It’s the NFL Draft from the college perspective with a simple mindset: can the guy play at the next level or not? What are his chances to succeed, and is he worth the time and effort? What’s his value? 

The class is … outstanding, and it might be even better than last year’s class that was called among the greatest ever. The top five prospects – Amari Cooper, Kevin White, Jaelen Strong, DeVante Parker and Breshad Perriman – all have the talent to be a franchise No. 1 target, and there are several more among the second and third tiers who should turn into stars. Consider this among the deepest classes of receivers ever. 
The most overrated prospect: Dorial Green-Beckham, Missouri/Oklahoma
The top underrated prospect: Titus Davis, Central Michigan 
The deep, deep sleeper: Jake Kumerow, Wisconsin-Whitewater 
The best value prospect: Tyler Lockett, Kansas State 

1. Amari Cooper, Alabama 6-1, 211
– Don’t overthink this. There might be other rising receiving stars, but Cooper has no bust potential and the skills to be an elite of elite target for a long time. He might not be Calvin Johnson size-wise, but he’s big enough, extremely quick, and his 4.42 speed is more than fine. Combine all of that with huge hands and good, clutch deep ball skills, and it’s all there.
– He’s a true No. 1 target. Polished, smooth, and a hard worker, he’s what a coaching staff wants. The only real knock is that he’s not a big 6-4 target with a great radius, but that’s nitpicking. Throw in the right attitude – he’s not a diva – and he’s it. 
Yes or No: Absolutely. Even if Kevin White, DeVante Parker or one of the other great receivers in this class turns out to be the best of the lot, Cooper is still going to be fantastic, and more than that, as safe as it gets with the upside to become a perennial Pro Bowl talent. 
Round Value: First Round

2. Kevin White, West Virginia 6-3, 215
– Central casting. His hands could’ve been a little bigger – only 9 ¼” – but that’s about as nitpicky as it gets. Very big, very strong – 23 reps on the bench – and very, very fast with a blazing 4.35, he upped his stock in Indy and turned himself into a top five overall talent. If you want to create what the modern NFL receiver should look like, and he’s it. 
– A wee bit hot-and-cold over the second half of last season, he was erased at times after ripping everyone up over the first month. He’s a bit more of a straight-line target than a quick, shifty interior target, and he’s not the elite route runner that other top prospects are. 
Yes or No: There’s way too much not to like. He could turn out to be another Dez Bryant, but without being Dez Bryant. If he wants to be a killer of a No. 1 target, he has the tools to be dominant. 
Round Value: First Round

3. Jaelen Strong, Arizona State 6-2, 217 
– If it’s possible to be a first round draft pick and fly under the radar, that might be Strong. With great size, 4.44 speed, and an explosive 42” vertical, the raw tools are all there to be a go-to guy. He’s an athlete who knows how to use what he has to dominate at times. 
– With his size and his fight and his overall potential, he’s seen as a bit of an unfinished product with a high ceiling. He’s already a good prospect and a nice receiver, but there’s still a massive upside with room to get better in terms of route running and polish. He might not be the superstar of the class out of the box, but he’ll be rock solid. 
Yes or No: He might not be the most consistent receiver, but he’s an NFL No. 1 guy who’ll become a quarterback’s best friend. Throw it in his area and he’ll go get it – he’ll attack the ball and will occasionally destroy a finesse corner. 
Round Value: First Round

4. DeVante Parker, Louisville 6-3, 209
– He has the right body and the right size, and he runs really, really well with a terrific 4.45 for a player of his size. A big, strong target, he knows how to use his body well and he knows how to get after the ball when he gets his chances. Able to be a go-to guy, he took on every challenge after overcoming a foot problem that kept him out of the first half of last season. 
– Here’s the problem. He’s not quite as Anquan Bolden physical as he needs to be for his game, and he’s not lightning quick when it comes to the short-to-midrange routes. He’s a playmaker, but he might not be the full-on, do-it-all No. 1 guy that some of the other top targets in this class will be. 
Yes or No: There’s a chance that he’s going to be even better as a rookie after giving his foot a full year to heal. There’s not a ton of risk here, but compared to the other prospects there are things to be slightly concerned about. Even so, he’ll be a leading receiver. 
Round Value: First Round

