Even though the Los Angeles Rams would appear to have their top four wide receivers penciled in, behind them pickings thin out quickly. L.A. has a total of seven currently under contract and will likely have to add a minimum of three more.
Back in February, I profiled under-sized wide receivers and today will look at the opposite end of the spectrum, the big guys. And I mean big, all are 6’ 4” or better and to make it interesting, they all tested under 4.50 in the forty yard dash.
Meet the candidates
Dont’e Thornton - Tennessee - 6’ 5” / 205 lb. / 32 1/8” arms / 4.30
22 year-old was a Top 100 high school recruit. Originally signed at Oregon and played in 25 games with five starts over two seasons. In his two seasons with the Vols, Thornton made seven starts in 22 games, he missed four games in 2023 with minor injuries. Overall, he made 65 catches for 1326 yards and 10 scores. Named to the Shrine Bowl.
Delicious combo of size, length speed. Will have to upgrade his route tree for the pro game, but you cannot overrate the ability to just run by defenders. He can create off the simplest of routes. Has the strength to get release in press and not be re-directed down field. Adequate hands and good a contested catches. Tough to bring down after the catch, but is a linear, long strider that hasn’t shown open-field running ability, just pure speed.
Huge playmaker potential, averaged 24 yards per catch over his college career. The high ceiling comes with a low floor, for all his plus traits, Thornton could not secure a regular starting role at two different stops. I grade him Round 5. Did create a big stir with a strong showing in Shrine Bowl workouts and Combine explosion.
Tennessee WR Dont'e Thornton Jr. is one of my favorite day 3 receiver options for the #Titans. There's a lot of projection required for his eval (due to limited route tree in the offense, injury issues, and a lack of press man reps) but the athleticism is unreal.
-ran a 4.30 40… pic.twitter.com/2ZjHbOemhA
— Drew Beatty (@IronCityFilm) March 15, 2025
Isaiah Neyor - Nebraska - 6’ 4”/ 218 lb. / 34 3/8” arms / 4.40
Not highly recruited out of high school, Neyor signed with Wyoming. In two seasons as a Cowboy, he played in 18 games with 52 catches for 1126 yards and 12 touchdowns. In 2022, he transferred, upgrading to the Texas Longhorns. He tore up a knee in preseason workouts and did not play over two seasons. He transferred again for 2024, this time to Nebraska and played in 12 games with nine starts. He logged 34 receptions for 455 yards and five scores.
Athletic specimen who lacks the matching production. There are flashes of dominance on Neyor’s film, generally he snatches the ball away from his body and puts it away to run, goes up strong at contested catches and can reach off-platform throws. But he’s not crisp into and out of his breaks, only adequate at stop/start and change of direction, and his hand/eye coordination doesn’t always work well.
Although I have Neyor on the cusp of draftable, traits-based prospects usually find a way onto draft boards and he has a stellar physical and athletic profile. He’ll be a 24 year-old rookie and is quite raw and lacking in game time experience. He needs a team that can take the time to do the development work.
Isaiah Neyor posted a 9.99 RAS with a 4.40 40 yard dash while standing 6’4”, 218lbs
But how’s the tape? Well…
➖ pterodactyl catch radius
➖ long strider with above average agility
➖ ball tracking skills
➖ release bag
Early day 3 talent, imo pic.twitter.com/vEYq0Jhuxt
— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) March 3, 2025
Issac Teslaa - Arkansas - 6’ 4” / 214 lb. / 31 1/8” arms / 4.43
Lightly recruited out of high school despite being a football, basketball, and track star. Teslaa signed with D3 Hillsdale College and posted three strong seasons there. He moved up to the SEC Arkansas Razorbacks. Over his final two seasons, he started 17 of 25 games and made 62 catches for 896 yards and five touchdowns. Named to the Senior Bowl.
TeSlaa doesn’t have an expansive route tree and will need much improvement, but is very good at finding the soft areas in zone coverage. Was targeted at all depth’s of the field. Tracks the ball well and shows good hand/eye coordination. Has strong, aggressive hands to pluck the ball away from his body and loose-jointed to reach off-target throws. Very good in contested catch situations and in traffic. Has been limited to predominantly slot work, so will have to prove he can beat press outside.
Named to the Feldman’s Freak’s list. An uber-athletic Ben Skowronek? TeSlaa is willing to do the dirty work, fearless over the middle, and a very good blocker. He really really showed out in Senior Bowl workouts and the game itself. Any sleeper status has been lost, I give him a Round 5 grade and given the overall level of this draft class, expect him to go earlier.
