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- Jimmy Horn Jr. – Colorado
Horn is a natural slot receiver with speed and advanced route running prowess. His combination of head fakes, change of direction ability, stop-start skills and ability to find soft spots in zone gives him a chance to find the field in the NFL. Horn is a great deep ball tracker and offers some returner value as well. His small frame often leads to getting jammed up at the line of scrimmage. He has a limited catch radius and also was crippled with untimely drops. At Colorado he was often a decoy due to Travis Hunter, so being a feature wide receiver has not been his calling card unlike many others in this class. He could be a decent fifth or sixth receiver on the depth chart for a pass-heavy team.
Player Comparisons: Jacob Cowing / Jalen Moreno-Cropper
Projection: 7th Round – UDFA
Best Fits: Raiders, Panthers, Chiefs (Wild Card – Dolphins)
- Ja’Corey Brooks – Louisville
Brooks is a true outside receiver with a nice frame and solid catch radius. In college, he was always a big game performer. Despite being a raw prospect, his ceiling is actually pretty high as a versatile athlete. Brooks displays strong hands and impressive concentration. Despite playing well in big games, he was inconsistent throughout his college career. His injury history is a little concerning and he might not be fully NFL ready.
Player Comparisons: Jonathan Mingo / Khadarel Hodge
Projection: 6th Round – UDFA
Best Fits: Ravens, Giants, Falcons (Wild Card – Cardinals)
- Ricky White III – UNLV
White is another true outside receiver with vertical threat skills, true route technician ability and a solid catch radius. His build-up speed is eye-opening, resulting in lots of yards after the catch. White does offer a bit of slot potential with the right team and can also fit in on special teams. White’s body control is another impressive feature in his game. He does have a lean, more undersized frame and lacks true strength for an outside receiver. Sometimes he appears stiff out of his breaks and needs to make sure to secure the football through contact. His release package is still developing as well.
Player Comparisons: Jamari Thrash / Jalen McMillan
Projection: 4th – 6th Round
Best Fits: Bears, Lions, Titans (Wild Card – Jets)
- Kyren Lacy – LSU
Lacy is one of the toughest prospects to evaluate in this class. He has a lot of talent but is a risk for off-the-field issues. Lacy can play inside or outside, displays advanced footwork and is a smooth runner. He is a natural talent with polished skills, plucky hands and the ability to destroy secondaries at the intermediate level. Not only is Lacy a threat for yards after the catch, but he is also a red zone threat. His speed is just average compared to other receivers. Lacy also lacks the desired blocking ability and consistency that would be ideal for the NFL. Sometimes he telegraphs his routes too much as well, when he should be a bit craftier. Despite being a solid receiver, Lacy likely isn’t quite up to par with some of the incredible Tigers’ receivers in recent memory.
Player Comparisons: Henry Ruggs / Adonai Mitchell
Projection: 4th – 7th Round
Best Fits: Bills, Seahawks, Packers (Wild Card – Buccaneers)
- Theo Wease Jr. – Missouri
Wease is an outside receiver with good size and speed, strong hands and the ability to stretch the defense. He is a fairly polished route runner with a versatile route tree at his disposal. Wease is no stranger to big games and typically produced in those as well. His IQ should help him transition to the league as long as he cleans up some other key components in his game. His blocking skills will need to improve, while he needs to become a more consistent and well-rounded receiver.
Player Comparisons: Luke McCaffrey / Ricky Pearsall
Projection: 4th – 6th Round
Best Fits: Chiefs, Broncos, Raiders (Wild Card – Saints)
- Pat Bryant – Illinois
Bryant is another outside receiver with an excellent catch radius. He knows how to manipulate leverage, exploit defenses with his routes to the boundary and win most contested passes thrown his way. Bryant shows off smooth, long, powerful strides and is always hard to deal with in the red zone. He does lack speed and his release package is fairly limited. For a big receiver, he is actually pretty lean and he could benefit from getting stronger. In order to find some success in the NFL, he will need to learn how to not telegraph his route patterns.
