NeverOutNick Posted April 19 Posted April 19 (edited) I love the depth of this WR class and honestly if I had more time, I could find 40-45 WRs to get drafted. Most of these guys would be day 3 prospects because they’re either too raw to contribute full time right away or they don’t have great measurables or athleticism but they are just good football players. I only see 2 true can’t miss first round WRs this year but rounds 2-5 are littered with solid WRs who will be number 2, 3 or 4 WRs on their newly drafted teams. The “rankings” I could be swayed a little bit here and there but the tiers I’m pretty set on. Without further ado here are my top 35 WRs of 2026: Tier 1 (top 15 pick in most NFL draft classes) 1. Carnell Tate, Ohio State – When the best WR in this class is the #2 WR on his own college team it’s telling that this WR draft class doesn’t have elite talent, but it is deep with very good WRs and Tate tops the list. I’m reminded when Jamar Chase and Justin Jefferson were on the same team and all the press went to Chase. This is very similar to Jeremiah Smith and Tate. I really like Tate and he’s the only WR in this class who could immediately be a # 1 on some teams. He wins at every level and is my favorite WR in this class working the intermediate part of the field. He’s a smooth tactician. He’s also underrated as a deep threat regardless of his 40 time. He’s got a great feel for where he is on the field and can work the sideline with his unmatched body control, just as seamlessly as he works the middle of the field. His only knock is that he’s not a great RAC guy like some of the elite NFL WRs. Smart football player, who already plays like an NFL WR keeping both feet in bounds and knows where the first down marker is at all times. Silky Smooth route runner who routinely makes big plays and comes back to the ball with ease. He’s not as explosive as his teammate or even some other WRs in this class but he’s the most NFL ready WR in this class with #1 upside but at the very least will be an awesome #2 on any team. He’s a solid, can’t miss WR and why he’s ranked #1 in this class. Tier 2 (1st round talent in most NFL drafts) 2. KC Concepcion, Texas A&M – Most explosive WR in this class! Moving chess piece that can play anywhere on the field (outside, inside, screens, etc) and instantly the best returner on most NFL rosters. Yes, his drops are a little concerning (he needs to clean them up and I think he will) but he also made so many clutch catches. He’s tough, twitchy, dynamic and competitive but he’s not going to overpower anyone with strength and can get dinged up because of his build and style of play. His burst and crisp cuts running routes create a lot of separation. He’s one of the best route runners in this class and I believe the best WR in this class at creating separation. I’m even impressed with him in traffic as he knows how to shield off defenders and high points the catch. His vision is good and gets him RAC and he’s a better route runner and separator than Flowers coming out but he’s NOT Flowers with the ball in his hands, with Flowers video game like nose for the end zone. I love KC’s toughness and release/ability to separate even with limited space which makes him amazing against both press and man coverage so I know he will be a very good WR in this league and I think his peak upside is Jaylen Waddle (but not as fast homerun speed). I’m unsure if he’s a true #1 but he’s a guy I really like, and any team would still want him as top end #2 on their team. Tier 3 (Top 25-40 talent) 3. Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State – Taylor Rapp of WRs! He plays with reckless abandonment for his body and a lot of times over does it when he doesn’t need to with wasted footwork. It’s probably part of the reason he’s injured all the time. On the plus side, he’s an athletic freak and does things that others can’t to make the catch. He’s diverse in his releases, kind of like a lesser version of our boy Stevie Johnson back in the day, which makes him pretty good against press. Overall, he’s a good route runner even if he doesn’t get great separation. He’s also very inconsistent to where one play he looks like the best player in football and then the next 10 plays you wonder if he’s ever played football before. He will make a very good movement Z but unless he’s got a lot of space in front of him, he isn’t a great RAC guy and gets knocked down on first contact a lot of times. The injury concerns and lack of consistency hold me back from ranking him as tier 2 guy but he’s worth a top 40 pick in this draft. On upside alone he’s above the rest of the guys on this tier but even though he’s got the highest ceiling of anyone in this class he has the lowest floor of anyone in this tier as well. 4. Denzel Boston, Washington – Natural hands catcher. He uses his big frame to block out defenders on contested catches and makes it look easy. For a big guy who doesn’t look fast he’s surprisingly a consistent vertical threat. He kind of reminds me of a less athletic version of Mike Evans coming out of Texas A&M. Evans was a freak of nature and just man handled people in college, but his vertical game was similar even though Boston doesn’t have that next gear that Evans did. Boston isn’t a great separator or very explosive but his eyes are consistently on the QB and he’s not only a safety net for the QB but as a prospect he has a high floor because at the very least he’s a solid possession WR in the NFL with the Mike Evans lite upside. He’s a tough, competitive big WR that fights through traffic before and after the catch. He’s a solid route runner but doesn’t get a lot of separation maybe because he doesn’t have the speed/burst or hips to manipulate corners off the release but to his credit he’s really good at accelerating and decelerating throughout the route. He plays mostly outside but can play anywhere you need him but where he’s best is in the red zone and is a contested catch giant. He’s not dropping many balls. Dependable is the best word to describe Denzel Boston. In a class with a lot of potential X receivers who are still raw or inconsistent, Boston is the safe outlier and the reason he’s higher than other WRs on my list with more upside. He is a high end #2 WR and will be a very good boundary X in the NFL, hopefully like a Nico Collins if he ends up on the Bills. 5. Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana – RAC monster! Even though he played mostly slot last year and I think that’s his best position, I think his playing style and how he adjusts downfield, make him diverse to any WR position a team needed him to fill. He is a versatile chess piece to any offense because you just want the ball in his hands. Super tough and fights for YAC kind of like our boy Shakir. He’s a WR screen king and does work best out of the slot like our boy Shakir but is a better version of Shakir because of Cooper’s downfield game. I can’t see him being a bust in the NFL and the more you watch him, the more you like him. Unlike some of the other WRs in this class, Cooper was blessed to have a great QB throwing to him in an offense that used his skill set very well so I’m not sure how much more untapped potential he has. Regardless, he’s a guy you want on your team. He still needs to refine his route running but he has very good hands and unmatched body control. I’d be surprised if Cooper wasn’t a very good #2 to #3 WR on an NFL team for a long time. 6. Makai Lemon, USC – I’m lower on this guy than most because he seems like a slot only WR. He may be an amazing slot and I think he is basically an NFL starting slot this very moment BUT I’m not taking a slot only WR over any of the WRs ahead of him on this list. Because NFL teams are playing more heavy/jumbo personnel packages, even the best slot guys aren’t on the field every play and are a liability when split out wide. You hear the JSN or St. Brown comparisons but I don’t see it. He’s not very physical like some of the other guys on this list and not going to be counted on to block imo. I don’t think he’s very good against press coverage. He’s also not big or explosive, so what am I missing from this consensus top 20 pick? College production and analytics may make me look foolish at the end of the day because he’s off the charts in both areas, so we’ll see. Now for the positive; Lemon will be a solid WR for years to come with a floor of Josh Downs. He is very quick, especially at the top of his route, good lateral agility and doesn’t drop the ball, He’s got incredible hands and attacks the ball. He also has a good feel for where he is on the field. If you’re a stats guy, you hear about Lemon’s success rate numbers against zone and man coverage and it’s comparable to JSN and Puka Nacua. I’m ok being wrong on this one because although he’s a good WR, I’m not seeing what others of a guy who will play in most packages. I don’t see a guy who gets a lot of separation like I’d want from my #1 WR. To me he’s at best a #2 option on a team and should be drafted at the end of the first round at the earliest. Tier 4 (Top 40-75 talent) 7. Germie Bernard, Alabama – Most underrated WR in this draft. I love this dude. Physical and competitive with good burst that creates separation and RAC. You better tackle him early because he slips off bad tackles easily and is like a running back breaking through congestion. Super consistent, polished, refined in all aspects of this game and just a high IQ player. He also seems like a really good/genuine person too from interviews I’ve watched. He’s the perfect compliment as a #2 WR on most teams. He does the dirty work like blocking well and has reliable hands and is a smooth route running. High floor and very scheme versatile. Because he doesn’t have a high ceiling, I think he drops to day 2 of the draft but definitely a WR any team will sign up for having. 