The 2026 NFL Draft is right around the corner, and with the marquee weekend of the offseason nearly here, the hype and excitement surrounding this year's event is already heating up.
Over the next several weeks, we're going to take a look at some position groups in this year's class while examining a handful of names to know. We'll begin this series at wide receiver, a group that includes several players who could make some sense for Kansas City.
Six Names to Know
Depending on where you look, the various experts from around the web have identified a handful of players who are widely considered the top wide receiver prospects in this year's class.
Here's a look at six players to know.
Carnell Tate – Ohio State
Measurables: 6-foot-2, 192 pounds
Snapshot: A Second-Team All-American in 2025, Tate hauled in 51 catches for 875 yards and nine touchdowns last season, averaging 17.2 yards-per-reception. He's considered one of the top vertical threats in this year's class.
Big Board Rankings:
Daniel Jeremiah Top 50 3.0 (NFL.com - March 5): No. 6 overall (No. 1 WR)
Dane Brugler Top 100 (The Athletic - Feb. 11): No. 10 overall (No. 1 WR)
Matt Miller Top 50 (ESPN – March 5): No. 9 overall (No. 2 WR)
Pro Football Focus: No. 10 overall (No. 1 WR)
Expert Analysis:
NFL.com: "Tate is a tall, long wideout with better play speed than timed speed and outstanding production. He has excellent suddenness to defeat press coverage, and he covers ground quickly with his long stride. He attacks the defender's leverage when they play him in off coverage. He has strong/reliable hands in traffic and tracks the ball beautifully over his shoulder down the field. He can access an extra gear when the ball is in the air…Overall, Tate should provide an immediate impact in the vertical passing game."
The Athletic: "Tate stepped into a full-time role in 2025 and surpassed expectations that were already high. He builds his speed to be a dynamic playmaker downfield, while also showing the technical know-how to uncover on short-to-intermediate routes. He is an outstanding tracker of the football and consistently owns the catch point, regardless of placement. He is going to be a playmaking Z receiver in the NFL."
ESPN: "Another year, another top-10 wide receiver prospect for the Buckeyes. Tate is a big receiver with elite contested-catch ability down the field, along with strong hands and body control that allow him to consistently win on 50-50 passes. Tate's penchant for sitting in space and picking up tough yards makes him a pro-ready WR1. He might not have elite top-end speed, but Tate's ability to box out defenders and create separation on routes makes him special."
For more on Tate, check out his draft profile at NFL.com.
Makai Lemon – USC
Measurables: 5-foot-11, 192 pounds
Snapshot: The recipient of the Biletnikoff Award in 2025 asthe top receiver in the nation, Lemon tallied 79 catches for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns last season.
Big Board Rankings:
Daniel Jeremiah Top 50 3.0 (NFL.com - March 5): No. 11 overall (No. 2 WR)
Dane Brugler Top 100 (The Athletic - Feb. 11): No. 14 overall (No. 3 WR)
Matt Miller Top 50 (ESPN – March 5): No. 8 overall (No. 1 WR)
Pro Football Focus: No. 15 overall (No. 2 WR)
Expert Analysis:
NFL.com: "Lemon is one of my favorite players in this draft. He is a wideout with a running back's body and a linebacker's temperament. He is at his best working in the slot. He wins with quickness off the line, understands how to tempo routes and consistently wins in traffic. He doesn't waste steps and he can explode in and out of the break point. He plays bigger than his size, displaying several 50/50-ball wins on elevated throws. To see his entire repertoire, just throw on the Iowa tape. He was a craftsman in that game and couldn't be covered (10 catches for 153 yards and a touchdown). He is ultra-competitive after the catch, breaking tackles and fighting for yards. Overall, Lemon is going to draw a lot of comparisons to Amon-Ra St. Brown, and they are warranted."
The Athletic: "Given the USC connection, the Amon-Ra St. Brown comparisons feel too on the nose — but they also fit like a glove. Lemon lacks top-tier physical traits, but there are multiple throws on each USC tape when the quarterback makes a 'my guy is better than your guy' decision and puts the ball in a spot for Lemon to go get it. More times than not, he proves the QB right."
