Even with the influx of talented receiver classes to hit the NFL in recent years, plenty of teams are still starved for playmakers at the position.
The good news? The 2026 NFL Draft class features numerous breakout stars making their way up boards.
With that in mind, here’s how the top of the class is shaping up.
Note: ⭐️ represents each player’s 247Sports star rating as a high school recruit
Tier 1: Dudes
Every time you watch Jordyn Tyson, the loftier your expectations get. The number of athletes who move the way he does at his size is minuscule even by NFL standards — most of them have been called top-five receivers at some point in their careers. Tyson blends explosiveness, fluidity, body control and lateral mobility that allow him to run the full route tree with devastating efficiency. He doesn’t create throwing windows versus man coverage — he creates freeways.
Tyson has 47 catches for 523 yards and seven touchdowns in six games this season, with just one drop — a huge improvement from his 8.5% drop rate a year ago. He’s about as safe a WR1 prospect as you’ll find, and every team with a young quarterback should be chomping at the bit to pair him with Tyson.
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Josh Edwards
Carnell Tate might go down as one of the least-heralded top-10 picks at receiver in recent memory. Such is life when your former teammate is rookie sensation Emeka Egbuka and your current teammate is generational talent Jeremiah Smith. But Tate has all the makings of a high-volume X-receiver at the next level. His body type and smooth athleticism are more reminiscent of an NBA slasher than a traditional wideout — and that’s what makes him special.
Tate has actually been more explosive than Smith this season, averaging 17.0 yards per reception on 28 catches for 476 yards and four scores. He’s caught 82.4% of his targets with zero drops and an incredible 7-for-8 success rate on contested catches, per PFF. That’s exactly what you want in a next-level X.
Tier 2: Elite specialists
These are still very much first-round receivers, but they lack the all-around traits of the Tier 1 guys. That’s not a knock — even players like Amon-Ra St. Brown or DK Metcalf are “specialists” in some regard and still produce at a high level.
I don’t need a 40-yard-dash time or wingspan measurement to know Makai Lemon can play football. His tape speaks that loud and clear. Lemon is the most prolific wideout in the Power Four through six games with 44 catches for 682 yards and six scores. He’s a precise, savvy route-runner who’s not afraid to go over the middle of the field. Lemon also has exceptionally strong hands, with only a 2.9% drop rate for his career.
Lemon is the type of receiver killing the new wave of two-high defenses. He fits the mold of players like Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Puka Nacua, and Amon-Ra St. Brown — tough, reliable and refined. His smaller catch radius might limit him slightly, but he’s an exceptionally safe bet to produce early in his NFL career.
Chris Brazzell II’s game is on the opposite end of the spectrum to Lemon’s. He’s not a slot. He’s not particularly technical. And you aren’t going to run your offense through him, per se. But when you throw it his way, every target has the potential to be a house call. In fact, seven of his 32 receptions so far this season have done just that.
He’s a long, lean, vertical-route-tree receiver who has been able to stride away from pretty much every corner he’s faced this season. If I’m comping his skillset, I’d put Brazzell somewhere on the continuum of Christian Watson and Brian Thomas Jr..
Brazzell’s path to stardom has been a little different from everyone else on this list so far. He started at Tulane, where he broke out as a sophomore in 2023 with 44 catches for 711 yards and five scores. After transferring to Tennessee last year, he actually played over current Raiders wideout Dont’e Thornton Jr., but struggled with drops (six on 35 catchable balls) and was relatively ineffective with 333 yards all season.
This season, he’s visibly stronger and came back a different dude altogether with 536 yards in six games. There’s not a better deep threat in the draft class.
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Mike Renner
Tier 3a: Chain movers
We’re moving into Day 2 territory, but as everyone knows, teams can still find high-end starters here. What typically separates a Day 1 from a Day 2 receiver comes down to traits — things like size or athletic limitations, role concerns, injury history or streaky consistency. For the productive “chain movers” who’ve slipped to Day 2 in the past — think Tee Higgins, Michael Pittman Jr. or Keon Coleman – it’s often questions about consistent separation that cause them to fall. Still, the cliché holds true: with their size and ball skills, they’re always open.
- Draft range: Early Day 2
- Ideal team fits: Dolphins, Saints, Giants, Patriots
Denzel Boston isn’t just a possession target — he’s a downfield threat, too. Through six games, he already has six deep receptions, showing he can stretch the field as well as move the chains. If the ball’s anywhere near him, chances are he’s coming down with it. Boston hasn’t dropped a single one of his 30 catchable passes this season.
