The 2024 NFL Draft is right around the corner, and the NFL Combine is this week. All of the talk is about the quarterbacks. Today, we are going to focus on the wide receivers. Who are the top wide receivers in the NFL Draft? There are a lot of them. I am going to give my rookie wide receiver rankings!
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Rookie Wide Receiver Rankings: Marvin Harrison Jr. to Arizona?
Right now, if you ask who the WR1 is, 99% of people say Marvin Harrison Jr., and maybe 1% say Malik Nabers. For most people, there is no argument. But Nabers has made a strong argument for the clear-cut number-two in this class.
Rome Odunze is expected to be the third guy and a top-10 pick. Daniel Jeremiah called him “my favorite player in the draft.” This is a fun class with some top-tier talent and some depth as well.
There could be as many as six first-round picks and at least 15 in the first three rounds. It is a pass-heavy league, and this has become one of the premier positions. Although there is a depth, and you can get good players in the second or third round.
There is such a high need for difference makers at the position that they go early and often on draft day. The other part of this is the salary; just look at Tee Higgins’s $21.8 million tag.
From a business standpoint, you are better to draft wide receivers than to pay them. Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase are also about to reset the market with record-breaking deals.
You are saving a lot more money on a rookie wide receiver than a rookie running back or linebacker vs. the free agent market. I will go into more detail for my top-10 rookie wide receivers. But I will list my top 25 pre-combine wide receiver rankings to give you some more names to look for.
Top 25 Dynasty Rookie WR Rankings
1. Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State (Age 21)
Height: 6’4
Weight: 205 lbs.
NFL Player Comparison: “CeeDee Lamb” – Lance Zierlein
Marvin Harrison Jr. is an elite prospect who has produced consistently throughout his entire career. Many believe he is the safest pick in this year’s NFL Draft. It is hard to disagree with it when there is little to no weakness in his game. He has all of the physical traits you are looking for from a size, speed, and ability standpoint.
There are no concerns about his character, work ethic, or really anything at all. He has beat up on first-round NFL corners throughout his career at Ohio State. Don’t overthink it. Harrison Jr. is the WR1, and Arizona is an ideal landing spot.
2. Malik Nabers, LSU (Age 20)
Height: 6’0
Weight: 200 lbs.
NFL Player Comparison: “Justin Jefferson” – Lance Zierlein
Nabers would be the WR1 in any other class. He has elite traits, and his ability to move around the formations shows he is NFL-ready. Nabers has great size and is a physical player at 200 pounds. He played the majority of snaps from the slot this season, partly due to Brian Thomas Jr. being on the outside.
Nabers went from 45% slot snaps in 2022 to 57% in 2023. He wins vs. man or zone, no matter where he is lined up. He is about to light up the combine and show everyone why he will be a top-five pick. The Chargers would be silly to pass up on him. Someone could also trade up.
3. Rome Odunze, Washington (Age 21)
Height: 6’3
Weight: 215 lbs.
NFL Player Comparison: “Larry Fitzgerald” – Lance Zierlein
We had a lot of undersized wideouts in last year’s class, but this year has plenty of big wideouts. Odunze has alpha traits and would be a top-five pick in most drafts.
No chance this guy goes outside of the top 10 picks in this year’s NFL Draft. Odunze has been in the top three in every rookie wide receiver ranking list out there. He has the size to play outside and the ability to play all over the field. Odunze has the rare speed to go with his size.
4. Troy Franklin, Oregon (Age 21)
Height: 6’3
Weight: 187 lbs.
NFL Player Comparison: “Chris Olave” – Lance Zierlein
Franklin is going to be a trending player after he runs at the NFL Combine. His speed is rare, and at 6’3, he will be turning some heads. Right now, mock drafts have him going in the 15-20 range.
There are a lot of teams in that range with needs, and we could see teams trade up. It is hard to find a player with this combination of skills. He is a smooth route-runner on top of being a speedster. Franklin averaged 17.1 yards per catch last season.