ESPN: "Lemon's scouting report won't contain platitudes about size, length or great track speed. Instead, he stands out due to his production (79 catches for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns last season), polish in the slot and ability to create space and accumulate targets across the middle. He is agile and tough, knows how to vary his routes and wins with tempo over pure speed -- very similar to former Trojan Amon-Ra St. Brown. Some teams will see him as a scheme-specific fit, but St. Brown and Jaxon Smith-Njigba give Lemon a template for NFL success."
For more on Lemon, check out his draft profile at NFL.com.
Jordyn Tyson – Arizona State
Measurables: 6-foot-2, 203 pounds
Snapshot: Tyson led the Sun Devils with 61 catches for 711 yards and eight touchdowns in 2025, doing so in just nine starts.
Big Board Rankings:
Daniel Jeremiah Top 50 3.0 (NFL.com - March 5): No. 21 overall (No. 4 WR)
Dane Brugler Top 100 (The Athletic - Feb. 11): No. 12 overall (No. 2 WR)
Matt Miller Top 50 (ESPN – March 5): No. 15 overall (No. 3 WR)
Pro Football Focus: No. 19 overall (No. 3 WR)
Expert Analysis:
NFL.com: "Tyson is an explosive receiver with a lot of "wow" plays littered throughout his tape. He is a very fluid mover, and he incorporates a variety of releases and general creativity into his route-running. He has suddenness off the line and out of breaks down the field. He will weave and get cornerbacks off balance before exploding away from them. He makes some incredible catches on deep balls; he tracks the ball with ease over the shoulder and can almost hover in the air waiting for it to come down. After the catch, he has some wiggle to make defenders miss and excellent speed to pull away. Durability was an issue throughout his college career -- that's the only factor keeping him from a higher grade/projection."
The Athletic: "Tyson won't be a combine darling with his size and speed, but he is plenty fast enough. He uses quickness to avoid press and route acceleration to stress coverage. He also creates his own separation and is competitive in a crowd, contorting his body to make 'wow' catches. His injury history is something teams must reconcile, but Tyson will make an impact if he is on the field."
ESPN: "Tyson is an X receiver prospect with size, speed and route-running savviness that scouts love. He can take the top off a defense with his vertical-stretch speed but is also adept at adjusting mid-sprint to the ball in flight. Despite missing four games and part of another because of a hamstring injury, Tyson had 61 catches for 711 yards and eight touchdowns last season after posting 75 catches, 1,101 yards and 10 TDs in 2024. He also reduced his drops, with only one on 100 targets after dropping eight passes the previous season."
For more on Tyson, check out his draft profile at NFL.com.
Omar Cooper Jr. – Indiana
Measurables: 6-foot-0, 199 pounds
Snapshot: A member of Indiana's national championship team in 2025, Cooper led the Hoosiers with 69 catches for 937 yards and 13 receiving touchdowns – the third-most for any player in the FBS.
Big Board Rankings:
Daniel Jeremiah Top 50 3.0 (NFL.com - March 5): No. 18 overall (No. 3 WR)
Dane Brugler Top 100 (The Athletic - Feb. 11): No. 27 overall (No. 6 WR)
Matt Miller Top 50 (ESPN – March 5): No. 17 overall (No. 4 WR)
Pro Football Focus: No. 24 overall (No. 4 WR)
Expert Analysis:
NFL.com: "Cooper is one of my favorite players to study in this year's draft. He's strong, reliable and explosive. He uses his lower-body strength to run through press coverage and he's a loose/fluid route runner. He plays without fear in the middle of the field, making combat catches look easy. He can really pluck the ball and stays grounded through the catch on crossers. Also, he can elevate and play above the rim when necessary. After the catch, he has the power to break tackles and enough speed to pull away. Sources at the school rave about his makeup and competitiveness. Overall, Cooper fits the exact model of wideouts finding immediate success in the NFL."
