The 2026 NFL Draft is right around the corner, and teams are piecing together their draft boards before the first round begins. In recent years, there's been an influx of rookie wide receivers who have made an immediate impact in the NFL.
This year’s class features a handful of intriguing prospects, including Ohio State’s Carnell Tate, USC’s Makai Lemon, and Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson.
With that in mind, let’s discuss and rank the best wide receivers in the 2026 NFL Draft. Use PrizePicks Team Picks to turn your 2026 NFL Draft knowledge into real money if you’re correct.
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Best Wide Receivers in the 2026 NFL Draft Rankings: Top 10
Here are the top 10 WRs entering the 2026 NFL Draft. Check out other NFL Draft and football content over on Playbook.
- Carnell Tate (Ohio State)
- Makai Lemon (USC)
- Jordyn Tyson (Arizona State)
- KC Concepcion (Texas A&M)
- Omar Cooper Jr. (Indiana)
- Denzel Boston (Washington)
- Chris Bell (Louisville)
- Germie Bernard (Alabama)
- Chris Brazzell (Tennessee)
- Elijah Sarratt (Indiana)
Top 5 Wide Receiver Prospects for the 2026 NFL Draft
Below, we’ll look at the top five WRs in the 2026 NFL Draft and break down their skill sets and potential roles in the NFL.
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5. Omar Cooper Jr. (Indiana)
Omar Cooper Jr. Fourth WR Drafted: Yes 3.33x | No 1.21x
Amid a National Championship run that ended with a victory over Miami, Indiana’s Omar Cooper Jr. tallied the most receptions (69), receiving yards (937), and receiving TDs (13) of his collegiate career in 2025-26.
Among college wideouts with 50+ targets last season, Cooper had the 36th-most yards per route run (2.55) and 27th-most yards after the catch per reception (7.2), per Pro Football Focus.
While Cooper isn’t an early declare or a prospect with elite traits, he does a lot of the little things very well. He logged an 83.3% slot rate in 2025-26 but is versatile enough to play on the outside, making him an ideal fit in an offense that moves receivers around.
4. KC Concepcion (Texas A&M)
KC Concepcion Fourth WR Drafted: Yes 3.57x | No 1.2x
After spending the first two seasons of his college career at NC State, KC Concepcion transferred to Texas A&M this past year and made an immediate impact for the Aggies.
Concepcion finished the 2025-26 campaign with 61 catches, 919 receiving yards, and 9 TDs. Using the same 50-target threshold from above, Concepcion logged the 43rd-most yards per route run (2.46) and 27th-most yards after the catch per reception (7.2).
There’s no doubt that Concepcion plays bigger than his size (listed at 6’0” and 196 pounds) and has plenty of explosiveness, but drops are a slight concern (10.3% drop rate in 2025-26).
Even with that, however, there could be plenty of teams that fall in love with Concepcion's ability to create separation and generate yards after the catch.
3. Jordyn Tyson (Arizona State)
Jordyn Tyson Second WR Drafted: Yes 3.7x | No 1.08x
If injury sliders were turned off in the NFL, Jordyn Tyson may be considered the consensus No. 1 WR in the 2026 NFL Draft. However, he's dealt with knee, shoulder, and hamstring ailments in recent years, which is putting a damper on his draft stock.
Tyson was unable to participate in this year’s NFL Combine or Arizona State’s Pro Day due to a lingering hamstring issue, so there's even less information for teams to look at. Despite the injuries, Tyson has combined for 136 receptions, 1,812 receiving yards, and 18 receiving TDs across the last two seasons.
Besides Tyson having the ability to play all three receiver spots, his body control and strong hands pair well with his improved route-running.
In a scenario where Tyson remains healthy at the next level, a team could certainly be getting a true go-to target.
2. Makai Lemon (USC)
Makai Lemon Second WR Drafted: Yes 1.88x | No 1.69x
Given his size (5’11” and 192 pounds) and 70.3% slot rate in 2025-26 at USC, Makai Lemon figures to operate primarily from the slot in the NFL. He saved his best effort for last, posting 79 catches, 1,156 receiving yards, and 11 receiving TDs during his final year for the Trojans.
When looking at collegiate receivers with 50+ targets last season, Lemon was sixth in yards per route run (3.13) and 20th in catch rate (71.4%). Additionally, he totaled only 4 drops across his 183 targets at USC.
We’ve seen Detroit Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown come in and dominate in the NFL as a slot extraordinaire out of USC, and Lemon is drawing that comparison in the pre-draft process.
With teams prioritizing wideouts who can do damage out of the slot and move outside when needed, Lemon figures to drum up plenty of interest early in the 2026 NFL Draft.
1. Carnell Tate (Ohio State)
Carnell Tate First WR Drafted: Yes 1.25x | No 1.09x
Ohio State has been labeled as one of the best programs when it comes to creating a developmental path for receiver prospects to make the jump to the NFL, and Carnell Tate is the next one.
Despite operating as the No. 2 wideout alongside standout Jeremiah Smith, Tate concluded the year with 51 catches, 875 receiving yards, and 9 TDs. Plus, Tate had the 10th-most yards per route run (3.02), 42nd-highest average depth of target (14.2 yards) while posting a 0% drop rate..
Tate’s ability to stretch the field and come down with tough catches (85.7% contested-catch rate in 2025-26) could be invaluable in the NFL. Even though he ran just a 4.53-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, he plays faster than that.
One could make the case for it being a slight surprise if Tate isn’t the first WR to hear his name called.
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Make 2026 NFL Draft Predictions on PrizePicks
Although the 2026 NFL Draft's WR class doesn’t have what many perceive to be surefire stars, it’s still a talented group with plenty of potential. Where will some of the top receiver prospects land in the NFL?
Over on PrizePicks Team Picks, you can make predictions on this year’s WRs. You can also make picks on team selections, position groups, and other NFL Draft choices. Once you make predictions on the 2026 NFL Draft, the NFL tab also has Super Bowl LXI winner picks available.
Remember to stick around on the Playbook for continued NFL predictions, picks, and news.
