Bird's Eye View - WR Position Report
- John B. Everett
- 8 hours ago
- 9 min read
The 2026 NFL Draft WR class is a quality class with more than three dozen WRs earning draftable grades for the weekend of April 23rd-25th. There are no prospects who enter the league with the buzz of a Ja’Marr Chase or Malik Nabers but there are at least five prospects who are likely to get drafted on night one. The second day of the draft is when the value of this class will begin to reveal itself. As many as two dozen WRs may hear their names called in the first 100 picks. Solid WRs who should, at a minimum, contribute as rookies should be found in all seven rounds and amongst the UDFA class.
Position Grade – A-
SNS utilizes a tier system to break the log jam that typically forms during the evaluation and stacking/ranking of prospects in a position group. Tier I prospects are franchise players whose combination of measureables, athleticism, and college production warrant a high first-round draft pick. Tier II prospects are future starters who should at a minimum be solid contributors as rookies next year. Tier III prospects are players with starter traits but need additional development before they can be reliable starters. Tier IV prospects are marginal NFL prospects who are never likely to become starters, will need to prove themselves on special teams, and are likely to be battling for one of the final spots on a 53-man roster or practice squad.
*Measurements are taken by 1/8ths. Example: 6004 is 6 feet and ½”
Tier I
Five prospects – Makai Lemon / USC, Carnell Tate / Ohio State, Jordyn Tyson / Arizona State, Chris Bell / Louisville, Zachariah Branch / Georgia.
Lemon – The Biletnikoff Award winner as the nation’s best WR, Lemon is a poor man’s Amon-Ra St. Brown with the quickness, toughness, route running skill, and hands to become an instant impact starter in the NFL. Lemon should be selected in the top half of the first-round on April 23rd in Pittsburgh.
Tate – Tate ran a slower than anticipated at the combine, recording a 4.53 40 at 6022 / 192 lbs. But Tate’s game speed is outstanding and he has the hands and game-breaking ability to start immediately as a rookie. Tate looks like a top 20 pick next month.
Tyson – Tyson has some of the best film of any WR prospect in this draft but has battled injuries throughout his college career and his availability is his biggest drawback as he enters the NFL. Tyson did not run, jump, or work out at the combine and plans to work out on ASU’s Pro Day. If Tyson posts quality numbers, expect Tyson to be a top 15 pick next month.
Chris Bell – Bell is a power-packed WR with great size (6040 / 198 lbs / 32.3” Arms), very good hands, good speed, and runs like a bull in a China shop looking for bodies to grind under his wheels. Bell has a game and playing style similar to Deebo Samuels. Bell is likely to be drafted in rounds two or three in April but projects as an immediate starter in the NFL.
Branch – Entering the combine last month, Branch’s speed was a question mark due to the limited route tree he ran last season in Athens – used almost exclusively on screens and quick underneath passes. Branch’s speed is no longer in question after he posted a 4.35 40, 38” vertical, and 10’5” broad jump in Indianapolis. Branch is the best slot WR in this draft and could earn a first-round pick next month.
Tier II
Eight prospects – Germie Bernard / Alabama, Chris Brazzell / Tennessee, Skyler Bell / UCONN, Omar Cooper / Indiana, KC Concepcion / Texas A&M, Jeff Caldwell / Cincinnati, Malachi Fields / Notre Dame, Josh Cameron / Baylor
Bernard – One of the finest route runners in this class, Bernard is a clutch receiver who was Ty Simpson’s favorite WR in Tuscaloosa this past season. Bernard will be an instant contributor and an eventual starting WR in the NFL and should go off the board on day two of the draft.
Brazzell – Brazzell, who started his career at Tulane, has always teased with his combination of size (6040 / 198 lbs / 32.3” Arms) and speed (4.37 40) but finally started to meet expectations last year in Knoxville and looks like an eventual number two WR on an NFL team. Brazzell is a likely second round draft pick in April.
Skyler Bell – Bell is coming off a dominating season at UCONN where he faced defenses focused on stopping him but were not able to slow him down – Bell finished with 101 receptions / 1,276 yards / 12.7 YPC / 13 TDs last season. After running a 4.40 40 and recording a 41” vertical and a 11’1” broad jump, Bell looks locked in as a second-round pick next month.
Cooper – Cooper is supremely coordinated and athletic and it gets displayed in his route running, after the catch, and working the back of the end zone. Cooper is a clutch receiver with reliable hands and after posting a 4.42 40 at the NFL Scouting Combine, could sneak into the back end of the first-round on April 23rd.
Concepcion – Concepcion is tough, quick, and plays best in crunch time and is one of the best punt returners available for April’s draft. Concepcion has the versatility to line up out wide or in the slot and should become a team’s number two WR by the beginning of his sophomore season in the NFL.
Caldwell – Ohio State LB Sonny Styles was not the only freak to show out in Indianapolis during the combine. Caldwell measured in at 6050 / 216 lbs / 32.5” Arms and then he hit the Lucas Oil Stadium turf and put on a show – posting a 4.31 40 with a blistering 1.48 second 10-yard split and then jumped through the roof recording a 42” vertical and a 11’2” broad jump. Caldwell did not work out at the combine but his performance will force every scout to further review his game film. He looks like a day two pick next month.
