As the 2025 NFL Draft approaches, the wide receiver class is once again in the crosshairs of media and fans alike. The NFL is in a golden age of receiver play, and while the 2025 class doesn’t have the same certainty at the top, talent is by no means in short supply.
How does the diverse group of 2025 WRs stack up, and what might their NFL projections be? Below, you’ll find our current top 10 WR rankings for the 2025 NFL Draft.
10) Kyle Williams, Washington State
Every cycle, there’s a WR prospect who rises through the offseason process with testing and 1-on-1 reps on the All-Star Game circuit. This cycle, that WR is Washington State’s Kyle Williams.
Coming off a 2024 campaign that featured a career-best 1,198 yards and 14 touchdowns, Williams compounded his momentum with a dominant Senior Bowl showing, using his quickness at 5’11”, 190 pounds to tear apart defensive backs in man coverage.
While Williams is more sudden and shifty than explosive, he has more than enough speed to stress defenses vertically, and his release package combined with his stem work and flexibility makes him one of the deadliest separators in this year’s class.
9) Jayden Higgins, Iowa State
The Iowa State Cyclones have two WR prospects represented on our 2025 NFL Draft WR rankings. The first is Jayden Higgins, a former Eastern Kentucky transfer who distinguished himself in 2024 with 87 catches for 1,183 yards and nine touchdowns.
Higgins’ size and production alone made him an eye-catching player, and the NFL Combine rounded out his profile. He boasts 4.47 speed, a 39″ vertical, and a 10’8″ broad jump at 6’4″, 214 pounds, and on paper, all of the components of a future WR1 are there.
Higgins doesn’t have elite hip flexibility, which can impact his sink and route transitioning at times, and he also provides relatively little in the RAC phase. But he’s a top-end physical talent, a nuanced separator, and an elite hands-catcher with clutch conversion ability.
8) Tre Harris, Ole Miss
Tre Harris has the makings of an NFL star. That much was clear early in his Ole Miss career, but even more so in a truncated, injury-shortened 2024 campaign. Three times in eight games, Harris eclipsed 175 receiving yards — totaling over 1,000 yards on the year.
Harris is unique in how well-rounded he is as a pass-catcher. His highlight plays involve his elite catching instincts and hand-eye coordination, and his size at 6’2″, 205 pounds stands out on tape, but he’s also an intelligent and physical route runner with an added RAC flair.
A common pro comparison for Harris has been Allen Robinson, who was a Pro Bowler for the Jacksonville Jaguars early in his career. Looking at Harris’ body type, testing, play style, and production, that comparison could end up aging very well.
7) Jaylin Noel, Iowa State
Carrying a fringe first-round and top-50 grade on my board, Jaylin Noel might be one of the most underrated WR prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft. He was productive right out of the gate at Iowa State but peaked with 81 catches for 1,194 yards and eight touchdowns in 2024.
Noel’s testing numbers at 5’10”, 194 pounds — a 4.39 40-yard dash, 41.5″ vertical, 11’2″ broad jump, 6.82 three-cone, and a bench press count of 23 — are elite across the board, and it’s reflective of a truly rare three-level skill set that Noel brings on tape.
Noel plays with supercharged energy in short areas, and he has the hyper-elite burst and speed to compound separation, threaten vertical, and extend short RAC passes for big gains. A cherry on top is his catching reliability; he had just a 3.4% drop rate in 2024.
6) Luther Burden III, Missouri
Luther Burden III didn’t meet expectations in 2024. That much is okay to admit. He still has plenty of room to grow, particularly as a route runner. But Burden’s five-star pedigree remains all too clear, and it’s what makes him a potentially extraordinary offensive weapon.
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At 6’0″, 206 pounds, Burden differentiates himself with his hyper-elite explosive athleticism, twitch, and frame density. His blend of dynamic mobility and contact balance makes him a menace after the catch, and there are flashes of soft skills as a pass-catcher.