8. Malachi Fields, Notre Dame – I’ve got a man crush on this dude and he’s someone I almost moved to Tier 3. I don’t care about his 4.6 speed, he’s huge, so it’s still fast enough for a guy that big. Dude destroyed the senior bowl practices, played QB in the past and looks great on both his Virginia and ND tape. I love how he snatches the ball effortlessly with his big mits and makes the insane catch look easy with his superman catch radius. I know he’s not going to burn anyone off the line but he still wins downfield with his solid route running and I believe he’s best ball tracker in this class making center field over the shoulder type catches all day. He gets decent separation for such a big dude and I think his time as a QB shows up in his game in both his Virginia and ND tape. You see the time spent as a QB specifically against zone coverage where he thrives with finding open windows which shows he can he can play the slot as well. He doesn’t have wasted motion and he’s a great blocker too, which I’m sure Love and Price enjoyed running behind. You don’t see guys this big play with such on-field awareness but he relishes the moment and already makes big time NFL catches. He makes sure to keep both feet in bounds on the sideline. Watching him wear number 0 ticks me off because I wish the Bills had him as our number 0 over the current wearer. I think Fields has Keenan Allen upside with a better vertical game which is why I have him above most of the other big WRs in this class. 9. Elijah Sarratt, Indiana – Back shoulder catches anyone?! QBs best friend when no one is open and you just have to make a tight throw to the back shoulder, Sarratt is that guy. It’s hard to get too high on these Indiana WRs because we’re seeing them at their best because Mendoza is an NFL QB making NFL throws consistently. Even saying that, I still like me some Sarratt because when the chips are down, he’s the guy making a clutch catch to get that first down. Even before I dug into the WRs in this class, watching Indiana, Sarratt stuck out in a good way because he’s imposing. He looks bigger than his height/weight actually are and although he’s not getting big separation, he has pretty good releases off the line and bodies up defenders to win no matter what when the balls thrown his way. He embraces contact during his routes and has some fluidity in his hips before and after the catch but doesn’t create a lot of space. Sarratt is not a vertical threat but he works the intermediate part of the field very well both sideline and across the middle and keeps eyes on the QB in case he’s in trouble. He also has another gear that shows up when he’s got space to run. I keep coming back to a QBs best friend with Sarratt because even in the red zone you look his way first. He’s not an elite athlete like some of the other guys but he’s going to be a solid WR in this league. 10. Ted Hurst, Georgia State – I get the hype! He’s big, fast, athletic and fun to watch. He played in the Sun Belt which isn’t the best competition and looked like a man amongst boys. Long strider and explosive for such a big dude. He’s natural at getting up field after the catch making it look easy with his agility. On upside alone he could be a #1 WR as a boundary X or Z if he cleans up his route running and consistency. He’s already quick off the line and can handle press coverage even if it’s not always pretty. He’s got AMAZING body control running full speed and adjusting to the catch. Honestly his ability to adjust to any catch or bad throw and his ease with comebacks is what makes me think he has WR1 upside with his size and speed. He’s the biggest risk in this class for how high he will be drafted but if he takes to coaching he has the potential to be a top 3 WR in this class…or a total bust. 11. Chris Brazzel, Tennessee – Vols WRs scare me! I can’t remember a Tennessee WR that was successful in the NFL (Screw Josh Palmer lol) but unlike his predecessors, he’s not just a vertical threat as he makes some ridiculous downfield catches and can run the comeback route and slants effectively because he’s really good at decelerating naturally. I didn’t see positional flexibility with where Brazzel lined up, basically line up out wide and go. I can see the upside with his catch radius and tracking ability and I understand the Christian Watson or even George Pickens comparison with Brazzel’s big play ability. He shows good body control and late adjustments with hip flexibility. BUT he doesn’t separate enough for a guy with his speed. He’s a little too light on his feet and gets pushed around too easy for a big buy. Maybe putting some more weight on will help. Tier 5 (Top 75 to 150 talent) 12. Deon Burks, Oklahoma – Out of the smaller WRs, I like Burks overall game the most. He’s tough/strong and creates a lot of separation early in his routes. He runs decent routes and is patient and sudden with his route running. He’s an actual WR and not just a gadget guy which is why he’s ranked higher than some of these other small fast guys. He plays outside and slot and seemed comfortable with both for such a small dude. I like his hands, the way he tracks the ball and his field awareness to make the boundary catches you need to make in the NFL. He doesn’t have the same vision to make the most out of his RAC like some of these other guys and I feel like it’s because he embraces contact and immediately after the catch turns his hips up field instead of using his agility to make guys miss. He’s explosive and a fun player to watch and he may fall a little bit in the draft due to size and being 23 already but he’s going to be good early on in his NFL career 13. Chris Bell, Louisville – BIG possession receiver! No one is going to push Chris Bell around with the way he’s built and runs through tackles like a freight train. Explosive and powerful but not a great route runner and needs better football IQ. He’s got speed and I hear people comparing him to AJ Brown and I get the body comparison but I feel like it’ll take time for him to come close to that level because even though he’s a rare freak athlete, I don’t see him ever winning on vertical routes like AJ Brown does. Right now he reminds me more of a better version of Xavier Leggette or Jonathan Mingo. They look the part and have the potential but were never good vertical threats in college and still aren’t in the NFL. Unlike those NFL busts, I do think Bell has more upside even if right now he’s just an unpolished bully who eats up the middle of the field. If that’s all he ever is, that is still a solid NFL WR. Another thing people need to think about when talking Bell is how many times do these chiseled dudes that fit Chris Bell’s profile actually become #1 WRs? The list is AJ Brown and DK Metcalf and that’s it. So it’s very risky to put that much pressure on this kid who is recovering from an ACL to meet a top 50 selection that he may get taken at. The ACL is going to take more than a season to get back to his old form and for a team wanting to win a SB this year I’d pass for other options even with the future upside on a guy who needs more refinement to hit his very high ceiling. I like him but I’m not taking him until round 3 at the very earliest. 14. Antonio Williams, Clemson – I didn’t want to like him because he’s basically all slot in college but he’s just so good at being a slot that it’s hard not to fall in love with him. He’s another guy that’s just a good football player that will always get positive yards even on screens. He’s awesome against zone coverage and is great at finding dead spots in coverage to help his QB out of a jam. He snatches the ball effortlessly and is just a super reliable weapon even if there is nothing wow worthy. Because of his limited scheme versatility, working mainly in 11 personnel sets, he shouldn’t be picked until round 3 or later unless someone really believes he can play outside, which maybe he can and just hasn’t in college. 15. Skyler Bell, UConn – Production! He played against really bad teams and was UConn’s only offensive weapon so the stats are a little overblown but production is production. If I squint my eyes really hard and look at his peak potential, I can see a poor man’s Stefon Diggs. He sinks his hips and controls his tempo during the route but he’s just not as tough or explosive as Diggs. He gets pushed around too easily, not sturdy to the ground. He is obviously smart and a good possession receiver and he tracks the deep ball well but he’s not very physical like a lot of the WRs ahead of him on my list. If you go with his combine stats, RAS and production you’d think he should be a top 50 pick BUT I’m going with my eye test on this and eye test says 3rd to 5th round range is where I’d feel comfortable taking him. For a guy who ran a 4.4 I don’t see the speed or separation like I would expect. He’s got a high floor to be a solid #3 possession WR because he has a solid route tree but he doesn’t have any special teams value. Bell is a solid receiver but I don’t see the upside and believe he’s mainly a short to intermediate possession WR working mainly the slot in the NFL. 16. Brenen Thompson, Miss St – Speed! It doesn’t take Thompson long to pull away from a defender. And unlike the stronger Zacharia Branch, Thompson actually ran more than just gadget plays and WR screens. He’s obviously small and I don’t know if his little frame will hold up in the NFL but he’s a playmaker. He tracks the ball well and I’m not worried about his hands even if sometimes he body catches the ball. He doesn’t have the strength to fight for YAC but if he has any open space it’s game over with his speed. There’s enough with his route running to think because of how fast he is, he’ll be drafted some time on day 3 and if he was 6 feet tall he’d be an easy top 10 WR in this class. 