The clock is ticking on the 2017 NFL Draft.
One of the league's most important events kicks off with the first round at 7 p.m. (CT) on April 27 in Philadelphia. The second and third rounds begin at 6 p.m. (CT) on April 28. Rounds 4-7 start at 11 a.m. (CT) on April 29.
The Vikings currently have eight selections in the draft, beginning with the 48th overall pick, which is the No. 16 spot in the second round.
Vikings.com is taking a glance at the top prospects at each position leading up to the draft.
The wide receivers are next on our list.
Where the Vikings Stand
Minnesota returns a pair of receivers who each nearly cracked the 1,000-yard barrier last season. Adam Thielen (69 catches for 967 yards and five touchdowns) and Stefon Diggs (84 catches for 903 yards and three touchdowns) combine for a formidable 1-2 punch. Laquon Treadwell is looking for improvement after his rookie season, and Jarius Wright is back for his sixth season in Purple. Isaac Fruechte, Moritz Böhringer, Cayleb Jones and Mitch Mathews round out the group.
Recent Draft History (over past five years)
Total number of receivers taken: 159
Round 1: 22
Round 2: 21
Round 3: 19
Round 4: 26
Round 5: 19
Round 6: 25
Round 7: 27
Teams are always on the lookout for wide receivers, as the position is consistently drafted in each round. NFL teams hope early picks make an immediate impact while later round guys could have an impact on special teams.
The Prospects (based on rankings by CBS Sports)
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1. Corey Davis
Western Michigan, Senior, 6-foot-3, 209 pounds
Combine numbers
None; did not participate
2016 stats: caught 97 passes for 1,500 yards (15.5 yards per catch average) and 19 touchdowns
Hot take: According to Dane Brugler of CBS Sports, Davis has an "NFL body with desired height, length and muscle tone. Athletic route runner with the lower body coordination to burst in/out of his breaks. Smooth release and route acceleration to achieve proper depth. Polished footwork and hides his intended path. Quickly shifts his gears after the catch to regain his momentum, showing the balance and vision to create as a ball carrier."
Brugler also noted Davis "will fight the ball at times with more double-catches and drops on his tape than ideal. Hears footsteps and focus will wane depending on what is going on around him. Room to improve his consistency in jump-ball situations."
2. John Ross
Washington, Redshirt junior, 5-foot-11, 188 pounds
Combine numbers
40-yard dash:* *4.22 seconds
Vertical jump: 37 inches
Broad jump: 11 feet, 1 inch
2016 stats: caught 81 passes for 1,150 yards (14.2 yards per catch average) and 17 touchdowns; added eight rushes for 102 yards and a touchdown
Hot take: According to Dane Brugler of CBS Sports, Ross is "elite athletic traits with effortless speed and instant acceleration. Sudden release off the snap to get defenders off balance from the start -- no wasted steps, each move has a purpose. Explosive start/stop plant-and-burst, not having to gear down in his movements. Polished route runner with the savvy to set up defenders and the body control to snap out of his breaks."
Brugler also noted Ross has "average height for the position with lean muscle tone and minimal growth potential. Doesn't have the body power to consistently create after first contact as a ball carrier. Can be bumped off his route by physical corners and didn't consistently face press coverage in the Pac-12."
3. Mike Williams
Clemson, Redshirt junior, 6-foot-4, 218 pounds
Combine numbers
Bench press: 15 reps of 225 pounds
Vertical jump: 32.5 inches
Broad jump: 10 feet, 1 inch
2016 stats: caught 98 passes for 1,361 yards (13.9 yards per catch average) and 11 touchdowns
Hot take: According to Dane Brugler of CBS Sports, Williams has a "tall, filled out frame with developed muscle tone -- has added 40 pounds of bulk since high school. Flexible body control to effortlessly turn and adjust to the ball with a defender on his back. Strong-strider and accelerates well in his routes to trample corners. Large catch radius, using his length to pluck above his head or extend for diving grabs."
Brugler also noted Williams "lacks elite long-speed or the separation quickness to easily create spacing at the top of routes. Needs to sharpen his footwork in/out of his breaks to better hide his patterns -- NFL corners will pick up on his route tells. Will have the occasional focus drop through his hands."
4. Curtis Samuel
Ohio State, Junior, 5-foot-11, 196 pounds
Combine numbers
40-yard dash:* *4.31 seconds
Bench press: 18 reps of 225 pounds
Vertical jump: 37 inches
Broad jump: 9 feet, 9 inches
3-cone drill: 7.09 seconds
20-yard shuttle: 4.33 seconds
2016 stats: caught 74 passes for 865 yards (11.7 yards per catch average) and seven touchdowns; added 97 rushes for 771 yards and eight touchdowns
Hot take: According to Dane Brugler of CBS Sports, Samuel is a "fluid athlete with balanced start/stop quickness. Lower body explosiveness to maneuver in tight spaces. Shifts gears well in the open field with the finishing speed to out-run defenders. Deceiving body strength to fight off tackle attempts and keep his feet."