You can forgive Boston for being a bit of a late bloomer. He sat behind three top-100 picks as a sophomore in 2023 before breaking out last fall with 63 catches for 834 yards and nine touchdowns. While he’s not a pure separator, Boston knows how to use his 6-foot-4 frame to create space, and that skill translates to any level of football.
- Draft range: Day 2
- Ideal team fits: Dolphins, Saints, Giants, Patriots
Ja’Kobi Lane has a little more wiggle than Boston, but not quite the play strength to consistently impose his will. That’s the main factor keeping him out of the first-round conversation — and part of why he’s no sure bet to declare after this season.
Still, with how easily Lane moves at his size, it’s hard to imagine him not finding success at the next level if he continues to refine his craft. His knack for adjusting to off-target throws and creating space in tight quarters is exactly what makes him so dangerous in the red zone.
Sixteen of Lane’s 68 career receptions have gone for touchdowns — the kind of efficiency every NFL team covets.
Tier 3b: YAC weapons
With zone coverage dominating NFL defenses, receivers who can create after the catch have never been more valuable. Most defenses are content to “give” offenses short gains, trusting they can rally and tackle underneath. These are the players who break that calculus — turning would-be 3- or 4-yard catches into first downs.
- Draft range: Mid-Day 2
- Ideal team fits: Seahawks, Jets, Saints, Dolphins
Omar Cooper Jr. has been a breakout star for the Hoosiers this season, posting 466 yards and six touchdowns through six games. On just 29 receptions, he’s already broken 12 tackles — a testament to both his shiftiness and power after the catch. He’s not only elusive enough to turn short throws into chunk gains, but also strong enough to shrug off NFL defensive backs. Add in just three drops on 78 career catchable passes, and you’ve got a player built to handle volume at the next level.
His teammate Elijah Sarratt is a strong prospect in his own right, but Cooper brings a bit more juice, averaging 17.7 yards per reception for his career.
- Draft range: Late-Day 2
- Ideal team fits: Seahawks, Saints, Falcons, Commanders
This draft is loaded with undersized slot playmakers in the Kevin Coleman Jr. mold. Clemson’s Antonio Williams, Georgia’s Zachariah Branch, Florida’s Eugene Wilson and LSU’s Aaron Anderson all bring similar traits to the table. Coleman stands out because of his surprisingly large catch radius for his size and his jitterbug route-running ability. He’s caught 40 of 46 targets for 388 yards this season without a drop. What I love about Coleman is that for a 180-pound receiver, he’s caught over 50% of his contested catches for his career.
The fact that he’s played for four different schools in four years won’t sit well with some evaluators, but the talent is undeniable — and it’s tailor-made for a slot role at the next level.
Tier 3c: Speedsters
These receivers are known for one thing: juice. Every NFL offense is searching for ways to become more dynamic, and these players provide exactly that. They may not have the size to be high-volume targets, but their big-play threat changes how defenses line up and opens up opportunities for everyone else.
- Draft range: Mid-Day 2
- Ideal team fits: Cardinals, Falcons, Bills, Seahawks, Eagles
There’s plenty of reason to believe Eric Singleton Jr. will be a more productive pro than he’s been in college. The biggest factor has been inconsistent quarterback play during his time at Auburn and Georgia Tech. He’s caught only 19 of 57 career deep targets, not because he struggles to separate, but because he rarely has a quarterback who can hit him in stride.
He’s got a longer frame than most 5-foot-10 receivers, which helps him adjust to off-target throws better than players with similar measurables. As a pure separator, he’s right there with the Tier 1 receivers in this class; he simply doesn’t have the size to match them.
- Draft range: Mid-Day 2
- Ideal team fits: Seahawks, Jets, Saints, Dolphins
Chris Bell isn’t your typical 220-pound wide receiver. At that size, he has serious wheels to get behind — and stay behind — defenses. He’s averaged 15.4 yards per reception over the course of his career.
This year, Bell has taken a major step forward as a route-runner, and the numbers back it up. He’s already produced 502 yards and four touchdowns in five games, putting him on pace to surpass his 2024 total by his eighth appearance. He’s still a bit raw, but there’s a lot to work with given his blend of size, speed and improving polish.
- Draft range: Mid-Day 2
- Ideal team fits: Cardinals, Falcons, Bills, Seahawks, Eagles
Georgia Tech basically pulled the Spider-Man meme this offseason, losing Eric Singleton Jr. to Auburn but gaining Eric Rivers in the transfer portal. Both are elite all-around athletes: Singleton has the bigger catch radius, while Rivers might have a touch more top-end juice. Either way, if you’re looking for a receiver who can consistently threaten downfield, you can’t go wrong with either Eric.
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