17. Colbie Young, Georgia – Just a gut feeling on this guy. I watched all 4 of the Georgia WRs that came out and although Branch gets all the love and I like the versatility of Dillon Bell and Noah Thomas shows promise, Young’s game was most intriguing to translate to the NFL. I know his 2024 was taken because of an off field issue and 2025 season was cut short due to injury but when I saw him at the combine running the gauntlet and routes with the QBs, my curiosity was sparked. I think of all the day 3 WRs to come off the board, Colbie Young has the best chance to become a starting boundary X receiver. Check out his Miami film and you’ll remember what kind of prospect this guy is. He’s strong with a huge catch radius and makes difficult catches in traffic. He throws his big body around to make sure he’s the only one making the catch. He fights through traffic with burst and good vision. He’s got very good natural hands. He’s also a pretty crisp route runner for such a big dude. I think he’s another diamond in the rough who could pay dividends sooner rather than later in the NFL if he stays healthy and his character concerns check out. 18. Eric McAlister, TCU – Vertical speed and big play generator! He’s an intriguing prospect because he plays with intensity and doesn’t want to go down after the catch. His character concerns may drop him further than others below him on this list but the talent makes him worth the risk if a team is comfortable with it. He wins on the outside, decelerates well with great hip movement. After the catch he has great lateral cuts and immediately rips free from defenders with his signature spin move. Defenders just bounce off him after the catch. He tracks the ball really well downfield and shows his hands late which fools defenders. I feel like I’m going to get burned by another TCU WR but the dude plays tougher than Q Johnston and has looser hips and you’re getting him 100 picks later in the draft. He’s a good blocker and is tough working the middle of the field to find open spots in zone coverage. He’s not a refined finished product but if I’m an NFL coach I’d be happy with what he brings immediately to my team. Because of his competitiveness, size and vertical success, I think someone will take a chance on day 3 regardless of character concerns and limited route tree because his upside is really high. 19. Reggie Virgil, Texas Tech – Another guy like Germie Bernard where he’s just good at everything but not great at anything but will be a really good pro. He’s skinnier than Bernard and doesn’t have the consistency but I like this kid. He’s got natural hands, tracks the ball well and can run multiple routes with ease. He’s very reliable and can play outside and inside and wins against man coverage. He’s another guy that the more you watch him, the more you like him with his high football IQ and seems like a good teammate. Not the best separator which makes him a day 3 guy but won’t be surprised if he slips into the end of day 2 because he’s already a plug and play WR. 20. Jakobi Lane, USC – Red Zone Goliath! If you play off coverage especially in the red zone he’s going to win. He’s the perfect WR for backyard football with his tracking ability and how long he stays in the air like MJ dunking from the free throw line. He has a limited route tree though and needs work on his releases, specifically bad against press coverage. Doesn’t create much separation and tries to run through people or push off and that’s not going to work in the NFL. Just needs to clean up his route running because he’s sloppy and inconsistent right now. His game is slants and contested catches and he kills at both. He has good hands and makes some impressive catches that wow you into wanting to take him higher than he probably should go on day 3. If he takes to the right coaching and improves his route running and learns some releases he could develop into a really good X but right now he’s limited. The good thing is, the stuff he’s limited at will earn him some NFL reps in the red zone. 21. Zacharia Branch, Georgia – Tough, Tavon Austin type gadget player. I’m not high on gadget type players because they can’t be on the field all of the time. He’s strong for his size and is WR screen savant so you know some coaches will like him cough* cough* but his limitation due to size and route tree don’t give me the warm fuzzies I got from Zay Flowers who had a similar build. Zay was an amazing gadget player PLUS he could also run crisp routes getting insane separation before and after the catch. That’s not Branch. I think Branch at the very least will be a really good returner and have a few gadget plays worked in on offense but I’m not spending a top 75 pick on that type of player. 22. De’Zhaun Stribling, Ole Miss – I love Trinidad Chambliss! I know that’s not who I’m supposed to be scouting but man he’s hard not to fall in love with when watching Stribling. Stribling is another guy that tested awesome with crazy speed but it doesn’t show up consistently when watching him in the game. Too many times the corner is with him step for step but to his credit he still wins those battles. He’s another tough Ole Miss WR that fights for extra yards after contact. When he does turn on the jets in open field the speed shows up, it’s just not consistent. He has good body control and a big catch radius and looks like a willing blocker as well. There’s a lot to like about Stribling’s game to include his versatility, his large hands, and improvement in all around game every year in college. I want to like him a lot more than I actually do but he’s got to be better off the line with that speed and play with better patience. He’s got the right mentality and hits all the measurables and tape but something about a guy this fast not being able to get separation scares me. Is that coachable? He doesn’t have crisp route running either and he’s been in college for 5 years so not sure how much more coaching will fix those areas. He’s worth an early day 3 pick because he will make an NFL team as a #4 and probably be great on special teams and the speed makes him at the very least a guy that will stretch the field, which every team will want. 23. Jeff Caldwell, Cincinnati – Diamond in the rough?! Combine Superstar! I didn’t watch a single game of Cincinnati last year but after his insane combine, I had to watch this dude. I went in skeptical but I fell in love pretty fast. He’s as fast in the game as he was at the combine. He just bursts off the line and doesn’t slow down (which can be a problem when he’s coming back for the ball). You want a deep threat with a huge catch radius between round 4-6 in the draft, this is the guy. Negatives are he has a limited route tree, and still raw overall for a guy who is already 25. If he was 22 and a little more nuanced, he’d be a high day 2 pick. If he can take NFL coaching, he could be special. He also needs to get stronger and play bigger with better body control. He’s pretty slippery after the catch and shows upside as a RAC guy in the future. Limited film on Jeff Caldwell but from what I’ve seen with the unbelievable upside, he’s worth taking in round 4-5 and honestly if I had confidence in my WR coach and Jeff’s ability to take coaching and work ethic, I’d take him early on day 3 because they don’t make WRs with his size, speed and elite athletic ability very often. 24. Malik Benson, Oregon – Transfer portal expert lol (bama, FSU and now Oregon). Crazy Acceleration! Dude is shot out of a cannon once the ball’s in his hands. His deep ball speed is real making corners eat his dust and he catches the ball away from his body which I like. Not afraid to go across the middle and make a catch in traffic. Not the best body control or sideline awareness as he flails his extremities way too often during and after the catch. The explosive acceleration stands out immediately with his long strides and makes him look taller than he actually is. Very intriguing prospect that at the very least, he’ll kill on special teams. I like his upside and immediate impact over some of these other WRs on day 3. 25. Bryce Lance, ND State – The Trey Lance of WRs 😉, another ultra physically gifted athlete…but an FCS guy so temper your expectations. He doesn’t run many routes and has sloppy hands, catches the ball with his body and is not a natural catcher of the football which leads to a lot of drops. He’s already 24 years old and relies on his freak athleticism to beat the lesser competition. Because he’s still so raw and an older prospect, I think he’s a day 3 pick just like Jeff Calldwell, who I like slightly better because he’s a more natural catcher of the football. His positives are he’s explosive, blazing long speed and has smooth hips that show he has potential to run crisp routes even if you don’t see it very often. Maybe he’s only going to be a go and post route guy and he’ll be good at that but if that’s all he is then he’s a WR 4 or 5 on your team. 26. Kendrick Law, Kentucky – He pops and is another Branch type, gadget player. It’s like watching a pin ball machine on steroids, he’s all over the place zig zagging and jumping over people. He’s so explosive and compact. Honestly could see him playing RB some with his cuts and vision. He’s like Darren Sproles and a creative offensive mind will have fun with him. He’s super shifty and attacks the ball pretty naturally. Because of his RB ability, I actually think he gets more play early on in his career than Branch and there’s a lot of untapped potential as an actual WR. Just needs to work on his breaks for route running and there could be something special here. 27. Kevin Coleman, Mizzou – Another guy I went into watching film expecting not to like but grew on me. He’s like a lesser version of Devonte Smith with his skinny light frame but he plays tougher than his build and has great ball skills. He’s smart, tough and for a guy that many deem as a slot only, he played well on the boundary the times he was asked to track the ball naturally. He’s got shifty lateral agility and mastered the out route from the slot. He’s another guy that at the very least will be an instant special teams contributor but also seems adaptable to any offense as he’s played for 4 schools in four years. Tier 6 (Late round talent) 28. Josh Cameron, Baylor – Huge wingspan that just engulfs the ball. I know it’s an enormous stretch but watching the way he moves and his body type looks like Terrell Owens. He brings his hands up last second very quickly snatching the ball away from his body. He doesn’t get separation and isn’t a consistent RAC guy or have much of a release off the line. He looks great with his technique off the line but it doesn’t go anywhere and keeps him tight in coverage. He’s got amazing hands and wins even when defenders are draped all over him. He’s an intriguing late WR because he’s at least a great red zone target and possession receiver in zone coverage. He’s also a very good punt returner. 29. Cyrus Allen, Cincinnati – Hustle and speed, dude doesn’t slow down no matter the route. Gets off the line like a race horse and does well with releases vs press. He’s a consistent separator which is the main reason he’s so intriguing and may actually get drafted earlier on day 3. He also already runs a solid route tree. He’s small and probably plays slot only but his feistiness makes me want to root for him to be successful. 