The top of the table in terms of 2025 NFL Draft WR Rankings belongs to one man: Travis Hunter. But there are a handful of receivers who have been doing their things for some time in college football, just like Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka.
The rest of the top 10 receivers in the 2025 NFL Draft are a star-studded affair as well.
2025 Draft WR Rankings, 1-10
10) Xavier Restrepo, Miami (FL)
Xavier Restrepo is far from a slot machine that some have mislabeled him as. Yes, Restrepo can get open from the slot and dominate over the middle of the field, but that’s not all that he can do.
He’s a gifted route runner and his future in the NFL is certainly as a slot threat, but he can be deployed in any number of ways. And that versatility is what’s helping rocket him up draft boards.
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Restrepo’s routes allow him to create natural separation just as his athleticism does. He has an innate ability to find the holes in coverage and exploit them. Restrepo will navigate his routes to break coverages in front of him and he’ll sit down or fight back to the ball all the same.
He isn’t the fastest, nor is he the biggest, but he plays like he is. His heart and ball skills combined make him the complete package in 11 personnel packages.
9) Ricky White, UNLV
It’s easy to look at Ricky White and think, “He’s just playing at UNLV,” but that would seriously undersell his talent. White is dominant at the point of attack and thrives at every level of the field.
He’s proven himself against tough competition too. Originally with Michigan State, White transferred to UNLV after the 2020 season and has flourished in Brennan Marion’s offense ever since.
Standing at 6’1″ and 190 pounds with elite speed, White’s athleticism is impressive, but it’s his route running, ability to high-point the ball, and late hands that really set him apart.
Whether he’s lined up outside or in the slot, Marion’s system makes the most of White’s versatility, giving him snaps across the field in almost every possible role.
8) Jayden Higgins, Iowa State
Coming out of Eastern Kentucky and suiting up for Iowa State in 2023, Jayden Higgins was seen as a potential superstar. Somehow, a near 1,000-yard season later, he flew under the radar.
That was despite averaging 18.5 yards per catch and scoring six touchdowns for an Iowa State offense that dealt with their fair share of roadblocks. Now, in 2024, Higgins has flashed his all-around abilities and put his name firmly on the NFL Draft radar.
At 6’4″ and 215 pounds, Higgins plays every bit like his size would indicate. He’s a tailor-made X receiver, and should he find his footing at the NFL level, would immediately make his team’s receiving corps better.
He’ll stack defenders on straight-line routes or simply attack downfield with his speed, but when it comes down to it, he’ll out-muscle or out-jump anyone in his way for the ball at the catch point.
7) Evan Stewart, Oregon
Evan Stewart had sky-high expectations the moment he announced his transfer to Oregon after the 2023 season. After persevering through adversity and coaching changes at Texas A&M, Stewart has taken off for the Ducks in 2024.
He’s setting career highs across the board, especially in his yards per catch, as he’s learned to get the most out of every reception. Stewart has a knack for extending plays and is among the most elusive receivers after the catch nationwide.
While he’s playing more on the outside for the Ducks, he’ll likely shift inside in the NFL, where his natural separation skills will make him a mismatch nightmare.
Watching him dominate at every level and from any alignment in 2024 has been a thrill.
6) Isaiah Bond, Texas
With arguably some of the best routes in the class, Isaiah Bond has found his footing with the Texas Longhorns and amplified his draft profile in the same manner. Bond is a gifted after-the-catch receiver and has sure hands.
Bond will flash that ability after the catch at will, but also has plenty of juice before the catch with his full route tree. Make no mistake about it, Bond is a next-level slot receiver, but has plenty of skills to work all over the field.
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What separates Bond from most is his ability to win over the middle of the field. He’ll find favorable matchups and easy throwing lanes with his natural inside separation ability, giving large open throwing windows for his quarterbacks.
5) Jalen Royals, Utah State
We’ll await to see what the full verdict is on Jalen Royals’ foot injury before dropping him down any on our list because he’s just that talented. It is said that he’ll miss the rest of the season with a foot injury, but was also stated that it isn’t severe enough to impact his predraft processes.
Royals is a bonafide star on the outside for the Utah State Aggies. He is one of the most dominant receivers over the past two seasons, routinely winning every rep and making every catch thrown his way for Utah State.
Given the fact that he’s dealt with some quarterback inconsistencies, his performances have garnered him even more attention. No ball is out of reach for Royals despite standing just 6’0″ and 205 pounds, as his athleticism should rocket his draft profile even higher come next offseason.
4) Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State
It’s wild that when you watch Ohio State, Emeka Egbuka almost flies under the radar, thanks to their impressive freshman duo. But don’t get it twisted—Egbuka is a full-throttle YAC machine, running every route in the book with outstanding hands.
He’s got first-round talent, playing on a team stacked with at least three other first-round receiver prospects, and his loyalty to Ohio State is a rarity in today’s game. Egbuka dominates from multiple alignments, proving there’s nothing he can’t do as a receiver, both in college and at the next level.
Watching him, you see flashes of his former teammates—Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Chris Olave. He’ll blow past defenders after the catch or completely shake them at the catch point.
In another time, Egbuka would be in serious talks as the No. 1 receiver in this year’s draft class.
3) Luther Burden III, Missouri
Luther Burden III is one of the most physically gifted receivers in this class, period. At 5’11” and 210 pounds, Burden is a rocked-up inside threat who just simply needs the ball in his hands in order to make plays.
That’s why Missouri has schemed him open on quick slants, pop passes, wide receiver screens, and other gimmick-type plays to get him the ball. But when he’s allowed to run downfield, he’s shown plenty of route-running ability to push him into the top tier of this WR class.
Burden looks a lot like Anquan Boldin at the collegiate level, and there’s no reason that shouldn’t be a seamless transition for him at the next level. He’ll make an immediate impact and should be seen as the WR1, even if he lines up on the inside from Day 1 in the NFL.
2) Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona
It’s almost unfair to leave just one defensive back on Tetairoa McMillan. Not only does he have a clear advantage with his size, but it’s his deceptive speed and ability to run every route that truly sets him apart from everyone else in this class.
When it matters most, McMillan finds a way to create separation with his precision routes or simply brings down any pass that comes his way. Standing at 6’5″ and 212 pounds, he’s going to out-muscle and overpower any defender assigned to him.
And yet, there’s a surprising agility to his game, with a sneaky, almost unhurried speed. Think of him as a blend of Mike Evans’ physicality with Randy Moss’ knack for winning at the catch point, and you can see why McMillan has become such a prized name in draft circles.
1) Travis Hunter, Colorado
No non-QB makes as big of an impact as Travis Hunter. In fact, Hunter’s impact is so big that he even makes more of an impact than some starting FBS quarterbacks could on their best day.
We’ll leave Hunter’s abilities as a cornerback at the door on this one, or, well, we’ll leave them over at our 2025 NFL Draft CB Rankings once we release those. For now, let’s talk just about Hunter’s receiving abilities.
And he has plenty of those.
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There isn’t a better receiver in the 2025 class at the catch point or with Hunter’s ball skills. In fact, there may not be a better pure receiving talent than Hunter because we’ve really only seen a split-screen version of his receiving abilities at times.
When push comes to shove, few can track the ball better, even fewer with his athleticism, and perhaps no one with his heart and determination.
Barring any setback at this point, Hunter is the most complete package at the receiver position in this class, and that’s crazy to think about because we’ve seen him have to focus on both CB and WR duties during his Colorado career.
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