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The 2024 NFL draft set a record for the number of offensive players selected in the first round. Twenty-three of the 32 players selected in Round 1 were on that side of the ball, including a record-tying seven wide receivers.
Marvin Harrison Jr. started the run at No. 4 overall to the Arizona Cardinals. He was followed by:
Four wide receivers were then selected in the second round. It was an impressive run and multiple players had prolific rookie years. Thomas, Nabers and second-round pick Ladd McConkey all finished their first year in the top 10 of the league for receiving yards.
If you're hoping for similar results with this year's class, you'll be disappointed. This year's group of wide receivers lacks the No. 1-type options taken in the first round in 2024.
Here's what to know about this year's crop of wide receivers compared to last year.
Hunter's a unique talent as the two-way star won the 2024 Heisman Trophy thanks to playing both wide receiver and cornerback at a high level for the Buffaloes. If he was a wide receiver only, he'd still be the top prospect at the position in the class.
Hunter will likely need to bulk up as a wide receiver in the NFL but still wins with his talent, athleticism, football IQ and general playmaking. He can access all levels of the field and has the burst to make plays after the catch. His body control and ball skills are reminiscent of Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith but in a slightly thicker frame.
If Hunter were a wide receiver in the 2024 NFL draft, he likely would've been ranked fourth in the group. Harrison, Nabers and Odunze all boasted better size and polish than him. He'd still be a first-round pick but not the first wideout off the board.
McMillan has a strong case as the top pure wide receiver in the class with a great skillset. He's a big-bodied, fluid athlete in the mold of a Tee Higgins or Drake London.
McMillan isn't a burner but uses his impressive body control to win at the catch point. At 6-foot-4 with a nearly 78-inch wingspan, his catch radius gives him an advantage, as does his solid route-running skills.
If he were in the 2024 NFL draft, he would've ranked after Harrison, Nabers, Odunze, and Thomas. He likely would be in contention to be taken around when Worthy was, but with a different skillset; he's more of a possession-type weapon in the passing game than a vertical threat like the Chiefs' first-round pick.
Golden played his best down the stretch of the 2024 season and his performance at the NFL combine has him as a lock to go in the first round. He doesn't have the makings of a No. 1 option in the passing game but, like most of the others in the class, would be an ideal No. 2.
Golden's route-running, speed and verticality means he could fit in most any offense. His ball-tracking abilities downfield maximize his potential as a deep threat. His body control in the air is impressive, as is his ability to separate at the top of routes.
He's not a creative after-the-catch threat, though, and his size (5-foot-11, 191 pounds) would put him farther down the list of receivers in last year's draft. He would've likely been an early second-round pick taken after the likes of Keon Coleman and McConkey.
The Buckeyes look all but set for another first-round wide receiver this April. In doing so, Egbuka would follow in the footsteps of Harrison in 2024, Jaxon Smith-Njigba in 2023 and Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson in 2022.
Egbuka's productivity from the slot position makes him a plug-and-play starter for a team looking to shore up the position in the draft. He's one of the best route-runners at the position in the class and he thrives in the intermediate area. His ball-tracking is great down the seam and his ability to near-perfectly time his routes will endear him to his future quarterback.
But in the context of last year's class, Egbuka would likely be a second-round pick as well. He wins from the slot like McConkey but his lack of speed (4.5 seconds in the 40-yard dash) would've dropped him down the rankings.
Like Egbuka, Burden shined in the slot for Missouri over the last few years but did so in a different way. While Egbuka is a polished route-runner, Burden is a creative after-the-catch weapon.
Burden's built like a running back with the burst and athleticism to make defenders miss in the short and intermediate areas. He's a ball-winner who can make contested catches and gain extra yards after securing the ball. His frame provides innate contact balance that will serve him well against NFL defenders.
Burden would've also been a likely second-round pick in the 2024 NFL draft. His style of play is similar to Nabers but he's a step down in overall talent from the Giants' dynamic playmaker. He will very likely hear his name called during Round 1 this year but would've been a mid-Round 2 selection in 2024.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: NFL draft comparison: How 2025's WR class stacks up to 2024
Continue reading...
