- The 2025 Quarterback Rankings 2.0 | Polarizing Prospects You Need to Know
- The 2025 Running Back Rankings 2.0 | A Brand New Era
- The 2025 Wide Receiver Rankings 2.0 | The Top 24 Prospects You Need to Know
- The 2025 Tight End Rankings 2.0 | A New Hope Arises
Like many of the other positions in the 2025 NFL Draft, wide receiver offers a little bit of everything for NFL teams and dynasty rosters alike. The top of this class has superstar potential with Travis Hunter and Tetairoa McMillan. The depth is also there with more than 24 receivers deserving of being on this list. While I expect much of the 2nd round of rookie drafts to be littered with running backs, there will be exceptional value with wide receivers in the middle and late rounds. My 2025 Wide Receiver Rankings are here to guide you as we inch closer to the end of the college football season and into the pre-draft process.
NOTE: These rankings are a living thing. They have changed since the start of the season and will eb and flow all the way up to the 2025 season.
QB Rankings | RB Rankings | WR Rankings | TE Rankings
Top 24 Wide Receiver Rankings | The 2025 NFL Draft Class
TIER 1 WRs | 2025 NFL DRAFT RANKINGS
WR1 | Travis Hunter | Colorado | 6’1” | 185 lbs. | Previous Rank: 1
The most unique prospect in my 2025 Rookie Rankings and perhaps in the history of the NFL Draft is Colorado’s Travis Hunter. That may sound like an outlandish thing to say but what he is doing is something we have never seen before. Despite getting dinged up earlier in the year against Kansas State, Hunter managed to battle through the season and answer some of the durability questions. That leaves only one real question. Will Travis Hunter play wide receiver or cornerback, or both?
For most of us, we are only interested in offensive players and Travis Hunter may only be a part-time offensive player at the next level. This ranking is operating under the assumption that he will play the majority of his snaps at wide receiver. As a wide receiver prospect, Hunter is still developing but has shown flashes of elite skill. He creates separation with his quick-twitch movement, has elite contested catch skills, is dynamic after the catch, and has a knack for making big plays.
His biggest area for improvement on offense is with consistency, especially in his route running. Hunter has the highest ceiling of any receiver in this class and if shows a little more consistency on the offensive side, the sky’s the limit. I expect Travis Hunter to be taken in the first 5 picks of the 2025 NFL Draft.
WR2 | Tetairoa McMillan | Arizona | 6’5” | 212 lbs. | PR: 2
Arizona’s Tetairoa “Tet” McMillan is the closest thing to a consensus top player at any position Obviously, I have McMillan as WR2 in the class, but that’s more related to the potential of Travis Hunter than a knock on Tet. I have Tetairoa McMillan as a Tier 1 wide receiver which means that I wouldn’t fault anyone for taking him above Hunter, I just personally wouldn’t. I believe the margin between the top-3 receivers is minute.
McMillan possesses something that few in this class, and neither of the other two in Tier 1, have, height. At 6’5”, McMillan is able to box-out defenders, making him an incredibly difficult cover. However, McMillan is more than just a big receiver. He may not have elite top-end speed but he accelerates well, is a long-strider, and has enough speed to threaten defenders over the top. McMillan is almost certainly a top-20 pick in the NFL Draft, assuming his speed metrics are solid.
WR3 | Luther Burden III | Missouri | 5’11” | 208 lbs. | PR: 3
Luther Burden III is a bit different than the other two Tier 1 wide receivers. He does not have the size of McMillan nor the elite athleticism and ball skills of Hunter. But, he is a special talent in his own right. Burden is listed as a wide receiver, but he really is an offensive weapon. He lines up all over the field for Missouri and despite defenses knowing he is going to be a focal point of the offense, he still performs.
The biggest concern I have with Burden is whether or not he has the high-end speed to attack defenses down the field. However, that may not hurt him too much as we have seen receivers dominate at the NFL level without elite speed. Burden is so dynamic after the catch that all he needs is the ball in his hands to be a threat to score. He profiles as a player that will likely start in the slot and in a manufactured-touch role. If he finds a team that wants to utilize Burden similarly to how the San Francisco 49ers use Deebo Samuel, he could excel.
