Wide Receiver

Miami

6-2 209

Draft board overall prospect rank: #28

Draft board overall wide receiver rank: #4

Overall rating: 82 (early 2^nd)

40 time: 4.45

3/28/11: Time travel with me for a bit. The year is 2008 and Kenny Phillips has just been taken 32^nd overall by the New York Giants, the 14^th straight year a Miami Hurricane went in the first round. In the two drafts since then, no Hurricanes have been drafted in the first round. Leonard Hankerson could be the one who puts a stop to this madness.

Despite quarterback Jacory Harris struggling mightily throughout the season, Hankerson still dominated for the Hurricanes this year. Hankerson caught 72 passes (30% of his team’s total) for 1156 yards (37% of his team’s total) and 13 touchdowns (62% of his team’s total). This was against good competition and he’s no one year wonder, leading the way with 45 catches for 801 yards in 2009 as a junior.

He was the star of the Senior Bowl and should have been MVP as he carried MVP Christian Ponder all game. Hankerson ran crisp routes and found the ball on under throws. He proved to be faster than expected at The Combine with a 4.45 at 6-2 209. He doesn’t appear to be that fast on tape, but he has adequate speed and good moves in the open field.

His main issue is drops. He has gigantic hands, but he drops too many balls. A lot of teams will have him significantly lower on their boards for this reason, while some will be intrigued enough by his physical prowess and production to give him a look in the first round. For me, the benefits outweigh his drops and I have a borderline first round grade on him. He’s so physical and productive and he is a very crisp route runner. He finds the ball well and is tough to bring down in the open field. He’s also a red zone target.

NFL Comparison: Pierre Garcon