NFL Draft: Ranking the 5 most overrated prospects for 2018

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DALLAS, TX – NOVEMBER 26: Tyris Wooten #17 of the Navy Midshipmen breaks up a pass intended for Courtland Sutton #16 of the Southern Methodist Mustangs at Gerald J. Ford Stadium on November 26, 2016 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

CBS Sports ranked SMU wide receiver Courtland Sutton the No. 5 overall prospect in this year’s NFL Draft.

Too high. Way too high.

A Round 1 prospect, maybe. Going somewhere in the first half of the round, a bit of a reach. Top five? No.

Sure, teams will be attracted to his massive 6-foot-4, 215-pound frame. That alone makes him a viable red-zone weapon, which are always in need come draft day. He has good hands and the necessary physicality to be a solid possession receiver.

But that moniker can be a bit deceiving. B/R’s Matt Miller explained more:

"The phrase “possession receiver” has negative connotations for some, but that’s what Sutton is. Whether he trains exhaustively and runs a 4.5-second 40-yard dash at the combine or not, it doesn’t change that fast cornerbacks can make his life miserable."

Speaking of speed, Sutton ran a 4.54 40-yard time at the NFL Scouting Combine — not bad for a player of his size, but it’s not exactly elite breakaway speed either. And that’s what counts at the pro level.

What also counts is separation, and this appeared to be a bit of a problem from the tape against TCU:

Receivers can get away with this in the college ranks, but no so much at the NFL level against top corners capable of matching both physicality and speed.

Unless he polishes up his route-running abilities and starts to separate consistently, Sutton will be an OK receiver at best.

And that constitutes being overrated.