Wide Receiver Class
Early-round talent: BMid-round: B
Late-round: B
Overall grade: B
Merging the 2025 and 2026 prospects
Travis HunterTetairoa McMillan
Jordyn Tyson
Carnell Tate
Emeka Egbuka
Makai Lemon
Matthew Golden
Denzel Boston
K.C. Concepcion
Malachi Fields
Jayden Higgins
Luther Burden
Just to be clear, this article and series are all my opinion. I base my evaluation on my own film study and also on information I’ve gotten from general managers, directors of college scouting, national scouts, area scouts, and NFL coaches who know way more than I do.
This year’s class of wide receivers is solid and comparable to 2025. The 2024 class was an A-grade class and right now 2027 looks like it could be a contender for an A-grade. While this class is not full of exceptional talent, there are some solid prospects for each day of the draft, and some teams should come away with quality contributors at receiver.
If you were to merge the two classes together, Travis Hunter and Tetairoa McMillan would be the top two prospects. Jordyn Tyson and Carnell Tate are not as good as McMillan, and are more on a par with Emeka Egbuka. Makai Lemon is a notch below Egbuka but a better prospect than Matthew Golden. Denzel Boston, K.C. Concepcion, and Malachi Fields are better than Jayden Higgins. Luther Burden would have gone higher if it weren’t for make up concerns.
Safest Pick: Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State 
Previous Picks:2025 Tetairoa McMillan
2024 Marvin Harrison Jr.
2023 Quentin Johnston
2022 Drake London
2021 Ja’Marr Chase
2020 Jerry Jeudy
2019 Deebo Samuel
2018 Christian Kirk
2017 Corey Davis
2016 Will Fuller
2015 Amari Cooper
2014 Sammy Watkins
2013 DeAndre Hopkins
This was an easy choice for me as I think Tyson is going to be a solid pro, and the only thing that could hold him back would be durability. Tyson has a good skill set and some natural receiving ability for the NFL with his route-running, run after the catch skills, and his combination of size and speed. I think Tyson is going to be a balanced receiver and an effective pro with a quality career.
Biggest Bust Potential: Ja’Kobi Lane, USC 
Previous Picks:2025 Isaiah Bond
2024 Tez Walker
2023 Jalin Hyatt
2022 David Bell
2021 Elijah Moore
2020 Denzel Mims
2019 N’Keal Harry
2018 Auden Tate
2017 Curtis Samuel
2016 Corey Coleman
2015 Devin Funchess
2014 Kelvin Benjamin
2013 Cordarrelle Patterson
If you look at the list above, I have been very accurate in projecting potential bust receivers. This year was very tough to select a receiver with bust potenital. Of the early-round candidates, Lane stood out to me as a receiver that might disappoint. I could see him being limited as a pro because of struggles to separate from NFL defensive backs.
Wide Receiver Rankings by Attributes
Separation:
NFL prototype: Ja’Marr Chase, Bengals
- Jordyn Tyson
- Makai Lemon
- K.C. Concepcion
- Carnell Tate
- Denzel Boston
- Malachi Fields
Recap: A few wide receivers coaches told me that the ability to separate from coverage is the first trait they looked for in scouting draft prospects. Tyson is the best in this draft class at getting space from defensive backs. He does it with speed, quick feet, superb route running, and suddenness out of his breaks. Tyson’s separation skills are one of his best traits.
Lemon and Concepcion are quick receivers that can separate from defensive backs based on speed. They are tough for defensive backs to run with and are able to generate space running vertically or crossing the field. Both are dynamic playmakers who are threats to break wide open on any given snap.
Tate is a quality route-runner that has some quickness. He can generate some separation out of his break and presents a big target for his quarterback. Boston and Fields are one speed receivers that lacks a second gear and are long-striders. They could have some problems separating from NFL cornerbacks.
Hands:
NFL prototype: Justin Jefferson, Vikings
- Carnell Tate
- Malachi Fields
- Denzel Boston
- Makai Lemon
- Jordyn Tyson
- K.C. Concepcion
Recap: This is a nice crop of sure-handed receivers. Tate has good hands, and you rarely see him drop a pass. Fields attacks the football with his hands and really snatches it out of the air. Boston, Lemon, and Tyson have hands that are dependable, and they are natural hand receivers. Concepcion has solid hands for a smaller receiver.
Deep Speed:
NFL prototype: Jameson Williams, Lions
- K.C. Concepcion
- Makai Lemon
- Jordyn Tyson
- Carnell Tate
- Denzel Boston
- Malachi Fields
Recap: All of the receivers in this group have the ability to stretch the field vertically. Concepcion and Lemon are potential deep threat receivers with dangerous speed going deep. Concepcion is a fast receiver that can take a top off of their defense. Lemon can also stretch them vertically with straight line speed as well as quickness out of breaks.
Tyson can challenge defenses downfiled and is a threat to run past defensive baks. Tate, Boston, and Fields are are not deep speed receivers. They are not fast wideouts who burn defenses with pure explosion, but they have enough straight-line speed to get vertical, and then they can use their wingspan, height, and leaping ability to make catches over defensive backs.
Route-Running:
NFL prototype: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Lions
- Jordyn Tyson
- Makai Lemon
- K.C. Concepcion
- Carnell Tate
- Denzel Boston
- Malachi Fields
Recap: Route-running is a critical part of gaining separation in the NFL. Receivers who get sloppy in their routes have a hard time getting open. Extra steps allow defensive backs to maintain coverage or more time to recover. This class has a strong group of route runners.
What really stands out about Tyson is he is an excellent route-runner. Tyson is a smooth route-runner who doesn’t take false steps and has a phenomenal burst out of his break. With his explosion off his cuts, Tyson consistently creates separation from defensive backs. Tyson ate up man coverage, especially in 2024, and has a sudden twitch to dart into his route and get past defensive backs.
Lemon is quick through his route with a burst out of his breaks to consistently create separation. Lemon is dangerous on double moves, as his route-running and suddenness allow him to get open downfield while challenging defenses vertically. Concepcion runs good routes and consistently uses his speed to get separation. Concepcion is very dangerous on quick slants and running go routes down the sideline.
Tate is a quality route runner. Many big receivers struggle to run routes as fluidly as he does. He has lower body flexibility and can sink his hips to turn quickly. He has a nice burst out of his breaks to get separation from cornerbacks. Boston and Fields are solid route-runners, but they are not super explosive or twitchy out of the break. They are wideouts who win more with their size.
Yards After the Catch:
NFL prototype: Jaxson Smith-Njigba, Seahawks
- K.C. Concepcion
- Jordyn Tyson
- Makai Lemon
- Carnell Tate
- Denzel Boston
- Malachi Fields
Recap: The ability to turn a short reception into a big gain can make a receiver elite. Among the six receivers above, all of them have some run-after-the-catch ability, and I wouldn’t say there is one that is really bad.
Concepcion and Tyson are excellent runners after the catch. Lemon is a nice runner after the catch and shows toughness. Tate has some moves along with size and toughness that make them tough to tackle for defensive backs. Boston and Fields are solid yards after the catch receivers for big wideouts.
