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The more I watch this WR class, the more I like it. I don't think there are any surefire #1s, but I think there are a good number of 2s and 3s.
Since it's always a huge class, I'll break this into a few parts over a couple days, so it's not 10,000 words.
Here are the guys that are pretty consistently in the top 50 range.
*Carnell Tate tOSU 6'2" 192#
Tate will likely be the first receiver taken in this year's draft (I mocked him to the Giants at 5). It's weird to say for someone that seems locked in as a top 10 pick at WR, but there's nothing about him that really wows me. He's exceedingly competent at pretty much everything without being particularly flashy. He's got pretty good size, runs pretty good routes, is a pretty good athlete, he's a pretty good go-up-and-get-it player that offers danger for a defense at the back end. His hands are great, though. To me, that all profiles to a high end #2 receiver. A slightly smaller Tee Higgins.
*Makai Lemon USC 5'11" 192#
Makai Lemon is insane- just watch his combine podium interview- and I love it. I don't know if it's genuine or if he's just really trying to be Amon Ra St. Brown, but as long as he plays like he did at USC, I'm in. He's undersized and not a burner, which likely makes him a slot only, but he's elite at finding or creating space and then becoming an absolute bitch when the ball is in the air. That's his ball and fuck you for thinking otherwise.
*Jordan Tyson ASU 6'2" 203#
The highest upside of any receiver in the draft. By far the most #1-y traits of any of the top receivers, but he's always hurt. Missed all of 2023 with an ACL/MCL/PCL. Missed the end of 2024 with a broken collarbone. Missed the end of 2025 and all of the pre-draft so far with multiple hamstring injuries. When he plays, he's sudden, explosive, and violent, but how much will teams trust him?
*KC Concepcion aTm 6'0" 196#
I have a blind spot with the NFL draft that if I get wowed or underwhelmed with someone by an early viewing, it's very hard to get me off of that position. I saw Concepcion get 5 yards behind the ND defense only to have his QB underthrow it by 10 yards, then saw him make a circus catch because of a terrible throw, then saw him dust a CB with a double move for what should have been another TD only to have that one underthrown, too. "holy shit. this is a dude." He's so quick and sudden. He creates space instantly and then is a demon after the catch. He reminds me a lot of Luther Burden. I dinged Burden last year for bad QB play. I may be swinging too far the opposite with KC, but I love him. He'd be by #2 WR. I don't get why he's a fringe 1st or early 2nd.
*Omar Cooper Jr. IU 6'0" 199#
Very similar to KC Concepcion to me. Quicker than fast, but with a lot of burst and fantastic after the catch with the ball. Runs a lot like young DJ Moore after the catch, but I don't know if he has the route running savvy that young DJ had.
*Denzel Boston UW 6'4" 212#
Big, prototypical X receiver. Big catch radius, excellent at contested catches, better route runner than you'd expect. Not a lot of speed, not a lot of YAC, not a lot of wiggle. Very Michael Pittman Jr. to me.
*Germie (yes "Germie") Bernard Bama 6'1" 206#
Not the biggest or the fastest (4.48). Not going to wow you with explosiveness, but arguably the highest floor of any receiver in the class outside of Tate. Everything about this guy screams "8-year NFL contributor." Ryan Williams was supposed to be the breakout star receiver at Bama in 2025. Instead, he stalled while Bernard got the #1 targets and receptions. He runs great routes. He finds open space. He doesn't drop the ball. It's competence pr0n.
*Chris Bell Louisville 6'2" 222#
Bell is big, strong, and fast, but he's not for me and that's before you take his currently torn ACL into account. So many people want him to be AJ Brown because of the stature, but for every AJ Brown there are 20 Malachi Corleys and Treylon Burkses. Super athlete, not a super receiver. Doesn't run routes well. Doesn't identify holes in the zones. Doesn't have the nuance to create space. Maybe you can teach him that because you can't teach big and fast. I'm just out.
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