Kaden Prather - Maryland - 6’ 4” / 204 lb. / 31 7/8” arms / 4.46
Four-star recruit, turns 23 in September. Originally signed by West Virginia and finished two seasons there. Over 20 games in his frosh/soph years, Prather nabbed 64 passes for 676 yards and three scores. Moving on to Maryland for his last two seasons, he collected 22 starts in 25 games and caught 98 passes for 1290 yards and nine touchdowns. He was named to the Shrine Bowl.
Although he has a well-built frame and has good long speed, Prather is not an explosive athlete. Primarily lines up outside. Not a huge route tree, but appears crisp into and out breaks. Not afraid of the middle and is used at all depth’s of the field. Appears to track the ball well and show’s the body control to adjust to mis-throw’s. Hands catcher, but too often claps the football instead of plucking it and it leads to bobbles. Running with the ball on hitches and quick screens, Prather shows some power, contact balance, and considering he’s a long strider, adequate open-field running. Willing blocker.
Although not a top-tier prospect, Prather has strong development traits as an outside receiver. In Shrine Bowl workouts, he was lauded for creating separation and two things that are in his weak areas, footwork on releases against press coverage and route running. I like his game better than most pundits and give him a late Round4 grade.
Jayden Higgins - Iowa State - 6’ 4” / 214 lb. / 33 1/8” arms / 4.47
The 22 year-old had two solid seasons at Eastern Kentucky before transferring to Iowa State. Higgins had a very productive career with 227 receptions for 3714 yards and 28 touchdowns. Named to the Senior Bowl.
Big framed, easy mover. Well-rounded wide receiver that can attack both man and zone coverage. Plays outside or in the slot. Full route tree and solid in all areas of the field. Higgins can create his own separation, he’s strong and savvy when releasing off the line, sinks into his breaks and cuts sharply, and/or has the speed to run right by defenders. He is a little slow out of breaks, needs a couple of steps to really get going. Soft hands, catches away from his body, and has the wingspan and body control to go and get every pass. Good, not great as a runner after catch.
While I have a Round 2 grade on Higgins, players with his skillset and athleticism are often taken on Day 1. There’s a bit of hit/miss history with big, freakishly athletic wide receivers, but Higgins has the security of a high floor to go along with his ceiling. In college, he proved capable of making the step up in competition and has the skillset/traits to transition to the pro game.
Savion Williams - TCU - 6’ 5” / 222 lb. / 32 1/2” arms / 4.48
High school quarterback came to the ’Toads as a four-star recruit. Spent his first two seasons learning the wide receiver position, spent his freshman year as a kickoff returner. Took over as a starter in 2022 and over his final three seasons, totaled 36. He garnered 137 catches for 1665 yards and 14 scores. Williams also chipped in to the run game with 51 carries for 384 yards and six touchdowns. Named to the Senior Bowl.
Elite size, speed, and athleticism with good length. On the Feldman’s Freaks list for strength/athleticism. William’s formational versatility makes him a matchup nightmare, he lined virtually everywhere for TCU. While it highlighted his playmaking abilities, it slowed his growth as a pure wideout. Right now, probably just as good a runner as he is receiver. As an open-field runner, he shows patience behind blocks and good vision to read. Runs at different speeds and has the size to break tackles. Still raw as a receiver, but shows flashes of good technique. Needs work on consistent separation and had some concentration drops. Body control, catch radius, and ballhawking are all plus.
Crazy high ceiling. I have him as a Round 2 pick, but surely some team will take a swing on Day 1. He had a lot of touches schemed to him in college and this seems like a good way to go while he develops receiving chops. He’s that much of a weapon.
Savion Williams by any means necessary.
6’5 225
4.42 40 yd dash
Ran the Wildcat for TCU
Lined up at RB a ton for them as well
Ntm insane catch radius & YAC merchant
pic.twitter.com/naNgyPz04l
— JoeRobbie (@JoeRobbie_) April 2, 2025
Do big receivers have a place in the Rams offense?
Yes and no. Since 2017, L.A. has drafted eight wide receivers and only one, Jacob Harris stood above 6’ 3”. You remember him, the TE/WR hybrid developmental project that was very fast and only lasted a couple of years. Two more, Josh Reynolds and Ben Skowronek taped at 6’ 3”. Both were supposed to give the Rams that contested catch specialist, both had some shine, but neither got a second contract in L.A.
This group offers another bite at the contested catch apple and all have plus speed as an add-on bonus.