30. Caleb Douglas, Texas Tech – He reminds me of a lesser version of Jakobi Lane. He tested really well and he is a vertical threat who can make the contested catch play but he’s not consistent at it and isn’t really tough from what I see on tape. He doesn’t have great burst but eventually can pull away deep. He’s good against man coverage but doesn’t do much RAC either. Someone will draft him higher because of his RAS but to me he feels like a last 2 rounds dart throw based on potential. 31. Vinny Anthony, Wisconsin – For a guy who ran a 4.54 and has below average measurables, he’s so quick and shifty. He’s just a good football player that does it all including kick returns. He bounces off defenders after first contact and gets decent separation with and exceptional burst off the line. He does body catch sometimes but doesn’t seem to drop the ball from what I’ve seen. Even though he’s tough, he’s not very strong and won’t help out as blocker. His game speed and play are far better than his testing numbers and some team giving him the eye test alone will draft him. 32. Jordan Hudson, SMU – For a guy who tested horribly at the combine, all he does is make plays on the football field. He’s a little show boaty with some of his catches but he’s also just a good football player. I don’t know if he has the athleticism to go toe to toe with NFL corners every week but I wouldn’t bet against him as he seems comfortable finding holes in coverage in college and has solid hands and quick feet. 33. Barion Brown, LSU – LSU always has a stud WR so I had to watch more tape to find this years. They have 4 WRs that are coming out this year but Barion slightly edged out Aaron Anderson for me. He pops the most on film when watching and I think he translates the best as an NFL WR. 34. J. Michael Sturdivant, Florida – Long striding vertical threat. I don’t really like Florida WRs thanks to J. Shorter but Sturdivant is an actual WR unlike the former who just pretended to be. He’s another athletically gifted and tall speedster but is raw in his route running but is basically a Hyatt coming out right now and is worth a shot late on day 3. 35. Tyren Montgomery, John Carroll – Senior bowl standout! Nobody outside of John Carroll himself was watching Tyren Montgomery in college but when a nobody WR makes potential NFL DBs look silly at the senior bowl, teams are going to take notice. The limited film you can see on him doesn’t tell much about what he can do during an NFL game so you’re betting on just raw ability. You can see the basketball skills in his game where he high points the ball like he’s going up for an ally-oop and he sells his breaks to get back to the ball. He’s so raw as he’s another dude who flails his arms around running routes but his natural ability makes him worth a late round pick. Maybe you can hide him on the practice squad and a year or 2 later you’ve got yourself a stud but then again he’s already 24 so he may go undrafted. I’d still take him late with a luxury pick. Now who do I want the Bills to take? Obviously, I want Tate but we’d have to hope he drops to the teens so that we can give up our 26th this year and next years first to get him. I’d do that all day since next years pick will be pick 32 after we make that move. Next option, KC Concepcion is a no brainer perfect fit for Brady, Josh and the Bills. I agree with Joe Marino that KC will not be there at 26 BUT if he is, the bills need to run to the podium and thank God he fell to them. If we do NOT end up with one of the top 2 guys then I’m probably not taking a WR at 26 unless the Bills really love Boston. Cooper is great but we already have that. At 26 with no Tate or KC, I’m taking the best edge player available trading down into the 2nd round to get some additional picks and grab one of the tier 2 or 3 guys that falls to us. For a SB caliber team, I like Bernard a lot as an immediate starter with DJ Moore and Shakir on the field and if we did that, I would take another potential X wide receiver on day 3 (Young, McAlister, Caldwell, Benson or Lance) to compete with Palmer and Coleman for their spot. I also like Law in the last 2 rounds because out of the smaller “gadget” guys I think he falls the furthest maybe the 6th round and can be used the most creatively in Brady’s offense in a Darren Sproles type way. In the perfect world where I'm the GM and the draft falls perfectly, we'd get KC Concepcion at 26, Fields falls to us at 91 and Law falls to our 6th round selection. The rest of the draft can be defense for Leonhard. Thank you all for reading and Go Bills! Edited April 19 by NeverOutNick Edit title to state WR 4 1 3 20 Quote
MasterStrategist Posted April 19 Posted April 19 I love Malachi Fields, if we move back. His game seems like it will translate to NFL immediately, and is another shot at getting that true X, that Keon has yet to become. Pass rush, ILB are still bigger needs to me. If we have a solid 1 yr FA options in sight for post draft at both spots, Im good focusing on WR early and then BPA. There are alot of very good ILB options that will be there for us in RD1 or trade back. 2 Quote
NeverOutNick Posted April 19 Author Posted April 19 15 minutes ago, MasterStrategist said: I love Malachi Fields, if we move back. His game seems like it will translate to NFL immediately, and is another shot at getting that true X, that Keon has yet to become. Pass rush, ILB are still bigger needs to me. If we have a solid 1 yr FA options in sight for post draft at both spots, Im good focusing on WR early and then BPA. There are alot of very good ILB options that will be there for us in RD1 or trade back. The nice thing about fields is he can move around the line, not just boundary X. He’s really good at finding open spots in coverage so when Josh has to get out and scramble, imagine this massive humans catch radius available for Josh to just launch it his way. Man it would be fun to watch 1 1 Quote
LEBills Posted April 19 Posted April 19 Good job NON. I only got through 28 in my write ups but history shows the amount of WRs drafted will be closer to your 35. It takes a lot of work to grind through so many players, so wanted to commend you on that. I believe the only ones I wrote up that aren’t in yours are Lewis Bond, Kaden Wetjen and Eli Heidenreich. 1 1 Quote
NeverOutNick Posted April 19 Author Posted April 19 5 minutes ago, LEBills said: Good job NON. I only got through 28 in my write ups but history shows the amount of WRs drafted will be closer to your 35. It takes a lot of work to grind through so many players, so wanted to commend you on that. I believe the only ones I wrote up that aren’t in yours are Lewis Bond, Kaden Wetjen and Eli Heidenreich. Thanks brother! I’d love to see your list. I did think about the Navy kid but he’s another gadget guy and I liked the others better. He’d be a fun one in the 7th if we didn’t get Law though. Kaden is more returner than WR but I like him and Bond didn’t pop for me but is a good route runner Quote
machine gun kelly Posted April 19 Posted April 19 (edited) 9 minutes ago, LEBills said: Good job NON. I only got through 28 in my write ups but history shows the amount of WRs drafted will be closer to your 35. It takes a lot of work to grind through so many players, so wanted to commend you on that. I believe the only ones I wrote up that aren’t in yours are Lewis Bond, Kaden Wetjen and Eli Heidenreich. I second this sentiment NON. A very thorough and thoughtful write up. I’m very interested in a WR in the 1st if we can swing it. It has to be a fast WR with solid hands and route running. You get DJ, whoever this would be, Shakir, Kinkaid, and involve the RBs more in the passing game, and you have a powerful offense. Besides, aren’t we all a little sick of using every dam (misspelled on purpose) 1st rd pick on a defensive lineman. Beane’s proven through his actions, he just doesn’t have the touch for DE. Consequently, he did have the knowledge to trade for Diggs, and pick up Shakir in a mid round. It’s not his fault Kinkaid is often injured. He’s built a nice RB stable, and a very good O Line. I don’t want to just win. I want to crush our offense on opposing defenses, and give Leonard time to build maybe a top 13 defense in year 1. Year 2, I have higher hopes for our defense. Edited April 19 by machine gun kelly 1 Quote
LEBills Posted April 19 Posted April 19 8 minutes ago, NeverOutNick said: Thanks brother! I’d love to see your list. I did think about the Navy kid but he’s another gadget guy and I liked the others better. He’d be a fun one in the 7th if we didn’t get Law though. Kaden is more returner than WR but I like him and Bond didn’t pop for me but is a good route runner Yea Wetjen is nominally a WR but I think will be drafted for his returns. Heidenreich is a RB/WR tweener who will probably be drafted by the 49ers lol. For Bond, I have a theory that late round receivers that make an impact need to be good at forcing missed tackles, average at contested catch, and usually are slot receivers. Since 2021, the only WRs drafted after the second round to eclipse 800 yards receiving are Nico, ASRB, Shakir, Josh Downs, Michael Wilson, Puka, and Parker Washington. All had excellent missed tackles forced stats coming out of college (except Wilson that got force fed targets this year) and Nico, Puka and Wilson are the ones that play mostly boundary. Lewis, Kevin Coleman and McAlister fit that profile this year. 2 1 Quote
NeverOutNick Posted April 19 Author Posted April 19 2 minutes ago, LEBills said: Yea Wetjen is nominally a WR but I think will be drafted for his returns. Heidenreich is a RB/WR tweener who will probably be drafted by the 49ers lol. For Bond, I have a theory that late round receivers that make an impact need to be good at forcing missed tackles, average at contested catch, and usually are slot receivers. Since 2021, the only WRs drafted after the second round to eclipse 800 yards receiving are Nico, ASRB, Shakir, Josh Downs, Michael Wilson, Puka, and Parker Washington. All had excellent missed tackles forced stats coming out of college (except Wilson that got force fed targets this year) and Nico, Puka and Wilson are the ones that play mostly boundary. Lewis, Kevin Coleman and McAlister fit that profile this year. I can get behind that theory and do love McAlister. Dude has the character issues so will probably drop but would love to get him late if we drafted a safe pick like Bernard earlier. Checking out your list now. 1 Quote
