2026 NFL Draft Rankings: The Prime Huge Receivers and Tight Ends

With the notable exception of Heisman Trophy-winner Travis Hunter, virtually all the build-up to last year’s NFL draft at the skill positions was focused on the quarterbacks and running backs.

Someone should have told that to fellow first round pick Emeka Egbuka, who has positioned himself as the early favorite for the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year with four touchdowns in as many games for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Today’s pass-happy NFL offenses have scouts always searching for the next wave of dynamic pass-catchers. Fortunately, this year’s class boasts several with the wide receivers and tight ends ranked below the 10 best I’ve seen so far this season.

1. Makai Lemon, USC, 5-foot-11, 195 lbs, JR

Explosiveness personified, Lemon is this year’s most dynamic pass-catcher eligible for the 2026 NFL draft. He has accumulated more than 125 receiving yards three times already this season and has five touchdowns in as many games, including two a week ago to nearly will USC to a come-from-behind victory at Illinois.

Like his USC predecessors Jordan Addison and Amon-Ra St. Brown, Lemon is cat-quick out of his breaks, easily generating separation from defenders. Physically speaking, he’s more like the Detroit Lions’ star slot receiver, boasting the compact frame and body armor to bounce off of would-be tacklers and remain on his feet. His toughness, versatility and production have already earned Lemon national recognition as the Paul Horning Player of the Week following USC’s 45-31 victory over Michigan State earlier this season. 

If Lemon’s dynamic play continues, he could be in line for an even bigger reward – like the Heisman Trophy – and a top-15 selection in next spring’s draft.

2. Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State, 6-foot-1, 195 lbs, Redshirt JR

Fitting for a man whose first and last names conjure memories of some of the great athletes in modern history, Tyson personifies the old adage of a big-time play-making big plays in big moments. He not only is tied for the national lead with seven touchdown receptions through the first five weeks of the season, but two of those scores have come on fourth down.

Catching touchdowns is nothing new for Tyson, who earned All-Big 12 honors a year ago for ASU with 10 scores. He’s deadly in short yardage, showing a suddenness off of the snap to escape press coverage and he’s nearly as dangerous downfield as well, tying up defenders at the route stem because of his subtle stutter-steps and burst out of his breaks.

3. Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon, 6-foot-3, 235 lbs, JR

A funny thing happened during Dillon Gabriel’s throwing session at Oregon’s Pro Day a year ago. Scouts there to evaluate Gabriel and the rest of Oregon’s record-setting 2025 draft class were left even more impressed with Sadiq, a then-second-year sophomore blessed with impressive athleticism and already a power-packed frame.

Sadiq enjoyed a breakout performance of sorts in Oregon’s double-overtime victory over Penn State last week, hauling in a career-high six receptions. He was held out of the end zone by the Nittany Lions in this game but as you can see above, he hurdled a Penn State defender to score a year ago in the Big Ten championship game. And Sadiq isn’t “just” a weapon in the passing game. He’s also an aggressive, physical blocker. 

Get to know the name now. Sadiq is a future first-round pick – something no tight end from Oregon has ever accomplished.

4. Carnell Tate, Ohio State, 6-foot-2, 195 lbs, JR

Overshadowed by true sophomore Jeremiah Smith this season and previous first-round picks in past years, Tate is a verifiable first-round-caliber prospect in his own right. He isn’t the biggest or fastest receiver but checks every imaginable box for the NFL, winning with nuanced route-running, excellent body control to win contested passes, soft hands and selfless blocking downfield that makes him popular with teammates and coaches.

Given Ohio State’s incredible run on first round receivers – they’ve had five drafted since 2022! – it isn’t often that one can call a Buckeyes receiver underrated, but Tate qualifies. He has seven touchdowns in just under two and a half seasons in Columbus. Don’t be surprised when he exceeds that total during Ohio State’s march back to the playoffs this winter.

5. Denzel Boston, Washington, 6-foot-3, 209 lbs, Redshirt JR

With past top-100 draft picks Rome Odunze (Chicago), Ja’Lynn Polk (New England) and Jalen McMillan (Tampa Bay) catching virtually everything in sight, Boston had to bide his time with the Huskies, catching just five passes in 2023 before a breakout 2024 campaign in which he jumped to All-Big Ten honors with 63 receptions for 807 yards, including nine touchdowns. He’s on pace for similar numbers this year, showing an enticing combination of size, soft hands and silky-smooth athleticism.

