Receiving contributions from rookie receivers used to be a rarity in the past. Nowadays, it seems like we’re almost guaranteed multiple high-level seasons out of rookies. Last year, we saw three 1000+ receiving-yard seasons from rookie wide receivers, and one such season from a rookie tight end. Can we expect similar results from this year’s crop of receivers?
Unfortunately, I’m not sure we’ll have titanic performances like Brian Thomas Jr’s rookie season. However, there are plenty of receivers in this class who can provide immediate value for the teams that draft them. With this article, we’ll look at some of the different roles these receivers can take on in their rookie season and which teams might benefit from such contributions.
Potential WR1s
These are the receivers that can become true go-to targets for their quarterback. In Year 1, these prospects may not be bona fide stars, but will certainly be a force that defensive coordinators have to plan around.
Travis Hunter, Colorado
The top player in the Two Point Conversion Draft Guide, Travis Hunter, is a phenomenal athlete who’s only scratching the surface of what he can become. To start, Hunter is a special athlete. His body control, contact balance, and spatial awareness make for a tough matchup. Hunter’s level of conditioning to be able to play 100+ snaps routinely is also astonishing, and should bode well for a transition to a league where players are more athletic and physical.
Hunter’s unique path of playing both corner and receiver at a high level is the ultimate selling point for him becoming an elite receiver in the NFL. His skillset as a receiver, while still in development, was enough to win him the 2024 Biletnikoff Award (award for the nation’s top receiver). Hunter is a smooth mover before and after the catch, avoiding and bouncing off contact for extra YAC. At the catch point, Hunter is fearless and willing to fight for contested catches. For me, the biggest plus is Hunter’s experience as a corner – he can take what he knows from playing the position and apply it to beat the elite corners he’ll go against.
Overall, this is as unique a profile that we’ll ever see when it comes to potential NFL receiver prospects. Fully committing to one position seems to be the best path for Hunter, and I think we’ll see him shift to receiver in the NFL. All 32 teams could use someone like Hunter, but given his position on big boards everywhere, he’ll likely be gone within the first four picks.
What Teams Need Him: Cleveland Browns, New York Giants, New England Patriots
Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona
Before this season, McMillan was being discussed as the consensus WR1 in the class. After posting a season with 1300+ yards and 8 touchdowns, it seems McMillan has somehow moved down evaluators’ draft boards. Regardless of this slide, McMillan is one of the higher-ceiling receiver prospects in this class. Consistent production (even as a true freshman, McMillan brought in 8 touchdowns) despite rough quarterback play and a collection of unteachable attributes helps McMillan stand out.
No prospect in this class has a catch radius quite like McMillan. Standing at 6’4” with 31.5-inch arms, McMillan can be a safe target even when he’s covered. McMillan’s giant hands (87th percentile according to MockDraftable) help to bring in tough catches as well. His size isn’t everything – McMillan is also a good route runner for his size. He uses his length to create space, tempoing in and out of breaks and leveraging his size to keep defenders away. While he isn’t a speedster, McMillan can provide decent YAC opportunities by building up long speed after the catch.
Overall, when it comes to looking for potential difference-makers, McMillan can provide functional size and a healthy catch radius that others in this class cannot. McMillan is far from the perfect prospect, but should be able to be a strong endzone threat early in his career, and eventually develop into a matchup problem that can simply outreach the corners defending him.
What Teams Need Him: Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Dallas Cowboys, Seattle Seahawks
High Ceiling and/or High Floor Contributors
This group of receivers doesn’t have the same clear WR1 ceiling as the previous group. They should still be high-level contributors once they make it to the NFL, and may have the potential to eventually become WR1s.
Luther Burden III, Missouri
Similar to McMillan, Burden had a phenomenal 2023 season, largely being considered a guaranteed first-round pick heading into 2024. Regression from Burden and the Mizzou offense as a whole has pushed Burden down the board, out of the first round in some cases. I’m still a believer – Burden has some of the best YAC ability in this class. While some of his touches are too gimmicky, there is a path for Burden to be an effective receiver early in his career.
Burden’s burst and acceleration in and out of breaks give him the ability to shake defenders out of their shoes. This burst, combined with a compact and strong frame, gives Burden good tools to break through tacklers. Burden is at his best when utilized in unconventional ways – routes out of the backfield, screens, and trick plays all give Burden the opportunity to match up against smaller, weaker defenders.
Overall, Burden has his strengths, but may need to be put in advantageous positions in order to fully utilize them. I hate giving someone the Deebo Samuel comparison, as it’s often overused. However, if Burden can be used in a unique way, similar to how Kyle Shanahan deployed Samuel in his All-Pro season, I believe Burden can have a huge positive impact.
What Teams Need Him: Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs, Jacksonville Jaguars
Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State
As far as receiver prospects go, Egbuka may have the highest floor of this year’s class. Egbuka has thrived in many roles, from being a returner on special teams to playing alongside stars like Jeremiah Smith. Knowing that Egbuka can play with other high-level receivers gives him a spot on almost every offense.
While most of Egbuka’s snaps came from the slot, his technical route-running should allow him to move to the outside. His reliable hands and good body control should make Egbuka a good safety blanket early in his career. Egbuka also does the dirty work, blocking at an elite level in both the run and pass games. There isn’t much Egbuka can’t do.
