Dane Brugler’s 2026 NFL Draft summer positional rankings: Wide receivers

The Athletic has live coverage of Saturday’s NFL Preseason games.

Editor’s note: This is the 10th installment of Dane Brugler’s 2026 NFL Draft Summer Scouting series. Previous rankings: Edge rushers | Running backs | Defensive tackles | Tight ends | Linebackers | Interior offensive linemen | Cornerbacks | Offensive tackles | Safeties

The best wide receiver in college football is Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith — there is no question that he is ready for the NFL right now (and would be a candidate to be the No. 1 pick in April). However, we have to wait until the 2027 NFL Draft for him to be eligible.

As for the 2026 NFL Draft class, there might not be a slam-dunk top-10 prospect, but this looks like a deep receiver class full of complementary starters and Day 2 projections. It will be interesting to see if any receivers separate themselves over the next eight months.

With so many prospects closely graded right now, I expect these rankings to fluctuate once we have 2025 film.

(Note: Asterisk represents draft-eligible underclassmen. Heights and weights are what NFL teams have on file for each player, with a “v” representing verified measurements and “e” for estimated measurements.)

1. Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State (6-2e, 200e)*Best traits: Route fluidity and acceleration

For a good-sized receiver, Tyson moves like a much smaller athlete, which helps him separate mid-route. He accelerates well with his initial steps to stack cornerbacks vertically or snap his breaks, disrupting the balance of defenders. Once the ball is in the air, Tyson finds another gear, and his competitiveness and fluidity show in his adjustments to the football.

Tyson had a pair of touchdowns against Kansas State — both illustrate his strengths as a route separator. His quickness at the line, along with his footwork and acceleration mid-route, creates targets for his quarterback.

Must improve: Cutting down on drops

Tyson tracks the ball reasonably well and competes with the physicality to finish grabs in traffic, but he had a drop on five of the six videos I studied from his 2024 season. Though his 8.5 percent drop rate isn’t catastrophic by any means (Marvin Harrison Jr. had an 8.2 percent rate his final season at Ohio State), Tyson needs to be more reliable as a finisher to maximize his potential.

2026 NFL Draft outlook

Deion Sanders completely revamped the Colorado roster when he took over as head coach in 2023 and helped engineer a quick turnaround. One of his missteps when he arrived in Boulder, however, was not keeping Tyson after he led Colorado in receiving yards as a true freshman in 2022.

Tyson (who suffered a torn ACL, MCL and PCL late in the 2022 season) wanted to stay, but he felt unwanted after meeting with Sanders and the other coaches. Instead, he landed at Arizona State, sat out most of 2023 and emerged as one of the nation’s top receivers in 2024 under the tutelage of Sun Devils wide receiver coach Hines Ward.

In addition to his significant knee injury, Tyson also missed last season’s Big 12 championship and the Sun Devils’ thrilling playoff game against Texas with a broken collarbone — staying healthy will be paramount to his draft evaluation. However, with his quarterback and offensive coaches all returning, the opportunity is there for Tyson to be a Biletnikoff award finalist and favorite for WR1 in the 2026 draft.

2. Chris Bell, Louisville (6-1 1/2v, 227v)Best traits: Big and explosive

With his strong, muscular frame, Bell passes the eye test walking off the bus, but he also plays the part expected of an athlete of his stature. He uses his physicality to be a possession target who can make tough grabs over defenders. And with his 4.4 speed, Bell can separate vertically or create explosive plays after the catch.

On this catch-and-run touchdown versus Pitt, Bell looks unfazed with the push from the defender, then shows off his explosive acceleration once he stretches out his stride. At 227 pounds, he has no trouble running away from the rest of the defense.

Must improve: Limited routes

Bell, who recently turned 21, is one of the younger players in this senior class, and that inexperience showed last year, his first as a starter. I am hoping to see the coaches put more on his plate in 2025 to better develop the building blocks of his route construction. Bell is still a work in progress when it comes to some of the finer points of the position.

2026 NFL Draft outlook

A former three-star recruit, Bell was the 170th-ranked wide receiver in the 2022 recruiting class and came off the bench his first two seasons at Louisville. He became a starter last season and led the team with 17.1 yards per reception (43 catches for 737 yards and four touchdowns). Bell did lose his former quarterback (Tyler Shough, now in New Orleans) for his final season, but Miller Moss transferred in from USC and will have a chance to thrive in Jeff Brohm’s offensive system.

