The NFL is in its golden age of receiver play, helping facilitate the passing production that has defined the league. Every draft class is filled with starter-level receivers, and each year since 2020 has sent at least four targets to Round 1.
Colleges are producing All-World athletes, coaches are chasing explosive plays, and young quarterbacks are often paired with first-class weapons in hopes of accelerating their development. The position is increasingly important, and the varying profiles of prospects open the door for different preferences and schematic fits.
As for the 2026 NFL Draft, Arizona State's Jordyn Tyson is the consensus top target. Behind him, a myriad of big bodies, tiny dynamos, and polished technicians allow evaluators to parse through and pick their flavor. With so many viable names, there's no shortage of options in the first half of the draft.
2026 NFL Draft wide receiver rankings
1. Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
Tyson isn't the blue-chip prospect that Marvin Harrison Jr. and Ja'Marr Chase gave to their respective classes, but his blend of route running, body control, and post-catch prowess makes him an easy first-round pick.
I prefer him in the slot, where his ability to accelerate vertically and horizontally over the middle of the field makes him a fun fit in option-route-heavy offenses. He's versatile, polished, and fluid, elevating his floor.
MORE: Jordyn Tyson scouting report – Arizona State star is early favorite for WR1
2. Chris Bell, Louisville
Where Tyson's technique stands out, it's Bell's upside that is easy to fall in love with. He's all potential, boasting high-end athleticism and a knack for turning it into production.
Bell has the best burst in the class and above-average long speed. He can stretch the field with ease and is a frequent target underneath, where he can turn anything into a home run. His separation skills lag behind the raw tools, but strong hands and an ability to win at the line of scrimmage boost his stock.
3. Makai Lemon, USC
Lemon might be bound to the slot, although receivers with his size (5'11", 195) and speed (mid-to-high 4.40-speed) have transcended that typecasting before. The Trojans have a surplus of receiving talent, and Lemon is the best of the recent bunch.
What does Makai Lemon lack?
— Ian Cummings (@IC_Draft) September 7, 2025
He can separate at a high level, stretch seams, make tough catches, and he’s an electric RAC threat with size-defying strength through contact.
Aside from size, hard to poke holes in his game. Big-time player.
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Lemon is a trustworthy slot receiver who separates well to the underneath and intermediate parts of the field. There's upside to unlock after the catch and downfield, and while defeating press may never become a strength, his ability to beat man coverage should earn him some run on the boundary. His 248 yards lead the Big Ten through two weeks of action, and as conference play beckons, he'll have the chance to produce against high-level competition.
4. Denzel Boston, Washington
Boston wins underneath and over the top, at the line of scrimmage and at the catch point. He'll be his future quarterback's best friend. If it weren't for a lack of elite athleticism, he'd be a consensus first-round pick, too.
Betting on Boston means sacrificing upside for a higher median and a narrower set of outcomes. For teams in need of a second boundary receiver, Boston presents a pro-ready option whose production can exceed his raw tools. Take him early on Day 2 and enjoy the benefits.
MORE: NFL Draft Big Board 2026: Early-season top 40 prospects with Round 1 hopes
5. Antonio Williams, Clemson
Williams has some first-round hype early in the cycle, but there's some variance to his profile that could make him a polarizing prospect. His YAC falls short of his athletic traits, and a pesky drop problem plagued his 2024 season.
Even so, he led the ACC in touchdowns a season ago. He's a strong separator with flashes of nuance and a surplus of athleticism. He'll have to clean up the drop problem and answer some questions about his physicality. From there, it should be smooth sailing to a top-50 selection.
6. Eric Singleton Jr., Auburn
Singleton will have to fight against his size throughout his career. Yet, he's a twitchy weapon with acceleration that has car dudes ashamed of their investment.