5. Breshad Perriman, UCF 6-2, 212
– 4.24. He wasn’t able to workout at the combine with a hamstring problem, making his pro day everything to his draft status, and then … boom. 4.24 and a 4.27 to go along with great leaps and excellent quickness. He was one of the rising prospects through the offseason process, and now his stock has gone through the roof. The rare wheels and great size form a scary combination. 
– Pump the brakes a little bit. The tools are special, and being the son of former star WR Brett Perriman gives him a few stars, but he makes way too many mistakes and the tape doesn’t quite match. Take away the highlights and dive in further, and he needs work and he needs to be a far better overall route runner. 
Yes or No: Don’t overdraft him. He was a very good college player, but he wasn’t always a dominant force, even when he had Blake Bortles throwing to him. The 40-time might be blinding, but he’s nowhere near the complete receiver that others in this class are. 
Round Value: First Round

6. Phillip Dorsett, Miami 5-10, 185
– Not the big, strong receiver that other top prospects in the class are, he’s a speed guy with a 4.33 in Indy and tearing off a 4.27 at the pro day. He’s not a wispy target, and he has decent, functional strength, but power isn’t his game. He has home run hitting ability that’s missing from most of the top receivers, and if he can do more than run fast, then look out.
– While he might not be the type of target who comes up with 100 catches and goes across the middle on a regular basis, he could be a devastating No. 2 receiver – or No. 1A – who stretches the field and becomes a difference-maker who wins a few games for you. To borrow a baseball term, he’ll be a good Wins Above Replacement guy.
Yes or No: Yes. He suffers from being a very good receiver in a very great year for targets, he might not be the franchise guy that others appear to be, but he could be DeSean Jackson – without being DeSean Jackson.
Round Value: Second Round

7. Nelson Agholor, USC 6-0, 198
– Scouts can get past receivers who aren’t flashing sub-4.4s, but Agholor doesn’t have the body or the strength to be a do-it-all No. 1 NFL target. Being a 4.44 guy is good enough tools-wise, even if he’s not a big, physical receiver. He’s not going to hit too many home runs, and he’s not going to work on the outside, but he’ll be a good, professional receiver.
– A good route-runner, he’s a solid all-around receiver who knows what he’s doing. With excellent quickness, he can get in and out of traffic in a hiccup, and he’ll grab everything that comes his way.
Yes or No: Don’t expect him to take over an offense and become a superstar, but he’s a tremendous piece-of-the-puzzle guy who’d fit in perfectly with an ensemble cast of receivers.
Round Value: Third Round

8. Tyler Lockett, Kansas State 5-10, 182
– Insanely quick, he showed in offseason workouts and in Indy that he’s as flashy and as cut-on-a-dime fast as any receiver in the draft. He’s a terrific, smart athlete who runs the right routes, uses his speed well, and sets up the play as a punt returner as well as a receiver.
– He’ll catch everything. He might not have the right size, and he might make his biggest impact as a return man before he shines as a slot receiver, but he’s an ultra-reliable football player who’ll be a great safety valve and a potentially devastating No. 2 target.
Yes or No: He’ll be a steal outside of the second round as a return man alone. With great hands, route running ability and the fight to make himself better, he’s a sure-thing.
Round Value: Third Round

9. Rashad Greene, Florida State 5-11, 182
– More of a No. 2, athletic receiver who can get open and keep the chains moving than a star for an NFL attack, he’s a complementary player, but a really, really good one. He was clutch at a high level with the tape even better than the solid workouts. He’s a professional football player who won’t need a whole bunch of coaching.
– While he might not be all that big and he’s not that physical, he can handle himself okay against the tougher defensive backs. He’ll be erased at times by the NFL bully corners, but if he’s allowed to work the slot and get open, he’ll be fine.
Yes or No: He knows what he’s doing. He’ll be a nice part of a puzzle working inside as a reliable pass catcher who’ll keep the chains moving.
Round Value: Third Round

10. Sammie Coates, Auburn 6-1, 212
– If you’re looking for a Check The Box receiver in terms of tools, that’s Coates. Fast – he runs a 4.4. Strong – he came up with 23 reps at the combine. He jumped out of the stadium with a 41” vertical and was lighting quick and smooth through the short drills. He’s what scouts are looking for in workouts.
– He’s not a polished receiver coming out of the Auburn system, but he could be the one who takes the top off the defense. He’s not going to be a do-it-all, 75-catch receiver, but that’s not his job. He’ll fight his way for the deep ball and he’ll work to make himself into a producer, but he needs work.
Yes or No: The upside is through the roof. As is he’s a nice prospect with great upside and potential, but if he gets a little more polish and with lots and LOTS of at-bats catching the ball, he could become a star.
Round Value: Third Round