WIDE RECEIVERS
By far the best position group of this class, there may be seven receivers grabbed in the first round alone. Outside of this top ten, there are at least eight more prospects who I believe can be starters in the NFL one day.
1. Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State University
Ohio State Athletics
+ Best when the ball is in the air — poise, control, dominance at catch point are surefire traits of an elite receiver.
+ Excellent off the line of scrimmage, with hands, feet and eyes all operating in conjunction to dispel press coverage.
+ Sizable frame at 6-4, 205.
+ Never runs a lazy route, and although he isn’t the best separator, catch point skills leave defensive backs distracted.
+ Can pick through a zone and find the soft spots.
- Has upper body flimsiness, can become unbalanced rather easily.
- Not a willing blocker by any means.
2. Rome Odunze, Washington University
Steph Chambers, Getty Images
+ Rare combination of size, speed, and burst that makes him a coveted prospect.
+ Elite off the LOS, using dynamic footwork to rip through press coverage.
+ Good acceleration and movement skills, can break down and rotate hips quickly.
+ Stiff hands that hold onto the ball at the catch point: a 50/50 ball is really an 80/20 ball.
+ Good YAC receiver, with notable production after the catch and ability to create in the open field.
- No slot experience — while this isn’t a bad thing, you need to be dynamic in the NFL.
- Does demonstrate occasional dropping issues on shorter passes, most likely a mental gap.
3. Malik Nabers, Louisiana State University
John Korduner/Icon Sportswire, Getty Images
+ Lightning in a bottle, a true explosive receiver with some of the best YAC ability I’ve ever seen.
+ Top end speed and acceleration, burst coming out of breaks and fluid hips.
+ Cuts through coverage with shaky, slippery footwork and above average hand fighting.
+ Good balance, good movement ability, good route running.
+ Versatile; can play any position in the WR core.
- Against Texas A&M, Nabers dropped a handful of passes that raise questions about his ability to take a hit.
- Tends to run his own style of routes, a little confusing while watching tape.
4. AD Mitchell, University of Texas
Sara Diggins, USA TODAY NETWORK
+ Another elite catch point receiver. Wins nearly all 50/50 balls and is a great late-game or clutch-catch receiver (6-3, 196).
+ Great balance and body control allow him to utilize a variety of releases.
+ Can adjust to a bad pass, and will track balls without slowing down.
+ Stiff, gluey hands that he prefers catching with rather than his body.
- Doesn’t express good body language (hands, eyes, head, etc) off the line.
- Isn’t great after the catch and struggles to break tackles.
- Needs to display more energy on the field
5. Brian Thomas Jr., Louisiana State University
Jonathan Bachman, Getty Images
+ Runs like a deer despite 6-4, 205 pound frame.
+ Initiates contact off the line of scrimmage and presses into defenders with vigor.
+ Excellent feet and even better fake-outs, is a danger after the catch.
+ A former basketball star, Thomas uses his vertical and arm length to win at the catch point.
+ Crisp off the snap and out of breaks; good accelerator.
- Drops passes a little to frequently to warrant a top-twenty selection.
- Played with Malik Nabers, who drew most of the double teams.
- Only played as an outside receiver at LSU.
6. Xavier Worthy, University of Texas
University of Texas Athletics
+ Tremendous wiggle; will always make the first man miss — slippery and cagey.
+ Has been WR1 for three years as a Longhorn, dealing with double teams and press coverage since 2021.
+ Set the combine record for the forty yard dash with a 4.21.
+ Separator, but not solely because of his speed, fools cornerbacks by mocking their speed, and then floors it down the field.
+ Probably the best YAC receiver not named Malik Nabers in this class.
- Size. Size is the biggest worry for Worthy as his 6-0, 172 pound frame leaves a lot of room for concern.
- Drop rate has increased every year at Texas.
- Is not a jump ball receiver and struggles boxing out cornerbacks.
- Struggles finding the ball over his shoulder sometimes.
7. Ladd McConkey, University of Georgia
Tony Walsh
+ The best route runner in this class.
+ Is fluid in every aspect of play and glides out of his breaks with excellent acceleration.
+ Can sell fakes very well using eyes and head movements to jar defenders.
+ Conquered very good corners during his time as a Dawg (Forbes, Abrams-Draine, Alabama duo).
+ Is good after the catch or with the ball in his hands.
- Has dealt with a plethora of injuries during his time at Georgia.
- Tends to favor body-catching when in tight quarters with defenders.
- Not the fastest receiver all around despite good initial burst.
8. Keon Coleman, Florida State University
ESPN Photos
+ Solid, thick frame for such a young body (6-3, 210).
+ Big body with big body control, can make diving, jumping or toe-tap catches with ease.
+ Goliath catch radius allows him to engulf the ball when thrown at him.
+ Has jets that can stun defenders.
+ Elite acceleration.
- Stiff separator who struggles to shake sticky defensive backs. Not a great route runner overall.
- Fits the mold of other height/weight build receivers that have failed in the NFL.
- Too reliant on pure athleticism and not on hands, footwork, or technique.
9. Troy Franklin, Oregon University
247 Sports
+ At 6-2, 187, Franklin displays frighteningly quick speed and burst.
+ Is excellent off the LOS and has defenders behind him almost instantly.
+ Has good bend and overall agility, making him able to adjust off the ball easily.
+ A threat after the catch.
- Drops passes way too consistently.
- Needs to put on weight if he wants to succeed on the outside in the NFL.
10. Malachi Corley, Western Kentucky University
Yahoo! Sports
+ Is a brute that plays more like a runningback than a wide receiver when the ball is in his hands.
+ Big, thick frame that crushes defenders in space with pure power (5-11, 210).
+ Creates room instantly with quick feet.
+ Has the chance to be a returner at the next level.
+ Good overall agility when in YAC mode.
- Not the best route runner and can struggle to separate.
- Lacks elite hand-eye coordination.
- Can get tripped up over his own legs sometimes.