2023 NFL draft: 4 wide receivers for Chargers to watch at Combine
The on-field portion of the NFL Combine begins on Thursday, marking the start of the testing circuit that propels some prospects into the stratosphere while ruining the stock of others. To prepare, we at Chargers Wire are previewing players from every position.
Wide receiver is an obvious need because of the speed needed at the position. DeAndre Carter is a free agent after contributing in a bigger role than initially expected, deep threat Jalen Guyton is returning from a torn ACL, and Keenan Allen’s future with the team remains cloudy beyond 2023, if not this summer.
Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee
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Hyatt has long been linked to the Chargers because of the way his speed broke SEC defenses during his junior season at Tennessee. Rumored to be in the high 4.2 or low 4.3 range, receivers like Hyatt don’t frequently tumble too far even if they’re underdeveloped.
That’s good news for Hyatt, who is indeed underdeveloped as a route runner because of Tennessee’s ultra-spread system. The ability to get in and out of breaks is there, if infrequently, on Hyatt’s tape, and so his transition to the NFL may not take as long as some have projected. However, NFL defenses with higher-caliber athletes presumably will have less of a tough time hanging with him down the field, and his ability to handle physical press coverage is very much in doubt.
Ultimately, I have Hyatt graded as a second round prospect going into this week. However, if he runs in the 4.2 second range and looks good in agility drills, it’s almost a foregone conclusion that he’s selected in the first round. That presents a conundrum for the Chargers, who need that sort of speed on the roster but will want to avoid getting pigeonholed into overdrafting a player at a position of need.
Zay Flowers, Boston College
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Flowers is another potential first-round option depending on how his combine week goes. The prospect with perhaps the best potential to become a true No. 1 receiver in the NFL, Flowers is reportedly up from 170 to 183 pounds ahead of workouts this week. That’ll make his speed and agility testing interesting: we’ve seen the shiftiness that’s made him a top prospect when he was playing at 170, but teams may have reservations about him at that playing weight.
The best player at late January’s Shrine Bowl, Flowers has reportedly met with the Chargers at least twice this draft process. LA is also presumably already familiar with him after spending so much time scouting 2022 first-round pick Zion Johnson, a fellow Boston College product.
Charlie Jones, Purdue
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Once you move past the first few rounds, speed receivers are naturally a bit harder to come by. But downfield threats don’t always have 4.3 speed, and Jones is the prime example. Likely to run more in the 4.4 or 4.5 range, the Iowa transfer still averaged 12.4 yards per catch in 2022 for the Boilermakers.
Jones is also intriguing because of his fit as a replacement for Carter. The veteran handled punt and kick return duties this season for the Chargers, but it’s likely that LA moves in a new direction going into 2023 because of their salary cap situation. That’s where Jones, who has 77 career punt returns and 45 career kick returns as a collegian, could come in.
I’d expect Jones to be available in the middle rounds, but a strong week of testing could push him up as far as the third. That’s about the range at which I’d expect the Chargers to start looking again if they don’t spend their first round pick on a downfield threat.
Jacob Copeland, Maryland
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If you’re of the opinion the Chargers should add multiple speed threats in this year’s draft, there are a number of options deep in the draft that could be the secondary addition. Of those, arguably none are better than Copeland, whose 40 time is rumored to land in the low 4.4 range.
The main thing holding the Florida transfer back is a lack of sure hands – despite creating separation downfield with his speed, Copeland lets the ball get into his pads instead of reaching outside his frame. That gives defensive backs time to catch up and make a play on the ball, and Copeland doesn’t have the frame or strength to complete plays through those situations.
Those issues will keep Copeland in the Day 3 range no matter how fast he runs, but a dip into the high 4.3 range could be the difference between getting drafted or not. There are clear elements to work with, like his downfield tracking and run-after-catch ability that he displayed at the Shrine Bowl. If he tests well, it could be enough to convince the Chargers to take a flier late.
