Marvin Harrison Jr., Rome Odunze, and Malik Nabers lead an elite 2024 NFL Draft wide receiver class

The 2024 NFL Draft wide receiver class is loaded as it has five players with first-round grades and a total of 12 players who have day one or day two grades. This group is led by Marvin Harrison Jr., Rome Odunze, and Malik Nabers all whom have top-15 grades. 

The class also features plenty of sleepers in it led by Jerry Rice's son Brenden Rice who like his dad has some of the best hands at the position. Another player who carries a day three grade who will likely surprise people is USC's Tahj Washington who is a dangerous playmaker with the ball in his hands. Overall, 29 players earn draftable grades, and in this article we break down each one of these prospects.

2024 NFL Draft wide receiver class ranking No. 1-4

1. Marvin Harrison JR, Ohio State

There is no doubt that Marvin Harrison Jr. is the top wide receiver in the 2024 NFL Draft. Harrison has all the skills to be a true number-one receiver at the next level including strong hands that he uses to attack the ball. He also has impressive strength that allows him to catch the ball consistently in traffic and also break tackles after the catch. One more positive with him is his agility, especially for a 6-foot-4 205-pound wideout. He uses this agility to adjust to the poorly thrown ball and consistently makes sharp cuts on his routes. Look for Harrison to be a top-five pick next April and develop into one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. Draft Grade: First Round

2. Rome Odunze, Washington

The top deep threat in the 2024 NFL Draft is Rome Odunze. Last season, Odunze led the nation in targets of more than 20 yards downfield. He also came up with an impressive 70.8% of contested catches this year, which highlights how impressive he is in jump ball situations. In addition to being a downfield threat Odunze is an impressive athlete, especially for a 6-foot-3 wide receiver and this athletic ability gives him a tremendous catch radious. One thing he can work on is using his 4.38 40-yard dash speed to gain more separation especially on deep routes. Draft Grade: First Round

3. Malik Nabers, LSU

The most productive wide receiver in the 2024 NFL Draft is LSU’s Malik Nabers. This season Nabers led the FBS in receiving yards with 1,546 yards and also finished second in the nation with 14 touchdowns. Another impressive stat with Nabers is that he led the FBS in first-down receptions with 69 catches. The biggest reason for his elite production is his impressive hands. Over the last two years, he has a drop rate of just 3.1% and he has consistently made the difficult catch. Another positive trait with him is his contact balance which makes him dangerous after the catch. An area where he is below some of the wide receivers in the 2024 NFL Draft is going and getting the jump ball. Draft Grade: First Round

4. Keon Coleman, Florida State

The biggest riser in the 2024 NFL Draft wide receiver class is Florida State’s Keon Coleman. Coleman entered the year as a fourth round pick on my board, but now has a mid-first round pick. The biggest reason he has flown up the draft board is his ability to make the big play. This season 20% of his catches went for touchdowns and he has made numerous circus catches this year. In addition to being a threat in the red zone, top-notch athletic ability, and ideal NFL size he also has shown an ability to help out on special teams averaging 12 yards on 25 punt returns this season. One concern scouts will likely have with him though is he is not a very physical wide receiver and is not going to outmuscle many defensive backs for the ball, but instead will rely on his agility to go get the ball. Draft Grade: First Round

2024 NFL Draft wide receiver class ranking No. 5-8

5. Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State

The 2023 season was not the type of season Emeka Egbuka was hoping for as he battled injuries most of the season. After finishing ninth nationally in receiving yards and catches 10 yards or more his production dropped significantly this year. This down year could make him one of the better value picks in the 2024 NFL Draft if he falls to the second round. His most impressive trait is his explosiveness which has led to him having a 95% overall separation percentage over the past two seasons. This speed has also made him a dangerous threat after the catch, and one of the more dangerous kick returners in college football. In addition to his injury history and lack of production this year, another concern is he is not the most physical wide receiver and might have trouble vs. press coverage. Draft Grade: First Round

