2025 NFL Draft: Scouting the Wide Receivers

If you’re here, you know wide receivers aren’t just fast guys with good hands anymore — they’re the engines that drive modern offenses. This year’s WR class? Loaded. We’re talking about freak athletes, route-running surgeons, and big-play assassins who can change games (and maybe save a few front office jobs).

In this series, we’re scouting every position, player by player, with real analysis — no hype, no lazy comps. Today, it’s all about the pass-catchers. We’ll break down who’s NFL-ready, who’s climbing, and who’s fool’s gold.

Want the full scouting reports, exclusive rankings, and insider draft buzz before your group chat gets it wrong? Subscribe now. You’re not gonna want to miss what’s coming next.

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1. Matthew Golden – Texas

Grade: 1st

Matthew Golden brings a polished, athletic game with above-average speed and body control. After transferring from Houston to Texas, he became a top target, showcasing natural hands, savvy route running, and toughness through contact. Golden is explosive enough to separate vertically and versatile enough to play multiple receiver spots. Though he isn’t overly shifty post-catch and his blocking needs more grit, he’s a smooth operator who consistently makes plays downfield. His competitiveness, polish, and special teams ability (two KR touchdowns) give him a clear path to becoming a starting NFL receiver early in his career.

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2. Tetairoa McMillan – Arizona

Grade: 1st round

Tetairoa McMillan, a tall, limber receiver with a volleyball background, developed into one of college football’s most dangerous contested-catch threats at Arizona. Nicknamed “T-Mac,” he used his exceptional hand strength, body control, and large catch radius to dominate at the catch point. Though he’s only an average deep-speed threat and still growing into a full route tree, McMillan’s natural ball skills, sideline awareness, and after-catch slipperiness make him a tough cover. Despite needing to add more bulk and refinement against physical corners, his production and fluidity project him as a Tee Higgins-style boundary target with high-end starting potential.

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3. Luther Burden III – Missouri

Grade: 1st-2nd round

Luther Burden is a YAC machine with a running back’s physicality after the catch. Primarily a slot weapon at Missouri, he excelled at creating explosive plays with short-area burst, lower-body strength, and contact balance. While his route running remains a work in progress, Burden’s natural tracking skills, toughness, and ability to play through traffic stand out. His 2024 production dipped somewhat, partially due to offensive struggles, but his raw explosiveness and RAC (run-after-catch) talent are undeniable. Burden projects as a dynamic slot or motion-heavy weapon who can stress defenses horizontally and vertically.

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4. Emeka Egbuka – Ohio State

Grade: 1st-2nd round

Emeka Egbuka is a polished, quarterback-friendly receiver with elite tracking, smooth route pacing, and consistent production. At Ohio State, he thrived working from the slot, using manipulation and sharp footwork to consistently separate. Though not dominant in size or raw speed, Egbuka’s ball skills, leverage understanding, and toughness make him a reliable target, especially in congested areas. Durability (ankle surgery in 2023) is a minor concern, but his feel for spacing and toughness at the catch point project him as a dependable starting NFL slot receiver, similar to Rashee Rice’s role.

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5. Jaylin Noel – Iowa State

Grade: 2nd round

Jaylin Noel is a smaller, explosive slot weapon with sticky hands and elite quickness. A four-year contributor at Iowa State, Noel excelled at leveraging defenders to create separation and showed an innate ability to track and secure passes through traffic. While his catch radius is limited by size, he consistently made plays vertically and underneath, flashing home-run ability after the catch. His blocking is only adequate, but his value as a returner and ability to create chunk plays from the slot make him a strong NFL fit in spread-heavy or motion-oriented offenses.