In a year where the top-end talent at wide receiver isn’t as high as it has been in the past, day two is going to prove itself to be vital for the position in this class. Whether one of the projected first-rounders falls to Friday, a workout specimen rises into Round 3 conversations, or someone is being so slept on that it is actually surprising. Khalil Shakir checks off the third box in that debate. I truly believe when we look back at this draft in 5-10 years, people will be talking about Shakir and that he should’ve been a first-round pick. He has the traits that are very desirable for a receiver in this day’s NFL, which makes it that much more puzzling why he isn’t getting as much love as other players. The product of Boise State is projected to go sometime during the second day, but I would love to see him go off the board as early as possible in round two.

To take you through my mindset when it comes to this take, I want you to understand what my brain goes through when I am evaluating a receiver. I have two initial steps I take that help me find out if I think I am going to like the player or not. Although many other traits go into a player, these are my “big two.”

Step One: Hands

I would say it is pretty important for a wide receiver to, well, receive. If a player has inconsistent hands, it gives me a bad feeling about the player as that is their job at the end of the day. It isn’t just the ability to catch the ball, but other factors like catch radius and ability to make contested catches. Of course, other factors go into contested catches like balance and vertical, but you still need to battle with the defensive back at the point of attack to win the ball at the point where you have the biggest advantage. While making those spectacular Odell-like one-handed catches are really impressive and useful in some situations, I’m not going to dislike a player because he uses both hands. In fact, I like players more that do whatever they can to try to get a second hand on the ball rather than going for the highlight play that has a lower success rate. 

Step Two: Separation

If I were a quarterback, I would want my receivers to be able to create some separation from their matchup to make my job a lot easier. Whether you create separation at the line of scrimmage with your release, or you are a clinical route runner, separation is a massive trait to take into consideration when evaluating talent. 

Shakir’s Hands

Catching is not a problem at all for Khalil. Whether he is in the back of the end zone getting his feet down or wide open and not having a concentration drop, Shakir shouldn’t have problems with his hands at the next level.

Shakir’s Separation

If there is a way to separate, Khalil will do it. He has a silky smooth release and is one of the better route runners in this class. He can separate downfield as well, making him an all-around threat.

Shakir’s RAC Ability

My favorite trait about him. My analogy for his ability after the catch is “it is harder to tackle Khalil Shakir in the open field than it is to catch a bar of soap in the shower.” He is extremely elusive and gives defenses nightmares about trying to stop him.

Shakir’s Athleticism

He isn’t going to just burn you down the field like a Jameson Williams-type of player, but that doesn’t mean he’s slow. He has enough athleticism for it not to be a downside, but not enough where it is one of the key reasons you draft him. 

Shakir’s Contested Catching

For only being 6-foot, Shakir is amazing at “Mossing” corners and winning the jump balls. Whether winning them in the end zone, on the sideline, or a 50-yard jump ball down the middle, Shakir deserves more respect from defensive backs when it comes to jump balls.

Does it sound like I am trying to make people think Khalil Shakir is a first-round talent? Because if so, that means I am doing my job. Shakir needs to find himself in a situation like Green Bay where he has an elite quarterback and can be one of the top guys to earn his respect. I could also see him in Atlanta since the Falcons don’t have a good receiver on their roster since the Calvin Ridley suspension. If Green Bay was to take him in the second round, it would be a slight déjà vu sensation with the Packers drafting a Mountain West wide receiver in the second round…