6. Brian Thomas Jr., LSU

The 2023 season was a true breakout year for LSU’s Brian Thomas Jr. Going into the 2023 season his most receiving yards in a game was 65. This season he has topped that mark eight times, and also has 15 touchdowns. The former standout high school basketball player uses the same traits that allowed him to score more than 1,000 points in each of his three high school seasons of basketball to dominant on the football field. One of these traits is attacking the ball on jump ball situations which helped him make 25% of his receptions this year go for touchdowns. Another trait he has that scouts will like is his ability to gain separation despite being one of the bigger wide receivers in the 2024 NFL Draft. One thing that will likely cause him to fall to the second day of the draft is that he is not a very precious rout runner, and does most of his damage on go routes. Draft Grade: Second Round

7. Troy Franklin, Oregon

One of the biggest playmakers in the 2024 NFL Draft is Oregon’s Troy Franklin who averaged an impressive 17.1 yards per catch on 81 receptions this year. One way Franklin posses a threat to a defense is his blazing speed. Another way he does his ability to pick up yards after the catch due to his elusivness. A concern I do have with him though is that the 6-foot-3 wide out only comes in at 187 pounds. This lack of bulk hurts him in contested catch situations and also when trying to get off press coverage. Draft Grade: Second Round

8. Adonai Mitchell, Texas

Adonai Mitchell who was a member of Inside the War Room’s All-Underrated team going into the season, definitely lived up to that billing this season. He had easily the best year of his career setting personal bests for catches, yards, yards per catch, and touchdowns. As a pro prospect, he is an impressive rout runner who is one of the more natural wideouts in the 2024 NFL Draft. An issue he will have to make sure comes out clean is the ankle injury that cost him most of the 2022 season. Draft Grade: Second Round

2024 NFL Draft wide receiver class ranking No. 9-12

9. Devontez Walker, North Carolina

The 2023 season was an interesting year for North Carolina wide receiver Devontez Walker who started the year off ineligible. When on the field he put up extremely impressive numbers catching 41 passes for 699 yards and seven touchdowns in just eight games. His top trait as a pro prospect is his deep speed which allowed him to consistently get behind defenders and average 17 yards per reception. Another positive with him is that he has good agility for a 6-foot-3 200-pound wide receiver who can get his body in position to make the circus catch. Two concerns I have with him is his ability to battle through traffic since he dropped several passes in situations like this last season. He also needs to become a much more polished route runner and learn how to run a complete route tree. Draft Grade: Third Round

"“You’d be getting the ultimate competitor; [I don’t] shy from competing at all. I want to be one of the best players for that organization, not just on the field, but off the field. You don’t have to worry about those kinds of [off-the-field] things, and overall, [I’m] a great dude, a genuine guy.” "

Devontez Walker via Windy City Gridiron

10. Xavier Worthy, Texas

The other Texas wide receiver with a day two grade is Xavier Worthy. What makes Worthy worth a third round pick is his ability to pickup yards after the catch. He shows good explosion, vision, and change of direction which leads to him making his share of plays once the ball is in his hands. While his ability to create plays he does come with some major concerns. One of these is he is a light wide receiver who comes in at 172 pounds. He also has had numerous drops during his career and only caught 53% of the passes thrown his way in 2022. Another issue is that he reportedly has some character concerns which will likely cause him to fall down the draft board. Draft Grade: Third Round

11. Xavier Legette, South Carolina

Another wide receiver who had a breakout season this year is South Carolina’s Xavier Legette who going into the season never had more than 18 receptions in a year. This season however he finished fourth in the SEC with 5.9 receptions a game and second in the confernce with 104.6 receing yards a game. One of the reasons he was able to put up such impressive statistics is his blazing speed which allowed him to make big play after big play. Another thing that should make Legette a day two pick is his ability to help out on special teams. In 2022 he set a school record by averging 29.4 yards on 15 kickoff returns and this season he average 21.9 yards. In addition to returning kicks he is also a good coverman on special teams. An NFL player Legette reminds me of is Cordarrelle Patterson. Draft Grade: Third Round

12. Ja’Lynn Polk, Washington

A player I am lower on than other people are is Washington’s, Ja’Lynn Polk. Polk who has been projected as high as the first round only carries a third-round grade on my board. One of the biggest reasons I am lower on him is that he has been inconsistent during his college career. An example of this is he has put up some monster numbers including catching five passes for 148 yards and two touchdowns vs. Stanford. Yet, he also went catch-less in consecutive games against Oregon State and Washington State and had several drops in these games. Along with his inconsistency, his effort as a blocker also raises concern. On the positive side, he has a good size-speed combination and has the raw tools to develop into a quality receiver in the NFL. Draft Grade: Third Round

2024 NFL Draft wide receiver class ranking No. 13-16

13. Brenden Rice, USC

2023 was a true breakout season for Jerry Rice’s son Brenden Rice. He set career highs with 45 receptions, 791 yards, a 17.6 average yards catch, and 12 touchdowns. In addition to putting up these numbers on offense he averaged 16 yards per punt return. His top trait was also his dad’s top trait which is strong hands. While I highly doubt he caught bricks as a kid, like his dad he nonetheless has great grip strength which allows him to consistently come away with the tough catch. In addition to his strong hands, he is also a physical receiver who is tough to bring down after the reception. Overall, Rice has the talent to become an NFL starter at the next level. Draft Grade: Fourth Round

14. Jalen McMillan, Washington

Washington wide receiver Jalen McMillan missed most of the 2023 season, only playing in five games. However, when he was in the lineup he put up impressive numbers being held under 95 yards only once. This production should be enough to show NFL scouts he is worth a high day three pick. His top trait is his consistent hands which rarely saw him drop a pass. He also shows good elusivness after the catch especially for a 6-foot-1 192 pound wide receiver. The biggest concern with him going into the predraft process is the injuries he battled this year. He also lacks elite speed and might be more of a possession receiver in the NFL. Draft Grade: Fourth Round

"“I don't know if there is much more. He’s one of the biggest gym rats on our football team, he’s always catching jugs machines, footballs, tennis balls, watching film. All that work paid off, because you saw him doing a lot of different things.” "

Kalen DeBoer on Jalen McMillan

15. Roman Wilson, Michigan

One of the top slot wide receivers in the 2024 NFL Draft is Michigan’s Roman Wilson. What makes him such a threat as the inside receiver is his speed which allows him to consistently gain separation. He also can gain his separation due to his ability to cut on a dime. Another big positive with him is his sure hands having only dropped one pass this season. While Wilson should be able to eventually earn a starting job as a slot receiver there are some concerns with his game especially when it comes to how well he blocks, which is especially important for a slot receiver. He also is not going to win many jump ball situations, so running a slot fade route could be a concern for him. One more concern is that he battled some nagging injuries this year. Draft Grade: Fourth Round

16. Jacob Cowing, Arizona

Arizona wide receiver Jacob Cowing ended his 2023 season on a hot streak. In his last two games, he had two of the three most productive games of his Wildcat career catching 9 passes for 157 yards vs Arizona State and 7 passes for 152 yards vs. Oklahoma. In addition to putting up monster numbers at the end of the year he is also the only FBS player with 90+ catches and 12+ touchdowns this season. Along with his strong production Cowing is one of the quicker wide receivers in the 2024 NFL Draft and is a major threat after the catch. One thing that will likely force him down the draft board is his lack of size, and only average catch radius. Draft Grade: Fourth Round