Overall, Egbuka’s experience wearing many hats should allow him to hit the ground running once he enters the league. Being able to play alongside established receivers makes Egbuka a positive addition to any offense. The comparison I draw for Egbuka’s potential impact is how Ladd McConkey was able to help Justin Herbert and the Chargers offense this season. Whoever adds Egbuka will be in store for a similar positive impact.
What Team Needs Him: Denver Broncos, Pittsburgh Steelers, Houston Texans
Best of the Rest
The rest of the receivers in this class have murkier paths toward becoming WR1s in the NFL. This group stands above the rest of the class, having ceilings as high-end WR2s that can become WR1s with favorable conditions. These two receivers should be able to give positive contributions in Year 1.
*This is the start of the Day 2 receivers for me.
Jalen Royals, Utah State
An injury to his foot and playing in the Mountain West has Royals flying under the radar, but make no mistake – this guy’s a baller. Royals can contend with McMillan for the strongest hands in the class; he routinely snagged the ball out of the air. Strong hands, along with excellent spatial awareness and good body control, make Royals a tough guy to beat at the catch point. After the catch, Royals’ breakaway speed and strong contact balance make him a deadly YAC threat.
Overall, despite not having an elite frame, Royals is one of the better downfield passing threats in this class. Good route-running, strong hands at the catch, and good potential for YAC – Royals is a plus player at every point of the play. I picture Royals having a similar role to Jayden Reed in whatever offense he lands in. Royals’ spatial awareness and ability to gain chunk yards should give him an opportunity for lots of touches early in his career.
What Team Needs Him: New England Patriots, Las Vegas Raiders, New Orleans Saints
Matthew Golden, Texas
Following an excellent run at the end of the season into the College Football Playoff, Golden has had a meteoric rise in the pre-draft process. Golden thrives upon getting open in the intermediate and deep areas of the field, bringing an instant injection of verticality to an offense. While he struggled with drops early in his college career, Golden has largely erased that concern. The best part about Golden’s game is that he loves making the tough catches in the moment. When the lights shine brightest, that’s when Golden is at his best.
Overall, the appeal of Matthew Golden is tantalizing. A (theoretical) speedster that stretches the field and makes tough catches is something that every team would kill to have. For me I wish we saw more of the highs that Golden reached throughout the season, not just once the playoff push kicked in. I think Golden definitely can give an offense some spark, I’m just not sure he’ll ever be the go-to option. Golden should bring a similar impact to what Chris Olave does for the Saints.
What Teams Need Him: Carolina Panthers, Dallas Cowboys, Los Angeles Chargers
Role Players
While the rest of the crop may not have the clear paths to high-level production like the previous six receivers, they will still have roles on the teams that add them. These receivers are more of a “pick your poison” group – teams will be more selective about adding specific players that fit their offensive schemes.
Elic Ayomanor, Stanford
Ayomanor is a true downfield, contested catch machine. With feet that can jump out of the gym, Ayomanor was consistently successful at dominating the sideline, becoming a go-to option with comebacks and sideline routes. His strength and body control at the catch point also help with being physical at the catch point.
Overall, these strengths can certainly be useful in an NFL offense as a typical “X” receiver. Ayomanor was somewhat limited in his route tree to mainly being the vertical option, so he may be penciled into only the vertical role early in his career. With development and progression, Ayomanor can become a consistent, safe option for his quarterback.
What Teams Need Him: Seattle Seahawks, Miami Dolphins
Jayden Higgins, Iowa State
Higgins is a big body receiver who uses his frame to box out defenders at the catch point. Being a big target becomes even more useful when Higgins uses his frame to create space, similarly to how McMillan leverages defenders. Higgins’ reliable hands and large catch radius should be utilized well early in his career.
Overall, Higgins is another receiver who projects to be a strong X at the NFL level. While Ayomanor was more of a sideline warrior, Higgins can operate a bit more over the middle of the field. If Higgins can improve his route-running ability, he will be a very good target for years to come.
What Teams Need Him: Los Angeles Chargers, Baltimore Ravens
Jaylin Noel, Iowa State
Noel is the savvy technician to his teammate Higgins’ big-body target. One of the best route runners in this class, Noel knows how to get open with ease, capitalizing on his movement skills to create space. Noel’s low center of gravity and body control help him shake defenders before the catch and slip past defenders after the catch. All of this is happening at Noel’s top speed – he doesn’t have to slow down to make people miss.
Overall, aside from some of the receivers mentioned earlier, Noel may be the best slot receiver in this class. His elusiveness should lend itself well to special teams, where he can put his ability to shake defenders out of their shoes to use. Whether it’s as a returner, slot receiver, or both, Noel should immediately be able to provide some juice in the NFL.
What Teams Need Him: Jacksonville Jaguars, Pittsburgh Steelers
Jack Bech, Texas Christian
Bech has seen his draft stock rise following the Senior Bowl, where he earned the MVP award with his tough play. Bech is a receiver who is consistently willing to put his body on the line to bring in contested catches. One of the best traits for Bech is his ball-tracking ability, he always puts himself in the right spots. Bech is also extremely reliable, having the lowest drop rate among top receivers in this year’s class.
Overall, Bech should be able to operate as a chain-mover early in his career while improving his game. While some of the technical parts of his routes require work, he has a floor as a capable and reliable weapon.
What Teams Need Him: Houston Texans, Atlanta Falcons
