The 2026 NFL Draft is a long way away, but that doesn’t stop us from identifying our favorite wide receivers in the draft. While it may not be as exciting as the 2027 class is expected to be, there are still several wide receivers who have shown promise both analytically and on film.
Check out our running backs article to get a peek under the hood and see how we developed these rankings and identified analytically sound prospects.
2026 NFL Draft Prospects With Strong Analytical Indicators
1) Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
Jordyn Tyson graded out as the No. 1 receiver in the 2026 draft class before entering the season.
According to TruMedia, his 3.09 yards per route run ranks 16th among 946 FBS wide receivers with over 100 routes run in 2024. Perhaps the most appealing thing about Tyson is that he lined up in the slot just 42.6% of the time. Pair this up with his 66.7% contested target rate, and you start to see the hype with the 6’2″ Arizona State wideout.
In this video, Tyson does a great job of tracking the ball and working back to it, even with a defender draped all over him. At just 195 pounds, you wouldn’t expect Tyson’s deep ball ability to be so elite, yet he hauled in seven catches for 241 yards and three touchdowns on 20+ air yard throws last season.
2) Elijah Sarratt, Indiana
Coming in at No. 2 might come as a surprise to some, but Elijah Sarratt was tied for 12th in the nation in 20+ yard touchdowns among 250+ wide receivers in the NCAA. Just like Tyson, Sarratt thrived on the outside, playing in the slot on an absurdly low 11.5% of his snaps.
A bigger-bodied guy at 209 pounds, Sarratt wasn’t as dominant at contested catches but still managed a very solid 2.91 yards per route run. He could have done better in commanding targets for the Hoosiers, receiving just 23.27% of the team’s targets in 2024.
Luckily for him, Sarratt gets arguably an even more talented passer for 2025 in Fernando Mendoza. Add in the fact that he’s entering just his second year of Indiana football, and we have a budding star on the way.
3) Makai Lemon, USC
Makai Lemon is the first of the slot guys to be listed. Finishing with an 85.1% slot percentage, Lemon’s best ability was getting open and making the best of his opportunities. He caught 77.6% of his targets in 2024, ranking 181st of 946 in that category, and registered a ridiculously impressive one drop on 67 catches, good for 1.9% (51 of 520).
Playing alongside other stars at USC hurt his target share and dominator rating, which led to him being ranked below the other two. Lemon received just 12.55% of USC’s targets last season despite the promising numbers.
4) Antonio Williams, Clemson
Arguably, my favorite wide receiver of this class comes in at No. 4. Antonio Williams is part of one of the best receiving rooms in football, with true freshmen TJ Moore and Bryant Wesco Jr. making an impact alongside him in 2024.
In this clip, you can see what I love about Williams: his run-after-the-catch ability.
Despite a poor 4.5 yards per reception after the catch, I think Williams possesses an elite ability to make defenders miss in open space. Part of what could be hindering his YAC numbers is the overwhelming number of contested targets he had.
Granted, Williams was solid on contested catches, hauling in 11 of 19 targets, but I think he’s at his best when he has space to work with.
Williams finished with 12 catches for 371 yards and six touchdowns on passes of 20+ yards last season. Despite playing in a crowded room, he met the threshold for dominator rating, registering over 30% of the team’s total yards and touchdowns from scrimmage.
At just 20 years old, Williams has some promising analytical traits that could make him a star at the next level.
5) Denzel Boston, Washington
Rounding out the top five is wide receiver Denzel Boston out of Washington. Boston is an expected first-round pick this season, and that shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who watched the Huskies play football in 2024.
The 6’4″, 209-pound receiver had 63 catches for 834 yards and nine touchdowns last season. Boston was very consistent, posting a first down or touchdown on 76.2% of his catches in 2024, which ranked 78th of 946 players. I would like to see him catch more contested passes, considering his size, as he only grabbed 12 of the 22 in his area.
Regardless, Boston’s 5.3 yards per reception after the catch is quite impressive for a guy of his size who had an 11.4-yard average depth of target and lined up on the outside for 87% of his snaps.
Best of the Rest
Slot Studs: Jaden Greathouse, Notre Dame | Aaron Anderson, LSU
Jaden Greathouse and Aaron Anderson both have relatively decent analytical profiles in different ways. Greathouse was unbelievable on contested catches, nabbing 11 of his 13 targets, which ranked him 21st in the nation. He also managed to make the most of his slot targets, catching 79.2% of the passes thrown his way.
Anderson was your classic make-a-defender-miss player for the LSU Tigers in 2024. He finished the season with 7.5 yards per reception after the catch, with an impressive 52.4% of his total receiving yards coming after the catch. Unfortunately for both players, they weren’t the top options on their teams and didn’t receive enough targets to rank higher.
The Robin to a Generational Batman: Germie Bernard, Alabama | Carnell Tate, Ohio State
These two wide receivers are an extremely tough type to evaluate. They both have their promising analytical factors, such as Carnell Tate’s 125.9 passer rating when targeted (45th) and Germie Bernard’s 15.9 yards per reception and 2.38 yards per route run.
Unfortunately for both, they play alongside Jeremiah Smith and Ryan Williams, respectively, which makes it extremely difficult for them to stand out analytically.
Luckily for Tate and Bernard, there are plenty of instances where a WR2 in college became a success at the NFL level despite being overshadowed by elite talent. Examples include Justin Jefferson alongside Ja’Marr Chase, Brian Thomas Jr. with Malik Nabers, and DeVonta Smith playing next to Jaylen Waddle.
Potential Breakouts: Dane Key, Nebraska | Malachi Fields, Notre Dame
Dane Key and Malachi Fields are listed as potential breakouts because they possess the necessary skills in certain areas but have yet to put it all together.
At 6’3″ and 210 pounds, Key boasts track speed, having run a 10.91-second 100-meter dash in high school. Despite overall subpar numbers, HE still managed to command 29.49% of Kentucky’s targets in 2024 with a solid 15.2 yards per reception. Maybe a fresh start at Nebraska will help him put it all together.
As for Fields, transferring to Notre Dame should give him the perfect opportunity to show that his skills at Virginia weren’t just a fluke. At 6’4″, 220 pounds, Fields pairs well with Greathouse to give new Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr two very talented receiving options to throw to. Fields only received 23.4% of the team’s targets in 2024, but still managed 27.8% of their total yards and touchdowns from scrimmage.