INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – Many questioned why Rashaun Woods would even consider working out at the NFL scouting combine.

The Oklahoma State receiver was considered a certain first round draft pick after a dominating college career. Most athletes in his position choose to hold an individual workout on their college campus, but Woods was eager to showcase his ability.

“I know what I can do,” Woods said.

He sure does. Woods wowed scouts with his superb hands and route-running and a blazing 40-yard dash time. Many believe he improved his draft status more than any other player at the combine.

“We expected him to run in the 4.6-second range and he came out and ran 4.38s,” Miami Dolphins general manager Rick Spielman said. “He helped himself tremendously.”

Woods’ performance further solidified the notion that receiver is one of the top positions in this year’s NFL draft.

At least five receivers are projected to go in the first round, with Pittsburgh’s Larry Fitzgerald and Texas’ Roy Williams leading the way. They are all big, fast, physical players who represent how the position has evolved over the last decade.

Gone are the days when NFL wide receivers were either big, slow possession guys or small, speedy gamebreakers.

Now executives and coaches want size AND speed, and there’s plenty of both in this year’s crop of rookies.

“That’s because of Randy Moss and Terrell Owens,” Williams said.

Moss and Owens helped redefine the position by displaying the size to go over the middle and the speed to stretch the field.

Fitzgerald, who finished second in Heisman Trophy voting, and Williams both figure to be picked in the top 10.

Woods’ strong workout may have pushed him ahead of LSU’s Michael Clayton and Washington’s Reggie Williams on many draft boards, but all three figure to be gone in the first round.

“The depth is pretty significant,” St. Louis coach Mike Martz said. “I think there’s more big receivers than I’ve ever seen in the draft, and I think college football is more complex. I think these guys are more prepared, they look better and they’re more polished.”

Fitzgerald is widely considered to be the best. The former Minnesota Vikings’ ball boy holds an NCAA record with touchdown catches in 18 straight games.

At 6-foot-3, 225 pounds, he is the prototypical new-age receiver, a superior athlete.

“Once the ball goes in the air, everything just slows down,” Fitzgerald said. “I can’t hear the crowd or anything. Then once I catch the ball, everything speeds back up.”

The dearth of talent won’t end with the first round. Players like North Carolina State’s Jerricho Cotchery, LSU’s Devery Henderson and Wisconsin’s Lee Evans will make it easy for teams to find good prospects in the middle rounds.

“It looks like a good class,” said James Harris, Jacksonville’s vice president of player personnel. “There’s a lot of size and a lot of guys who have been productive. There are several big playmakers in this group.”

This crop could get even better if USC’s Mike Williams decides to enter the draft. Williams is only a sophomore, but thanks to Maurice Clarett’s legal victory that effectively struck down any minimum-age requirement, he can declare. He has yet to announce his decision, which must come by March 1.

“That’ll just make this draft even more interesting,” Roy Williams said.

AP-ES-02-24-04 1523EST