The NFL Draft is a great opportunity for teams to improve their roster each year. But while new additions can put smiles on the faces of fans and coaches, they can spell disaster for a veteran’s game time.
In this article, we examine several situations in which veteran wide receivers may have been negatively affected by their team’s draft decisions.
Which NFL Wide Receivers Have Been Negatively Impacted By the NFL Draft
Eight wide receivers were drafted in the first two rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft, four in each. That means there are plenty of receivers with reason to fear for their jobs heading into the 2025 season. Here, we’ll list five of them, though several more players might be looking over their shoulder.
In this article, I’ve not included the Jacksonville Jaguars receivers that will be overtaken by Travis Hunter, as they were already behind the now-departed Christian Kirk last season.
Xavier Legette (Carolina Panthers)
The Carolina Panthers raised a few eyebrows last year by trading up to take Xavier Legette in the first round of the draft. Legette went from zero to hero in his final year in college, wowing scouts after four years of almost non-existent production. Legette’s was a baffling profile, but one that the Panthers liked enough to swing for.
Legette’s first season, though, was short of what you’d expect from a first-round pick. Despite getting 22 more targets than Adam Thielen (84-62), Legette secured just one more catch (49-48). He turned those 49 receptions into 497 yards and four touchdowns, while Thielen finished on 615 yards and five scores.
Drafting Tetairoa McMillan with the eighth overall pick, despite having so many holes on defense, was a clear sign that the Panthers weren’t happy with their receiving corps. McMillan should be the team’s leading receiver from Day 1, while Legette will likely be relegated to catch-and-run work in his second season.
Romeo Doubs (Green Bay Packers)
Romeo Doubs has served as the second wide receiver on the Green Bay Packers, while Christian Watson has continued to struggle with injuries. The team’s patience with Watson, though, appears to have run out, as the draft hosts selected Matthew Golden in the first round.
The Packers rarely invest high-value picks in skill players, so Golden’s selection is significant. While it’s possible that the entire Packers receiving corps could be moved down a spot on the depth chart, it’s certainly the case for Doubs.
A reliable, if unremarkable receiver, Doubs should still see plenty of game time in 2025, with Watson slated to miss significant time with yet another serious injury.
Jalen McMillan (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Jalen McMillan must have been feeling pretty good about his career path after doing a great job of filling in for the injured Chris Godwin last season. A third-round pick in 2024, the rookie stepped up and was a consistent thorn in the side of opposing defenses. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers fell short in the playoffs once more, but the receiver had more than staked his claim for further usage.
So when the Buccaneers selected Ohio State product Emeka Egbuka with the 19th overall pick in Green Bay, McMillan must have been concerned. Already with Godwin and Tampa Bay legend Mike Evans ahead of him, he now has to compete with a first-round pick who just won a National Championship.
While the team was no doubt impressed with McMillan last year, no team drafts a receiver in the first round to put him a No. 4 on the depth chart.
Tre Tucker (Las Vegas Raiders)
Tre Tucker is the least obvious name on this list, but it may surprise some to know that he started 14 games in 2024. A smaller, speedy receiver, Tucker is more suited to a No. 3 role on a team, which may be the situation he faces in 2025.
The Las Vegas Raiders selected TCU receiver Jack Bech in the second round of the draft, spelling trouble for Tucker. Bech is a more prototypically built receiver with intelligent route-running that leaves him open with impressive regularity.
Tucker’s speed and ability in the run/screen game should see him continue to carve out a role, but he may never see his 81 targets from 2024 again in his career.
Mike Williams (Los Angeles Chargers)
Mike Williams is a controversial choice here, as he has only just re-joined the team. But after the Los Angeles Chargers selected Tre Harris in the second round of the draft, there had to be a Chargers receiver in here.
Harris could very well overtake 2023 rookie Quentin Johnston early on, but I’m allowing for some time for the receiver to settle in. The long-term plan, given his draft capital, is likely for Harris to partner with Ladd McConkey, with Johnston offering big-play ability and a red-zone threat.
While it’s unclear whether or not Johnston will be immediately affected, Williams will certainly be further down the depth chart than he was when he signed in March.