Based on his rare size/speed mix, Bell enters the season as my top-ranked senior wide receiver prospect. Part of that projection is the expectation that Bell will take another step this season and prove to NFL teams that he belongs in the early rounds.

3. Carnell Tate, Ohio State (6-3e, 190e)*Best trait: Long, smooth target

With a tall, slender frame and light feet, Tate uses his quickness to elude press using long strides that help him build speed in a hurry. He tracks the ball well away from his frame and smoothly adjusts to attack from different angles. Tate is at his best on double-move routes (sluggos, out-and-ups), where he can sell his initial step with route speed and body language before transferring his momentum without gearing down.

Must improve: Route-running maturation

For a player entering his third season of college ball, Tate is a fine route runner. He understands timing and depth and closes cushions quickly, which is what NFL teams have come to expect from disciples of Brian Hartline. However, at times, he will round his turns or become too leggy at break points. Tate is still learning how to master his craft, and I am expecting gradual improvements in this area in 2025.

2026 NFL Draft outlook

Death, taxes and Ohio State producing NFL wide receivers. Five Buckeyes receivers have been first-round picks in the past four years, and Tate will be looking to keep the streak going. A top Chicago recruit by way of IMG Academy, Tate was the fourth receiver (behind Harrison, Emeka Egbuka and Julian Fleming) in 2023, and the third option (behind Smith and Egbuka) in 2024. Tate finished his sophomore year with 52 catches for 733 yards and four touchdowns.

Ohio State is breaking in a first-year quarterback and play caller in 2025 and has to replace several established starters from last year’s national title-winning squad. But the Buckeyes have arguably the top receiving duo in college football, and Tate will be a crucial weapon as defenses attempt to limit Smith. He enters the season as more of a Day 2 draft pick, but with the chance to rise.

4. Makai Lemon, USC (5-11e, 195e)*Best traits: Snappy routes and sticky hands

No matter the placement of the football, Lemon is very controlled in his ability to uncover and pluck with confidence in his hands quickly. He is elusive off the snap to give his quarterback a target and skillfully tracks with late action to not give away the catch point too soon. Lining up primarily out of the slot last season, Lemon registered just one drop on 67 targets.

In the bowl game against Texas A&M, Lemon showcased his athleticism (before and after the catch) along with his quick, confident hands.

Must improve: Play strength

Thanks to his reliable ball skills, Lemon can make grabs from challenging angles. However, he doesn’t consistently play bigger than his size and is often outmuscled at the catch point, which limits his success rate when finishing in traffic. Similarly, Lemon can get hung up by physical press defenders and doesn’t have the body strength to power through many tackle attempts. He worked primarily inside last season, and his lack of size will create concerns about his role and ability to play outside in the NFL.

2026 NFL Draft outlook

Zachariah Branch was viewed as the prize of USC’s 2023 recruiting class. Still, Lemon — also a coveted pass catcher in that class — separated himself as the Trojans’ most consistent weapon in 2024 (team-leading 52 catches for 764 yards). Working primarily out of the slot, Lemon has benefitted from a lot of quick hitters and open zones, but he’s also routinely created space for himself, showing off athleticism and hands down the field.

Because of some of his size and strength limitations, Lemon doesn’t have as high an NFL ceiling as others on this list. However, his quickness, technique and overall instincts at the position raise his floor. His understanding of how to beat coverage separates him from other pass catchers who might have better tools but lack Lemon’s nuance.

5. Eric Singleton Jr., Auburn (5-10e, 180e)*Best trait: Sudden speed

A smaller target, Singleton makes up for his lack of size with sudden speed to throw defenders off balance. Whether in the slot or outside, he combines both quickness and speed to win at the line of scrimmage and out of his breaks. His athleticism can also be weaponized on fly sweeps, jets and motions (131 rushing yards in 2024).

These two clips illustrate how quickly he finds his top speed — an inside jailbreak screen, and a vertical pattern on which he gets behind the defense and outruns his quarterback’s arm (although he’s still able to track the ball, slow and complete the catch through contact).

