11 WRs Rams could target in 2023 draft to replace Allen Robinson
The Los Angeles Rams are on the verge of trading Allen Robinson to the Pittsburgh Steelers, which will open up a spot on the depth chart at wide receiver. They do still have Cooper Kupp, Van Jefferson, Tutu Atwell and Ben Skowronek in the mix, but knowing Sean McVay and Les Snead, the Rams will probably go out and draft a wideout next week.
This isn’t the strongest class of receivers, featuring a bunch of future No. 2 and 3 wideouts rather than surefire WR1s. However, the Rams don’t need to reach for a receiver early in the draft anyway.
Here are 11 prospects they could consider drafting to help replace Robinson.
Quentin Johnston, TCU
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Projection: Round 1-2
Johnston is projected to be a first-round pick so he’ll likely be out of the Rams’ range at No. 36. But in the event that he falls to them, he’d likely garner some serious consideration. Few receivers have the size, speed and length that he possesses, standing 6-foot-3 with the ability to run away from defenders downfield. He averaged 19 yards per catch in his career and scored 14 touchdowns in three seasons.
Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee
Tennessee wide receiver Jalin Hyatt
Projection: Round 2
Hyatt is a true field-stretcher with 4.4 speed and a 40-inch vertical. He averaged 18.9 yards per catch last season, consistently making big plays for the Volunteers with 1,267 yards and 15 touchdowns in 12 games played. At 6 feet tall, he’s not a short receiver, but he is on the more slender side at 176 pounds. Still, he could provide a spark on offense with his DeSean Jackson-type ability.
Cedric Tillman, Tennessee
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Projection: Round 2-3
Tillman is another Tennessee receiver who projects well as an NFL prospect, but he brings a much different type of skill set. He’s 6-foot-3 and 213 pounds with a big catch radius, but he only has one full season of college production on his resume: 1,081 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2021. He was limited to six games last season due to an ankle injury. Tillman would fit nicely as the Rams’ X-receiver on the outside, complementing the talent of Kupp and Jefferson.
Tyler Scott, Cincinnati
Cincinnati Bearcats wide receiver Tyler Scott
Projection: Round 2-3
The Rams have already been linked to Scott, who’s 5-foot-10 but has 4.44 speed and a 39.5-inch vertical. He’s not a big, physical receiver like Robinson is, but Scott has an intriguing skill set that allows him get open for his quarterback and make plays after the catch. In Sean McVay’s offense, Scott wouldn’t have much trouble creating separation.
Jayden Reed, Michigan State
Michigan State’s Jayden Reed
Projection: Round 3
Reed is a versatile receiver who can play in the slot like Kupp or line up outside. He’s also a talented return specialist, which is a position the Rams need to fill this offseason, too. He ran a 4.45 in the 40-yard dash at 5-11 and 187 pounds, while his college tape shows a player who can come down with catches deep down the field.
Marvin Mims Jr., Oklahoma
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Projection: Round 3
Mims is an underrated receiver in this class. He’s a smooth route runner and has excellent speed (4.38) to win vertically, as well as reliable hands. He consistently made big plays down the field at Oklahoma, averaging 20.1 yards per catch last season and 19.5 in his career with 20 total touchdown receptions. At 5-foot-11 and 183 pounds, he’s not necessarily undersized, but he’s also not the most physical receiver.
Rashee Rice, SMU
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Projection: Round 3-4
Rice is more in the mold of a Robinson type at 6-foot-1 and 204 pounds with 4.51 speed and a 41-inch vertical. With his leaping ability and wide catch radius, he can make contested grabs against defenders as an outside receiver. Stafford has excelled with bigger possession receivers in the past and Rice could be a similar type of receiver for him. And Rice wouldn’t require the Rams to use a premium pick on him in the draft.
Trey Palmer, Nebraska
Nebraska’s Trey Palmer
Projection: Round 4
Palmer is a burner with great straight-line speed, running a 4.33 in the 40-yard dash at 192 pounds. He only has one year of good production in college, though, and that was in 2022 when he had 1,043 yards and nine touchdowns at Nebraska. Prior to that, he had 458 yards and three touchdowns in three years at LSU.
Bryce Ford-Wheaton, West Virginia
West Virginia wide receiver Bryce Ford-Wheaton
Projection: Round 5
How many wide receivers can run a 4.38 at 6-foot-4 and 221 pounds? It’s not a very long list but Ford-Wheaton is one of them. He also has a 41-inch vertical, which allows him to make tough catches over defenders. He never had 675 yards in a season and only averaged 13.1 yards per catch in college, so he didn’t make that many big plays down the field.
A.T. Perry, Wake Forest
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Projection: Round 5
Perry is 6-foot-3 ½ and ran a 4.47, which isn’t quite as eye-popping as Ford-Wheaton’s size-speed combination but is still very impressive. He’s a long receiver and one who can be a red zone weapon, scoring 26 touchdowns in the last two seasons at Wake Forest. His catch radius is something Stafford would appreciate on the outside.
Jake Bobo, UCLA
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Projection: Round 7
Bobo is a late-round prospect with good size (6-foot-4) but he’s not a terrific athlete like some of the other receivers in this class. That being said, he has good hands and can hold on in traffic when forced to make a contested catch. Bobo is a low-ceiling prospect but his floor could be considered relatively high for a late-Day 3 prospect.
