Tate is a good receiver, but nothing I’ve seen from him this year shows me he is a top of the first guy. In looking at previous Ohio State receivers, I’m not sure he’s a top 5 in that group, including his current teammate Jeremiah Smith.
Egbuka, Marvin Harrison are better and this is just the last three OSU teams.
He is a OSU receiver, and at minimum a good one, so he’s probably a safe selection. But at 6? No thanks.
I’m starting to like some less heralded guys at receiver. Denzel Boston and Chris Brazzell among them.
Boston is big, strong, runs a full route tree including tight end type routes, deep balls and he’s a hands catcher with a large radius. His production is also extremely consistent. 63/834/9 and 62/881/11 in his last two seasons.
Brazzell has an extremely high football IQ. Hes a giant target at 6-5 and can do it all. He has a lack of long term production, though, which is my main hesitation on him.
Where Tyson stands out is separation. His biggest question is how it translates to the faster defenders in the NFL. But he’ll go up and get it, too.
As far as the WRs, none of them jump out of course like a Nabers or Marvin Harrison. The top ones here IMO are B plus, maybe A minus players but don't scream elite albiet obviously they could become elite.
Most have Lemon, Tate, Tyson in some type of order with those three as the tops. I agree with that. All three though have questions. And all three IMO need to have good combines because they are questioned about their speed. I'd take Tate at 7. I'd take Tyson at 7. Are they my top wants at that spot, probably not, but its TBD, I want to see the combine.
A. Tate -- what i like about him. Really fluid with great body control when the ball is in the air. Doesn't drop anything. Big play guy. Gets open deep. Great catch radius, high points really well. Good run blocker. What I don't like: I don't think he's fast and he's meh as to YAC. Reminds me of Devonte Adams.
You mentioned Boston who I like too and have discussed on this thread. Boston is tall and lanky, good contested catch guy, good hands. But IMO a slightly poor man's version of Tate albiet not very poor. Tate more fluid and a better contested catch guy, better hands. I think to my eyes Boston's upper body is a bit stiff. Might be clunky with his releases. But I like him.
B. Tyson. As I mentioned yesterday, it took some time for me, but I've watched enough and i am sold on him. I do agree with those that think its tight between him and Tate. To me its based on what do you want in a WR especially for this team. Tyson kills you on the first and 2nd level. Great seperator against both zone and man. I like his subtle head fakes and double moves including in tight spaces. Decent run blocker. Downside: durabilty. For a first and 2nd level guy, he's not much of a YAC guy. He's not electric with the ball in his hands, if he were he'd be elite IMO. Reminds me of Stephon Diggs.
Him and Tate are different IMO as far as purely catching the ball. Tate's superpower IMO is the combination of high pointing the ball coupled with making contested catches with the best of them. Tyson makes the insane highlight catches and can do it with CBs draped on him.
Different flavors. But I am not locked into either as my #1 WR, I want to see the combine to decide. I get the idea of put a disclaimer on the Ohio State WR but lol many have succeeded now, that I assume it will translate. As to the Egbuka analogy. I liked Egbuka but these two are so different stylsitically its tough for me to apples to apples them as prospects. I think Tyson is more similar style wise to Egbuka. I actually think both Tate and Tyson are better prospects than Egbuka and this is coming from a fan of Egbuka.
C. M. Lemon. He's the most fun watch of the three for me. He reminds me a little of McConkey who I loved before that draft. He kills zone defenses, finding the weaknesses and creases in it. Small dude, short arms, yet seems to catch everything anyway. Baller. Great hands. He is also the best YAC guy of these three. Weakness IMO: pure slot WR, and for a shifty underneath guy like him, I'd love burner speed. McConkey has the burner speed.
My favorite 2nd tier WR, it will change because so many I haven't watched enough of yet is Sarratt. Sarratt is so well rounded -- good releases, good seperator, good hands. Not great at anything but good across the board and a high floor WR IMO. Brazzell, I've watched a little. I tend to be skeptical of Tennessee at times because of their scheme. He looks like a good athlete, tall, and am surprised he's not much of a YAC guy. I got to watch a lot more, so no opinion yet on him.