2026 NFL Draft WR Rankings: CFN's College Football Perspective

CFN 2026 NFL Draft WR Rankings: A Loaded First Round of Targets

Best of the Rest Wide Receivers
(In alphabetical order, with the projected draft round in parentheses) Dillon Bell, Georgia; Germie Bernard, Alabama; Malachi Fields, Notre Dame; De'Zhaun Stribling, Ole Miss; Antonio Williams, Clemson

Denzel Boston

College: Washington
CFN WR Rank: 10
Projected Draft Round: 2
Height/Weight: 6-4, 212
2025 Stats: 62 catches, 881 yards, 14.2 ypc, 11 TD

Physical and ultra-reliable, he’s not fast, but he might be the toughest receiver in the draft.

Skyler Bell

College: UConn
CFN WR Rank: 9
Projected Draft Round: 3
Height/Weight: 6-0, 192
2025 Stats: 101 catches, 1,278 yards, 12.7 ypc, 13 TD

His speed and reliability make him an instant starter. Not physical, but he’s a fantastic route-runner.

Chris Brazzell II

College: Tennessee
CFN WR Rank: 8
Projected Draft Round: 3
Height/Weight: 6-4, 198
2025 Stats: 62 catches, 1,017 yards, 16.4 ypc, 9 TD

Great frame, blazing speed, and can hit the home run, but he’s likely not a volume catcher at the next level.

Zachariah Branch

College: Georgia
CFN WR Rank: 7
Projected Draft Round: 2
Height/Weight: 5-9, 177
2025 Stats: 81 catches, 811 yards, 10 ypc, 6 TD

Super small but sub-4.4 fast, he needs the ball in his hands. However, he needs to make more big plays.

KC Concepcion

College: Texas A&M
CFN WR Rank: 6
Projected Draft Round: 1
Height/Weight: 6-0, 196
2025 Stats: 61 catches, 919 yards, 15.1 ypc, 9 TD, 10 carries, 75 yards, 1 TD

A lightning-quick target, he’s terrific at simply being a receiver. The speed is deceptive - he looks like he’s gliding.

Omar Cooper Jr.

College: Indiana
CFN WR Rank: 5
Projected Draft Round: 1
Height/Weight: 6-0, 199
2025 Stats: 69 catches, 937 yards, 13.6 ypc, 13 TD

A baller’s baller with speed to go along with a tough-guy mentality, he’s as rock-solid as any receiver in the draft.

Jordyn Tyson

College: Arizona State
CFN WR Rank: 4
Projected Draft Round: 1
Height/Weight: 6-2, 203
2025 Stats: 61 catches, 711 yards, 11.7 ypc, 8 TD

Tough as nails with a No. 1 receiver mentality, he has one big issue - staying healthy. Other than that, he’s fantastic.

Elijah Sarratt

College: Indiana
CFN WR Rank: 3
Projected Draft Round: 3
Height/Weight: 6-2, 210
2025 Stats: 65 catches, 830 yards, 12.8 ypc, 15 TD

Not smooth and without elite NFL tools - whatever. There isn’t a better route runner in the draft, and good luck finding anyone who’ll battle for the ball like he does. Get him out there, get him the ball, enjoy the production.

Makai Lemon

College: USC
CFN WR Rank: 2
Projected Draft Round: 1
Height/Weight: 5-11, 192
2025 Stats: 79 catches, 1,156 yards, 14.6 ypc, 11 TD

He does everything right. The only issue is that he doesn’t have the size to play as physically as he’ll want to at the next level. He’ll be a Day One No. 1 target for someone’s passing game.

Carnell Tate

College: Ohio State
CFN WR Rank: 1
Projected Draft Round: 1
Height/Weight: 6-2, 192
2025 Stats: 51 catches, 875 yards, 17.2 ypc, 9 TD

The only knock is that he’s not Jeremiah Smith, who took all the attention away in the Ohio State passing game. However, Tate helped draw defenders away from the superstar, too.

He doesn’t have warp wheels, but he’s terrific at tracking the deep ball. He’s not going to be too physical, but he’ll fight. Technically, he’s a pro’s pro who might not be Jaxon Smith-Njigba, or Emeka Egbuka, or Smith, but he’ll be yet another great NFL receiver from Ohio State.

Best Value Prospect

Elijah Sarratt, Indiana
Because there's so much talent and so many options this season, Surratt will fall through the cracks and potentially all the way to Day Three.

He doesn't have the elite tools, or the speed, or what the scouts may fall in love with, but he's been one of college football's best receivers for the last three years - one at James Madison with Curt Cignetti, and for two years at Indiana. He's a dream No. 2 or 3 target.

Top Sleeper Prospect

Kaden Wetjen, Iowa
Going deep into the sleepers here, Wetjen only caught 20 passes for 151 yards and a score last year with the Hawkeyes, and was a bit more of a factor as a runner.

However, he's a superstar kick returner who averaged 27.5 yards on kicks and 17.7 on punt returns. Electric, he's worth a fifth-round flier as a special teamer, but remember, he was a receiver at Iowa. He didn't get the ball enough.

Will Go Too Early

KC Concepcion, Texas A&M
It's not that he isn't a terrific prospect, but this is a very, very deep group of receivers, and it'll take a first-rounder to get him. There will be NFL-caliber targets available deep into the fourth round this year.

CFN has covered every NFL Draft prospect from a college perspective since 1998.