The 2025 NFL Draft WR rankings do not provide us with the blue-chip prospects we’ve become accustomed to with the likes of Ja’Marr Chase, Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers, and Jaylen Waddle. However, there are more than a few pass catchers who deserve to hear their name called on the fourth Thursday in April.
There have been at least 13 WRs selected on the first two days of the draft in every season dating back to 2019. That certainly should not change in 2025.
These rankings are preliminary film grades based on a weighted numerical grading scale. Names might be in places you’re not used to seeing. My grading process is emotionless. Sometimes grades on paper end up being different than the feeling in my heart and head. That’s a calculated process to avoid biases, particularly when counting traits twice (e.g. fast guys being fast).
15) Dane Key, Kentucky
Dane Key is part of a talented trio of pass catchers for the Kentucky Wildcats. They’re anchored down by underwhelming quarterback play, but their talents shine through independent of that unfortunate situation.
Key is easily the most well-rounded of the trio. He boasts impressive size and length. He uses his frame and length well to shield defenders from properly agitating the catch point, and he’s a relatively strong finisher through contact.
His game isn’t predicated on outrageous athleticism or eye-popping natural separation skills. Key is a solid all-around weapon with a traditional X-receiver size. However, the Wildcat wide receiver must improve his hands at the line of scrimmage to counter defensive backs punching him in the mouth.
14) Jalen Royals, Utah State
Few things in life are more tragic than the 2024 Utah State offense. Jalen Royals is a legitimate three-level threat shackled by a passing attack that wouldn’t dare legitimately consider pushing the ball downfield these days. The talented pass catcher is stuck running fewer than 10 yards downfield and simply finding space to turn around and catch the football.
His manufactured touches behind the line of scrimmage are our only entertainment these days. The senior wide receiver is shifty pre- and post-catch, and his frame allows him to shuck arm tackles like I do oysters on a summer day. He possesses impressive vision, and his 2023 tape displayed a player who can run an expanded route tree.
Unfortunately, the Aggies’ wide receiver is only an average athlete overall. He’s not overly flexible, explosive, or shifty, even against Mountain West competition.
13) Tez Johnson, Oregon
Flexibility, explosiveness, and agility aren’t anything to worry about with Tez Johnson. The Oregon receiver can absolutely fly. Ask Denzel Burke about his speed.
Defensive backs cannot mirror Johnson if they’re unable to get their hands on him early in the rep. If they do, Johnson can be deleted from the rep. Additionally, he is a slot-only weapon at the NFL level, but he provides nothing for a team in the run game, which makes him scheme-dependent.
Johnson’s game is reminiscent of an old-school quarterback’s best friend. He projects as a third-down chain mover who also has the ability to take the top off of a defense. He’ll also be an adequate decoy from the slot running off safeties and opening middle-of-the-field windows for in-breaking receivers coming from the numbers.
12) Tory Horton, Colorado State
Tory Horton has been a target hog dating back to the day he transferred to Colorado State from Nevada for the 2022 season. Horton hasn’t seen the same production we’re used to from him in 2024, but that’s hardly his fault.
Horton flashed some outstanding feel for backyard football in 2023, snapping off of routes while understanding how to find open space to help his scrambling QB. He has experience and the ability to play from any alignment. He is fantastic against spot-drop zone coverages because of his natural feel for finding soft spots.
Horton’s frame is unique. He possesses unevenly long legs compared to his torso, but the negatives that usually align with long lower limbs don’t apply to Horton, who changes direction with relative ease despite his leggy frame. It also helps him get to top speed quickly, however nobody would mistake him for a natural burner.
11) Xavier Restrepo, Miami
Xavier Restrepo might only be the WR11 in these current rankings, but he should be No. 1 in everyone’s heart. It legitimately looks like he enjoys blocking as much as he does catching the football. While most pass catchers revel in the opportunity to blindside an unsuspecting defensive back, Restrepo is consistently seen on the outside trading blows as a blocker in the screen game.
Miami even uses him on cracking opportunities, as Sean McVay does Cooper Kupp.
XAVIER RESTREPO WITH A RECORD-BREAKING PLAY ‼️ pic.twitter.com/eIVGm1GtAK
— ESPN (@espn) November 2, 2024
If we were ranking football players here, Restrepo would be near the top of the list. However, he’s still sub-5’10”, and without the high-end burst and long speed to really threaten defenses vertically. He is a strong vertical presence in the Miami offense, but his lack of length and speed will make that incredibly difficult at the NFL level.
But Restrepo is a quarterback’s best friend. Miami would not be undefeated without him. He’s tough as nails over the middle and has a knack for making big plays when Miami needs him most late in contested games.
10) Tai Felton, Maryland
The game has gotten closer to the line of scrimmage. However, vertical speed remains a huge offensive advantage because most of the splash plays made at the NFL level are due to space opened up by a vertical threat occupying a safety or cornerback.
Additionally, crossing routes paired with vertical concepts are dangerous, and having a long receiver with neck-breaking speed makes for a dangerous passing attack.
Now, pair that Christian Watson-esque speed with a player who has commanded 100 targets for the Maryland Terrapins’ offense through eight games. You’d have Tai Felton, who remains an underrated name in the 2025 NFL Draft class.
Felton doesn’t possess the control or natural route-running detail of top receivers, and his wiry frame lacks functional strength to shine as a blocker or after the catch. However, he is creative enough with the ball in his hands to command manufactured targets in the Maryland offense due to his patience, decisiveness, and vision as a runner.
9) Antwane Wells Jr., Ole Miss
The only Ole Miss wide receiver to beat the Rebels’ offensive offense allegations since A.J. Brown and DK Metcalf is coming up later on the list. Thankfully, we have “Juice” Wells’ South Carolina tape to fall back on. The Gamecocks-turned-Rebels WR fits into the mold of South Carolina pass-catchers built like running backs.
At 5’11”, 215 pounds, his frame would certainly suggest he aligns in the backfield. However, the fifth-year player is a legitimate weapon in the slot and on the outside. Naturally, he is a weapon after the catch. His dense frame absorbs and deflects contact well, and he has an impressive feel for his next move post-catch.
Unfortunately, his game also comes with a lack of detail, which has become more conspicuous in the elementary Ole Miss offense. Additionally, Wells took over Tre Harris’ role as the Rebels’ outside receiver on the right side after Harris’ injury, but the veteran pass catcher has been unable to replicate Harris’ production.
8) Evan Stewart, Oregon
Evan Stewart came to Oregon with quite a bit of hype despite an underwhelming sophomore season for the Texas A&M Aggies. Stewart hasn’t been able to replicate Troy Franklin’s ridiculous production in the Oregon Ducks’ offense despite playing in a very similar role. However, production alone, as we’ll see later, is not the be-all, end-all.
Stewart’s naturally flexible frame and outrageous explosiveness make him a dangerous mirror at all three levels of the field. But Stewart’s rising draft stock comes from a new-found love for detailed, snappy route running. Stewart easily bends in and out of breaks, but the details in his eyes and footwork efficiency stand out as improvements this season.
His frame leaves a lot to be desired, and unlike the DeVonta Smiths of the world, this Slim Reaper does not possess head-tilting play strength for his size. He won’t be a positive force in the run game, and he won’t provide much excitement after the catch if defenders can get a paw on him.
7) Kyren Lacy, LSU
What Kyren Lacy lacks in high-end athleticism he makes up for in his fierce competitiveness at the catch point. Lacy’s release repertoire stands out in the class, which is a big reason why he has been an impressive force in the red zone over the past two seasons with LSU.
After losing Nabers to the NFL Draft, Lacy became Garrett Nussmeier’s best on-field friend. Their bond is evident every time Nussmeier uncorks a contested pass leveraged away from a defender for Lacy to attack.
Still, Lacy has no real issues as a route runner. While he’s not a relatively dangerous athletic weapon, his feet are efficient and he possesses enough flexibility to fight back to the football on routes coming back to the QB as an outside receiver.
However, Lacy’s release repertoire makes him a solid slot option at the NFL level. Having a two-way go with his physicality and creativity at the line of scrimmage could make him a target-rich player at the next level, even if he never becomes an explosive NFL weapon.
6) Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State
Emeka Egbuka has been a professional route runner since C.J. Stroud was throwing him passes. Unfortunately, he wasn’t eligible for the NFL Draft back then, and he hasn’t been able to replicate that production in the same offense since. Egbuka certainly hasn’t gotten worse, but the quarterback play certainly has.
After battling injuries and Kyle McCord passes in 2023, Egbuka needed a solid season to reclaim some of his draft stock as a senior.
📈Reached out to Ohio State WR Coach @brianhartline (also a @seniorbowl alum) and he raved about Emeka Egbuka's football intelligence & do-it-all skill-set.
Hartline's lofty comp for Egbuka is Lions' Pro Bowler Amon-Ra St. Brown and we see similar grittiness in his play.… https://t.co/9JjYVLctTu pic.twitter.com/DndkgorgRD
— Jim Nagy (@JimNagy_SB) October 9, 2024
The Buckeyes wide receiver flashed as a ball carrier against Oregon in his two backfield opportunities, which is a side of his game we hadn’t really seen before that moment. Egbuka has the frame density and awareness to be a monster over the middle. He’s also better after the catch than he’s given credit for while also providing some productive blocking in the run game.
But the NFL game is so predicated on high-end athletic traits, particularly speed, which Egbuka lacks. He’s a great football player, but his ceiling is limited.
5) Tre Harris, Ole Miss
Tre Harris hasn’t played since the LSU game in Week 7, but if he didn’t play another snap this season it shouldn’t stop a team from taking him toward the back of Round 1.
The 6’2″, 215-pound receiver shines from the line of scrimmage until a tackler finally wrestles him to the ground. Despite playing in Ole Miss’ offense, Harris mimics the movements and detail of an NFL X while playing in an offense asking for very little detail and timing.
Harris manipulates defensive backs playing from depth into choosing wrong with consistency, which maximizes his ability to separate. His hips are properly lubricated for smooth direction changes, and his feet are violent in and out of breaks. That frame density also helps when smaller defensive backs try wrangling him on an initial attempt.
The only things keeping him from elevating his status higher in this class are relatively lackluster long speed, some inconsistencies in downfield tracking ability, and the limited route tree the Ole Miss offense asks him to run.
4) Luther Burden III, Missouri
Like Harris, Luther Burden III‘s burden is the Missouri passing attack. Burden is clearly one of the most dangerous players in college football with the ball in his hands. He also has no problems leaning into route breaks while carrying high speeds. His feet are naturally violent and efficient with the ball in his hands.
But Burden’s nonexistent route tree (from the slot nonetheless), manufactured production as a crossing route runner versus zone coverage, and his lack of detail as a route runner held down his film grade.
The tools and supplies are there, but the table isn’t built yet. And for as dangerous as he is after the catch, that danger is not quite on the level of Chase or Deebo Samuel Sr.; Burden has the potential to outshine any receiver in the class when he gets to the NFL level, but it’s currently an unrealized potential.
3) Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona
The more Tetairoa McMillan tape that comes in, the less convinced I’ve become in his ability to consistently separate at the NFL level. The Falcons selected Drake London with the eighth overall pick a few years ago. That is a likely range for McMillian, who has the production profile and frame to command that sort of draft capital.
But we rarely see the big-bodied receiver with lackluster burst and post-catch ability succeed at a high level in the NFL. London certainly didn’t enter the league with the best situation in front of him, but he’s underwhelmed statistically since entering the league given his draft capital.
Mike Evans is a popular comparison for McMillan, but Evans has 15 more pounds on his frame and is a more sudden route runner, whereas McMillan relies more on smooth transitions.
Where McMillan certainly compares favorably to Evans is his length. Evans boasted over 35-inch arms, and it would honestly be shocking if McMillan didn’t surpass that mark. His catch radius is the most ridiculous I’ve ever seen, both anatomically and functionally. He competes for the ball away from his frame like nobody else. Like Mike Gesicki coming out of Penn State, McMillan makes the ball disappear when it hits his hands.
He’s also shown much more creativity and ability to shake tacklers after the catch in 2024. But he’s far from a burner, and his lack of separation quickness casts more doubt on his NFL projection than the two receivers ahead of him.
2) Travis Hunter, Colorado
Travis Hunter doesn’t have the catch radius McMillan boasts, but he might have the best hands of any wide receiver we’ve seen come through the NFL Draft in a very long time. Very little separated Burden, McMillan, and Hunter’s grades. McMillan actually graded better than Hunter as a pure route runner. Hunter could still add detail to that area of his game.
What elevated Hunter was his natural agility, body control, explosiveness, post-catch plan, hands, and potential.
Think about it. Hunter is this good at WR despite splitting his prep time between this and being the best cornerback in college football. Specialization is paramount to success at the highest level, yet Hunter is practically the best of both worlds, with room to improve at the next level.
Hunter’s natural feel for pursuing defenders as the ball is in the air is unmatched. He’s able to process what his next move needs to be after the catch while still holding laser focus on the approaching football. The only thing keeping him from being the most dangerous post-catch weapon in college football is his body.
The “catch” with Hunter is two-fold. First, playing the amount of snaps he does is unheard of. Simply surviving his workload is witchcraft, let alone thriving as the best player in college football. But that workload takes an unseen toll on the body.
His 190-pound frame isn’t debilitating by any means, but it is his one weakness. However, it is difficult to properly gauge his natural play strength because he’s almost certainly playing on 50% battery power at any given time throughout a contest.
Specializing at WR could see him round into one of the better receivers in the NFL, but his potential on the other side of the ball is CB1. Certainly, the money is better on offense, but his legacy on defense, plus a limited role as a returner and on offense, could be legendary.
1) Isaiah Bond, Texas
You’re probably surprised by this. Trust me, I was surprised at just how big the gap was between Isaiah Bond and the next three contenders. Bond was the only receiver to carry a Round 1 designation, and he nearly elevated into the “top 10″ range on my grading scale.
Is the scale broken? Maybe. But the same scale a year ago boasted six first-round film grades, and the players came in all shapes and sizes.
Bond’s size is his biggest weakness. At 5’11”, 180 pounds, he is certainly not among the monster athletes we’ve seen recently. However, he makes up for that lack of size by making himself an incredibly difficult target to attack at the line of scrimmage. His release plan is incredibly strong, and his agility is even more evident than Xavier Worthy’s was in the same uniform a year ago.
He isn’t as fast as Worthy, but that’s a comparison between a lightning bolt and the speed of sound. It shouldn’t surprise anyone to see Bond sniff the 4.2 range at the NFL Scouting Combine, but calling Bond a speed receiver is disrespectful to the nuance he possesses.
Isaiah Bond is FAST 💨 #HookEm
— Always College Football (@AlwaysCFB) November 9, 2024
While possessing outrageous levels of explosiveness, agility, and flexibility, he is also detailed in his route-running approach. He easily bends into high-speed breaks and seamlessly sinks into stopping routes, but he also attacks blind spots and steps on the toes of defensive backs, sending them into a spin cycle both mentally and physically.
He puts together multi-layered routes like their second nature, but he’s most dangerous when working at full chap. The problem is that he hasn’t produced the way that Worthy or even Adonai Mitchell did a year ago. But when the tape comes on, it’s abundantly clear that is a quarterbacking issue because Bond is often running on open grass just waiting for a ball that never comes.
In a league that has continuously shifted toward allowing less contact on defense, speed, agility, and separation ability have become king. Bond has everything necessary to take an NFL offense to the next level.