2024 NFL Draft wide receiver class ranking No. 17-20

17. Ainias Smith, Texas A&M

You often hear prospects compared to Deebo Samuel going into the draft, but one of the players who best fits that mold is Ainias Smith. Like Samuel, Smith is a versatile player who led the team in catches and yards this season and also an elite punt returning having averaged 13 yards per punt return this season. He also has experience working in the backfield having rushed for 293 yards in 2020 and has 72 career carries. One more similarity is that both are physical blockers and will do whatever is asked of them. While Smith could be used in a similar way to how Samuel does he does have some deficiencies in his game including a small catch radius. He also has missed significant time during his Aggie career including missing most of the 2022 season due to injuries. Draft Grade: Fourth Round

18. Ricky Pearsall, Florida

Florida wide receiver Ricky Pearsall made the catch of the year this season, and is also a receiver who carries a high day three grade. The reason he carries this good of a grade is he is a smart receiver who runs great rout routes. He also shows good versatility and can play either inside or outside at the next level. One more positive with him is his experience returning punts having averaged 11.5 yards per punt return this season. One concern I have with him is that at times his lack of concentration can cause him to drop the easy catch from time to time. He also posses only solid speed, and is not a receiver who is going to be a threat to stretch a defense. Draft Grade: Fourth Round

19. Johnny Wilson, Florida State

The biggest wide receiver in the NFL Draft is Florida State’s Johnny Wilson who comes in at a massive 6-foot-7 and 237 pounds. Despite this size though he can be outmuscled at the catch point and is not as dominant as he should be on the jump ball. He also should be more of a red zone threat but his eight career touchdowns say otherwise. While these are concerns there are some positive traits that stand out as well. One of these is how fast he is for someone his size displaying the ability to be a vertical threat down the field having averaged 17.2 yard per catch during his college career. His size also will likely make him a matchup problem for smaller wide receivers. Draft Grade: Fifth Round

20. Tahj Washington, USC

Joining Adonai Mitchell on Inside the War Room’s preseason All-Underrated team is USC’s Tahj Washington. Washington showed why he was give that honor with the best season of his career setting carrer highs in receptions (59), yards (1,062), yards per catch (18) and touchdowns (8). In terms of NFL potential he will likely find a role as a slot wide receiver. In this role he can use his impressive quickness to consistently gain separation, and his eluisivness to pick up yards after the catch. He also should be able to return kicks in the NFL, having averaged 19 yards per kick return last year. Draft Grade: Fifth Round

2024 NFL Draft wide receiver class ranking No. 21-24

21. Ladd McConkey, Georgia

One of the more overrated wide receivers in the 2024 NFL Draft is Ladd McConkey. While I love how well he runs his routes, and ability to make yards after the catch I only have a fifth-round grade on him while other draftniks have a second-round grade on him. The biggest concern I have with him is his lack of elite athletic ability. Coming out of high school he only ran a 4.56 40-yard dash and he likely won’t be able to crack a 4.4 at the NFL Combine. He also has battled his share of drops while at Georgia and has had trouble catching the ball in traffic. One more concern is that he missed five games this year due to back and ankle injuries. Draft Grade: Fifth Round

22. Malachi Corley, Western Kentucky

Another wide receiver I am lower on than other people is Western Kentucky’s Malachi Corley. While I love his production having caught 180 passes and 22 touchdowns over the past two seasons, he lacks the traits that make me think he will be a starter wide receiver in the NFL. To start with he lacks the speed and explosiveness to make plays downfield which helps explain why he only averaged 11.7 yards per catch during his college career. He also is not a polished route runner and has some trouble breaking down at the top of his routes. Yet another issue with him is that he is a shorter wide receiver coming in at 5-foot-11. On the positive side, he is a physical runner after the catch which has helped him pick up plenty of yards after the catch during his time at Western Kentucky. Draft Grade: Sixth Round

23. Jermaine Burton, Alabama

One of the biggest playmakers in the 2024 NFL Draft is Alabama’s Jermaine Burton. This regular season he averaged an impressive 22.2 yards per catch which led the SEC. Along with his speed, another trait that Burton has is his ability to track the deep ball. He also shows the body control to adjust his ball to the deep ball, and the strength to outmusle the defensive back. While this ability to make the big play is impressive there are several reasons why I have a late-round grade on him. The first is that he is not a very refined rout runner, and mainly relies on go routes and hitches to do most of his damage. He also needs to do a better job of reading coverages. One more concern with him is his effort lacks at times which limits his production. Draft Grade: Sixth Round

"“He’s made some catches down the field where whether they’re contested or he had to turn his body a certain way, his ability to track and react to balls really helps our ability to push the ball down the field.""