Burden still has room to implement more variance as a release artist and separator, but he’s a weapon when schemed touches, and he’s tough-as-nails when vying for difficult receptions. A two-level playmaker, Burden only stands to benefit from NFL support.
5) Jalen Royals, Utah State
If you’re not 100% sold on Luther Burden III, just take Jalen Royals a round later and prosper. Royals sometimes gets lost in the 2025 class’ early-round group, but he carries a first-round grade on my board and has Pro Bowl upside.
At around 6’0″ and a playing weight of 210 pounds, Royals is simply built differently, compared to most of the WRs in the 2025 NFL Draft. He has next-level frame density and strength, and yet, he’s still exceedingly fast, explosive, agile, and flexible in all phases.
Royals’ strong physical makeup, build-defying malleability, and complete route-running profile make him a tantalizing prospect — one who brings shades of former NFL standout Pierre Garcon, but could be even more potent in scoring situations.
4) Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona
Big-bodied wideouts who at times appear over-reliant on contested catches are always polarizing throughout the NFL Draft process. On the surface, Tetairoa McMillan seems to fit that archetype — yet, defiantly, his agility and separation potential serve as two of his best traits.
At 6’4″, 219 pounds, McMillan has truly elite short-area quickness, bend, flexibility, and stop-and-start capacity as a route runner. He brings enough speed and burst to the fold, has nuanced spatial IQ, and plays like a power forward at the catch point.
The biggest question mark for McMillan is whether he can be a true WR1, or whether he profiles more as a high-end WR2. Early in his career, he might function better as the latter, but his quickness and size suggest he can expand his release package and eventually morph into a number one.
3) Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State
Emeka Egbuka is sometimes the forgotten man in the 2025 NFL Draft first-round WR group, but he has just as compelling a case to be a featured pass-catcher in an NFL offense. His career-best 2024 season serves as proof of that assertion.
Egbuka has struggled with injuries in the past, but when he’s healthy, he thrives as a movement-Z receiver with alignment flex, RAC ability, and masterful route-running skills — particularly against zone coverage.
Athletic upside has always been the biggest question for Egbuka, and a 4.45 40-yard dash at his pro day will put some detractors at ease. Regardless, his short-area agility and flexibility shows up on tape, and it’s dangerous when paired with his play strength and IQ.
2) Matthew Golden, Texas
There’s virtually no consensus at the top of the 2025 NFL Draft rankings. Some evaluators prefer McMillan, while others prefer Matthew Golden. My scale has a built-in preference toward burst, separation, and space-winning skills. That is Golden’s specialty.
After transferring from Houston, Golden achieved career-high numbers with the Texas Longhorns in 2024, amassing 58 catches for 987 yards and nine touchdowns. The production doesn’t pop, and it has sowed uncertainty, but the tape speaks effusively in Golden’s favor.
At 5’11”, 191 pounds, Golden is as explosive as they come. His fluid and twitched-up mobility enables him to tear apart coverage looks, and he flashes incredible body control and feel at the catch point. At his peak, he can be a WR1 in the mold of Chris Olave.
1) Travis Hunter, Colorado
No surprising revelations are being made here: Travis Hunter should be an All-Pro wherever he plays. It remains to be seen whether he’ll play at CB or WR more often in the NFL. But judging off his offensive tape, he’s the WR1 of the 2025 NFL Draft by a sizable margin.
The Colorado offense ran through Hunter in 2024, even as he put up a legendary campaign on the defensive side of the ball. Catching passes from Shedeur Sanders, Hunter racked up 96 receptions for 1,258 yards and 15 scores (plus one rushing touchdown), and ultimately earned the Heisman Trophy.
At 6’0″, 188 pounds, Hunter isn’t an imposing size threat, but everything else about his game is terrifying for defenders. His mix of instant acceleration, gravity-defying bend, and hyperactive agility makes him 1-of-1, and he has some of the best ball skills of this generation.