Brugler also noted Samuel has "tweener size and skill-set with limited growth potential. Needs to add patience to his run diet. Limited lower-the-shoulder power between the tackles. Route tempo requires refinement to set up cornerbacks based on his coverage reads."**
5. Chris Godwin
Penn State, Junior, 6-foot-1, 209 pounds
Combine numbers
40-yard dash:* *4.42 seconds
Bench press: 19 reps of 225 pounds
Vertical jump: 36 inches
Broad jump: 10 feet, 5 inches
3-cone drill: 7.01 seconds
20-yard shuttle: 4.00 seconds
60-yard shuttle: 11.21 seconds
2016 stats: caught 59 passes for 982 yards (16.6 yards per catch average) and 11 touchdowns
Hot take: According to ESPN.com, Godwin "Displays some tightness with underneath routes but Godwin is a tough and physical receiver with above-average size and excellent ball skills. Coaches speak highly of his humbleness, work ethic and overall football character. Helped stock by testing much better than anticipated at the combine. Projects as a top 100 pick."
6. ArDarius Stewart
Alabama, Redshirt junior, 5-foot-11, 204 pounds
Combine numbers
40-yard dash:* *4.49 seconds
Vertical jump: 34 inches
Broad jump: 10 feet, 3 inches
2016 stats: caught 54 passes for 864 yards (16.0 yards per catch average) and eight touchdowns
Hot take: According to ESPN.com, Stewart is a "natural pass catcher. Soft hands, excellent focus and transitions smoothly when plucking on the run. Very good body control. Flashes ability to go up and high-point in jump ball situations, but not elite in this area."**
7. Cooper Kupp
Eastern Washington, Redshirt senior, 6-foot-2, 204 pounds
Combine numbers
40-yard dash:* *4.62 seconds
Bench press: 18 reps of 225 pounds
Vertical jump: 31 inches
Broad jump: 9 feet, 8 inches
3-cone drill: 6.75 seconds
20-yard shuttle: 4.08 seconds
2016 stats: caught 117 passes for 1,700 yards (19.0 yards per catch average) and 17 touchdowns; added 14 carries for 33 yards and a touchdown
Hot take: According to Dane Brugler of CBS Sports, Kupp has "adequate height and length for the position. Gliding straight-line athlete. Crafty route runner, setting up defenders and using hesitation to create spacing. Clearly leans on his technique and trusts it. Sticky hands with the natural coordination to pluck the ball. Excellent awareness at the catch point and doesn't need to gear down to assess his surroundings after the catch."
Brugler also noted Kupp has "marginal long-speed and lacks explosive twitch in his patterns. Relies more on timing/nuance than burst to create separation mid-route. Won't consistently make NFL defenders miss in space. Unthreatening body type and build for the position."
8. Zay Jones
East Carolina, Senior, 6-foot-2, 201 pounds
Combine numbers
40-yard dash:* *4.45 seconds
Bench press: 15 reps of 225 pounds
Vertical jump: 36.5 inches
Broad jump: 11 feet, 1 inch
3-cone drill: 6.79 seconds
20-yard shuttle: 4.01 seconds
60-yard shuttle: 11.17 seconds
2016 stats: caught 158 passes for 1,746 yards (11.1 yards per catch average) and eight touchdowns
Hot take: According to Dane Brugler of CBS Sports, Jones is a "sound route runner -- doesn't have elite start/stop quickness, but works hard to sell and square off patterns. Evades at the line of scrimmage and accurately reads coverages to find open space. Always working to get open with a high football IQ."
Brugler also noted Jones has "average athletic and physical traits with ordinary build and strength for the position. Adequate speed, but lacks separation quickness to blow past NFL cornerbacks in man coverage and wasn't a consistent deep threat in college."
9. Chad Hansen
California, Redshirt junior, 6-foot-2, 202 pounds
Combine numbers
40-yard dash:* *4.53 seconds
Bench press: 11 reps of 225 pounds
Vertical jump: 35 inches
Broad jump: 9 feet, 11 inches
3-cone drill: 6.74 seconds
20-yard shuttle: 4.13 seconds
2016 stats: caught 92 passes for 1,249 yards (13.6 yards per catch average) and 11 touchdowns
Hot take: According to Lance Zierlein of NFL.com, Hansen "maneuvers around route redirection in space and keeps his route on time. Works back to the throw. Has some talent after catch on wide receiver screens. Drive off the line and into his routes is consistent no matter which level he is going to work. Good awareness near sidelines."
Zierlein also noted Hansen is "upright off the snap and into his routes. Is eventual into breaks and allows cornerback time to gear down and transition back to the ball. Can be jammed up by strong press corners. Doesn't create enough consistent separation with his intermediate routes."
10. Carlos Henderson
Louisiana Tech, Redshirt junior, 5-foot-11, 199 pounds
Combine numbers
40-yard dash: 4.46
Bench press: 13 reps of 225 pounds
Vertical jump: 36 inches
Broad jump: 10 feet, 11 inches
3-cone drill: 7.18 seconds
20-yard shuttle: 4.35 seconds
60-yard shuttle: 11.79 seconds
2016 stats: caught 82 passes for 1,535 yards (18.7 yards per catch average) and 19 touchdowns; added 14 carries for 133 yards and two touchdowns
Hot take: According to Lance Zierlein of NFL.com, Henderson "drops hips into breaks for sharp stop-and-open. Maintains play speed through directional route changes. Can elevate catch focus when he knows safety is coming to deliver a blow. Flashes get-away gear used to climb over top of cornerbacks on vertical routes."
Zierlein also noted Henderson is a "short strider. Competition across from him was below average. Rarely challenged by competitive press. Play speed is inconsistent. Has quality top gear but doesn't always use it in his routes."