Despite his listed frame, Boston’s game is more polished than powerful. He’s quick in and out of his breaks and accelerates smoothly, gliding before and after the catch – even returning a punt 89 yards for a touchdown earlier this season. He is a natural pass-catcher with pillow-soft hands who tracks the ball very well.  

6. Chris Brazzell II, Tennessee, 6-foot-5, 200 lbs, Redshirt JR

With all due respect to my top-rated pass-catcher (Lemon), no receiver has enjoyed a better start to 2025 than Brazzell, whose 531 receiving yards and seven touchdown grabs lead the mighty SEC. 

To put Brazzell’s breakout season into proper perspective, consider that his seven scores in just five games this season for the Vols match his previous career totals – a span of 28 games, including 13 last year at Tennessee and 15 the previous two years at Tulane.

Brazzell is a classic long-striding split end whose deceptive speed and height make him a matchup nightmare for opposing cornerbacks. He has a gliding gait but cuts sharply to create separation and does an excellent job of using his frame and long arms to highpoint passes.

7. Malachi Fields, Notre Dame, 6-foot-4, 222 lbs, Redshirt SR

Fields hasn’t produced at the same level as the aforementioned Brazzell, but in averaging a gaudy 21.2 yards per reception, he certainly has captured the attention of the NFL, justifying his jump from Virginia to Notre Dame for his final year of college eligibility.

Fields only has 13 receptions on the season, but he’s turned 11 of those into first downs, demonstrating a similar combination of hand-eye coordination, body control and an NFL-ready frame that helped Keon Coleman get drafted 33rd overall by the Buffalo Bills two years ago. Like with Coleman – who was timed at 4.61 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the 2024 Combine – Fields appears to lack the elite top-end speed scouts prefer, but he has excellent ball-skills and a real knack for making circus catches look routine.

8. Eric Singleton, Jr., Auburn, 5-foot-10, 180 lbs, JR

NFL teams looking for a jack-of-all trades are certainly going to be intrigued by Singleton, who has emerged this year as Auburn’s most versatile playmaker after two standout seasons at Georgia Tech. He leads the Tigers in receptions (27), receiving yards (265) and all-purpose yards (293) with two touchdowns, as well as rushing and passing attempts.

Singleton plays bigger than his size suggests, showing good timing on contested passes down the sideline, as well as excellent straight-line speed. He’s also cat-quick with the kind of stop-start burst and lateral agility to turn short catches into big plays. 

A creative NFL play-caller could have a field day with Singleton.

9. Nyck Harbor, South Carolina, 6-foot-5, 235 lbs, JR

With just 11 receptions on the season, Harbor may lack the eye-popping statistics of the other pass-catchers in this article, but he certainly boasts the athletic profile scouts are searching for. 

Harbor, in fact, may offer this year’s most exciting combination of size, speed and explosiveness. He’s been clocked at 22.4 miles per hour this season, a speed that translates to a time in the mid 4.3s in the 40-yard dash.

Harbor will need to reassure NFL teams that he possesses the savvy, consistent hands and desire to turn his potential into production – he has scored just five touchdowns in three years at South Carolina, after all – but there are DK Metcalf-like flashes on tape.

10. Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt, 6-foot-4, 235 lbs, Redshirt SR

Quarterback Diego Pavia deservedly gets a lot of credit for the No. 16 Commodores’ 5-0 start to the season, but don’t overlook the impact Stowers – a fellow New Mexico State transfer – has on Vanderbilt’s success. 

NFL scouts certainly are paying attention. Stowers leads Vanderbilt in both receptions (22) and receiving yards (301), showing impressive agility and acceleration for a big man, as well as soft hands, contact balance and desire to bounce off would-be tacklers.

No Commodore pass-catcher has been a top-100 pick in more than a decade, but that is where Stowers is trending.

Rob Rang is an NFL Draft analyst for FOX Sports. He has been covering the NFL Draft for more than 25 years, with work at FOX, Sports Illustrated, CBSSports.com, USA Today, Yahoo, NFL.com and NFLDraftScout.com, among others. He also works as a scout with the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League. Follow him on X @RobRang.

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