Player Comparisons: Zay Jones / Cornelius Johnson
Projection: 5th – 7th Round
Best Fits: Giants, Lions, Texans (Wild Card – Ravens)
- Kobe Hudson – UCF
Hudson is a diverse route runner with a savvy quality for an outside receiver. He knows how to adjust to the ball in the air and his hands are typically reliable. Hudson’s short-area quickness and elusiveness will interest some teams, while he also shows some toughness making catches over the middle in traffic. He does not have elite speed and his catch radius is pretty average. It would help if he can improve his play strength and blocking skills prior to his rookie season. He did have struggles creating separation versus elite man coverage corners in college as well.
Player Comparisons: Javon Baker / Dontayvion Wicks
Projection: 5th – 6th Round
Best Fits: Jaguars, Jets, Panthers (Wild Card – Buccaneers)
- Antwane Wells Jr. – Ole Miss
Wells has the versatility to align outside or in the slot. He likes contact as a physical receiver and that shows when picking up yards after the catch. His soft hands and strong route running ability leads to catches at important times. His motor runs hot and his body control is always evident. Wells lacks elite measurable such as speed, size and length and tends to struggle with quick acceleration. He is inconsistent on contested catches and his playing speed may not perfectly translate for every team.
Player Comparisons: Rakim Jarrett / Dyami Brown
Projection: 5th – 6th Round
Best Fits: Patriots, Colts, Titans (Wild Card – Eagles)
- Elic Ayomanor – Stanford
Ayomanor is a true outside receiver with decent speed at his top gear. His strong hands are ideal when he highpoints the football. He also shows some catch and run ability, which is an added bonus for an already precise route runner. Not only is Ayomanor physical but his ball-tracking skills make him a vertical threat. He does not have the sharpest cuts underneath and tends to lack the desired separation of a really good wide receiver. Ayomanor’s technique will need to be cleaned up in the NFL and he will need to find a way to not be so quiet versus top-tier competition every week.
Player Comparisons: Brenden Rice / Erik Ezukanma
Projection: 4th – 5th Round
Best Fits: Falcons, Cowboys, Rams (Wild Card – Raiders)
- Traeshon Holden – Oregon
Holden is a long striding outside receiver with true NFL size and great body control. His hands are impressive and his red zone skills will always concern a defense. Holden’s IQ shows when running intermediate routes and he always managed to play well in big games. Holden is also a willing blocker which helps elevate his draft stock. He doesn’t have elite speed and won’t get a ton of yards after the catch. Due to other good players around him, he never put up crazy production numbers in college.
Player Comparison: Cedric Wilson / Marquez Valdes-Scantling
Projection: 6th – 7th Round
Best Fits: Browns, Packers, Seahawks (Wild Card – Chiefs)
- Jack Bech – TCU
Bech is a unique receiver in this class. He has this tweener like style between a wide receiver and tight end. He is a natural at boxing out defenders, regularly wins in traffic and happens to be a productive blocker. Bech knows where the soft spots in the defense are and then regularly moves the chains. His ball skills will make him a nice addition to an NFL wide receiver room. Bech has average to below average speed, lacks acceleration and has limited experience versus press man coverage. This all results in him offering no vertical threat. He might not be a complete wide receiver, but utilized correctly, he will provide value.
Player Comparisons: David Moore / Robert Woods
Projection: 3rd – 4th Round
Best Fits: 49ers, Buccaneers, Chargers (Wild Card – Steelers)
- Kaden Prather – Maryland
Prather is a big outside wide receiver who often poses a mismatch for smaller defensive backs. He is great at high pointing the football and displays excellent body control. Prather is a true vertical threat with the ability to gain yards after the catch. He has soft hands, appears to be a willing blocker and plays with high IQ and polished route running. He doesn’t have elite speed and is not dominant on shorter routes. Prather needs to work on beating jams and doing so consistently.
Player Comparisons: Andrei Iosivas / Allen Robinson
Projection: 4th – 5th Round
Best Fits: Ravens, Titans, Patriots (Wild Card – Eagles)
- Savion Williams – TCU
Williams is a large outside receiver with good speed, vertical threat ability and good body control in the air. He is super athletic and likes to pick up yards after the catch due to his excellent running ability. Williams boasts reliable hands and is a solid blocker. His quarterback background makes him a threat to also throw the football. Williams does have a limited route tree, needs to develop his technique and has not yet ever shown elite production. He is a bit of a wild card but compares to several other big-name receivers.