TIER 2 | 2025 Wide Receiver Rankings
WR4 | Emeka Egbuka | Ohio State | 6’1” | 205 lbs. | PR: 4
Emeka Egbuka has been overshadowed a bit at Ohio State this year by freshman phenom Jeremiah Smith. Despite the underwhelming production, my biggest concern with Egbuka was durability. He’s managed to play an entire season and quiet the noise. As a prospect, Egbuka profiles best as a slot receiver. He is a well-polished route runner who can find the holes in a defense and excels after the catch. Egbuka is quicker than he is fast, but can surprise you with his smooth running style. If he tests well leading up to the draft, he could sneak into the bottom of Tier 1 of my 2025 Wide Receiver Rankings.
WR5 | Tre Harris | Ole Miss | 6’3” | 210 lbs. | PR: 6
In my initial 2025 Wide Receiver Rankings, I said that Ole Miss’ Tre Harris could end up as a Tier 2 wide receiver, and he has done exactly that. Harris’ production slowed down a bit in the second-half of the season, but that doesn’t concern me. His best trait is his ability to make contested catches. Unfortunately, being a contested-catch receiver at the collegiate level isn’t all good. My biggest concern is his ability to separate. He sometimes struggles at the collegiate level, so the NFL will be a big challenge. Harris is on the fringe of the 1st Round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
WR6 | Evan Stewart | Oregon | 6’0” | 175 lbs. | PR: 7
Evan Stewart is one of the most challenging prospects to analyze. He dropped in my initial rankings but has started to rebound his NFL Draft stock. Stewart has all of the traits you look for at the wide receiver position. He routinely wins against defenders by creating separation with his elite short-area quickness. He has soft hands to easily pluck the ball out of the air. Stewart is also extremely athletic, making acrobatic catches all over the field. I think he’s likely slotted for Day 2 of the NFL Draft.
WR7 | Jalen Royals | Utah State | 6’0” | 205 lbs. | PR: 9
Despite a foot injury ending the collegiate career for Utah State’s Jalen Royals, he moved up a couple spots in my 2025 Wide Receiver Rankings. Instead of attempting to come back this season, Royals decided to focus on his pre-draft preparation. Royals possesses an intriguing combination of speed and ball skills. He is a natural catcher of the ball with the explosiveness to win against any coverage. Being from a smaller school, the pre-draft process will be especially important for Jalen Royals.
WR8 | Isaiah Bond | Texas | 5’11” | 180 lbs. | PR: 5
Still holding onto a spot as a Tier 2 wide receiver, Isaiah Bond is small but mighty. The former Alabama receiver has game-changing speed. But, he’s more than just another speedy wide receiver. He combines quickness in-and-out of breaks with insane deep-speed. My biggest concerns for Bond are his contested-catch skills and his occasional over-reliance on his speed. If Bond cleans up his route running, he could be a dynamic weapon in the NFL.
TIER 3 | 2025 Wide Receiver Rankings
Tier 3 of my 2025 Wide Receiver Rankings is a cluster of prospects who all have exciting traits as well as notable concerns. Any of these players could move up into Tier 2 with good play and strong athletic testing. Or, if they struggle to produce and/or test poorly, they could find themselves falling down my rankings.
WR9 | Xavier Restrepo | Miami (FL) | 5’10” | 198 lbs. | PR: 10
Xavier Restrepo is another complicated prospect to analyze. It’s not often that we see a player with such a defined role be ranked so highly. He is the prototypical slot wide receiver at the NFL level. His short-area quickness allows him to shake defenders in man coverage and his natural feel for defenses helps him find soft pots in zone coverage. If Restrepo goes to a team that heavily targets the slot, Restrepo could be a fantasy monster.
WR10 | Tai Felton | Maryland | 6’2” | 181 lbs. | PR: 15
Tai Felton is a player that has jumped up my rankings in the second-half of 2024. Felton is a very good route runner that can create separation all over the field and get open against both zone and man-to-man coverage. Once the ball is in his hands, Felton chews up YAC making big plays from short passes. He also is well-above-average in contested-catch situations. The more I watch of Tai Felton, the higher he rises in my 2025 Wide Receiver Rankings.
