*Walt taking 2014 and 2018 |
Charlie Campbell, Senior Draft Analyst |
Multiple Teams Think Corey Davis Could Go Late First Round
Updated Dec. 15, 2016By Charlie Campbell. Follow Charlie on Twitter @draftcampbell.
In recent years of the NFL Draft, the wide receiver position has produced a ton of talent for the passing-driven NFL. Over the past three drafts, 15 wideouts have been selected with first-round picks as teams have been in search of play-makers. That need hasn’t changed, but at first glimpse this draft class didn’t look as strong at wideout. One senior receiver who has been popular with scouts for years is Western Michigan’s Corey Davis, and sources say that Davis has a real shot at rising to be a late first-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft.
Last year, sources said they gave Davis a second-round grade in doing their reports on him in case he entered the draft. As a senior, he only helped himself. Davis has 91 receptions for 1,427 yards and 18 touchdowns entering his bowl game this season.
The 6-foot-3, 205-pound Davis is long and athletic. He has impressed evaluators with good route-running, reliable hands and deceptive speed. They like his run-after-the-catch skills and size. One scout said that Davis reminds them of Denver Broncos star receiver Demaryius Thomas coming out of Georgia Tech, except Davis isn’t as thick as Thomas was.
This is the fourth-straight season of good production from Davis. He was banged up somewhat in 2015, but still produced, totaling 90 receptions for 1,436 yards with 12 touchdowns.Davis was excellent in 2014 as well with 78 catches for 1,408 yards and 15 touchdowns. He had quality production as a freshman as well (67-941-6).
Sources from three other teams said they also could see Davis going late in the first round as well. The other wide receiver prospects that teams said they believe could be selected on Thursday night are Clemson’s Mike Williams, Washington’s John Ross, SMU’s Courtland Sutton, and possibly West Virginia’s Shelton Gibson. If all of those players join Davis in the first round, the 2017 NFL Draft could have a wide receiver class that resembles the strong groups of the past three years.