Player Comparisons: Nico Collins / Quentin Johnston
Projection: 4th – 6th Round
Best Fits: Chiefs, Rams, Lions (Wild Card – Bills)
- Dont’e Thornton Jr. – Tennessee
Thornton has the height and long speed to scare any secondary. His catch radius is impressive, while his body control is also another key trait. He is a natural home run hitter with smooth acceleration and deceptive speed. Thornton is also a mismatch in the red zone. His production in college was inconsistent and he is a raw prospect. For being a big receiver, he lacks physicality and strength. Thornton’s hands have been inconsistent and he also has very limited exposure versus press man coverage. Thornton grades out as a project with a high ceiling for a team that needs a vertical threat.
Player Comparisons: Brian Thomas Jr. / Josh Reynolds
Projection: 5th – 7th Round
Best Fits: Browns, Texans, Broncos (Wild Card – 49ers)
- Jayden Higgins – Iowa State
Higgins is a true outside X receiver. He is big, long and has an incredible catch radius. He can create separation as a route runner, but he doesn’t need to in order to make plays. With his strong hands and 50/50 win ratio, Higgins makes plays even on bad passes. His spatial awareness is solid, especially in the red zone, where he is a regular target. Higgins lacks speed, has leverage issues as a blocker and lacks a solid release package. He also could use some development of counters versus press man coverage.
Player Comparisons: Keon Coleman / Xavier Hutchinson
Projection: 2nd – 3rd Round
Best Fits: Jaguars, Bills, Raiders (Wild Card – Falcons)
- Jaylin Noel – Iowa State
Higgins is often considered the better of the two Iowa State receivers, but Noel gets the nod here. He is a true slot with excellent short-area quickness, sharp cuts and crisp routes. His head fakes and body movement often manipulates defenders and creates space. Noel regularly catches contested passes with his soft hands. He is a smooth runner with the football in his hands, creating yards after the catch and adding to his punt return value. Noel could easily be viewed as a chess piece in an offense due to his IQ and durability. He won’t get much work on the boundary and only possesses average long speed. Physical corners can also tend to jam him up at the line of scrimmage. Finally, he won’t be able to regularly anchor as a run blocker.
Player Comparisons: Jayden Reed / Charlie Jones
Projection: 3rd – 5th Round
Best Fits: Bears, Cardinals, Commanders (Wild Card – Panthers)
- Xavier Restrepo – Miami FL
Restrepo is a true possession slot receiver with good hands, intelligence as a route runner and excellent vision. He is pretty quick off the line of scrimmage and his body control combined with creativeness as a route runner regularly creates separation. He is a reliable player who always puts in effort. Restrepo lacks length and size and his athletic traits are strictly average at best. Sometimes he lets the ball get to his body instead of catching with his hands. Restrepo is not a dominant run blocker and as the game goes on, he may create less separation.
Player Comparisons: Parker Washington / Olamide Zaccheaus
Projection: 3rd – 4th Round
Best Fits: Bears, Rams, 49ers (Wild Card – Falcons)
- Kyle Williams – Washington State
Williams shined at the Senior Bowl and proved why he can be effective outside or in the slot. He is a quick twitch, nasty route runner with natural deep ball threat ability. His burst is pretty surprising and Williams is also a smooth accelerator. He is always a threat for yards after the catch after finding a soft spot in zone coverage. Williams regularly creates windows over the middle and is a rising star. He does have a lean frame, lacks strength and his blocking effort has been pretty low in the past. If he can limit the body catches, he should be pretty reliable.
Player Comparisons: Tez Johnson / Jordan Addison
Projection: 3rd – 4th Round
Best Fits: Lions, Jets, Seahawks (Wild Card – Eagles)
- Isaiah Bond – Texas
Bond is a little slot receiver with twitchy movements and burner speed. He is actually fairly patient when navigating with the ball in his hands. Bond is a savvy route runner and his sudden movements lead to big yards after the catch. He is a big playmaker on jet sweeps and reverses. Bond is a tough receiver with soft, plucky hands. His durability and lack of strength may be a question. He also doesn’t offer any length, avoids contact over the middle and suffers from occasional drops.