Fields – Fields followed up his excellent week in Mobile, Alabama at the Senior Bowl with a productive day in Indianapolis that, graded on a curve, paled in comparison to many of his fellow WRs who worked out at the combine – 6044 / 218 lbs / 32.1” Arms, running a 4.61 40, recording a solid 6.98 3-cone drill, and recording a 38” vertical and a 10’4” broad jump. Athletic numbers that match his performance viewed on film. Fields plays much faster than the 4.61 40 but needs to improve on that time to get back into first-round draft consideration.
Cameron – Cameron is a strong and physical WR who makes his living after the catch – he runs like an angry RB having a very bad day and punishes defenders with his pad level and leg drive. Cameron needs to produce a quality 40 time at his Pro Day (<4.60) to come off the draft board before the end of the third round in Pittsburgh.
Tier III
Twelve prospects – Ted Hurst / Georgia State, Reggie Virgil / Texas Tech, David Boston / Washington, Caleb Douglas / Texas Tech, Elijah Sarratt / Indiana, De’Zhaun Stribling / Ole Miss, Malik Benson / Oregon, Eli Heidenreich / Navy, Barion Brown / LSU, Dillon Bell / Georgia, Kendrick Law / Kentucky, Ja’Kobi Lane / USC.
Hurst – Hurst was an absolute force in the Sun Belt Conference and was the best NFL prospect in that conference last season. But the level of competition obscures his upside due to the lack of NFL-caliber prospects lined up across from him. So, the combine is an important step in calibrating a prospect’s film to the relative talent at his position group. Hurst measured in at 6032 / 206 lbs / 32.5” Arms, then ran a 4.42 40 / 1.55 10-yard split and then jumped 36.5” vertical while posting a 11’3” broad jump. Hurst needs technique work but looks ready to contribute as a rookie next year.
Virgil – One half of one of the best WR tandems in the nation, Virgil had a disappointing combine only recording a 4.57 40 despite displaying break away speed on film last season in Lubbock. Virgil has the size (6030 / 187 lbs / 31.2” Arms) and leaping ability (36” vertical) to be developed into a starting WR but needs to post a better 40 time at his Pro Day to earn an early day three pick (fourth or fifth round).
Boston – Admittedly, SNS has a lower grade on Boston than the majority of scouts but the most important aspect for a WR, besides catching the ball, is the ability to gain separation and giving your QB an easy target to locate. Nearly all of Boston’s catches are contested and he generates little separation in his pass routes. Boston has outstanding size (6035 / 212 lbs / 32” Arms) but needs to prove at his Pro Day that he is more athletic than he appears on film. Boston could be drafted anywhere from late first to early third round next month in Pittsburgh.
Douglas – Unlike his teammate Virgil who ran slower than expected, Douglas recorded a 4.39 40 (1.55 10-yard split) and displayed that speed and explosiveness during field drills at the combine. Douglas profiles as an eventual starting WR who should be a solid contributor as a rookie.
Sarratt – Sarratt (6024 / 210 lbs / 31.2” Arms) has the size, hands, and length to win at the catch point but he is a bit stiff and has difficulty gaining separation against man coverage. Sarratt will need to post a quality 40 time (<4.60) and show improved agility to get drafted on the second day of the draft (rounds two and three).
Stribling – Stribling really came on in the second half of last season and is quickly climbing draft boards and expect that rise up the ranks to continue after Stribling’s performance in Indianapolis. Stribling measured in at 6021 / 207 lbs / 31.5” Arms and then put on a show on the Lucas Oil Stadium turf posting an outstanding 40 time (4.36 seconds / 1.53 10-yard split) while recording a 37” vertical and 10’7” broad jump. Stribling’s combination of size/speed/ explosiveness make him a potential starting WR and a likely day two selection.
Benson – A former 5-star recruit at Alabama, Benson put together his most complete season of his college career as he became QB Dante Moore’s go-to target on crunch downs. Benson displayed the athletic traits that made him an uber-recruit at the combine when he posted a 4.37 40 (1.55 10-yard split) while posting a 32.5” vertical and 10’2” broad jump. Benson looks like an early day three pick who should be off the board in the first 120 picks in April.
Heidenreich – Heidenreich played a modified RB-WR slot back position in Navy’s option offense and looks like a slot WR or a third down RB in the NFL. Heidenreich posted a 4.44 40, 35.5” vertical, and a 10’ broad jump at the combine and ran solid routes and looked athletic and smooth during field drills. Heidenreich profiles as a dynamic special teams player and will likely be a fourth or fifth-round pick next month.
Brown – Brown’s calling card is speed (4.40 40) and explosiveness – he is a big play waiting to happen. Brown is one of the best return men in college football and that is where he will have the biggest immediate impact in the NFL. Brown looks like a quality third or fourth WR with the versatility to line up out wide or in the slot. Brown is a likely fifth-round pick.
Dillon Bell – Bell is a powerful runner after the catch who flashes tremendous burst and acceleration. Bell flashes elite qualities but his hands and concentration have been poor throughout his college career and that limits his upside. But Bell is a rare talent after the catch who runs like an angry RB in the open field. If his hands become more reliable, the sky is the limit.
Law – Law, a transfer from Alabama, has impressive game speed where he busts through pursuit angles and outpaces DBs on his way to the end zone. Law’s burst out of his break or after the catch is superb and he plays faster than he times (4.45). Law has had inconsistent and poor QB play during his time in Lexington but has the upside to become a number two WR in the NFL.
Lane – Lane (6040 / 200 / 32.5” Arms) is a tremendous athlete with good speed (4.47) whose leaping ability allows him to almost always win the jump ball. Which is a good thing since far too many of his receptions are contested. Lane should excel on third downs and near the end zone in the NFL.
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