RyanC883 Posted April 20 Posted April 20 On 4/18/2026 at 8:02 PM, NeverOutNick said: I love the depth of this WR class and honestly if I had more time, I could find 40-45 WRs to get drafted. Most of these guys would be day 3 prospects because they’re either too raw to contribute full time right away or they don’t have great measurables or athleticism but they are just good football players. I only see 2 true can’t miss first round WRs this year but rounds 2-5 are littered with solid WRs who will be number 2, 3 or 4 WRs on their newly drafted teams. The “rankings” I could be swayed a little bit here and there but the tiers I’m pretty set on. Without further ado here are my top 35 WRs of 2026: Tier 1 (top 15 pick in most NFL draft classes) 1. Carnell Tate, Ohio State – When the best WR in this class is the #2 WR on his own college team it’s telling that this WR draft class doesn’t have elite talent, but it is deep with very good WRs and Tate tops the list. I’m reminded when Jamar Chase and Justin Jefferson were on the same team and all the press went to Chase. This is very similar to Jeremiah Smith and Tate. I really like Tate and he’s the only WR in this class who could immediately be a # 1 on some teams. He wins at every level and is my favorite WR in this class working the intermediate part of the field. He’s a smooth tactician. He’s also underrated as a deep threat regardless of his 40 time. He’s got a great feel for where he is on the field and can work the sideline with his unmatched body control, just as seamlessly as he works the middle of the field. His only knock is that he’s not a great RAC guy like some of the elite NFL WRs. Smart football player, who already plays like an NFL WR keeping both feet in bounds and knows where the first down marker is at all times. Silky Smooth route runner who routinely makes big plays and comes back to the ball with ease. He’s not as explosive as his teammate or even some other WRs in this class but he’s the most NFL ready WR in this class with #1 upside but at the very least will be an awesome #2 on any team. He’s a solid, can’t miss WR and why he’s ranked #1 in this class. Tier 2 (1st round talent in most NFL drafts) 2. KC Concepcion, Texas A&M – Most explosive WR in this class! Moving chess piece that can play anywhere on the field (outside, inside, screens, etc) and instantly the best returner on most NFL rosters. Yes, his drops are a little concerning (he needs to clean them up and I think he will) but he also made so many clutch catches. He’s tough, twitchy, dynamic and competitive but he’s not going to overpower anyone with strength and can get dinged up because of his build and style of play. His burst and crisp cuts running routes create a lot of separation. He’s one of the best route runners in this class and I believe the best WR in this class at creating separation. I’m even impressed with him in traffic as he knows how to shield off defenders and high points the catch. His vision is good and gets him RAC and he’s a better route runner and separator than Flowers coming out but he’s NOT Flowers with the ball in his hands, with Flowers video game like nose for the end zone. I love KC’s toughness and release/ability to separate even with limited space which makes him amazing against both press and man coverage so I know he will be a very good WR in this league and I think his peak upside is Jaylen Waddle (but not as fast homerun speed). I’m unsure if he’s a true #1 but he’s a guy I really like, and any team would still want him as top end #2 on their team. Tier 3 (Top 25-40 talent) 3. Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State – Taylor Rapp of WRs! He plays with reckless abandonment for his body and a lot of times over does it when he doesn’t need to with wasted footwork. It’s probably part of the reason he’s injured all the time. On the plus side, he’s an athletic freak and does things that others can’t to make the catch. He’s diverse in his releases, kind of like a lesser version of our boy Stevie Johnson back in the day, which makes him pretty good against press. Overall, he’s a good route runner even if he doesn’t get great separation. He’s also very inconsistent to where one play he looks like the best player in football and then the next 10 plays you wonder if he’s ever played football before. He will make a very good movement Z but unless he’s got a lot of space in front of him, he isn’t a great RAC guy and gets knocked down on first contact a lot of times. The injury concerns and lack of consistency hold me back from ranking him as tier 2 guy but he’s worth a top 40 pick in this draft. On upside alone he’s above the rest of the guys on this tier but even though he’s got the highest ceiling of anyone in this class he has the lowest floor of anyone in this tier as well. 4. Denzel Boston, Washington – Natural hands catcher. He uses his big frame to block out defenders on contested catches and makes it look easy. For a big guy who doesn’t look fast he’s surprisingly a consistent vertical threat. He kind of reminds me of a less athletic version of Mike Evans coming out of Texas A&M. Evans was a freak of nature and just man handled people in college, but his vertical game was similar even though Boston doesn’t have that next gear that Evans did. Boston isn’t a great separator or very explosive but his eyes are consistently on the QB and he’s not only a safety net for the QB but as a prospect he has a high floor because at the very least he’s a solid possession WR in the NFL with the Mike Evans lite upside. He’s a tough, competitive big WR that fights through traffic before and after the catch. He’s a solid route runner but doesn’t get a lot of separation maybe because he doesn’t have the speed/burst or hips to manipulate corners off the release but to his credit he’s really good at accelerating and decelerating throughout the route. He plays mostly outside but can play anywhere you need him but where he’s best is in the red zone and is a contested catch giant. He’s not dropping many balls. Dependable is the best word to describe Denzel Boston. In a class with a lot of potential X receivers who are still raw or inconsistent, Boston is the safe outlier and the reason he’s higher than other WRs on my list with more upside. He is a high end #2 WR and will be a very good boundary X in the NFL, hopefully like a Nico Collins if he ends up on the Bills. 5. Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana – RAC monster! Even though he played mostly slot last year and I think that’s his best position, I think his playing style and how he adjusts downfield, make him diverse to any WR position a team needed him to fill. He is a versatile chess piece to any offense because you just want the ball in his hands. Super tough and fights for YAC kind of like our boy Shakir. He’s a WR screen king and does work best out of the slot like our boy Shakir but is a better version of Shakir because of Cooper’s downfield game. I can’t see him being a bust in the NFL and the more you watch him, the more you like him. Unlike some of the other WRs in this class, Cooper was blessed to have a great QB throwing to him in an offense that used his skill set very well so I’m not sure how much more untapped potential he has. Regardless, he’s a guy you want on your team. He still needs to refine his route running but he has very good hands and unmatched body control. I’d be surprised if Cooper wasn’t a very good #2 to #3 WR on an NFL team for a long time. 6. Makai Lemon, USC – I’m lower on this guy than most because he seems like a slot only WR. He may be an amazing slot and I think he is basically an NFL starting slot this very moment BUT I’m not taking a slot only WR over any of the WRs ahead of him on this list. Because NFL teams are playing more heavy/jumbo personnel packages, even the best slot guys aren’t on the field every play and are a liability when split out wide. You hear the JSN or St. Brown comparisons but I don’t see it. He’s not very physical like some of the other guys on this list and not going to be counted on to block imo. I don’t think he’s very good against press coverage. He’s also not big or explosive, so what am I missing from this consensus top 20 pick? College production and analytics may make me look foolish at the end of the day because he’s off the charts in both areas, so we’ll see. Now for the positive; Lemon will be a solid WR for years to come with a floor of Josh Downs. He is very quick, especially at the top of his route, good lateral agility and doesn’t drop the ball, He’s got incredible hands and attacks the ball. He also has a good feel for where he is on the field. If you’re a stats guy, you hear about Lemon’s success rate numbers against zone and man coverage and it’s comparable to JSN and Puka Nacua. I’m ok being wrong on this one because although he’s a good WR, I’m not seeing what others of a guy who will play in most packages. I don’t see a guy who gets a lot of separation like I’d want from my #1 WR. To me he’s at best a #2 option on a team and should be drafted at the end of the first round at the earliest. Tier 4 (Top 40-75 talent) 7. Germie Bernard, Alabama – Most underrated WR in this draft. I love this dude. Physical and competitive with good burst that creates separation and RAC. You better tackle him early because he slips off bad tackles easily and is like a running back breaking through congestion. Super consistent, polished, refined in all aspects of this game and just a high IQ player. He also seems like a really good/genuine person too from interviews I’ve watched. He’s the perfect compliment as a #2 WR on most teams. He does the dirty work like blocking well and has reliable hands and is a smooth route running. High floor and very scheme versatile. Because he doesn’t have a high ceiling, I think he drops to day 2 of the draft but definitely a WR any team will sign up for having. 