WR11 | Savion Williams | TCU | 6’5” | 225 lbs. | PR: NR
The biggest riser in my 2025 Wide Receiver Rankings is Savion Williams from TCU. After a couple middling seasons, Williams appears to have put it all together in 2024. Listed at 6’5”, Williams is an absolute beast. But, he more than just looks the part. If he chooses to participate in all of the NFL Combine athletic testing metrics, I expect Savion Williams to put on a show. If you aren’t familiar with him yet, his potential is one of the highest in the class.
WR12 | Elic Ayomanor | Stanford | 6’2” | 210 lbs. | PR: 8
The last player in Tier 3, Elic Ayomanor, has some of the most impressive highlight plays you’ll see from a college wide receiver in any game. Sadly, he also has the tendency to disappear and play inconsistently in other games. Despite not appearing to have elite speed, quickness, or overall athleticism, Ayomanor routinely finds himself targeted when he’s running open underneath defenses or in jump ball situations down the sideline. After a more-consistent second-half of the season, I think Ayomanor could easily be a Day 2 NFL Draft selection.
TIER 4 | 2025 Wide Receiver Rankings
WR13 | Kyren Lacy | LSU | 6’2” | 213 lbs. | PR: 11
Kyren Lacy does just about everything well. He has soft hands, quick feet, is dynamic with the ball in his hands, and runs very good routes. Lacy will occasionally get sloppy with his routes and does not have the best top-end speed.
WR14 | Tez Johnson | Oregon | 5’10” | 165 lbs. | PR: 13
The biggest question mark for Tez Johnson is his size. Otherwise, he has game-breaking speed and quickness, runs good routes, catches the ball with ease, and is lethal after the catch. I fear he may struggle with the physicality of the NFL.
WR15 | Ricky White III | UNLV | 6’1” | 190 lbs. | PR: 12
Ricky White III is another prospect with very good speed. He has good ball skills and is shifty after the catch. While not being the most slender receiver in this class (see Tez Johnson above), White’s strength is a concern.
WR16 | Jaylin Noel | Iowa State | 5’11” | 200 lbs. | PR: NR
Iowa State’s Jaylin Noel is another electric receiver with the ball in his hands. He uses his exceptional short-area quickness and route running skills to create consistent separation against collegiate corners.
WR17 | Dane Key | Kentucky | 6’3” | 210 lbs. | PR: NR
Dane Key is a different mold of receiver than the players just above him in my 2025 Wide Receiver Rankings. At 6’3”, he has the frame to win against corners in contested-catch situations. He doesn’t have great speed but is plenty quick and runs very good routes.
WR18 | Jayden Higgins | Iowa State | 6’4” | 215 lbs. | PR: 17
Like many receivers of his size, Iowa State’s Jayden Higgins does not have elite speed. However, he does have very good short-area quickness, runs crisp routes, and fantastic hands. If he runs well in the 40-yard dash, he will move up my 2025 Wide Receiver Rankings.
TIER 5 | 2025 Wide Receiver Rankings
WR19 | Antonio Williams | Clemson | 5’11” | 190 lbs. | PR: NR
WR20 | Antwane “Juice” Wells Jr. | Ole Miss | 6’0” | 205 lbs. | PR: 14
WR21 | Tory Horton | Colorado | 6’3” | 185 lbs. | PR: 16
WR22 | Xzavier Henderson | Cincinnati | 6’3” | 200 lbs. | PR: 19
WR23 | Ja’Corey Brooks | Louisville | 6’3” | 195 lbs. | PR: 20
WR24 | Will Sheppard | Colorado | 6’3” | 205 lbs. | PR: NR
The reality about my 2025 Wide Receiver Rankings is there are a lot more than these 24 players that could find their way into your rookie drafts in 2025. Players like TCU’s Jack Bech, Oklahoma’s Nic Anderson, Kentucky’s Barion Brown, Miami’s Samuel Brown, UCF’s Kobe Hudson, Tennessee’s Dont’e Thornton Jr., Maryland’s Kaden Prather and plenty others could work their way into Tiers 3-5 or above.
The important thing to remember is that these 2025 Wide Receiver Rankings are fluid. They have changed since the start of the season and will change again before the end. I will post another update to these rankings later on in the pre-draft process.
2025 NFL Draft Prospects 1.0 | QB Rankings | RB Rankings | WR Rankings | TE Rankings by Tristan Cook
For more college dynasty content, check out our Two Round Mock Draft presented by the Dynasty Nerds’ film room and our Senior NFL Prospects Writing Staff:
