Top 13 WRs for the Denver Broncos in the 2025 NFL Draft

Wide Receiver Emeka Egbuka #2 of the Ohio State Buckeyes runs with the ball after a catch during the Ohio State Buckeyes versus Notre Dame Fighting Irish College Football Playoff National Championship game on January 20, 2025, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA.
ATLANTA, GA – JANUARY 20: Wide Receiver Emeka Egbuka #2 of the Ohio State Buckeyes runs with the ball after a catch during the Ohio State Buckeyes versus Notre Dame Fighting Irish College Football Playoff National Championship game on January 20, 2025, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire)

One of the Denver Broncos’ most pressing needs as we inch nearer to the 2025 NFL Draft is the wide receiver position.

Which wide receivers would be the best options for the Denver Broncos in this year’s draft? Let’s look.

No. 13 wide receiver for the Denver Broncos in the 2025 NFL Draft -- Tai Felton
No. 13 wide receiver for the Denver Broncos in the 2025 NFL Draft — Tai Felton

Overview: Tai Felton is one of the most overlooked prospects in this year’s crop of wide receivers.

Felton regularly wins with his sub-4.4 40-yard dash speed, and that should translate pretty well to the next level. He leans on those jets to stretch the field vertically, as a potent deep threat, but is also deadly as a runner once he gets the rock.

He was so effective after the catch that he became Maryland’s go-to target for bubble screens, jet sweeps, and other forms of designed touches.

That speed also helps Felton separate in a hurry, as few players can move as fast as Felton, and he knows how to translate his momentum through his breaks to keep his wheels rolling.

Unfortunately, Felton’s ability to rapidly decelerate isn’t on par with some of the other speedy lightweight targets we’ll discuss later in this article, and that makes it easier for defenders to stick with him when he’s trying to gear down or stop and start.

His slender frame is also a detriment in his profile.

Once he gets loose, Felton is an explosive play waiting to happen, but he’s too easily bullied by more formidable physical presences, knocking him off course and taking him out of the concept. He is also a limited blocker, given his size, though that should be less of an issue with him lining up on the boundary.

Yet, in spite of his size, Felton was a highly productive redzone target for the Terrapins’ offense, highlighting his toughness, as well as how devastatingly effective his speed and wiggle can be when attempting to open a window for his QB.

Also, while he played the heavy majority of his career out wide, he spent much more time in the slot in 2024 and proved to be a quality option inside. That offensive flexibility, paired with his experience on special teams as a coverage player and as a returner, makes it even easier to justify a mid-round investment in his talent.

For the Denver Broncos: Pairing Felton with Bo Nix could be a match made in heaven. Nix proved last season that he is better on deep passes than most expected, but he’s lacked a receiver, outside of Marvin Mims, who can create plays after the catch.

Drafting Felton would address both those deficiencies.

Plus, as a natural ‘Z’ receiver, who spent almost his entire college career at the position, he could instantly help address Denver’s biggest need in the starting lineup of the position group.

Value for the Denver Broncos: It would be easy to justify betting on Tai Felton in the 3rd round, though his present draft stock suggests Denver could maybe get him on Day 3.

No. 12 wide receiver for the Denver Broncos in the 2025 NFL Draft -- Elic Ayomanor
No. 12 wide receiver for the Denver Broncos in the 2025 NFL Draft — Elic Ayomanor

Overview: Elic Ayomanor has been a popular draft crush in Broncos Country, and with a résumé that features him delivering Travis Hunter the worst game of his collegiate career at CB, it’s easy to see why.

Ayomanor is the type of impressive athlete you want leading your team off the bus. He boasts a 9.78 Relative Athletic Score (RAS), and it translates to his tape. He’s a strong vertical threat, with the long speed to get behind the defense, and the wingspan, hops, and ball skills to beat defenders at the catch point. The athleticism shows up after the catch too, giving him the strength to overwhelm some defenders and the juice to simply outrun the others.

He plays the position like he’s mad he isn’t allowed to play defense, delivering punishing blows both as a blocker and a ball-carrier.

The blocking is an especially strong point in his game. He could improve his batting average, as he can be a little overeager and miss his mark on occasion.

All that said, it’s hard to watch Ayomanor without coming away with a hint of frustration, especially when it comes to his hands. On one play, he’ll look like Randy Moss or Odell Beckham Jr., as he extends for a remarkable catch, only to attempt a body-catch on his next target.

He’ll make a one-handed grab, then drop one that hits him in the numbers. His drop rate of 8.7%, which he’s earned each of the past two seasons, would have been the 15th-worst last year, among receivers with at least 70 targets.

The fact that the flashes are truly incredible demonstrates the potential he has at the catch point, but it’s nowhere near polished now, and he frankly just isn’t a ‘natural’ catcher of the football, even though his best moments are magnificent.

The other major concern with Ayomanor is his injury history. Ayomanor has already torn a PCL, an MCL, an ACL, and a meniscus, all of which are lower-body injuries that present a red flag with their tendency to lead to additional ailments.

The best version of Ayomanor will leave NFL fans collectively scratching their heads as they attempt to figure out how he fell so far. The worst version might struggle to ever see consistent playing time, with his injury and ball-skills issues.

For the Denver Broncos: Ayomanor’s blocking ability, high-end athleticism, and versatility to operate well either as an oversized slot or as an ‘X’ receiver should make him very appealing for the Denver Broncos. If Courtland Sutton leaves the team, he could either look to replace him directly or indirectly, or Devaughn Vele could take over the ‘X’ spot, vacating his power-slot gig.

Plus, under George Paton, they’ve often looked for hidden value by adding talented players who are being overlooked due to their injury histories. Ayomanor would be another swing for the fences that fits that mold.

Value for the Denver Broncos: Elic Ayomanor would be a very interesting gamble in the 3rd round, but before then, it’s hard to feel comfortable betting on a WR with serious injury concerns who struggles to catch the ball.

No. 11 wide receiver for the Denver Broncos in the 2025 NFL Draft -- Tory Horton
No. 11 wide receiver for the Denver Broncos in the 2025 NFL Draft — Tory Horton

Overview: If Tory Horton was a victim of ‘being out of sight and out of mind’ as a result of his October knee injury, he would be discussed much more as one of the receivers in this year’s class, deserving of being selected on Day 1 or Day 2 of the NFL Draft.

Horton is very similar to Troy Franklin as a prospect, but his game stands above Franklin’s in a few major ways.

He has a lanky 6-foot-2, 196-pound frame, like Franklin, and is at his best leaning the rare speed and acceleration he has for his size to shake defenders. Horton is an excellent field-stretcher, but his movement skills really shine when he has to decelerate before rapidly accelerating once again, as he quickly creates yards of separation and opens jumbo-sized windows for his quarterback to work with.

Horton’s ball skills are a mixed bag, with some high highs and low lows. His body control shines when he needs to track the ball, as he’s able to contort his body seemingly any way necessary to adjust to the football and secure the catch. He’s also notably tough and will hold onto the ball through big hits.

Unfortunately, and again, like Franklin, Horton has had his fair share of drops. Before traumatic flashes from this past season of glorious Bo Nix bombs being dropped by Franklin cloud your vision for Horton, it should be noted that Horton’s drop concerns are nowhere near as serious. While the CSU’s worst college season saw a drop rate of 10.1%, he stayed under 5.0% the rest of his college career, but Franklin spent two of his three collegiate seasons with a double-digit drop percentage, maxing out at 14.1%.

Horton’s slender build also means he can struggle with physicality during his routes. He’s slippery enough to often stop corners from getting their mitts on him, but if they do, Horton has a hard time breaking free. Outside those difficulties, though, he’s a deadly route-runner who can separate in a flash.

For the Denver Broncos: With Troy Franklin already on the roster, investing another top-100 pick on a player with a profile like Horton’s would feel unnecessary, unless the team felt deeply pessimistic about the outlook for their second-year receiver.

Horton is a more appealing bet, but not to the point that it’s worth doubling down on this niche.

The return-man upside Horton offers is appealing, but again, it’s not enough to justify the necessary investment.

Value for the Denver Broncos: Despite deserving to go earlier in the draft, redundancies on the active roster would make it hard to invest in Tory Horton before the 3rd round.

No. 10 wide receiver for the Denver Broncos in the 2025 NFL Draft -- Jaylin Noel
No. 10 wide receiver for the Denver Broncos in the 2025 NFL Draft — Jaylin Noel

Overview: Jaylin Noel is an easy player to fall in love with in this year’s draft class, but he might just not be right for the Denver Broncos ultimately.

He is an absolute jitterbug, with remarkable quickness that leaps off the screen. He parlays that special gift into devastating cuts on his breaks that leave defenders in search of a map, and smooth release packages that help him stay away from the mitts of the cornerback.

Unfortunately, he needs those release packages to work, because he can struggle to escape press coverage once a cornerback latches on.

Another impressive aspect of his game is how Noel makes the most of his 5-foot-10 frame. He regularly sells out for inaccurate passes and has the ball skills to complete those difficult grabs.

This applies to contested catches too, where he plays with the mentality of a tight end, never shying away from contact and often completing his targets through contact. His catch radius is limited, but if you get it in there, he’s almost sure to come away with it.

One disappointing wrinkle to Noel’s game is that, despite his twitchiness, he’s fairly underwhelming after the catch. He’s too often taken down by arm tackles, and he’s nowhere near as slippery after the catch as he is before it

There are also some funky aspects with his projection to the next level. Considering how Noel isn’t the same separator against physical press coverage, he might be best suited for a life in the slot, where he’s kept off the line of scrimmage and the opposing defender can’t box him out on the sideline. Unfortunately, a lot of teams now expect their slot players to be plus blockers, as they have an added responsibility to the run game, and Noel will likely always be a subpar blocker.

For the Denver Broncos: That blocking concern is especially troubling for the Denver Broncos and Sean Payton, considering how much they prioritize the trait. Their preference for larger slots also doesn’t work in Noel’s favor.

That said, Noel does have the potential to be successful as a ‘Z’ receiver at the next level, and could be a natural pairing with Bo Nix. His route-running should keep him on time, and his sticky hands further build on that reliability. His limitations after the catch act as a large fly in that vial of ointment, though.

Value for the Denver Broncos: Somewhere between the 51st pick and the 85th pick. 51st would feel a little rich considering the fit, but the 85th pick would feel like too tremendous a value to pass up.

No. 9 wide receiver for the Denver Broncos in the 2025 NFL Draft -- Jack Bech
No. 9 wide receiver for the Denver Broncos in the 2025 NFL Draft — Jack Bech

Overview: The general public became aware of Jack Bech when his brother, Martin “Tiger” Bech, was tragically killed in the New Year’s Day New Orleans terrorist attack this year, and then, just one month later, Jack authored an emotional MVP-earning performance at this year’s Reese’s Senior Bowl.

Bech is far more than just a feel-good story, though, as NFL teams have had their eyes on him as a Day 2 receiver since September.

With a dense, well-built, 6-foot-1 and 215-pound frame, Jack Bech sometimes feels more like an undersized tight end than a receiver, mostly in a positive way. He is a tenacious blocker and has the imposing strength and thirst for contact to make him a defensive back’s worst nightmare on run downs.

Bech moves well after the catch and paired with his muscular build, he is an absolute nightmare to bring down.

His oft-overwhelming power translates to the catch point too, as he is regularly able to dunk on and out-muscle opponents for difficult completions. Bech understands the frame he possesses and uses it well to box out coverage players from the ball. In fact, his catch rate on contested targets (65%) in 2024 is the best of anyone on this list.

Unfortunately, he is also a victim of some of the negative elements of being a tight end/wide receiver tweener.

Although he is able to redirect his momentum better than you would expect given his build, he refused to partake in the 40-yard dash at the combine or his pro day, and watching the film, it’s easy to understand why, as he would likely time somewhere around a 4.6 putting him near the bare-minimum threshold for the position.

That lack of speed shows up on tape too, as he seldom can create a ton of separation from defenders without fooling them with his break on the ball. He’s powerful enough to still be effective with those constraints, but it’s still a hard way to live.

Being a great shooter on deep two-pointers is great, but if that’s the only shot in your arsenal, it’s very difficult to be efficient at the next level. You want to see some layups.

Unsurprisingly, Bech doesn’t explode off the line of scrimmage, and being such a large target, he can be relatively easy to hold up with press coverage. He is strong enough to power through the defender, but not until after he’s been robbed of some momentum and the timing of the concept has been thrown off, often making the play a win for the defense.

Bech was also injured in each of the past three seasons, potentially as a result of his destructive play style.

Though the strongest points of his game are sure to have Sean Payton drooling.

For the Denver Broncos: The power-slot role is one that Denver’s offense covets, and Jack Bech would be an instant contributor in that role with his high-end blocking and ability to work in traffic and produce over the middle of the field.

However, with Evan Engram and Devaughn Vele, the Broncos already have some quality solutions for that role, and with Mims also working best in the slot for now, there could Bech could find himself buried on the depth chart.

He could potentially develop into a starter as the team’s ‘X’ receiver, but would have to prove that press coverage won’t stifle him so easily, and that he can be effective on the boundary despite his speed limitations.

Value for the Denver Broncos: Somewhere between the 51st pick and the 85th pick. Preferably on the lower end, considering tweener projection.

