The Broncos can restock their WR room during the 2024 NFL Draft

The 2024 NFL Draft will be here before you know it. This is a good draft class at multiple positions, and teams will be shuffling around to find the best fit for them on both sides of the ball.

My position previews are always fun to write. The scouting is over, and I’ve graded over 400 players in this draft class. Now, it’s time to give you a taste of what I’ve seen on film.

Here are some of the wide receivers from this draft you need to know.

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Beyond the Big Three

I could make the argument that the three best players in this draft class – regardless of position – are those top three wide receivers. These players are likely to all be selected within the top-10 picks, but there is also another group that are legitimate first-round picks that cannot be overlooked.

Not every team has Marvin Harrison Jr. (Ohio State) as the top receiver in this class, but i do and I think he enters the league with Pro Bowl potential from Day 1. Like his father, Harrison can run routes that break ankles. He knows how to work, and he knows how to get open to create the best window (on time) for his quarterback. Harrison has late hands on downfield routes, so he doesn’t tip off the pass is coming. He plucks the ball naturally away from his body, and this helps him get to running after the catch quicker. Now, he’s not a true YAC threat, he doesn’t have elite speed, and he’s not a refined blocker. This is why some in the pre-draft process are dinging Harrison. I know there are things to his game which need to be cleaned up, but he’s got the intent and mentality to work on those problems and be the best pro he can be (with All-Pro upside).

Malik Nabers (LSU) is one of the most explosive players in the draft. Simply put, he’s fun to watch. He can play the slot, but Nabers is also an outside threat because of his speed. Not only is Nabers fast, but he can accelerate quickly. Not only can he accelerate quickly, Nabers can change direction without losing much (if any) speed. This makes him especially difficult to cover. If you have a precise quarterback, Nabers is going to take those short passes and turn them into long gains. His speed gave him a big cushion from opposing DBs in college, but in the pros, he might face the jam from stronger/faster corners. Nabers needs better play strength, and I’d like to see him body catch less in the NFL.

Rome Odunze (Washington) can bail his quarterback out of trouble often. If a passer throws it up on a prayer, Odunze will answer that call from the heavens. I hate to compare him to Larry Fitzgerald (one of the best receivers in history), but there are Fitzgerald-like qualities to his game. I like his size/speed combination, and he can dominate at the catch point. Odunze has truly elite ‘my ball’ mentality, and he thrives on making contested catches. Now, that comes from perhaps not having enough space to work with. He’s fast, but he does have defenders too close at times. This can be improved in the NFL with better route-running ability. Odunze can be a chain-mover, he can be a deep threat, and he can be a dominant player in the red zone.

Ladd McConkey (Georgia) reminds me of Cooper Kupp, and he was one of my favorite players to watch at the Senior Bowl practices earlier this year. I entered the week thinking McConkey was going to be a valuable second-round pick, but after watching him at the Senior Bowl I believe McConkey has worked his way into the first round. McConkey can cut a rug. He knows how to toy with defenders in his route tree, and he perfectly times his break to create the most space. McConkey has good hands and concentration. I like the way he will give up his body to go low or make a difficult/sliding catch. He’s not the biggest or strongest receiver, so more physical corners could give him trouble.

Brian Thomas Jr. (LSU) is a big receiver who wins near pay dirt. He brings a basketball skill set to the football field, and you can tell by the way he uses his large frame to box out smaller defenders in the end zone. Thomas also uses his basketball skills to catch passes at their highest point (like he’s rebounding). With his size, vertical, and wingspan, Thomas is the type of player who can consistently win at the catch point. As a larger receiver, Thomas has acceleration skills after the catch. He doesn’t run the best routes, but that’s something pro coaching should improve.

Keon Coleman (FSU) is an absolute beast on the football field. He was a basketball player (in addition to football) at Michigan State, and his size is imposing. Coleman rarely drops passes, and he constantly wins at the catch point. He uses his frame to keep defenders at bay, and he’s nasty when the ball is in the air. With supreme confidence, Coleman does a great job of bailing his quarterback out of bad throws. The cousin of Dallas Cowboys superstar CeeDee Lamb, Coleman could be a Pro Bowl player early in his career. He pushes off quite a bit, and his lack of elite speed means contested catches are going to be a regular thing.

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Hits Keep on Coming

I had to leave some receivers out of the first-round conversation, but they grade as high-end second-round picks. These players could represent huge value for teams who pass on the position in the first round.

Adonai Mitchell (Texas) is just a playmaker. At the most crucial times, Mitchell comes up with the big catch. Georgia fans will remember his big-play ability, and Longhorns fans got a taste of that when he transferred to Austin for the 2023 season. He’s a lanky receiver with long speed. Mitchell may be limited to being a deep threat in the NFL, but he’s got the chops to take the top off the defense regularly. He’s not a physical receiver, and Mitchell is not known for his run-after-the-catch ability.

Roman Wilson (Michigan) eats cushion like you wouldn’t believe. His speed means defenders give him quite a bit of space – and he can still run by expectant corners! Not only is he a deep threat, Wilson is a threat in the red zone as well. Wilson does a good job of working on his craft, and his coaches say he’s relentless in the film room. As a speed guy, Wilson does rush into his breaks a bit. Pro coaching should get him using change-up with his speed to further deceive corners tasked with covering him.

Xavier Worthy (Texas) can fly down the field with the best of them. He’s a smaller receiver at 165 pounds, but good luck trying to get a bead on this guy. Not only does he have world-class speed, Worthy is shifty and can change direction on a dime. He’s a dangerous return man in addition to what he can do as a receiver. With 26 receiving touchdowns in three seasons, you can see that Worthy is a big play waiting to happen. However, he only scored five receiving touchdowns this past season.

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Day Three Gems

There are so many talented wide receivers in this class that gifted players will fall to Day 3 of the draft. Like the mid-round talent these guys can be playmakers at the pros.

Luke McCaffrey (Rice) is a player every team should want on the roster. He is like his father, Ed McCaffrey, because he is not afraid of the dirty work. McCaffrey will block his *** off to help his offense make a play. He’s not about the glory himself, he’s about the team – even though he is a player who can be a dangerous weapon. As a former quarterback, McCaffrey knows where to be on the field. He comes back to the ball, squares his shoulders to the line of scrimmage to create the largest possible target, and he’s basically a quarterback’s best friend. He’s still learning the nuances of the wide receiver position, but he offers value from the slot and on special teams.

Tahj Washington (USC) was one of my favorites at the East-West Shrine Bowl. He’s a fast and quick receiver who can make defenders pay after the catch. Even though he’s a smaller receiver (5-foot-9, 174 pounds), Washington has plenty of fight at the catch point. I like his concentration on downfield passes, and he displays the ability to make circus catches with defenders draped on him. His size means Washington is going to have to play inside as a slot, and more physical defenders can knock him off course during the start of his route.

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