Marvin Harrison Jr. started the run at No. 4 overall to the Arizona Cardinals. He was followed by:
- Malik Nabers (No. 6 overall to the New York Giants)
- Rome Odunze (No. 9 to the Chicago Bears)
- Brian Thomas (No. 23 to the Jacksonville Jaguars)
- Xavier Worthy (No. 28 to the Kansas City Chiefs)
- Ricky Pearsall (No. 31 to the San Francisco 49ers)
- Xavier Legette (No. 32 to the Carolina Panthers)
Four wide receivers were then selected in the second round. It was an impressive run and multiple players had prolific rookie years. Thomas, Nabers and second-round pick Ladd McConkey all finished their first year in the top 10 of the league for receiving yards.
If you're hoping for similar results with this year's class, you'll be disappointed. This year's group of wide receivers lacks the No. 1-type options taken in the first round in 2024.
Here's what to know about this year's crop of wide receivers compared to last year.
2025 NFL draft: Comparing first-round wide receivers to 2024
Travis Hunter, Colorado
Hunter's a unique talent as the two-way star won the 2024 Heisman Trophy thanks to playing both wide receiver and cornerback at a high level for the Buffaloes. If he was a wide receiver only, he'd still be the top prospect at the position in the class.
Hunter will likely need to bulk up as a wide receiver in the NFL but still wins with his talent, athleticism, football IQ and general playmaking. He can access all levels of the field and has the burst to make plays after the catch. His body control and ball skills are reminiscent of Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith but in a slightly thicker frame.
If Hunter were a wide receiver in the 2024 NFL draft, he likely would've been ranked fourth in the group. Harrison, Nabers and Odunze all boasted better size and polish than him. He'd still be a first-round pick but not the first wideout off the board.
Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona
McMillan has a strong case as the top pure wide receiver in the class with a great skillset. He's a big-bodied, fluid athlete in the mold of a Tee Higgins or Drake London.
McMillan isn't a burner but uses his impressive body control to win at the catch point. At 6-foot-4 with a nearly 78-inch wingspan, his catch radius gives him an advantage, as does his solid route-running skills.
If he were in the 2024 NFL draft, he would've ranked after Harrison, Nabers, Odunze, and Thomas. He likely would be in contention to be taken around when Worthy was, but with a different skillset; he's more of a possession-type weapon in the passing game than a vertical threat like the Chiefs' first-round pick.
Matthew Golden, Texas
Golden played his best down the stretch of the 2024 season and his performance at the NFL combine has him as a lock to go in the first round. He doesn't have the makings of a No. 1 option in the passing game but, like most of the others in the class, would be an ideal No. 2.
Golden's route-running, speed and verticality means he could fit in most any offense. His ball-tracking abilities downfield maximize his potential as a deep threat. His body control in the air is impressive, as is his ability to separate at the top of routes.
He's not a creative after-the-catch threat, though, and his size (5-foot-11, 191 pounds) would put him farther down the list of receivers in last year's draft. He would've likely been an early second-round pick taken after the likes of Keon Coleman and McConkey.
Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State
The Buckeyes look all but set for another first-round wide receiver this April. In doing so, Egbuka would follow in the footsteps of Harrison in 2024, Jaxon Smith-Njigba in 2023 and Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson in 2022.
Egbuka's productivity from the slot position makes him a plug-and-play starter for a team looking to shore up the position in the draft. He's one of the best route-runners at the position in the class and he thrives in the intermediate area. His ball-tracking is great down the seam and his ability to near-perfectly time his routes will endear him to his future quarterback.
But in the context of last year's class, Egbuka would likely be a second-round pick as well. He wins from the slot like McConkey but his lack of speed (4.5 seconds in the 40-yard dash) would've dropped him down the rankings.
Luther Burden III, Missouri
Like Egbuka, Burden shined in the slot for Missouri over the last few years but did so in a different way. While Egbuka is a polished route-runner, Burden is a creative after-the-catch weapon.
Burden's built like a running back with the burst and athleticism to make defenders miss in the short and intermediate areas. He's a ball-winner who can make contested catches and gain extra yards after securing the ball. His frame provides innate contact balance that will serve him well against NFL defenders.
Burden would've also been a likely second-round pick in the 2024 NFL draft. His style of play is similar to Nabers but he's a step down in overall talent from the Giants' dynamic playmaker. He will very likely hear his name called during Round 1 this year but would've been a mid-Round 2 selection in 2024.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: NFL draft comparison: How 2025's WR class stacks up to 2024
Continue reading...
