wide receiver and a first team All-American in 2022. Hutchinson finished his Cyclones career with 254 receptions for 2,929 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Hutchinson has a well-rounded game that can translate at the next level. Performing well in traffic is a trait he succeeds in to go with his solid combo of height and athleticism. He’s destined for the third or fourth round.

14. Wake Forest WR A.T. Perry – RS Junior – 6-3, 198 – 4.47

Perry can make the contested catches, which is always a great trait to bring to the NFL level. He’s tested pretty well, getting into the 98th percentile in the broad jump along with running a 4.48 40-yard dash. Perry has shown a good amount of playmaking abilities.

He put up huge numbers in his last two seasons at Wake Forest. Perry went for 71 receptions, 1,293 yards and a school record-breaking 15 touchdown in 2021, followed up by 81 catches, 1,096 yards and 11 scores. He was first-team All-ACC in each of those years.

Best Of The Rest

15. Michigan State WR Jayden Reed – RS Senior – 5-11, 187 – 4.45

Bucs Draft Prospect Michigan State WR Jayden Reed – Photo by: USA Today

At the Senior Bowl, Reed was one of the best receivers during the week. He balled out at practice each day, creating separating from the opponents with ease. Reed is a great route runner that is as smooth as it gets when running and going after the ball. He spent one year at Western Michigan and then three years at Michigan State. Reed tallied up 203 catches for 2,866 yards and 26 touchdowns in his college career. Look for Reed to be a third- or fourth-rounder.

16. Nebraska WR Trey Palmer – Senior – 6-0, 192, – 4.33

After not having too much of a role at LSU, Palmer transferred to Nebraska and really shined. Palmer used to run track and dazzle with his speed. He ran the fastest 40-yard dash of all receivers with 4.33, making him intriguing for any team. In his lone year with the Cornhuskers, Palmer racked up 71 catches, 1,043 yards and nine touchdowns. That might be enough to see Palmer get picked up in the third or fourth round.

17. LSU WR Kayshon Boutte – Junior – 5-11, 195 – 4.5

Boutte will always have a special place in college football history when he broke the record in 2020 for receiving yards in a game with 308 yards on 14 receptions and three touchdowns. The overall 735 yards were the most receiving yards he had in a season, but each year he improved somewhere. He scored 9 touchdowns in 2021 and then got all the way up to 48 receptions in 2022. His best ability is getting the yards after the catch and he he has a strong lower body that allows him to get off of the ball quickly. Boutte’s questionable hands make him a fourth- or fifth-round pick.

18. Ole. Miss WR Jonathan Mingo – Senior – 6-2, 220 – 4.46

A physical receiver, Mingo has a big frame and strong upper body that positions himself well with facing against a defensive back. He had his best year last season having career bests in every major category including catches (51), receiving yards (861) and touchdowns (5). Mingo is slated for the fifth or sixth rounds.

19. Virginia WR Dontayvion Wicks – Junior – 6-1, 206 – 4.62

Wicks is your typical vertical receiver that brings a lot of athleticism. He played quarterback in high school so he can see the game differently than most. Wicks best season came in 2021 when he totaled 1,203 yards and nine touchdowns. He took a dip last year, getting to only 430 yards and two scores. As a result, he’s likely a Day 3 pick.

20. Penn State WR Parker Washington – Junior – 5-10, 204 – N/A

Washington plays with a fearless attitude. He’s a top level competitor that’ll give you everything he’s got. Washington’s footwork is another strength that he brings to the game. He started for three years at Penn Sate, finishing with 1,920 yards and 12 touchdowns.

21. West Virginia WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton – RS Junior – 6-4, 221 – 4.38

He’s got the right size to play in the NFL. Ford-Wheaton is properly balanced when going after the football, showing good body control. He gets the right positioning over defenders to win his battles. Consistently getting better every year, Ford-Wheaton finished his time at West Virginia with 143 career receptions 1,867 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns.

22. Princeton WR Andrei Iosivas – Senior – 6-3, 205 – 4.43

The Hawai’i native is a solid route runner that plays well making catches both over the middle of the field and in the red zone. He’s nimble and sure handed to go with a great a track background, which showed up well with a40 time of 4.43. In his career at Princeton, Iosivas racked up 1,909 receiving yards on 125 catches and 16 touchdowns for the Tigers. He was a first team All-American and first team All-Ivy.

23. Maryland WR Rakim Jarrett – Junior – 6-0, 192 – 4.44

Jarrett is another speedster in this draft that ran a 4.44 in the 40-yard dash. That speed allowed him to elevate his game, leading him to primarily lining up in the slot at Maryland. Over three seasons he made 119 receptions for 1,552 yards, reaching the end zone 10 times.

