As the NFL offseason is kicking into gear with the free agency period about to begin, the Ravens plan for 2016 and beyond is beginning to come into focus. The team’s biggest move thus far is re-signing CB Shareece Wright to start opposite of Jimmy Smith. They have also placed a second round tender on RFA Kamar Aiken to solidify the WR corps heading into 2016. However, a RFA tender only keeps Aiken on the team for one more season sans a more lucrative contract extension. That means that after the 2016 season, the Ravens WRs will consist of 2015 1st round pick Breshad Perriman and not much else. Given the lack of long-term answers on the current roster, could WR be a position that the Ravens will address early in the 2016 draft as well? I will be taking a close look at the WR options in the 2016 draft class to help answer this question.

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Now that the NFL scouting combine has come and gone, we have an abundance of information on most of the draft-eligible WR. Much was made about the overall sluggish 40 times clocked by this class of WRs which further perpetuates the notion that this class of WRs is lacking in talent. The fact that top rated WR Laquon Treadwell did not run at the combine also did not help ease this perception. However, there were a couple of WRs that may have helped themselves out headlined by TCU’s Josh Doctson. Both Doctson and Treadwell are big-bodied WRs at 6’2” that profile similarly as split-end or X receivers, often considered the #1 option in a passing offense. In this article I will examine how these two prospects stack up and how they might fit into the Ravens’ plans at WR.

The split-end WR is most commonly going to line up outside (as opposed to in the slot) and be on the LOS, often facing the defense’s top CB. To this end, the X WR should be able to defeat jams at the LOS and consistently separate vs man to man coverage. At 221 pounds, Treadwell has a full 20 pound advantage over Doctson and defeating press coverage may be where this size discrepancy is most apparent. Playing in the SEC, Treadwell faced press coverage fairly frequently, and he consistently demonstrated the ability to beat the jam, displaying a smooth release off the LOS.

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In contrast, Doctson played in the Big 12 in an up-tempo spread offense, and did not see press coverage very often. Here, he allows the CB to jam him and disrupt his route, forcing the QB to scramble in an attempt to extend the play. This is an area that Doctson will have to improve as he will face much more press coverage in the NFL.

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While physicality and strength may not be Doctson’s best attributes, he showed very well both in explosiveness and short area quickness. The latter helps him create separation in his routes as demonstrated below. However, in this same clip I fail to see the impressive explosive testing numbers show up, as Doctson is unable to accelerate away from the trailing DB after securing the first down. In fact, the ability to gain YAC is not a strength in Doctson’s game.

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Treadwell did not fare nearly as well as Doctson in the explosiveness tests at the combine, and he did not perform the shuttle and 3C drills which test quickness and agility either. If we go back to the tape, we see a WR that will fight hard for extra yards, but is not going to run away from people in the open field.

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This clip is a good example of Treadwell’s physicality and ability to break tackles in order to gain ground. Neither player excel in their ability to create after the catch, but Treadwell has a slight advantage in this area as he is bigger, stronger and harder to tackle.

Where both WRs truly excel is in their body control and ability to come down with difficult or sometimes “circus” catches. Doctson in particular shows a unique ability to highpoint the football in contested situations. Below we see Doctson make an incredible leaping catch over a defender for a TD.

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The TCU product frequently corrals inaccurate or off-frame passes with no trouble. Not to be completely outdone, Laquon Treadwell has his fair share of ridiculous catches as well, highlighted by this one-handed TD catch.

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While neither WR would be considered a “burner”, they do both have the ability to threaten defenses deep. In both of these clips we see Treadwell and Doctson respectively simply run past their defender with a subtle change of direction to haul in a deep bomb for a TD.

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Both of these prospects also track the ball extremely well and are excellent at creating “late separation” with careful body positioning or a discrete push-off.

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Even if they do not make the catch they are both proficient at drawing pass interference penalties due to their size.

All told, both Treadwell and Doctson profile well as the X WR for an offense. They both possess very good size and the subtle nuances needed at the WR position. While Doctson had the superior workout, Treadwell has a more physical playstyle and more powerful build. I also believe that the Ole Miss Rebel demonstrates a more sophisticated and consistent feel to route-running. Doctson has a tendency to round off his routes while Treadwell does a better job of sinking his hips generating crisper routes. Doctson does appear to be slightly faster on film and he is better at high-pointing the ball in contested situations. However, I do not feel that Doctson’s tremendous workout numbers fully translate on the field.

For the Ravens, the first decision that they will have to make is if either WR is worth selection at #6 overall. While I believe that Treadwell is a bit more advanced at this stage and I would grade him slightly higher than Doctson, I doubt either rate high enough to seriously be in play at six overall, but in a trade-back scenario both will likely be in play. Treadwell is a bit more pro-ready, and his ability to come into an NFL offense and contribute right away will drive his value as a top 10 pick. In the end, I firmly believe that both WRs will be first round picks and could very possibly be the top two WRs selected in the draft. Either WR would provide a much needed injection of talent into the Ravens offense and help stabilize the position for years. They can both win at every level of the football field and provide a consistent playmaking presence. The question that the Ravens and other teams will have to ask themselves is, does a need at WR trump a slightly higher rated player at another position?