The 2024 NFL draft has plenty of wide receiving talent, whether it is an athlete like Xavier Legette who has shown flashes of dominance, or late-round wide receivers like Cornelius Johnson who brings an interesting athletic profile to the table. A wide range of skill sets, values, and production always muddies NFL draft scouts on who deserves to be drafted higher than others. That said, who are some of the best prospects at the Wide Receiver position?
This list is curated as more of a favorites list; or a “my guys” list. This is not exactly the absolute best players from each position.
Top Prospects In The 2024 NFL Draft: Wide Receivers
The 2024 NFL Draft possesses very strong top-end talent at the Wide Receiver position. Beyond what many call the “big three” which would consist of Marvin Harrison Jr, Malik Nabers, and Rome Odunze, there is some very strong depth in this class. Three players that are listed in my “my guys” list are individuals who are projected to go on day two or even day three. All have different skill sets. Though, very valuable ones for any team that decides to take a shot on these athletes. Here are three guys that I believe will bring great value to their respective teams.
Xavier Legette
Xavier Legette has seemed to drop on draft boards after measuring in at 6’1 rather than his listed 6’4. This has led many to take notice of his game, as no matter how you slice it, he’s an extremely talented player. The disappointment of measurements is worth noting, but at the end of the day, he played and dominated at 6’1 in 2023. It’s not like he magically lost three inches of height.
To get into the pros of Legette, he possesses insane long speed clocking a 4.39 40-yard dash at the combine. This was coupled with a 22.3 mph recorded speed during this season. The 2024 NFL draft prospect couples his speed with major ball skills, plucking the ball straight out of the sky. If drafted, he would be replacing the Jets’ newly signed Mike Williams.
Why is Legette projected to go in the mid-second round if he has the coveted athletics at the wide receiver position? Though he has five years of college experience, he only has one year of production. This is mainly due to non-football-related tragedies that unfortunately happened during his time in South Carolina. Beyond having only one year of experience at the age of 23, he does struggle with being sudden in his routes. This could raise concern about his ability to create separation at the NFL level.
Jermaine Burton
Jermaine Burton has played with fire throughout his career at Alabama. He is a deep threat who will talk his trash. This has led to penalties which does raise concern for some scouts, but for me, it can show passion. If Burton can find a good fit for his skillset in the NFL, I would expect him to be a very solid long-time player at the next level.
The Alabama receiver is currently 83rd on the 2024 NFL Draft receiver consensus board. This would land him to be taken in the middle of the third round. This is a very good value for a player who plays above his size, has great speed, and has strong route-running prowess.
The main concern with Burton is what some scouts deem as “immaturity issues.” Other than that, there are just some small “nit-picks” to his game which shows how well-rounded of a player he is. Especially for a selection in the second or third round. I would think the Pittsburgh Steelers would be a good fit for Burton. He would be replacing Diontae Johnson as well as learning under Mike Tomlin. Tomlin is obviously known to be one of the best coaches at handling immaturity issues.
Cornelius Johnson
Moving onto the last player on this list, Cornelius Johnson. He is ranked 193 on the 2024 NFL draft wide receiver consensus board. Johnson will likely bring very good value to any team that drafts him.
In my quarterback/running back list, I mentioned that just because J.J. McCarthy did not do it at Michigan, does not mean he can not do it all. The same goes for the receivers in that offense. These guys are Roman Wilson and Cornelius Johnson. After a dominant senior bowl performance, Wilson proved to scouts he is ready for the NFL. Now it is Johnson’s turn to prove himself. That said, he has not shown anything to say he can not play at the next level.
The 2024 NFL draft prospect brings great size at 6’3, and pretty good speed with an impressive 4.44 40 time. The first thing that stood out to me on tape, is that he loves run-blocking. He absolutely bodies cornerbacks, which made him a perfect Jim Harbaugh fit. Which makes him an automatic fit for the Chargers. Moving on, what does Johnson do well besides being an athlete who beats up cornerbacks in the run game? Johnson can catch any type of throw, whether it is over the middle, a jump ball, or a simple out route.
All in all, the main concern and what truly brings Johnson down on the boards is his hip stiffness/lack of route running ability. The Michigan receiver struggles to create separation, especially against press-man coverage. This will need to change at the NFL level. Especially if he wants to beat a physical NFL corner. Beyond the route running concerns, he does struggle with focus drops, which can be frustrating as he has shown that he can make tough catches with ease.
Main Photo: David Yeazell-USA TODAY Sports
