We saw three wide receivers taken in the first nine picks of last year’s draft and by the time the first round was complete, seven had been selected. This year’s draft is not nearly that top-heavy. In fact, it’s more deep than talented. While there will be good receivers to come out of this draft class, there aren’t necessarily any that profile as future No. 1 performers for their respective teams.

That being said, there could be some surprises, as we’ll see good players at the position taken in Rounds 3 and 4.

The wildcard will be Colorado’s Travis Hunter. I, however, view him as a cornerback prospect who will play wide receiver as a secondary position.

1. Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona, 6-4 1/8, 219 lbs. – A big receiver with good ball skills, McMillan was extremely productive, posting over 80 catches and 1,300 yards in each of the past two seasons, winning as a size mismatch. Will that translate to the NFL against bigger, more physically gifted receivers? We’ll see. He has good run-after-the-catch ability but isn’t necessarily a blazer. There’s definitely a tantalizing skillset here.

2. Matthew Golden, Texas, 5-11, 191 lbs. – A transfer from Houston, Golden took a backseat to teammate Isaiah Bond in the preseason prognostications. But by season’s end, Gold was the go-to player in the Texas offense. Gold works every level of the field well, is shifty and plays well through contact. Gold averaged 17 yards per catch last season, showing off his big-play ability that showed up with his blazing 4.29 40-yard dash at the combine..

3. Luther Burden, Missouri, 6-0, 206 lbs. – Burden looks like a Deebo Samuel clone, running through would-be tacklers with a running back-like skillset. Missouri threw him a lot of screens and short stuff to take advantage of his outstanding run-after-the-catch ability, but he can make plays downfield, as well. But because of his usage, it might take some time for him to develop his route running more efficiently.

4. Emeka Ebuka, Ohio State, 6-0 7/8, 202 lbs. – Ebuka has been on the radar for quite some time at Ohio State, which given the players the Buckeyes have produced is quite admirable. He’s primarily been a slot receiver, however, and will need to show he can win consistently on the outside. Justin Jefferson made that move. Can Egbuka, or is he a slot-only candidate?

5. Jayden Higgins, Iowa State, 6-4 1/8, 214 lbs. – A big receiver with the ability to play inside or outside whose game is all about making adjustments. With a wingspan of a 6-7 player, Higgins plucks the ball away from or over defensive backs. Like McMillan, he has prototypical size to help him overwhelm defensive backs.

Sleeper: Jaylen Royals, Utah State, 6-0, 205 lbs. – After catching 71 passes for 1,000 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2023, Royals played just seven games in 2024 before missing the rest of the season with an injury. But he had 55 catches for 834 yards and six scores in those seven games. He’s not a burner, but he reads coverages well and finds the right spot against zone. His ability to leverage defenders is how he wins against man. Royals isn’t a burner, but he’s a good football player.