2024 NFL Draft: Mel Kiper shakes up Top 10 wide receiver rankings following Scouting Combine
The 2024 NFL Draft saw a shakeup in ESPN’s wide receiver rankings from Mel Kiper Jr. The top 10 wideouts are familiar names but don’t look past the bottom half.
After scouts got to look at these guys’ work out, at least some of them, there’s more to evaluate. So with that said, how do the top 10 wide receivers stack up?
Let’s dive into Kiper’s latest wide receiver rankings after the NFL Scouting Combine.
1. Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State
Nothing new here as Harrison Jr. reigns supreme among the wide receivers in this draft class. If it weren’t a quarterback-heavy draft, Harrison Jr. might have an argument to be the top pick.
He won’t last long and likely will go to the Arizona Cardinals. Regardless, Harrison Jr. will make an instant impact in the NFL.
2. Rome Odunze, Washington
Odunze could be the second receiver taken in the draft and it seems like Kiper goes back and forth with him and Malik Nabers. For now, Odunze is WR2 this spring.
He can run all of the routes, has great speed and man, he’s always open. It’ll be interesting how teams use him with particular offenses.
3. Malik Nabers, LSU
Nabers could be the second guy on this list, but he’ll be WR3 according to Kiper right now. Heck, ESPN analysts have had debates of Nabers of Harrison Jr.
That just goes to show the skill level of the former LSU star. He aided Jayden Daniels to a Heisman campaign and he’s another instant impact type of guy.
4. Brian Thomas Jr., LSU
Speaking of LSU wide receivers, Thomas Jr. can do a lot of things on the field. He has a huge catch radius but probably needs a little more development at the pro level.
Averaging 17.3 yards per catch is no fluke and he can accelerate at the second level. He’s the top guy in the second tier of pass catchers in this class.
5. Xavier Worthy, Texas
The fastest man on the list. Worthy ran an NFL record 4.21 seconds in the 40-yard dash. Since he’s considered a late first round selection, he could go to a contending team.
Heck, some mock drafts have him going to the Kansas City Chiefs. Can you imagine if Worthy gets to catch passes from Patrick Mahomes?
6. AD Mitchell, Texas
The other Texas wideout can do similar things to Thomas Jr. He’s not as fast as Worthy, but Mitchell is a gamer and a big-play wide receiver.
Mitchell will likely fall into the early parts of the second round, but teams might not want to pass on him too much. He looks NFL-ready.
7. Keon Coleman, Florida State
Coleman broke out once he transferred from Michigan State to go to Florida State. He aided a loaded offense and looked like the best wide receiver in the ACC. At a certain point, it wasn’t close.
Coleman is another guy who probably goes in the second round of the draft. But again, he won’t last long in this draft and teams better pick him if they really want him.
8. Xavier Legette, South Carolina
Legette will likely be a mid-second-round pick and the Atlanta Falcons are a popular destination. He was a very solid player at South Carolina.
As far as what’s next, he’ll need more development than the others at the top. The top three are generally seen as instant superstar types and the rest will take slightly more work.
9. Malachi Corley, Western Kentucky
Here’s a guy who was under the radar. But maybe not anymore if Kiper has him in his top 10 wide receivers in a loaded draft class.
Corley had 259 catches, 3,035 yards and 29 touchdowns in his four year career. He had 101 for 1,295 back in 2022. This man is very productive.
10. Ladd McConkey, Georgia
McConkey made the Georgia passing offense go. Whenever he was on the field, the Bulldogs were better for it despite having Brock Bowers.
McConkey finished his college career with 119 catches, 1,687 yards, 14 touchdowns and 14.2 yards per catch. He’ll fit in nicely somewhere as a second or third-round pick.
The NFL Draft is scheduled for April 25th to 27th in Detroit. How long will all of these wide receivers last this spring?