Mike's Take
It's often said there's talent to be found at wide receiver in any round of any NFL Draft.
And there's plenty of recent evidence to support such an assessment.
As good an example as any is the 2023 exercise, when wide receivers Jaxson Smith-Njigba, Quentin Johnston, Zay Flowers and Jordan Addison were selected in succession with picks 20 through 23 overall, and Puka Nacua lasted until the fifth round (and the 177th-overall selection).
They're out there.
And this year is no exception.
Maybe not quite a Ja'Marr Chase or Malik Nabers this time around, but they're out there.
It's a matter of preference, fit and perception.
Mike's Rankings
1. Carnell Tate, Ohio State, 6-2, 192 lbs. - Tate's 4.53 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis lacked splash but he didn't need to make one at this juncture. He is, after all, the next in line off the Buckeyes' assembly line, following Garrett Wilson (2022), Chris Olave (2022), Jaxon Smith-Njigba (2023), Marvin Harrison, Jr. (2024) and Emeka Egbuka (2025), and in advance of Jeremiah Smith, who projects as one of the top overall players available in 2027.
**2. Makai Lemon, USC, 5-11, 192 lbs.**- There are stats that impress and stats that project. Lemon's four games with at least 150 yards receiving and at least one receiving touchdown does both. The previous three players from a Power Conference who pulled that off are Chase in 2019, DeVonta Smith in 2020 and Jameson Williams in 2021. Any questions?
**3. Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State, 6-2, 203 lbs.**- Tyson might be one of the best pure talents available in the draft let alone the best wide receiver. But he has a significant injury history that includes missing time in 2022-23 (ACL/MCL/PCL), 2024 (collarbone) and 2025 (hamstring). When Tyson's healthy he scores touchdowns (18 combined in the past two seasons).
**4. Denzel Boston, Washington, 6-4, 212 lbs.**- Boston had to wait his turn behind a slew of talented wide receivers in Seattle but in the last two seasons he has emerged as a large and inviting target. Boston's market should be busy leading up to the draft after he found the end zone a combined 20 times in 2024 and 2025.
**5. Malachi Fields, Notre Dame, 6-41/2, 218 lbs.**- The 4.61 40 Fields ran in Indy might be concerning had he not lit up the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala. "Overall, Fields will fill that power forward role at the next level and should be a real weapon in the red zone," NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah assessed. Fields will do that and be that in spectacular fashion at times (see the Notre Dame-Pitt tape for contested-catch confirmation).
Sleeper: Kaden Wetjen, Iowa, 5-9, 193 lbs. - Wetjen had more touchdowns on returns (six) than he did receptions (one) in three seasons at Iowa. But the return ability is real and it's a weapon. He found the end zone four times in 2025, once on a kickoff return and three times while running back punts. Find him a roster spot and then hold your breath if and when the other team kicks Wetjen the ball.