9. JuJu Smith-Schuster, wide receiver, USC
Okay. So we all understand that USC receivers have a bad rap for poor performances at the NFL level. But that doesn’t mean every USC receiver will stink it up at the next level. One guy who hasn’t in recent years is Marqise Lee, who is finally showing the promise that made him a second-round pick in 2014.
Smith-Schuster has some seriously impressive skill at running routes, finding open spaces between defenders and then making the most of his opportunities when he gets the ball. In three years with the Trojans, he caught 213 passes for 3,092 yards and 25 touchdowns.
He can also flip a switch and make some extraordinary plays (watch here).
Yet if you look around, many NFL draft analysts don’t see Smith-Schuster as a guy worth taking until the third round for the most part. That’s just crazy talk, as far as this scribe is concerned.