8. Malachi Fields, Notre Dame – I’ve got a man crush on this dude and he’s someone I almost moved to Tier 3. I don’t care about his 4.6 speed, he’s huge, so it’s still fast enough for a guy that big. Dude destroyed the senior bowl practices, played QB in the past and looks great on both his Virginia and ND tape. I love how he snatches the ball effortlessly with his big mits and makes the insane catch look easy with his superman catch radius. I know he’s not going to burn anyone off the line but he still wins downfield with his solid route running and I believe he’s best ball tracker in this class making center field over the shoulder type catches all day. He gets decent separation for such a big dude and I think his time as a QB shows up in his game in both his Virginia and ND tape. You see the time spent as a QB specifically against zone coverage where he thrives with finding open windows which shows he can he can play the slot as well. He doesn’t have wasted motion and he’s a great blocker too, which I’m sure Love and Price enjoyed running behind. You don’t see guys this big play with such on-field awareness but he relishes the moment and already makes big time NFL catches. He makes sure to keep both feet in bounds on the sideline. Watching him wear number 0 ticks me off because I wish the Bills had him as our number 0 over the current wearer. I think Fields has Keenan Allen upside with a better vertical game which is why I have him above most of the other big WRs in this class. 9. Elijah Sarratt, Indiana – Back shoulder catches anyone?! QBs best friend when no one is open and you just have to make a tight throw to the back shoulder, Sarratt is that guy. It’s hard to get too high on these Indiana WRs because we’re seeing them at their best because Mendoza is an NFL QB making NFL throws consistently. Even saying that, I still like me some Sarratt because when the chips are down, he’s the guy making a clutch catch to get that first down. Even before I dug into the WRs in this class, watching Indiana, Sarratt stuck out in a good way because he’s imposing. He looks bigger than his height/weight actually are and although he’s not getting big separation, he has pretty good releases off the line and bodies up defenders to win no matter what when the balls thrown his way. He embraces contact during his routes and has some fluidity in his hips before and after the catch but doesn’t create a lot of space. Sarratt is not a vertical threat but he works the intermediate part of the field very well both sideline and across the middle and keeps eyes on the QB in case he’s in trouble. He also has another gear that shows up when he’s got space to run. I keep coming back to a QBs best friend with Sarratt because even in the red zone you look his way first. He’s not an elite athlete like some of the other guys but he’s going to be a solid WR in this league. 10. Ted Hurst, Georgia State – I get the hype! He’s big, fast, athletic and fun to watch. He played in the Sun Belt which isn’t the best competition and looked like a man amongst boys. Long strider and explosive for such a big dude. He’s natural at getting up field after the catch making it look easy with his agility. On upside alone he could be a #1 WR as a boundary X or Z if he cleans up his route running and consistency. He’s already quick off the line and can handle press coverage even if it’s not always pretty. He’s got AMAZING body control running full speed and adjusting to the catch. Honestly his ability to adjust to any catch or bad throw and his ease with comebacks is what makes me think he has WR1 upside with his size and speed. He’s the biggest risk in this class for how high he will be drafted but if he takes to coaching he has the potential to be a top 3 WR in this class…or a total bust. 11. Chris Brazzel, Tennessee – Vols WRs scare me! I can’t remember a Tennessee WR that was successful in the NFL (Screw Josh Palmer lol) but unlike his predecessors, he’s not just a vertical threat as he makes some ridiculous downfield catches and can run the comeback route and slants effectively because he’s really good at decelerating naturally. I didn’t see positional flexibility with where Brazzel lined up, basically line up out wide and go. I can see the upside with his catch radius and tracking ability and I understand the Christian Watson or even George Pickens comparison with Brazzel’s big play ability. He shows good body control and late adjustments with hip flexibility. BUT he doesn’t separate enough for a guy with his speed. He’s a little too light on his feet and gets pushed around too easy for a big buy. Maybe putting some more weight on will help. Tier 5 (Top 75 to 150 talent) 12. Deon Burks, Oklahoma – Out of the smaller WRs, I like Burks overall game the most. He’s tough/strong and creates a lot of separation early in his routes. He runs decent routes and is patient and sudden with his route running. He’s an actual WR and not just a gadget guy which is why he’s ranked higher than some of these other small fast guys. He plays outside and slot and seemed comfortable with both for such a small dude. I like his hands, the way he tracks the ball and his field awareness to make the boundary catches you need to make in the NFL. He doesn’t have the same vision to make the most out of his RAC like some of these other guys and I feel like it’s because he embraces contact and immediately after the catch turns his hips up field instead of using his agility to make guys miss. He’s explosive and a fun player to watch and he may fall a little bit in the draft due to size and being 23 already but he’s going to be good early on in his NFL career 13. Chris Bell, Louisville – BIG possession receiver! No one is going to push Chris Bell around with the way he’s built and runs through tackles like a freight train. Explosive and powerful but not a great route runner and needs better football IQ. He’s got speed and I hear people comparing him to AJ Brown and I get the body comparison but I feel like it’ll take time for him to come close to that level because even though he’s a rare freak athlete, I don’t see him ever winning on vertical routes like AJ Brown does. Right now he reminds me more of a better version of Xavier Leggette or Jonathan Mingo. They look the part and have the potential but were never good vertical threats in college and still aren’t in the NFL. Unlike those NFL busts, I do think Bell has more upside even if right now he’s just an unpolished bully who eats up the middle of the field. If that’s all he ever is, that is still a solid NFL WR. Another thing people need to think about when talking Bell is how many times do these chiseled dudes that fit Chris Bell’s profile actually become #1 WRs? The list is AJ Brown and DK Metcalf and that’s it. So it’s very risky to put that much pressure on this kid who is recovering from an ACL to meet a top 50 selection that he may get taken at. The ACL is going to take more than a season to get back to his old form and for a team wanting to win a SB this year I’d pass for other options even with the future upside on a guy who needs more refinement to hit his very high ceiling. I like him but I’m not taking him until round 3 at the very earliest. 14. Antonio Williams, Clemson – I didn’t want to like him because he’s basically all slot in college but he’s just so good at being a slot that it’s hard not to fall in love with him. He’s another guy that’s just a good football player that will always get positive yards even on screens. He’s awesome against zone coverage and is great at finding dead spots in coverage to help his QB out of a jam. He snatches the ball effortlessly and is just a super reliable weapon even if there is nothing wow worthy. Because of his limited scheme versatility, working mainly in 11 personnel sets, he shouldn’t be picked until round 3 or later unless someone really believes he can play outside, which maybe he can and just hasn’t in college. 15. Skyler Bell, UConn – Production! He played against really bad teams and was UConn’s only offensive weapon so the stats are a little overblown but production is production. If I squint my eyes really hard and look at his peak potential, I can see a poor man’s Stefon Diggs. He sinks his hips and controls his tempo during the route but he’s just not as tough or explosive as Diggs. He gets pushed around too easily, not sturdy to the ground. He is obviously smart and a good possession receiver and he tracks the deep ball well but he’s not very physical like a lot of the WRs ahead of him on my list. If you go with his combine stats, RAS and production you’d think he should be a top 50 pick BUT I’m going with my eye test on this and eye test says 3rd to 5th round range is where I’d feel comfortable taking him. For a guy who ran a 4.4 I don’t see the speed or separation like I would expect. He’s got a high floor to be a solid #3 possession WR because he has a solid route tree but he doesn’t have any special teams value. Bell is a solid receiver but I don’t see the upside and believe he’s mainly a short to intermediate possession WR working mainly the slot in the NFL. 16. Brenen Thompson, Miss St – Speed! It doesn’t take Thompson long to pull away from a defender. And unlike the stronger Zacharia Branch, Thompson actually ran more than just gadget plays and WR screens. He’s obviously small and I don’t know if his little frame will hold up in the NFL but he’s a playmaker. He tracks the ball well and I’m not worried about his hands even if sometimes he body catches the ball. He doesn’t have the strength to fight for YAC but if he has any open space it’s game over with his speed. There’s enough with his route running to think because of how fast he is, he’ll be drafted some time on day 3 and if he was 6 feet tall he’d be an easy top 10 WR in this class. 