Kiper's Climber | Darnerian McCants, WR, Delaware State

While the wide receiver spot is the strongest and deepest position in the draft this year, highlighted by the major-college stars, there are still a few small-college dynamos who have been gaining momentum over the last two months.

At or near the top of this list is the athletically gifted McCants, a 6-foot-3, 209-pounder with 4.48 speed and excellent leaping ability. At Delaware State, he also starred as a high jumper on the track team.

The transition from Division I-AA to the NFL may not be easy at first, but the physically gifted McCants possesses intriguing pro potential.

After he redshirted with the Hornets in 1996, McCants was expected to really thrive in Delaware State's pro-style attack. While he enjoyed several outstanding performances, his productivity was limited since the Hornets distributed the ball to four or five different options in the passing game. After hauling in 20 receptions in '97 and 18 the following year, his receiving total dropped to nine catches as a fourth-year junior in '99.

Ironically, when the Hornets shifted to more of a wing-T offense last season, his numbers actually improved. He hauled in a career-high 36 receptions for a 19.2-yard average and 18 TDs. The Hornets would isolate McCants on the smaller cover men, taking advantage of the matchup edge when the Hornets moved into the red zone.

As a wideout, he needs to become a bit more polished in terms of route-running, and the transition from Division I-AA to the NFL may not be easy at first. But the physically gifted McCants definitely possesses intriguing pro potential. He's big, runs well, shows explosion out of his cuts, will catch in traffic and proved to be a real TD-maker last season.

The Hornets certainly haven't produced a wide receiver who has garnered this much attention since John Taylor in 1986. That year, Taylor ended up becoming a third-round super steal for the 49ers.