The 2025 NFL Draft wide receiver class is intriguing, with a fairly defined top tier and then an interesting Day 2 grouping that offers a little bit of everything for NFL teams. Even within the top-five prospects, they bring a wide range of skills to the table, and how their draft order could very much depend on what each coaching staff is looking for in a first-round wide receiver.
Let’s examine our current top 10 WR rankings for the 2025 NFL Draft and analyze their respective skill sets.
This article’s analysis is based on the opinions of a combination of our scouting analysts at PFSN.
10) Jaylin Noel, Iowa State
With 1,013 yards and six touchdowns in 2024, Jaylin Noel’s explosive release and stride make him tough to defend, while his improving route-running adds to his game. The ability to find space and then having the burst to maximize that space with the ball in his hands is Noel’s greatest talent and it should serve him well in the NFL.
Strength and power are going to be Noel’s downfall if he doesn’t add more bulk in the NFL. He can get caught up at the line of scrimmage, which impacts his route timing. When you then combine that with a limited catch radius, Noel is a player who needs to find space to be a consistent weapon at the NFL level.
As a slot receiver, Noel has a high ceiling in the NFL. Lining him up off the line of scrimmage should help avoid those concerns about getting checked by stronger defenders. He will fulfill a valuable role in the NFL, and if he can clean up the nagging drops we have seen at times during his collegiate career, there is no reason he cannot have a successful NFL career.
9) Jayden Higgins, Iowa State
Jayden Higgins is a wide receiver known for his impressive size and reliable hands. After transferring from Eastern Kentucky to Iowa State, he recorded 87 receptions for 1,183 yards and nine touchdowns in the 2024 season, earning second-team All-Big 12 honors.
Higgins excels in contested-catch situations, utilizing his frame to shield defenders and secure the ball effectively. However, his limited agility can make it challenging for him to create separation on sharply breaking routes. Higgins’ combination of size, ball skills, and productivity makes him a valuable asset in possession and vertical passing schemes.
8) Isaiah Bond, Texas
Isaiah Bond is one of the nation’s top wide receivers with first-round potential. Despite modest stats since transferring from Alabama — 510 yards and five touchdowns — film shows his production has been limited by quarterback play. Quinn Ewers missed chances to capitalize on Bond’s elite separation skills as his game-breaking speed and elusiveness make him a dangerous playmaker when given opportunities.
7) Elic Ayomanor, Stanford
The Stanford Cardinal star has the physical tools to hypothetically thrive along the perimeter in the NFL. Elic Ayomanor has a wide catch radius and impressive ball skills, with excellent coordination that allows him to track the ball effectively and take optimal angles in the air. He offers above average speed for his size, too, and that combination makes him a difficult defender to bring down after the catch.
If you’re looking for a polished route-running technician, Ayomanor might not be your first choice. He’s a bit high coming into his breaks and doesn’t have the explosiveness in his lower half to consistently create separation. His still-developing release package and high center of gravity can make it easier for cornerbacks to press him near the line of scrimmage.
6) Tre Harris, Ole Miss
Tre Harris is a physically imposing wide receiver celebrated for his exceptional body control and ability to secure contested catches. After transferring from Louisiana Tech to Ole Miss, he made an immediate impact, recording 60 receptions for 1,030 yards and seven touchdowns in the 2024 season.
Harris excels in high-pointing the football, effectively using his frame to shield defenders and make difficult catches in traffic. However, his route tree remains somewhat limited, relying heavily on vertical stems, and he can round off his cuts at times, particularly on comeback routes. Harris’ combination of size, strength, and reliable hands make him a valuable asset in contested-catch situations and red-zone opportunities.
5) Luther Burden III, Missouri
A slot receiver with an impressive combination of speed, power, and agility, Luther Burden III’s 2023 campaign showed that he’s more than capable of taking on a high workload. His natural playmaking skills make him dangerous in space, and he has ball skills to spare when allowed to stretch the field vertically.
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As a route runner, Burden has shown progress but still needs additional development. Granted, part of that comes down to the way he was used in college, but his route salesmanship still needs some work.
Burden should end up being an instant starting wide receiver at the NFL level. He has some inside-outside versatility with the ability to thrive on jet sweeps and end-around plays, and his yards-after-catch (YAC) ability is arguably the best of any wide receiver in the 2025 NFL Draft class.
4) Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State
Emeka Egbuka is a well-built slot receiver who projects as a reliable chain mover at the next level. He offers good overall size for the position and has good strength and athleticism. He primarily aligned in the slot while at Ohio State, and that is where he will likely call home at the next level.
The Buckeyes star is an excellent route runner and understands how to use head and body fakes to create separation. Egbuka is outstanding in using his hands to keep his body clear throughout the stem of his route and is a third-down machine who consistently gets open and moves the chains.
He has extremely strong hands and outstanding body control, ball skills, and strength to make catches in contested situations and over the middle of the field. He is tough and competitive with the ball in his hands and runs like a running back rather than a receiver.
Egbuka will likely never be a home-run threat at the next level as he lacks the deep speed to stress NFL-caliber corners vertically. He struggles to stack defensive backs consistently and will need to be creative with his routes to separate at the next level. Egbuka will be best utilized as a team’s No. 2 option who can excel as a reliable slot receiver playing opposite a true big-play threat.
3) Matthew Golden, Texas
Matthew Golden is the most well-rounded receiver prospect in the 2025 NFL Draft. He combines fantastic athleticism with the ability to do all of the little things at a high enough level to carve out a role within an offense.
Golden’s ability to consistently create separation with his speed and quick feet makes him a reliable target. He also made several highlight-worthy catches in the final games of the season. While his length and size result in a smaller catch radius and make him easier to bring down by defenders, there is plenty of upside in his profile due to his speed and efficient route running.
2) Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona
Tetairoa McMillan possesses very good size and overall athleticism for the position. He is a versatile receiver who can line up outside, in the slot, even attached to the tight end, allowing him to exploit mismatches against nickel corners and linebackers.
McMillan is a big-bodied pass catcher with an outstanding catch radius and hands. He has rare ball skills and is an outstanding contested catch and red-zone threat, but he has the athleticism of a receiver who is smaller in stature and can make plays with the ball in his hands.
While he has sufficient speed for a receiver with his size, McMillan lacks the third gear to consistently generate separation down the field in the NFL and can struggle with creating separation off breaks at times.
1) Travis Hunter, Colorado
Entering the NFL Draft, Travis Hunter is one of the best overall prospects in the class and stands out as one of the most intriguing players in recent memory, as he legitimately qualifies as a top-five pick at two positions. He is truly a 1-of-1 NFL prospect.
Hunter possesses below-average overall size and length but offers a once-in-a-generation type of overall athleticism. He has rare quickness, speed, and burst that allows him to excel and win against most players he lines up against on either side of the ball. Furthermore, Hunter has rare instincts, high-end ball skills and is hyper-competitive.
The intriguing thing about Hunter is that it may depend on which team selects him as to how much he will play on offense or defense. Opinions are split on whether he should be primarily an offensive player with the ability to contribute on defense, or primarily a defensive player who can contribute in certain offensive packages.
Golden isn’t an elite athlete in any way? Lmao he ran a 4.29. Did you do ANY research for this article?