17. Colbie Young, Georgia – Just a gut feeling on this guy. I watched all 4 of the Georgia WRs that came out and although Branch gets all the love and I like the versatility of Dillon Bell and Noah Thomas shows promise, Young’s game was most intriguing to translate to the NFL. I know his 2024 was taken because of an off field issue and 2025 season was cut short due to injury but when I saw him at the combine running the gauntlet and routes with the QBs, my curiosity was sparked. I think of all the day 3 WRs to come off the board, Colbie Young has the best chance to become a starting boundary X receiver. Check out his Miami film and you’ll remember what kind of prospect this guy is. He’s strong with a huge catch radius and makes difficult catches in traffic. He throws his big body around to make sure he’s the only one making the catch. He fights through traffic with burst and good vision. He’s got very good natural hands. He’s also a pretty crisp route runner for such a big dude. I think he’s another diamond in the rough who could pay dividends sooner rather than later in the NFL if he stays healthy and his character concerns check out. 18. Eric McAlister, TCU – Vertical speed and big play generator! He’s an intriguing prospect because he plays with intensity and doesn’t want to go down after the catch. His character concerns may drop him further than others below him on this list but the talent makes him worth the risk if a team is comfortable with it. He wins on the outside, decelerates well with great hip movement. After the catch he has great lateral cuts and immediately rips free from defenders with his signature spin move. Defenders just bounce off him after the catch. He tracks the ball really well downfield and shows his hands late which fools defenders. I feel like I’m going to get burned by another TCU WR but the dude plays tougher than Q Johnston and has looser hips and you’re getting him 100 picks later in the draft. He’s a good blocker and is tough working the middle of the field to find open spots in zone coverage. He’s not a refined finished product but if I’m an NFL coach I’d be happy with what he brings immediately to my team. Because of his competitiveness, size and vertical success, I think someone will take a chance on day 3 regardless of character concerns and limited route tree because his upside is really high. 19. Reggie Virgil, Texas Tech – Another guy like Germie Bernard where he’s just good at everything but not great at anything but will be a really good pro. He’s skinnier than Bernard and doesn’t have the consistency but I like this kid. He’s got natural hands, tracks the ball well and can run multiple routes with ease. He’s very reliable and can play outside and inside and wins against man coverage. He’s another guy that the more you watch him, the more you like him with his high football IQ and seems like a good teammate. Not the best separator which makes him a day 3 guy but won’t be surprised if he slips into the end of day 2 because he’s already a plug and play WR. 20. Jakobi Lane, USC – Red Zone Goliath! If you play off coverage especially in the red zone he’s going to win. He’s the perfect WR for backyard football with his tracking ability and how long he stays in the air like MJ dunking from the free throw line. He has a limited route tree though and needs work on his releases, specifically bad against press coverage. Doesn’t create much separation and tries to run through people or push off and that’s not going to work in the NFL. Just needs to clean up his route running because he’s sloppy and inconsistent right now. His game is slants and contested catches and he kills at both. He has good hands and makes some impressive catches that wow you into wanting to take him higher than he probably should go on day 3. If he takes to the right coaching and improves his route running and learns some releases he could develop into a really good X but right now he’s limited. The good thing is, the stuff he’s limited at will earn him some NFL reps in the red zone. 21. Zacharia Branch, Georgia – Tough, Tavon Austin type gadget player. I’m not high on gadget type players because they can’t be on the field all of the time. He’s strong for his size and is WR screen savant so you know some coaches will like him cough* cough* but his limitation due to size and route tree don’t give me the warm fuzzies I got from Zay Flowers who had a similar build. Zay was an amazing gadget player PLUS he could also run crisp routes getting insane separation before and after the catch. That’s not Branch. I think Branch at the very least will be a really good returner and have a few gadget plays worked in on offense but I’m not spending a top 75 pick on that type of player. 22. De’Zhaun Stribling, Ole Miss – I love Trinidad Chambliss! I know that’s not who I’m supposed to be scouting but man he’s hard not to fall in love with when watching Stribling. Stribling is another guy that tested awesome with crazy speed but it doesn’t show up consistently when watching him in the game. Too many times the corner is with him step for step but to his credit he still wins those battles. He’s another tough Ole Miss WR that fights for extra yards after contact. When he does turn on the jets in open field the speed shows up, it’s just not consistent. He has good body control and a big catch radius and looks like a willing blocker as well. There’s a lot to like about Stribling’s game to include his versatility, his large hands, and improvement in all around game every year in college. I want to like him a lot more than I actually do but he’s got to be better off the line with that speed and play with better patience. He’s got the right mentality and hits all the measurables and tape but something about a guy this fast not being able to get separation scares me. Is that coachable? He doesn’t have crisp route running either and he’s been in college for 5 years so not sure how much more coaching will fix those areas. He’s worth an early day 3 pick because he will make an NFL team as a #4 and probably be great on special teams and the speed makes him at the very least a guy that will stretch the field, which every team will want. 23. Jeff Caldwell, Cincinnati – Diamond in the rough?! Combine Superstar! I didn’t watch a single game of Cincinnati last year but after his insane combine, I had to watch this dude. I went in skeptical but I fell in love pretty fast. He’s as fast in the game as he was at the combine. He just bursts off the line and doesn’t slow down (which can be a problem when he’s coming back for the ball). You want a deep threat with a huge catch radius between round 4-6 in the draft, this is the guy. Negatives are he has a limited route tree, and still raw overall for a guy who is already 25. If he was 22 and a little more nuanced, he’d be a high day 2 pick. If he can take NFL coaching, he could be special. He also needs to get stronger and play bigger with better body control. He’s pretty slippery after the catch and shows upside as a RAC guy in the future. Limited film on Jeff Caldwell but from what I’ve seen with the unbelievable upside, he’s worth taking in round 4-5 and honestly if I had confidence in my WR coach and Jeff’s ability to take coaching and work ethic, I’d take him early on day 3 because they don’t make WRs with his size, speed and elite athletic ability very often. 24. Malik Benson, Oregon – Transfer portal expert lol (bama, FSU and now Oregon). Crazy Acceleration! Dude is shot out of a cannon once the ball’s in his hands. His deep ball speed is real making corners eat his dust and he catches the ball away from his body which I like. Not afraid to go across the middle and make a catch in traffic. Not the best body control or sideline awareness as he flails his extremities way too often during and after the catch. The explosive acceleration stands out immediately with his long strides and makes him look taller than he actually is. Very intriguing prospect that at the very least, he’ll kill on special teams. I like his upside and immediate impact over some of these other WRs on day 3. 25. Bryce Lance, ND State – The Trey Lance of WRs 😉, another ultra physically gifted athlete…but an FCS guy so temper your expectations. He doesn’t run many routes and has sloppy hands, catches the ball with his body and is not a natural catcher of the football which leads to a lot of drops. He’s already 24 years old and relies on his freak athleticism to beat the lesser competition. Because he’s still so raw and an older prospect, I think he’s a day 3 pick just like Jeff Calldwell, who I like slightly better because he’s a more natural catcher of the football. His positives are he’s explosive, blazing long speed and has smooth hips that show he has potential to run crisp routes even if you don’t see it very often. Maybe he’s only going to be a go and post route guy and he’ll be good at that but if that’s all he is then he’s a WR 4 or 5 on your team. 26. Kendrick Law, Kentucky – He pops and is another Branch type, gadget player. It’s like watching a pin ball machine on steroids, he’s all over the place zig zagging and jumping over people. He’s so explosive and compact. Honestly could see him playing RB some with his cuts and vision. He’s like Darren Sproles and a creative offensive mind will have fun with him. He’s super shifty and attacks the ball pretty naturally. Because of his RB ability, I actually think he gets more play early on in his career than Branch and there’s a lot of untapped potential as an actual WR. Just needs to work on his breaks for route running and there could be something special here. 27. Kevin Coleman, Mizzou – Another guy I went into watching film expecting not to like but grew on me. He’s like a lesser version of Devonte Smith with his skinny light frame but he plays tougher than his build and has great ball skills. He’s smart, tough and for a guy that many deem as a slot only, he played well on the boundary the times he was asked to track the ball naturally. He’s got shifty lateral agility and mastered the out route from the slot. He’s another guy that at the very least will be an instant special teams contributor but also seems adaptable to any offense as he’s played for 4 schools in four years. Tier 6 (Late round talent) 28. Josh Cameron, Baylor – Huge wingspan that just engulfs the ball. I know it’s an enormous stretch but watching the way he moves and his body type looks like Terrell Owens. He brings his hands up last second very quickly snatching the ball away from his body. He doesn’t get separation and isn’t a consistent RAC guy or have much of a release off the line. He looks great with his technique off the line but it doesn’t go anywhere and keeps him tight in coverage. He’s got amazing hands and wins even when defenders are draped all over him. He’s an intriguing late WR because he’s at least a great red zone target and possession receiver in zone coverage. He’s also a very good punt returner. 29. Cyrus Allen, Cincinnati – Hustle and speed, dude doesn’t slow down no matter the route. Gets off the line like a race horse and does well with releases vs press. He’s a consistent separator which is the main reason he’s so intriguing and may actually get drafted earlier on day 3. He also already runs a solid route tree. He’s small and probably plays slot only but his feistiness makes me want to root for him to be successful. 