Tommy Rees on Jermaine Burton

24. Malik Washington, Virginia

One of the most productive wide receivers in college football last season, was Virginia’s Malik Washington. This season he broke the ACC records for receptions with 110 catches and he also led the ACC in total yards with 1,706. This was quite the breakout year for the former Northwestern Wildcat who never had more than 65 receptions and 694 yards in his four seasons at Evanston. While this production should be enough to get him drafted his lack of size, elite speed, and how he uses his hands to catch the ball will limit him to a late-round draft pick. Draft Grade: Sixth Round

2024 NFL Draft wide receiver class ranking No. 25-29

25. Drake Stoops, Oklahoma

Oklahoma’s Drake Stoops will not be one of the top testers in the predraft process, but one thing is for sure the kid knows how to play football. Stoops is an extremely smart player who does a great job of finding the open spots in coverage. This trait helped him catch 84 passes for 962 yards and also led the Big 12 with 10 touchdowns. He also has good strength that helps him pick up yards after the catch and be one of the better blockers in the 2024 wide receiver class. The biggest reason why he will fall to the late part of the draft or go undrafted is his lack of measurables coming in at only 5-foot-10 and also lacking the type of speed you want to see out of a smaller wide receiver. Draft Grade: Seventh Round

26. J. Michael Sturdivant, UCLA

Even though J. Michael Sturdivant saw a drop in production this year, he still carries a draftable grade. After leading the nation’s freshmen in receptions and receptions per game (5.4) and receiving yards with 755 yards he only caught 36 passes this year for 597 yards. Sturdivant who started his career at California saw the best game of his UCLA Bruin career happen last month in the LA Bowl. In this game, he caught four passes for 142 yards and one touchdown. When looking at how his game translates to the NFL he has NFL size, athletic ability, and speed. However, to see significant playing time at the next level he is going to have to improve his playing strength and continue to work on his route running. Draft Grade: Seventh Round

27. Isaiah Williams, Illinois

Illinois’s Isaiah Williams has been one of the most productive wide receivers in the Big Ten. This season he led the conference in receptions with 82, which was 15 more catches than any other player. He also finished second in the Big 10 in yards with 1,055. Over the past two seasons he became the first player in the conference to have 80+ catches in back-to-back seasons. His most attractive NFL trait is likely how dangerous he is with the ball in his hands. He led the Big 10 this season with 553 yards after the catch, and also averaged 9.1 yards per punt return during his time with the Fighting Illini. The issues scouts will likely have with him is that he is on the smaller side, possesses only average speed, and will only fit as a slot at the next level. Draft Grade: Seventh Round

28. Jamari Thrash, Louisville

The top asset with Louisville wide receiver Jamari Thrash is his ability to gain separation on his routes. He does a terrific job of breaking down on his routes and shows the fluid hips to be a strong rout runner in the NFL. Unfortunately, no other traits really stick out with his game. He drops way to many passes especially in traffic. He also is not a very physical player who can fight through traffic to make the catch or run through tacklers after the catch. This lack of physicality also hurt him when it comes to his blocking as does his lack of aggression. Overall, he will need a big Senior Bowl week in order to be anything more than a late round draft pick. Draft Grade: Seventh Round

29. Elijhah Badger, Arizona State

One of the better kick returners in the 2024 NFL Draft is Arizona State’s, Elijhah Badger who averaged an impressive 28.9 on 20 kickoff returns last year. In addition to being able to return kicks Badger is a good sized target who shows good agility for his size. Draft Grade: Seventh Round