Must improve: Setting up defenders

Singleton has dangerous speed, but I want to see better pacing and control in using that speed to manipulate the defense, both as a route runner and ball carrier. Though Singleton destroys pursuit angles with his acceleration, I expected him to force more missed tackles by settling his feet and shaking defenders in the open field.

That same concept applies to his routes: I want to see him more comfortably setting up coverage before breaking off patterns with his suddenness.

2026 NFL Draft outlook

The top transfer wide receiver in the portal this offseason, Singleton combined for 1,468 receiving yards in his two seasons at Georgia Tech, despite an inconsistent quarterback and passing attack. Now at Auburn, he joins a loaded wide receiver depth chart (true sophomore Cam Cameron is a stud), although he might face some of the same quarterback issues.

Singleton’s video is almost identical to Elijah Moore’s college film at Ole Miss — a smaller target with dynamic speed. Moore is on his third NFL team and has yet to cement himself as an impact starter, but he was a top-40 draft pick because of his playmaking speed. Singleton could see himself drafted early on Day 2 for the same reason.

Preseason top 30 seniors (all measurements are NFL-verified)

1. Bell
2. Germie Bernard, Alabama (6-0 3/4, 209)
3. Deion Burks, Oklahoma (5-9 1/2, 182)
4. Evan Stewart, Oregon (6-0, 175)
5. Dillon Bell, Georgia (6-0 1/8, 216)
6. Bryce Lance, North Dakota State (6-3 1/8, 207)
7. Malachi Fields, Notre Dame (6-2 1/2, 212)
8. Noah Thomas, Georgia (6-4 1/4, 198)
9. Harrison Wallace III, Ole Miss (5-11 1/2, 195)
10. Elijah Sarratt, Indiana (6-1 3/4, 206)
11. De’Zhaun Stribling, Ole Miss (6-1 5/8, 204)
12. J. Michael Sturdivant, Florida (6-2 3/8, 211)
13. Trebor Pena, Penn State (5-10 1/8, 185)
14. Dane Key, Nebraska (6-2 1/2, 206)
15. Eric Rivers, Georgia Tech (5-9 3/4, 170)
16. Skyler Bell, UConn (5-11, 186)
17. Lewis Bond, Boston College (5-10 1/2, 188)
18. Donavon Greene, Virginia Tech (6-1 1/2, 200)
19. Chris Hilton Jr., LSU (5-11 1/2, 187)
20. Colbie Young, Georgia (6-3 5/8, 215)
21. Devonte Ross, Penn State (5-9 1/8, 168)
22. Chase Roberts, BYU (6-3 3/8, 208)
23. Eric McAlister, TCU (6-1 1/2, 202)
24. Malik Rutherford, Georgia Tech (5-7 1/2, 163)
25. Kobe Prentice, Baylor (5-9 3/4, 187)
26. Jalen Walthall, Incarnate Word (6-0 3/4, 188)
27. Max Tomczak, Youngstown State (5-10 7/8, 193)
28. Barion Brown, LSU (5-10 5/8, 175)
29. Reggie Virgil, Texas Tech (6-2 3/8, 187)
30. Ja’Mori Maclin, Kentucky (5-10 7/8, 192)

Preseason top 20 draft-eligible underclassmen (all measurements are estimates)

1. Tyson
2. Tate
3. Lemon
4. Singleton
5. Jaden Greathouse, Notre Dame (6-1, 210)
6. Denzel Boston, Washington (6-4, 210)
7. Antonio Williams, Clemson (5-11, 190)
8. KC Concepcion, Texas A&M (5-11, 200)
9. DeAndre Moore Jr., Texas (6-0, 190)
10. Jayce Brown, Kansas State (6-0, 175)
11. Zachariah Branch, Georgia (5-10, 180)
12. Aaron Anderson, LSU (5-8, 190)
13. Isaiah Horton, Alabama (6-4, 210)
14. Eugene Wilson III, Florida (5-10, 190)
15. Nic Anderson, LSU (6-4, 210)
16. Ja’Kobi Lane, USC (6-4, 195)
17. Omarion Miller, Colorado (6-2, 195)
18. Nyck Harbor, South Carolina (6-5, 235)
19. Brandon Inniss, Ohio State (6-0, 205)
20. Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana (6-0, 200)

(Top photo of Jordyn Tyson: Peter Aiken / Getty Images)