30. Caleb Douglas, Texas Tech – He reminds me of a lesser version of Jakobi Lane. He tested really well and he is a vertical threat who can make the contested catch play but he’s not consistent at it and isn’t really tough from what I see on tape. He doesn’t have great burst but eventually can pull away deep. He’s good against man coverage but doesn’t do much RAC either. Someone will draft him higher because of his RAS but to me he feels like a last 2 rounds dart throw based on potential. 31. Vinny Anthony, Wisconsin – For a guy who ran a 4.54 and has below average measurables, he’s so quick and shifty. He’s just a good football player that does it all including kick returns. He bounces off defenders after first contact and gets decent separation with and exceptional burst off the line. He does body catch sometimes but doesn’t seem to drop the ball from what I’ve seen. Even though he’s tough, he’s not very strong and won’t help out as blocker. His game speed and play are far better than his testing numbers and some team giving him the eye test alone will draft him. 32. Jordan Hudson, SMU – For a guy who tested horribly at the combine, all he does is make plays on the football field. He’s a little show boaty with some of his catches but he’s also just a good football player. I don’t know if he has the athleticism to go toe to toe with NFL corners every week but I wouldn’t bet against him as he seems comfortable finding holes in coverage in college and has solid hands and quick feet. 33. Barion Brown, LSU – LSU always has a stud WR so I had to watch more tape to find this years. They have 4 WRs that are coming out this year but Barion slightly edged out Aaron Anderson for me. He pops the most on film when watching and I think he translates the best as an NFL WR. 34. J. Michael Sturdivant, Florida – Long striding vertical threat. I don’t really like Florida WRs thanks to J. Shorter but Sturdivant is an actual WR unlike the former who just pretended to be. He’s another athletically gifted and tall speedster but is raw in his route running but is basically a Hyatt coming out right now and is worth a shot late on day 3. 35. Tyren Montgomery, John Carroll – Senior bowl standout! Nobody outside of John Carroll himself was watching Tyren Montgomery in college but when a nobody WR makes potential NFL DBs look silly at the senior bowl, teams are going to take notice. The limited film you can see on him doesn’t tell much about what he can do during an NFL game so you’re betting on just raw ability. You can see the basketball skills in his game where he high points the ball like he’s going up for an ally-oop and he sells his breaks to get back to the ball. He’s so raw as he’s another dude who flails his arms around running routes but his natural ability makes him worth a late round pick. Maybe you can hide him on the practice squad and a year or 2 later you’ve got yourself a stud but then again he’s already 24 so he may go undrafted. I’d still take him late with a luxury pick. Now who do I want the Bills to take? Obviously, I want Tate but we’d have to hope he drops to the teens so that we can give up our 26th this year and next years first to get him. I’d do that all day since next years pick will be pick 32 after we make that move. Next option, KC Concepcion is a no brainer perfect fit for Brady, Josh and the Bills. I agree with Joe Marino that KC will not be there at 26 BUT if he is, the bills need to run to the podium and thank God he fell to them. If we do NOT end up with one of the top 2 guys then I’m probably not taking a WR at 26 unless the Bills really love Boston. Cooper is great but we already have that. At 26 with no Tate or KC, I’m taking the best edge player available trading down into the 2nd round to get some additional picks and grab one of the tier 2 or 3 guys that falls to us. For a SB caliber team, I like Bernard a lot as an immediate starter with DJ Moore and Shakir on the field and if we did that, I would take another potential X wide receiver on day 3 (Young, McAlister, Caldwell, Benson or Lance) to compete with Palmer and Coleman for their spot. I also like Law in the last 2 rounds because out of the smaller “gadget” guys I think he falls the furthest maybe the 6th round and can be used the most creatively in Brady’s offense in a Darren Sproles type way. In the perfect world where I'm the GM and the draft falls perfectly, we'd get KC Concepcion at 26, Fields falls to us at 91 and Law falls to our 6th round selection. The rest of the draft can be defense for Leonhard. Thank you all for reading and Go Bills! this is awesome work. Agree if KC isn't there at 26, wait for one of the other WRs to fall to us. Would love Bernard and/or one of the many "gadget" punt return WRs in the draft. In the 1st, I'd be tempted for McDonald or Miller at DT before the Edges, they seem like potential Reeder or even Lawrence types. 1 Quote
NeverOutNick Posted April 21 Author Posted April 21 16 hours ago, RyanC883 said: this is awesome work. Agree if KC isn't there at 26, wait for one of the other WRs to fall to us. Would love Bernard and/or one of the many "gadget" punt return WRs in the draft. In the 1st, I'd be tempted for McDonald or Miller at DT before the Edges, they seem like potential Reeder or even Lawrence types. Thanks brother! Bernard does seem like the most realistic option for us if we trade out of the first round. He just fits our offense and would contribute immediately. If we trade back you got to think that means we picked up another 2nd/3rd and maybe another late round pick as well so more ammunition so I would give most to the defense, especially edge prospects BUT getting Bernard (who can play anywhere but isn’t a true boundary X) would make me want to go after an X to challenge Coleman and Palmer later in the draft like Colbie Young or a true burner like Benson. And like you said as a late dart throw to open up Brady’s creativity, grab the perfect gadget guy late who I think based on risk/reward in the 6th round would be Law or maybe that Navy kid Heidenreich in the 7th. 1 Quote
Ethan in Cleveland Posted April 21 Posted April 21 This list makes me want to trade for Marvin Harrison Jr or AJ Brown more than ever. Give up two first round picks for MHjr and enjoy another MVP season by Allen this year. Quote
Coach Tuesday Posted April 21 Posted April 21 On 4/18/2026 at 10:19 PM, NeverOutNick said: I can get behind that theory and do love McAlister. Dude has the character issues so will probably drop but would love to get him late if we drafted a safe pick like Bernard earlier. Checking out your list now. McAlister just got injured I believe - he will be a redshirted UDFA. Quote
NeverOutNick Posted April 21 Author Posted April 21 7 hours ago, Coach Tuesday said: McAlister just got injured I believe - he will be a redshirted UDFA. Definitely drops him some but I bet he still gets drafted in the last couple rounds. He’s too talented Quote
BuffaloBillsGospel2014 Posted April 21 Posted April 21 If Denzel Boston or KC Conception get drafted or we pass on them I hope Beane does what he can to move up to get Ted Hurst who imo has the best set of hands since Larry Fitzgerald, he catches everything with his hands and very little body catches. Even at the combine he was all hands on deck, this guy can be special but the concern is always the level of competition, well worth taking a shot on though since he won't or most likely won't be a 1st round pick. 1 1 Quote
Sojourner Posted April 22 Posted April 22 12 hours ago, BuffaloBillsGospel2014 said: If Denzel Boston or KC Conception get drafted or we pass on them I hope Beane does what he can to move up to get Ted Hurst who imo has the best set of hands since Larry Fitzgerald, he catches everything with his hands and very little body catches. Even at the combine he was all hands on deck, this guy can be special but the concern is always the level of competition, well worth taking a shot on though since he won't or most likely won't be a 1st round pick. Trade back and pick up a second if you can. Given his showcasing in the events for the draft, I don’t think he’s going to be there when we pick @ 90. He honestly might be my fav WR in the draft outside of Tate/Concepion/Boston. Wouldn’t mind settling for Antonio Williams @ 90 if impossible to draft Hurst. Quote
Bill from NYC Posted April 22 Posted April 22 Great job, and perfect review of Germie Bernard. 1 Quote
GunnerBill Posted April 22 Posted April 22 13 hours ago, BuffaloBillsGospel2014 said: If Denzel Boston or KC Conception get drafted or we pass on them I hope Beane does what he can to move up to get Ted Hurst who imo has the best set of hands since Larry Fitzgerald, he catches everything with his hands and very little body catches. Even at the combine he was all hands on deck, this guy can be special but the concern is always the level of competition, well worth taking a shot on though since he won't or most likely won't be a 1st round pick. I like Ted Hurst a fair bit, but his hands are one of the concerns. He had 14 drops across the last two seasons at Georgia State. Quote
NewEra Posted April 22 Posted April 22 On 4/18/2026 at 6:32 PM, NeverOutNick said: The nice thing about fields is he can move around the line, not just boundary X. He’s really good at finding open spots in coverage so when Josh has to get out and scramble, imagine this massive humans catch radius available for Josh to just launch it his way. Man it would be fun to watch I think it would be awful to watch. He sucks imo. I wouldn’t draft him in rd 5. 3 Quote
NeverOutNick Posted April 22 Author Posted April 22 1 hour ago, Bill from NYC said: Great job, and perfect review of Germie Bernard. The closer it gets to the draft, the more likely I see KCC gone and if we don’t take an edge at 26, I want to trade back to early 2nd get some draft capital and take Bernard. I just see him in a Bills uniform doing the dirty work while Moore kills it deep. 1 1 Quote
NewEra Posted April 22 Posted April 22 22 hours ago, Ethan in Cleveland said: This list makes me want to trade for Marvin Harrison Jr or AJ Brown more than ever. Give up two first round picks for MHjr and enjoy another MVP season by Allen this year. TWO firsts for MHj? 🤣 good lord. Quote
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