Heading into the 2024 college football regular season, what do the 2025 NFL Draft WR rankings look like? Will the 2025 WR class be a continuation of the WR golden age? Here’s a look at the top prospects on the board at the pass-catcher position.
Way-Too-Early Top 10 WR Prospects in 2025 NFL Draft
Wide receiver has always been a talent-dense position, and in the modern age of the NFL, that truth has only been emboldened.
Over the last five cycles, at least 14 wide receivers have gone within the first three rounds. Next year’s class should be more of the same.
The triumvirate of Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers, and Rome Odunze will be naturally tough to match. But what truly makes this modern age of WR evaluation special is the amount of volume and high-level talent available, and the 2025 class follows that trend.
10) Jalen Royals, Utah State
First in line to represent the mid-level conferences in the 2025 NFL Draft WR class is Utah State’s Jalen Royals, who racked up 71 catches for 1,080 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2023. Royals is back for more in 2024, and he has a growing profile following behind him.
At 6’0″, 195 pounds, Royals is one of the more natural separators in the 2025 class. He moves with unbridled foot speed and short-area energy, which he uses to stack breaks off releases and off-set defenders instantly. And at the catch, he has stellar instincts.
9) Will Sheppard, Colorado
Vanderbilt isn’t often known for its prolific passing attack, but for the better part of the past three seasons, Will Sheppard was a bright spot. The 6’3″, 205-pound pass catcher amassed 150 catches for 2,037 yards and 21 scores over his final three seasons with the Commodores.
Sheppard was always steady as a route runner and catch-point threat, and his stubborn RAC ability also proved valuable.
Now, in Colorado’s offense with Shedeur Sanders at the helm, Sheppard has a chance to put up career-high numbers ahead of an NFL ascent.
8) Evan Stewart, Oregon
After losing Troy Franklin, the Ducks still have Tez Johnson as a holdover from the 2023 season. However, the more notable member of the receiving corps is transfer addition Evan Stewart, who arrived in Eugene after accruing 1,163 yards in two seasons at Texas A&M.
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In a space-dominated modern NFL, Stewart has many alluring tools. At 6’0″, 175 pounds, he’s a featherweight at the WR spot but makes up for it with a bristling hyperactive twitch, electric foot speed, high-end speed and acceleration, and sharp route-running chops.
7) Tez Johnson, Oregon
Graded just a tick higher than Stewart, Tez Johnson is very reminiscent of Houston Texans star Tank Dell with his profile. At 5’10”, 160 pounds, Johnson — a former Troy standout — amassed 86 catches for 1,182 yards and 10 scores.
Johnson naturally lacks the size to be a consistent threat in contested situations. But, like Dell, he has size-defying play strength and toughness, and he’s an explosive, twitched-up separator with superb vertical speed and RAC utility.
6) Isaiah Bond, Texas
There’s an air of uncertainty over Alabama’s football program after Nick Saban’s retirement, but the passing offense should only improve with Kalen DeBoer as head coach. That said, they’ll be working without one of their top targets from 2023, Isaiah Bond, who transferred to Texas.
At 5’11”, 185 pounds, Bond is a bit undersized. Yet, he’s a true speed threat with blistering explosive capacity out of his breaks, and he also has the hip sink, nuance, and efficient footwork to send DBs lurching on breaks.
Coming off a 668-yard 2023 campaign, Bond could be due for more as Texas’ premier WR.
5) Chris Brazzell II, Tennessee
If you’re looking for a breakout WR candidate who could mirror Brian Thomas Jr.’s rise, look no further than Tulane transfer Chris Brazzell II. Brazzell picked up 44 catches for 711 yards and five touchdowns in 2023, and he could be due for more in 2024 with Tennessee.
At 6’5″, 200 pounds, Brazzell has the size, length, and catch-point authority you’d expect from a taller receiver. But hidden behind his contested-catch profile is an extremely appealing route-running skill set.
Brazzell’s flexibility is near-elite, and it completes his game.
4) Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State
Heading into the 2024 NFL Draft cycle, Emeka Egbuka graded out as a first-round prospect on my board. While injuries slowed his advance in 2023 and ultimately played a hand in his decision to return to school, he’s still a prospect with immense three-level upside.
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At around 6’1″, 206 pounds, Egbuka has a streamlined frame with impressive lean mass, and he’s an explosive glider of an athlete who can carve through zone coverage with his speed and spatial instincts. Beyond that, he’s an instinctive catch-point presence and a wiry RAC threat.
3) Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona
Coming out of high school as a five-star recruit, Tetairoa McMillan originally committed to Oregon, where he would’ve played with Bo Nix and Franklin. But soon after, he switched his commitment to Arizona, becoming the highest-rated signee in school history.
McMillan quickly lived up to his five-star billing, and in 2023, he amassed 90 catches for 1,402 yards and 10 TDs. At 6’5″, 210 pounds, McMillan has dominating size, but he’s also absurdly flexible and free-flowing at that size with the burst to create space.
2) Luther Burden III, Missouri
It’s important not to anchor to early grades in a given NFL Draft cycle — but there are times when a prospect is talented and productive enough to let it slide. Ja’Marr Chase was one. Harrison was another. Luther Burden III could be a similar case.
Burden was a five-star recruit from St. Louis who chose to stay in-state and help resurrect the Missouri Tigers’ standing in the SEC. Two years later, he’s accomplished just that. Along the way, he’s solidified himself as a potential blue-chip prospect.
At 5’11”, 208 pounds, Burden has the elite explosiveness, agility, and contact balance to perfectly fit the mold of the modern-age RAC threat. But beyond those surface-level traits, he’s also an extremely natural separator with his use of space and an acrobatic catcher.
1) Travis Hunter, Colorado
It says a great deal that Burden and McMillan are graded as highly as they are — and they still aren’t the only ones in the WR1 conversation for the 2025 NFL Draft. It’s a close race between all three, but Travis Hunter actually has my highest preliminary WR grade.
Hunter’s ultimate placement is contingent on which position he plays at the NFL level: wide receiver or cornerback. Nevertheless, he’s the rare player with high-level ability at both spots. And his special qualities — bend and playmaking ability — make him a dangerous WR.
At 6’1″, 185 pounds, Hunter has devastating separation upside with his speed, flexibility, and throttle control, and he already flashes exciting nuance and spatial IQ. He’s a dynamic RAC weapon, and his generational instincts at the catch point are well-advertised.
Honorable Mentions
- Elic Ayomanor, Stanford
- Nic Anderson, Oklahoma
- Barion Brown, Kentucky
- Dane Key, Kentucky
- Caullin Lacy, Louisville
- Tre Harris, Ole Miss
- Ja’Mori Maclin, Kentucky
- Tory Horton, Colorado State
- Jayden Higgins, Iowa State
- Jaylin Noel, Iowa State
Other 2025 NFL Draft Position Rankings
Check out our other way-too-early position rankings for the 2025 NFL Draft:
- Top 10 QBs in the 2025 NFL Draft
- Top 10 RBs in the 2025 NFL Draft
- Top 10 TEs in the 2025 NFL Draft
- Top 10 IOL in the 2025 NFL Draft
- Top 10 OTs in the 2025 NFL Draft
- Top 10 DTs in the 2025 NFL Draft
- Top 10 EDGEs in the 2025 NFL Draft
- Top 10 LBs in the 2025 NFL Draft
- Top 10 Safeties in the 2025 NFL Draft
- Top 10 CBs in the 2025 NFL Draft