Player Comparisons: Xavier Worthy / Marvin Mims
Projection: Late 1st – Early 3rd Round
Best Fits: Cowboys, Bears, Dolphins (Wild Card – Commanders)
- Jalen Royals – Utah State
Royals is an outside receiver with track speed and major yards after catch ability. He is a natural hands catcher with elite vertical production and sudden acceleration. His body control, skill while working over the middle of the field and mental processing skills are excellent. Royals lacks experience versus elite competition and has been inconsistent versus physical corners. His route tree is underdeveloped at the moment and his run blocking needs work. If he can get over some lapses in concentration, then he should make plays early in his career.
Player Comparisons: Brandon Aiyuk / Jalen Tolbert
Projection: 3rd – 4th Round
Best Fits: Patriots, Packers, Saints (Wild Card – Panthers)
- Tai Felton – Maryland
Felton is an outside receiver with good height but a thin frame. He is a route running technician with shake, body control and shiftiness. Felton’s release package is pretty savvy and he is a yards after catch threat. He is fairly tough in the air, has a high ceiling and plays best in big games. Felton lacks burner speed and needs to bulk up as a late bloomer. There will be a learning curve for him in the NFL, where he needs to polish his run blocking ability as well. Felton could make some noise in his rookie season.
Player Comparisons: Puka Nacua / Trey Palmer
Projection: Late 2nd – 4th Round
Best Fits: Buccaneers, Browns, Colts (Wild Card – Giants)
- Matthew Golden – Texas
Golden is an outside receiver with slot receiver size. He has elite speed, which gets him down the field in a hurry on vertical routes. He has an understanding for route tempo and is a hands catcher. Golden is explosive after the catch and his return ability is also dynamic. He does well at selling his routes hard and for his size is actually competitive at the catch point. He regularly creates separation which is crucial for success in the NFL. He could afford to add more bulk to his frame and needs to focus on his concentration during catches. More blocking effort would be nice and his press release could also improvement. Golden’s injury history is the major red flag for him, when there aren’t too many other issues.
Player Comparisons: Diontae Johnson / Chris Olave
Projection: Mid 1st – Early 2nd Round
Best Fits: Dolphins, Titans, Falcons (Wild Card – Cardinals)
- Tory Horton – Colorado State
Horton’s stock dropped after an injury-plagued final college season. However, he is now the most wrongly underrated wide receiver in this class. He is a natural outside receiver with great hand-eye coordination, strong ball tracking skills and good speed. Horton knows how to create vertical separation with the use of double moves and stutters. He is shifty with long strides making him a versatile receiver. Horton’s hands are some of the most reliable in this class and his body control is exceptional. He has a lean build and his blocking effort isn’t quite where run-heavy teams would like it to be. If he can stay healthy and his route tree grows a bit more, Horton could stun the NFL.
Player Comparisons: Jerry Jeudy / George Pickens
Projection: 4th – 6th Round
Best Fits: Browns, Raiders, Seahawks (Wild Card – Cowboys)
- Tez Johnson – Oregon
Johnson has been knocked lately for his lack of elite speed and very small frame. However, the speedy slot receiver is an excellent vertical field stretcher and constantly made plays at Oregon. Johnson is shifty, quick and his acceleration is not a concern. His catch and run ability as a wide receiver and returner turns into big plays all the time. He is a precise route runner with elite body control, natural instincts and solid hands. His tiny frame leads to durability concerns and he will have some issues with press man coverage. Johnson doesn’t like to work in traffic and he has had drops coming back towards the line of scrimmage when he hears footsteps. Being a small receiver doesn’t mean that he can’t excel in the NFL.
Player Comparisons: Tank Dell / Zay Flowers
Projection: 4th – 6th Round
Best Fits: Rams, Saints, Chargers (Wild Card – Broncos)
- Tre Harris – Ole Miss
Harris is an outside X receiver with good length and a strong frame. He is a hands catcher who knows how to high point the football and use his body control in the air. Harris is an elite ball tracker with savviness while working inside. His field awareness is impressive and his biggest moments seem to come in the biggest games. Harris is a physical player with run blocking ability as well. His initial acceleration is slower than desired and he tends to round his cuts instead of making sharp turns. His route tree is also limited and his contact balance is just average. When Harris builds up to top gear, he can get moving and makes plays happen.
Player Comparisons: Rashee Rice / Drake London
Projection: Late 1st – 2nd Round
Best Fits: Cardinals, Chiefs, Ravens (Wild Card – Texans)
Watch as Cole unveils the top 3 – highlights included!
