The 2026 NFL Draft is set to descend upon Pittsburgh, beginning on Thursday, April 23. There's a ton of intrigue with the first round, especially when it comes to the WR position.
This year’s crop of wideouts is deep, but it may lack that one player who jumps off the page in the mold of a Ja’Marr Chase or Justin Jefferson. However, there’s still plenty of talent within the position group.
Below, we’ll dive into some of the top players who have an opportunity to be the first WR drafted in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft.
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Carnell Tate (Ohio State)
First WR Drafted Payout: Yes 1.21x | No 3.57x
All 2026 NFL Draft payout data is from PrizePicks Team Picks. It's live as of writing but is subject to change.
Ohio State has been a WR factory in recent years, producing many high-profile NFL stars, including Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, and Marvin Harrison Jr. Carnell Tate is slated to become the next Buckeye picked in the first round of the NFL Draft.
While playing alongside fellow star Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith, Tate hauled in 51 passes for 875 yards and 9 TDs as a junior in 2025. Tate’s 17.2 yards per reception led the team, and he registered a catch of 40+ yards in six of his 11 games.
Tate also tallied the 10th-most yards per route run (3.02) in the nation while also recording a 0% drop rate.
Tate ran a 4.53-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine and showcased a ton of speed during his time in Columbus. The Ohio State star also has an impressive catch radius, which should translate to the NFL.
Smith overshadowed Tate at times at Ohio State, but Tate clearly has a ton of potential. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him be the first WR to hear his name called in Pittsburgh.
Jordyn Tyson (Arizona State)
First WR Drafted Payout: Yes 5.55x | No 1.12x
If it weren’t for multiple injuries during his collegiate career, Jordyn Tyson may have easily been the consensus No. 1 WR in the class.
Tyson has dealt with a torn ACL, a broken collarbone, and a hamstring injury. Still, the Arizona State WR has oozed potential to be a top-tier pass catcher at the NFL level.
As a result of the hamstring injury, Tyson didn’t participate in the Combine or Arizona State’s pro day. A whopping 18 teams were expected to attend his Friday, April 17 workout.
Tyson registered 61 receptions for 711 yards and 8 TDs during his junior season with the Sun Devils. In the prior campaign, he racked up 1,101 yards and 10 TDs on 75 catches.
The 6-foot-2, 200-pound wideout is a crisp route runner who can line up at any of the receiver spots on the field. Tyson also thrives making contested catches and tracks the ball extremely well through the air.
Even if Tyson doesn't get scooped up first, he very well could be selected fairly early.
Makai Lemon (USC)
First WR Drafted Payout: Yes 6.25x | No 1.09x
Makai Lemon spent the majority of his time at USC operating out of the slot and figures to have a similar role at the NFL level. As a junior, Lemon had his most productive season as he registered a team-high in receptions (79), receiving yards (1,156), and TDs (11) for the Trojans.
Lemon ranked sixth in yards per route run (3.13) and 20th in catch rate (71.4%) in the nation. In addition, the USC star also only recorded just 4 drops in 183 total targets and had a 26.0% target share in his junior campaign, according to Player Profiler.
He's been compared to Detroit Lions star WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, who also went to USC. The two WRs have a similar build, and St. Brown operated out of the slot quite a bit in college.
Lemon, who won the Biletnikoff Award as college football’s top WR in 2025, projects to be selected in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft and could challenge Tate and Tyson to be one of the first wideouts taken.
KC Concepcion (Texas A&M)
First WR Drafted Payout: Yes 22.22x
KC Concepcion arguably had the most productive season of his career as a junior, tallying 61 receptions for a career-high 919 yards and 9 TDs. He also registered a career-best 15.1 yards per catch and 8.8 yards per target.
Concepcion excels at creating separation from defenders and has tremendous acceleration, allowing him to thrive in the open field. Despite being a smaller wideout at 5-foot-11, Concepcion can beat press coverage off the line of scrimmage and rarely gets jammed by opposing defensive backs.
Concepcion might be the most electric receiver in the draft and could wind up being a steal in the back half of the first round.
Omar Cooper Jr. (Indiana)
First WR Drafted Payout: Yes 33.33x
Omar Cooper Jr. may not be the most dangerous WR, but he does many things very well. As a result, the Indiana WR will be an attractive commodity to NFL teams.
In Indiana’s run to a College Football Playoff National Championship, the Hoosiers WR racked up 69 receptions for 937 yards and 13 TDs, all of which were career highs. Cooper topped the 70-yard mark in five games, including registering 5 catches for 71 yards against Miami in the national title game.
Cooper ran a 4.42-second 40-yard dash at the Combine but doesn’t necessarily possess breakaway speed. However, the 6-foot receiver is a very physical pass catcher who has no problem playing through contact.
According to Pro Football Focus, Cooper registered the 27th-most yards after catch per reception (7.2), as well as the 36th-most yards per route run (2.55). He did spend a good amount of time playing out of the slot, yet he possesses the versatility to line up elsewhere in the NFL.
Cooper might not contend to be one of the first receivers drafted but could sneak into the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
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Receiver is arguably one of the deepest positions in the 2026 NFL Draft, with several players who could make an impact as rookies. Which WR will hear his name called first on April 23?
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