The Athletic: "Cooper plays with above-average strength, athletic coordination and competitiveness at the catch point. He opens his stride to create windows for his quarterback and shows a savvy awareness for his surroundings to secure the ball mid-air. His run-after-catch skills will help separate him on draft boards."
ESPN: "Cooper made the catch of the year with his acrobatic toe-tap in the back of the end zone for the winner touchdown against Penn State, but he's much more than that highlight. Cooper is an elite route runner who moves well through traffic and dominates the middle of the field. His ability to pick up yards after the catch is equally impressive, which allowed him to rack up 937 yards and 13 touchdowns on 69 catches last season. Cooper has slot and outside alignment experience and versatility, making him an ideal No. 2 receiver."
For more on Cooper, check out his draft profile at NFL.com.
Denzel Boston – Washington
Measurables: 6-foot-4, 212 pounds
Snapshot: Boston was the Huskies' top pass-catcher in 2025, recording 62 catches for 881 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Big Board Rankings:
Daniel Jeremiah Top 50 3.0 (NFL.com - March 5): No. 25 overall (No. 5 WR)
Dane Brugler Top 100 (The Athletic - Feb. 11): No. 25 overall (No. 5 WR)
Matt Miller Top 50 (ESPN – March 5): No. 22 overall (No. 5 WR)
Pro Football Focus: No. 31 overall (No. 5 WR)
Expert Analysis:
NFL.com: "Boston is a big-framed wideout with exceptional ball skills and production. He lines up both outside and in the slot. He uses his upper-body strength to power through press coverage. He is a long strider and understands how to use his big body to wall off defenders at all three levels. He is an outstanding ball winner. He has a huge catch radius and can play above the rim in the red zone. He makes some outstanding catches. After the catch, he relies more on physicality than finesse to create extra yardage. Overall, Boston's skill set is very similar to Courtland Sutton's when the two-time Pro Bowler was coming out of SMU."
The Athletic: "A good-sized athlete, Boston plays big and balanced, and he has vacuum hands (3.1 percent drop rate). He treats the catch point like a power forward in the paint, boxing out and using his rangy frame and focus to secure the football…He is a proven chain-mover."
ESPN: "A big-play boundary receiver, Boston has elite size and speed with explosive burst off the line of scrimmage. That makes him an ideal X receiver and a dangerous vertical threat. He has been a consistent performer, registering 125 catches for 1,715 yards and 20 touchdowns combined over the past two seasons. But Boston's concentration and hand strength might be his most impressive traits, as he had only three drops on 198 targets since 2024."
For more on Boston, check out his draft profile at NFL.com.
KC Concepcion – Texas A&M
Measurables: 6-foot-0, 196 pounds
Snapshot: An electric playmaker for Texas A&M in 2025, Conception won the Paul Hornung Award as the nation's most versatile player. He led the Aggies with 61 catches for 919 yards and nine touchdowns while also serving as an impactful returner, logging two punt return scores.
Big Board Rankings:
Daniel Jeremiah Top 50 3.0 (NFL.com - March 5): No. 33 overall (No. 6 WR)
Dane Brugler Top 100 (The Athletic - Feb. 11): No. 22 overall (No. 4 WR)
Matt Miller Top 50 (ESPN – March 5): No. 32 overall (No. 6 WR)
Pro Football Focus: No. 35 overall (No. 6 WR)
Expert Analysis:
NFL.com: "His speed jumps off the screen. You can see it right off the snap: He uses a quick jab step and then explodes down the field. He creates massive separation against quality competition. He hauls in a lot of quick-hitters (bubbles, slants and shallow crossers). He's dynamic with the ball in his hands. His transition from catch to run is immediate and explosive."
The Athletic: "An urgent, gliding athlete, Concepcion has come a long way with his route running and routinely creates separation…He will benefit in the NFL from having a more receiver-friendly quarterback."
For more on Concepcion, check out his draft profile at NFL.com.