His elite athleticism lends itself to production after the catch, and his ability to win off the line of scrimmage and throttle his speed on vertical routes makes him viable downfield. He's inherently limited as a physical presence; he won't be an average blocker or make plays above the rim. Still, Singleton can take snaps on the boundary, be used as a gadget receiver, and find soft spots in zone coverage. There's a lot of Jayden Reed in this profile, and the promotion to SEC play should bode well for his stock.
7. Carnell Tate, Ohio State
Nobody's mistaking Tate for the best target on his team. However, as a developing target on a championship contender, he finds ways to make an impact. Tate wins on the boundary as a size/speed specimen with the ability to win downfield. The best parts of his game were apparent in Week 1 against Texas, where he bailed out his quarterback with quality hands and body control to score on an underthrown deep ball.
Despite his size (6'2", 191 pounds), Tate isn't overly physical, nor does he exhibit much power as a blocker or ballcarrier. Rectifying those issues while expanding his route tree will be necessary to secure a spot in Round 1. To his credit, Tate's 2025 campaign is off to an impressive start.
8. Zachariah Branch, Georgia
Like Singleton, Branch will hope to shake the limitations of his 180-pound frame at the next level. There's always some gadget risk when betting on left-tailed size outliers, but Branch's feel for route running and the ability to win off the line of scrimmage offer him a path to full-time snaps.
It's harder to see Branch moving out of the slot in the NFL. However, he posted elite numbers after the catch in 2024, has good hands, and is a willing blocker. Some coordinators could very well fall in love, and backed by the pedigree of USC and Georgia, Branch has soft factors helping buoy his stock.
9. Ja'Kobi Lane, USC
Simply put, Lane was built to score touchdowns. He found the end zone 12 times as a sophomore and already has the most impressive grab of the 2025 season.
JA’KOBI LANE ARE YOU SERIOUS 🤯
— USC Football ✌️ (@uscfb) September 6, 2025
📺 @CFBONFOX
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Lane epitomizes the red-zone threat archetype, boasting the best hands in the class and a knack for making plays. Much of the rest of his game requires development, some of which isn't coming. He's not explosive, offers little after the catch, and is a below-average route runner. Even so, winning off the line and throughout vertical routes with physicality keeps him viable downfield. Lane is a role player -- an exceptional one -- and has a strong case to be taken on Day 2.
10. Elijah Sarratt, Indiana
Sarratt isn't the most exciting receiver in this class. He isn't ripping off the nastiest routes. He isn't challenging any Combine records in Indianapolis. But on the boundary, Sarratt is incredibly consistent, and it's easy to see him in a starting role.
Sarratt wins with technique and strength at the line of scrimmage and flashes late hands to win at the catch point. His body control is adequate, and he plays bigger than his 213-pound frame would suggest. There's some "sacrificial X receiver" in his game and a harsh ceiling on his profile. Still, his blocking prowess adds a reason to give him early-down playing time. In the red zone, he can win above the rim or fine soft spots in zones, and his habit of working to the football is bound to earn him some trust.
Sarratt profiles similarly to Indianapolis Colts receiver Michael Pittman Jr. If a team can roll the dice at the end of Day 2 or early on Day 3, he figures to be a solid secondary piece of a passing offense.
Other names to watch
- Nyck Harbor, South Carolina: Harbor's frame will earn him hype. He's a height/weight/speed freak with all the makings of a College Football 26 glitch. With mediocre routes and less burst than speed, he's more of a rotational deep threat than an every-down starter.
- Germie Bernard, Alabama
- Kevin Concepcion, Texas A&M
- Noah Thomas, Georgia
- Nic Anderson, LSU
- Aaron Anderson, LSU
- Evan Stewart, Oregon: Stewart gained hype during the 2025 NFL Draft cycle before returning to school. His size is a limiting factor on his stock, but a successful transfer to Oregon did him well. Perhaps another big year in the Big Ten can mitigate some concerns.
- Jayce Brown, Kansas State: Brown entered the year as a priority UDFA on my board. Even so, he's worth watching as a developmental target. He showed out in Week 0 and has fun athletic traits and flashes of real separation.
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