5. Brian Thomas Jr., LSU (Age 21)
Height: 6’4
Weight: 205 lbs.
NFL Player Comparisons: “Martavis Bryant” – Bleacher Report
Brian Thomas Jr. emerged as a big name this season. He had 720 yards and 7 touchdowns coming into 2023. He blew up this season with 17 touchdowns and 1,177 yards. Kayshon Boutte’s departure opened the door, and Thomas cashed in. He had a great connection with Jayden Daniels, and he was a contested catch monster.
Thomas is a physical wide receiver who bullies corners. Tackling him is another obstacle. He did a lot of damage after the catch this year. He has strong hands and is excellent at high-pointing the ball in tight coverage.
6. Adonai “A.D.” Mitchell, Texas (Age 21)
Height: 6’4
Weight: 196 lbs.
NFL Player Comparisons: “George Pickens” – Lance Zierlein
Mitchell is a mature route-runner who can create separation consistently. His big-play ability was a knock on him, but he has all of the abilities you are looking for in an X-wide receiver.
Texas WR Adonai Mitchell could see a serious rise at the NFL Combine this week. An elite blend of size, speed, and ball tracking make him a dangerous deep threat. Mitchell, who goes by “AD,” had just 1 drop to his name since 2022. #HookEm pic.twitter.com/tZ3EirG2Du
— Kyle Lindemann (@LuckIsMadeFF) February 26, 2024
Mitchell has great size at 6’4 with great first-step quickness and ability to separate. His strong hands and toughness make him a difference-maker in the middle of the field. Mitchell had a strong career at Texas and is a borderline first-round pick in this year’s draft.
7. Xavier Worthy, Texas (Age 20)
Height: 6’1
Weight: 172 lbs.
NFL Player Comparisons: “Darnell Mooney” – Lance Zierlein
Worthy broke out as a freshman and has blazing speed. He will be one of the fastest wideouts at the combine, and the NFL loves speed. Worthy could end up going a little higher than Mitchell on draft day because of it. Every team in the NFL is looking for or needs some speed. Worthy isn’t just a track guy.
He makes plays and is an exceptional route runner. Worthy plays the majority of his time in the slot. That is likely where he lines up in the NFL.
8. Xavier Legette, South Carolina (Age 23)
Height: 6’1
Weight: 223 lbs.
NFL Player Comparisons: “Kenny Britt” – Bleacher Report
Leggette is a little bit older and doesn’t have the long history of production you would like to see. But it’s hard to ignore what you saw in 2023. Especially when a player is drawing D.K. Metcalf comparisons from many, including Steve Smith Sr. This was a dominant player that showed elite ability in the SEC.
Legette has the size you are looking for. Xavier has made a strong case to be considered for the first round. There are some things to dislike about his 2022 tape, but his 2023 tape shows you what kind of potential this kid has.
9. Keon Coleman, Florida State (Age 20)
Height: 6’4
Weight: 214 lbs.
NFL Player Comparisons: “Drake London” – Lance Zierlein
Keon Coleman has great size, but the question will be about his speed. Coleman is not much of a separator, and a slow combine could hurt his stock. The comparisons to Tee Higgins are tantalizing because you can see it when you see the size of this guy. He is a jump-ball specialist and one on one.
He is just too big or physical for corners. Coleman is a projected first-round pick and will end up higher in my rankings if that happens.
10. Ladd McConkey, Georgia (Age 22)
Height: 5’11
Weight: 187 lbs.
NFL Player Comparisons: “Elijah Moore” – Lance Zierlein
Ladd McConkey was one of the top performers at the Senior Bowl this year. His route-running ability will transfer into the NFL, and he has the size you are looking for.
McConkey is not going to be the fastest guy at the combine, but his route-running, as well as his hands, will set him apart. Ladd played 485 snaps out wide vs. 204 in the slot, not just a “slot guy.” He consistently created separation against SEC corners all year, and he could be an early fantasy producer in any point-per-reception format.
Ladd McConkey turning on the jets pic.twitter.com/EOqhYSR4qi
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) February 26, 2024