24. Stanford WR Elijah Higgins – Senior – 6-3, 235 – 4.54

There’s a look of good size with Higgins, who mostly lined up in the slot. He’s fast enough as well where defenses have to decide on which players should be covering him. Higgins started in his last two seasons, tallying 500 receiving yards on 45 catches four touchdowns in 2021, followed by 59 catches for 704 yards and two touchdowns in 2022.

25. BYU WR Puka Nacua – Junior – 6-2, 201 – N/A

Injuries have hurt Nacua throughout his college career as he’s missed time each season. When healthy, he’s an athletic player with razor-sharp focus. His vision was utilized often with many screen throws and quick passes going to him. Over his career Nacua made 107 receptions for 1,749 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns.

26. Purdue WR Charlie Jones – Senior – 5-11, 175 – 4.43

Jones began his career at Buffalo and then walked onto Iowa before transferring to Purdue. He can make catches well and has a good burst off the line of scrimmage. With his speed, Jones may end up being a kick returner in the NFL. After all of his stops, Jones finished his career with 149 catches, 2,079 yards and 18 touchdowns.

27. Charlotte WR Grant DuBose – Junior – 6-2, 201 – 4.57

DuBose had a great showing on the last day of practice at the Senior Bowl. He had a nose for the football in red zone drills, putting on some electric moves to beat the defender in 1-on-1 matchups. During his time at Charlotte he totaled 1,684 receiving yards on 126 catches with 15 touchdowns over two seasons.

28. Cincinnati WR Tre Tucker – Senior – 5-9, 182 – 4.4

Great footwork and a ton of speed is what Tucker brings to the table. He ran a 4.40 in the 40 yard dash at the Combine. He’s a tough player that can go into the slot and also has experience as kick returner, highlighted by a 99-yard touchdown during the 2021 season. His best year was in 2022 as a team captain with 52 receptions, 672 yards and three trips to the end zone.

29. Michigan WR Ronnie Bell – Senior – 6-0, 191 – 4.54

Bell performed well at the Senior Bowl as standout receiver. He left players far behind in many matchups during the week. Bell is a very fine route runner and boasts nice footwork to create separation. Above all else, he’s just a player that has instincts for the game. Bell, who is a two-time team captain for Michigan, showed perseverance after tearing his ACL in the first game of the season in 2021. He returned in 2022 and had the best year of his career with 62 receptions, 889 yards and reaching the end zone four times.

30. Lousiana WR Michael Jefferson – Senior – 6-4, 199 – 4.56

Jefferson was another player with whom the Bucs met formally at the NFL Scouting Combine.  After three years at Alabama State, Jefferson really put it together when transferred to Louisiana. He’s got the right kind of height in a receiver and can move well enough with it. In his last year of college football with the Ragin’ Cajuns, Jefferson put up numbers of 51 catches, a team leading 810 yards and seven touchdowns. He was recently injured in a car accident and suffered multiple injuries that will affect his draft stock.

Bucs’ Best Bets: Wide Receiver

Bucs’ Best Bet – Rounds 1-3: Nebraska WR Trey Palmer

With Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Russell Gage occupying the top three spots on Tampa Bay’s receiver depth chart, it’s hard to fathom that the Bucs draft a receiver on Day 1 or Day 2 when that rookie will be no higher than third on the depth chart, assuming he beats out Gage. Yet the Bucs want to get faster on both sides of the ball, and there is a need for a speed receiver. Not only was Nebraska’s Trey Palmer the fastest receiver at the NFL Scouting Combine, he’s also the fastest receiver in this draft class.

The 6-foot, 192-pound Palmer blazed a 4.33 and had a breakout season with the Cornhuskers last year after transferring from LSU. He hauled in 71 passes for 1,043 yards (14.7 avg.) with nine touchdowns. He had three 70-yard-plus TDs last year, which led the FBS. What’s holding Palmer back from being drafted higher than the third round is his hands. Palmer had 10 drops last year, but he has enough raw tools that can be developed in time to eventually become a No. 2 receiver. The Bucs had a pre-draft Zoom meeting with Palmer.

Bucs’ Best Bet – Rounds 4-7: Florida WR Justin Shorter

If the Bucs draft a receiver taking one on Day 3 seems more likely. Tampa Bay will be looking for speed, but might also want a pass-catcher with size, as the team has just receiver over 6-foot-1, which is Mike Evans (6-5). Florida’s Justin Shorter is a big target who used to catch passes from Kyle Trask in 2020. At 6-foot-4, 229 pounds with nearly 34-inch arms, Shorter would give the Bucs another rangy target that is capable of getting downfield.

Shorter does a great job of tracking the ball downfield and averaged 19.9 yards per catch as a senior with 29 receptions for 577 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Between Penn State and Florida, Shorter caught 110 passes for 1,552 yards (14.1 avg.) and eight touchdowns. He only had one drop over his final two seasons with the Gators and would make a nice developmental receiver in Tampa Bay with the ability to cover kicks and punts on special teams. Having a prior rapport with Trask also doesn’t hurt.