Kelly: A breakdown of the NFL’s 2025 class of receivers | Opinion
The NFL has spent the past decade becoming a pass-first league, putting up unprecedented aerial numbers that make the statistics of Hall of Famers such as Dan Marino, Jim Kelly and John Elway look pedestrian.
To keep the fantasy football era going the league needs another influx of game-changing receivers.
While this receiver class doesn’t measure up to last year — a crop of draftees where three of the top nine picks in 2024 were receivers — it could be filled with at least half a dozen No. 1 targets.
There’s a lot of variety available in this draft, whether you want a receiver with size, speed, or the shiftiness needed to play the slot spot.
Top Prospects
▪ Colorado’s Travis Hunter — There are actual leaguewide debates whether Hunter, the Heisman Trophy winner, will be a better receiver or cornerback in the NFL. Hunter has stressed to every team interested in drafting him that he’s committed to playing both positions as a pro. He finished the 2024 season with 96 catches for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns, and mainly did so because of his elite ball skills and body control.
▪ Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan — McMillan is taller (6-foot-5, 212 pounds) than he is big, so the comparisons made between him and Mike Evans and Brandon Marshall are laughable. While McMillan has a ridiculous catch radius, and is fairly smooth, he doesn’t play with power and isn’t a forceful downfield blocker. Maybe the right coaching staff can help him smooth out his rough edges.
▪ Missouri’s Luther Burden III — Burden, who produced 2,263 yards and scored 21 touchdowns in his three collegiate seasons, is a dynamic presence when in open space. His explosiveness and short-area quickness is what separates him, making him a dangerous run-after-catch player. The one area of his game that needs to improve is his route running, which could use some technical work.
▪ Texas’ Matthew Golden — Golden is one of the fastest risers in the 2025 draft class, and the 4.29 40 time he ran at the NFL Combine virtually guarantees he’ll be a first-round pick. He’s versatile enough to line up at all three receiver spots, and has a track record of producing big in the biggest games. However, he has dealt with multiple injuries throughout his college career, so durability is a concern.
▪ Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka — There are very few things more consistent than a Brian Hartline-trained Ohio State receiver. They are usually technically sound, sharp route runners who become solid professionals. Egbuka does all the little things a quarterback needs, but he’s not big (6-1, 206), or exclusive, and durability might be a concern. That’s why he will likely be a second day (second- or third-round) pick.
▪ Sleeper — Texas receiver Isaiah Bond — Bond is the type of receiver whose speed and movement skills will force defensive backs to respect his skills, giving him an extra yard or two off the line. The biggest concern is that he lacks the size (5-11, 180) and is fairly lean, which could lead to durability concerns. Bond also never put up huge numbers in college at Alabama or Texas, which is why he will likely be a Day 2 or early Day 3 selection.
▪ Best of the rest — Utah State’s Jalen Royals and Washington State’s Kyle Washington might be two of college football’s best-kept secrets. Iowa State’s Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel, Maryland’s Taj Felton and Stanford’s Elic Ayomanor are excellent route runners. Ole Miss’ Tre Harris and TCU’s Savion Williams play with power and size, and Miami’s Xavier Restrepo and Colorado’s Lajohntay Webster could become third-day steals because they have the talent to become dangerous slot weapons.
▪ Teams in need — Dallas, Las Vegas, the Los Angeles Chargers, Las Vegas, Arizona and the Green Bay Packers are the teams that could select a receiver in the first round. Tennessee, Cleveland, New England, Jacksonville, the New York Jets, Atlanta, Carolina, New Orleans, Detroit and Philadelphia are the teams expected to add a receiver or two at some point in the draft.
▪ Dolphins focus: Despite Tyreek Hill’s request to be traded — whether he took it back or not — general manager Chris Grier insists that Miami’s All-Pro receiver won’t be moved unless some team offers the Dolphins “two first-round picks.”
Clearly he’s exaggerating, but Grier and head coach Mike McDaniel both realize they have a better chance of saving themselves with Hill on the roster.
However, Hill’s guaranteed money concludes after this season, which means he will either prove he’s worth his $40 million salary in 2026 or be released.
That means Miami would be wise to start searching for Hill’s potential replacement now, adding him to a receiver unit that features Jaylen Waddle, newcomer Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and Malik and Tahj Washington (a rookie who spent the season on injured reserve).
