Scouting wide receivers is basically a guessing game where the stakes are worth millions of dollars and everyone thinks they’ve got the magic formula. You’ve seen it every year. Some kid with 4.3 speed and "raw potential" goes in the top ten only to vanish by year three, while a "slow" technician from the third round is suddenly catching 10 passes a game on Sundays.
The nfl draft wide receivers for 2026 are already sparking those same heated debates in war rooms and across social media. Honestly, looking at the 2026 class, it feels like we’re at a crossroads. We’ve moved past the era where you just draft the biggest guy in the room. Now, it’s all about "separators." If you can't get open against man coverage, you’re basically a glorified decoy in today's NFL.
The Separation Kings: Why Makai Lemon and Jordyn Tyson Own the Conversation
If you’ve spent any time on NFL Draft Twitter lately, you know the name Makai Lemon. The USC star isn’t just another flashy Trojan receiver; he’s the reigning Biletnikoff Award winner. At 5'11", he’s not going to tower over anyone, but his route running is kind of terrifying. He finished the 2025 season with nearly 1,200 yards and 11 touchdowns, but the stat that really pops is his 3.22 Yards Per Route Run (YPRR) against zone. That is elite.
Then there’s Jordyn Tyson at Arizona State. If Lemon is the technician, Tyson is the "glider." He’s 6'1" and plays with a smoothness that reminds a lot of scouts of Justin Jefferson back at LSU. He just makes it look easy. He hauled in 75 catches for over 1,100 yards in 2024 and followed it up with another dominant campaign in 2025.
But here’s the catch—and there’s always a catch. Tyson has an injury history that makes NFL GMs sweat. He’s missed 14 games over his career. When he’s on the field, he’s a first-round lock. When he’s not, he’s a massive question mark. Is a team going to gamble a top-15 pick on a guy who’s struggled to stay healthy? History says yes, but they’ll be biting their nails the whole time.
🔗 Read more: Inter Miami vs Toronto: What Really Happened in Their Recent Clashes
Size Matters Again? The Rise of Denzel Boston and Chris Brazzell II
While the league has leaned into smaller, shiftier guys, there’s still a huge market for the "X" receiver—the guy who can win the 50/50 ball when the quarterback just needs to chuck it.
- Denzel Boston (Washington): At 6'4", 210 lbs, he’s a massive target. He’s not just a "jump ball" guy, though; he actually has some real suddenness to his game. Mel Kiper Jr. has been pounding the table for him, noting that his body control in the air is rare for a guy that tall.
- Chris Brazzell II (Tennessee): This guy is a literal skyscraper at 6'5". He was the only SEC receiver to be named an AP All-American this past season. He had a 177-yard explosion against Georgia that basically served as his "I'm a first-rounder" announcement.
- Carnell Tate (Ohio State): He’s the latest in the Buckeye factory line. He’s 6'3" and hasn't dropped a single pass in the entire 2025 season. Think about that for a second. Zero drops.
The "Human Joystick" Element: Zachariah Branch and KC Concepcion
Then we have the players who don't really fit a traditional mold. Zachariah Branch transferred from USC to Georgia and basically became the Bulldogs' entire offensive identity. He’s only 5'10", and some scouts argue he’s more of a "manufactured touch" player than a true route runner. He’s basically a kick returner who plays offense. But when you lead the Power Four in yards after catch (634 YAC), teams find a way to use you.
KC Concepcion at Texas A&M is another one of these "Deebo Samuel lite" types. He’s thick, he’s hard to tackle, and he’s equally dangerous on a jet sweep as he is on a post route. The big concern with KC has been the drops. Some analysts think he's a top-10 talent, while others worry he's a "Quentin Johnston-level" risk because of those hands.
Comparing the 2026 NFL Draft Wide Receivers
To get a better sense of how these guys stack up, you have to look at how they win. It’s not just about the 40-yard dash time.
💡 You might also like: Matthew Berry Positional Rankings: Why They Still Run the Fantasy Industry
| Name | Height | Style | Primary Strength |
|---|---|---|---|
| Makai Lemon | 5'11" | Slot/Z | 99.9 PFF Deep Grade; Elite Separation |
| Jordyn Tyson | 6'1" | Outside/X | Body control; Route Nuance |
| Denzel Boston | 6'4" | Outside/X | High-pointing; Catch Radius |
| Carnell Tate | 6'3" | Outside/Z | Hands (0 drops in 2025); Savvy |
| Zachariah Branch | 5'10" | Gadget/Slot | World-class speed; YAC monster |
What NFL Scouts are Actually Looking For
I talked to a few people who follow the scouting trail closely, and the consensus is that the 2026 nfl draft wide receivers class is deeper than 2025, but maybe lacks that one "generational" prospect like Marvin Harrison Jr. was.
There’s a lot of talk about Elijah Sarratt from Indiana and Antonio Williams from Clemson. Sarratt is an "alpha"—the kind of guy who just bullies cornerbacks. He’s not the most athletic, but he catches everything in his zip code. On the flip side, you have Nyck Harbor at South Carolina. Harbor is a literal track star—6'5" and runs a 10-second 100-meter dash. He’s still very raw, but some team is going to see those physical traits and lose their minds.
One thing that people sort of ignore is the "pedigree" factor. Ohio State (Tate) and USC (Lemon, Lane) keep churning out pros because their systems mirror NFL concepts. When a scout sees Makai Lemon running a choice route, they know exactly how that translates to a Sunday afternoon in October.
The Injury Red Flags and Late Risers
We can't talk about this class without mentioning Chris Bell from Louisville. He was having a monster year before a late-season ACL injury. That’s a heartbreaker. He’ll likely miss the combine and most of the pre-draft process. For a guy who relies on play strength and contested catches, that recovery is everything.
📖 Related: What Time Did the Cubs Game End Today? The Truth About the Off-Season
And keep an eye on Ja'Kobi Lane at USC. While Lemon gets the headlines, Lane is 6'4" and had 11 touchdowns this season. If he runs a sub-4.5 forty at the combine, he could pull a "Troy Franklin" or "Christian Watson" and vault himself into the late first round.
How to Evaluate These Prospects Yourself
If you’re a fan trying to figure out who your team should take, stop looking at the highlight reels. Everyone looks good on a highlight reel. Instead, look for:
- Releases against press: Can they get off the line when a cornerback is in their face? If they get jammed at the college level, they’ll get erased in the NFL.
- Catching through contact: It’s one thing to catch a wide-open ball. It’s another to hold on when a safety is trying to take your head off.
- Route "stealth": Does the receiver sell the vertical route before breaking off a curl? Look at Carnell Tate for this—he’s a master at making every route look the same for the first ten yards.
The 2026 nfl draft wide receivers class is going to be defined by how teams value specialized roles versus all-around talent. Do you want the safe, reliable hands of Tate? The game-breaking speed of Branch? Or the mismatch size of Boston?
Next Steps for Draft Fans:
- Watch the All-22 film of Makai Lemon to see how he manipulates safeties with his eyes.
- Track the medical reports for Jordyn Tyson and Chris Bell as we get closer to the Combine.
- Compare the "Yards Per Route Run" stats of the top 10 prospects to see who is actually efficient and who is just a volume play.