No. 8 wide receiver for the Denver Broncos in the 2025 NFL Draft -- Tre Harris
No. 8 wide receiver for the Denver Broncos in the 2025 NFL Draft — Tre Harris

Overview: Tre Harris is one of the more fascinating prospects in this draft because he was the most efficient FBS receiver this season, by far, averaging over five yards per route run, but he’s still a difficult projection to the next level.

Harris is a prototypical ‘X’ receiver, with enough long speed to win vertically, and the ball skills and physical gifts to consistently punk SEC defenders at the catch point. His contested catch completion rate even ranks ahead of big names like Tetairoa McMillan and Jayden Higgins.

He fights for possession and is often able to maintain it through heavy contact, and has demonstrated a strong understanding of positioning, with his ability to wall off defenders on short or intermediate in-breaking routes. Even when he’s unable to box out, he’s talented enough at the catch point to work over or through the defender to complete the catch.

That said, as he enters the NFL, he’s likely going to struggle to separate from defenders, so he will be forced to dominate the catch point regularly to be an effective receiver. Harris moves well for his size, but he isn’t a burner, with a 4.54 40-yard dash time, so NFL corners should be able to hang with him on his vertical routes early on.

Ole Miss’s offense also asked very little of him as a route-runner, and while he shows the capacity to smoothly change direction, and seems to have a good understanding of how to create separation to eventually become an effective route-runner, realizing that potential will require some time and patience.

Once the ball is in his hands, though, the Ole Miss star is a powerful force as a ball-carrier, averaging 7.7 yards after the catch per reception in 2024, the fourth-best mark in this class among receivers with at least 50 receptions. Harris’ body control shines after the catch, as he’s able to weave through defenses with more fluidity than you would expect from a player who is as physically imposing as Harris.

Unfortunately, that same grit doesn’t show up when he’s asked to block. Despite being plenty capable, Harris is an underwhelming and often uninterested participant in the run game.

Harris also missed five games of this past season with a groin injury, so he’ll have to clear medical checks before the Broncos should feel comfortable taking him, even though the injury isn’t a particularly scary one.

For the Denver Broncos: The Denver Broncos need to land on a solution for their Courtland Sutton problem, and if Tre Harris were to be on the board with the 51st pick, he could make it much easier for the team to move on from their veteran pass-catcher.

Harris would give them a future at their ‘X’ receiver position, and his dynamism after the catch and dominance on in-breaking routes near the line of scrimmage suggest he could be a tremendous fit with Bo Nix.

One complicating factor to watch out for, though, is that Harris might not be ready to take that job from Sutton as a rookie, but his arrival in Denver will put some neon writing on the wall about Sutton’s future with the team, potentially making some contentious financial negotiations more confrontational.

Value for the Denver Broncos: Easy to justify with the 51st pick if they have some patience.

No. 7 wide receiver for the Denver Broncos in the 2025 NFL Draft -- Jalen Royals
No. 7 wide receiver for the Denver Broncos in the 2025 NFL Draft — Jalen Royals

Overview: Jalen Royals is a fascinating prospect, as some aspects of his game seem like a coach’s dream, while others could easily have them tearing their hair out.

He fights back to the ball whenever necessary, performs well in the scramble drill, and is willing to take massive hits in pursuit of the completion.

Unfortunately, this past season, he completed the catch too irregularly. That said, he has showcased the ability to win those reps, as he had the second-most contested completions among FBS WRs in 2023 (17) and ranked third in completion percentage on those targets (73.9%) among FBS WRs with at least 10 contested targets.

He demonstrates a high football IQ too, as one of this class’s best leverage-manipulators when faced with man coverage, and a natural feel of where the defensive weak points are in zone coverage.

Royals should also quickly upgrade the after-the-catch explosiveness of whichever offense adds him. He doesn’t take anything off his stride when making a catch, and once he gets rolling, his top speed is remarkable and would comfortably leave Mountain West defensive backs in the dust. He also offers the creativity to make defenders miss, and his frame is dense enough that he can absorb some contact without going down.

As appealing as all that is though, Royals needs a lot of development to be an NFL-caliber route-runner. Utah State put very little on his plate in that regard, and even still, his routes would regularly have dull cuts, despite his impressive short-range burst. It’s one thing to have lackluster routes when you’re asked to run an expansive assortment of concepts, and have some underdeveloped routes in your arsenal as a result. To lack the necessary refinement when you’ve gotten so many reps doing the same thing over and over is more concerning.

Also, his season ended prematurely after he tore the deltoid ligament in his foot, which is a serious red flag for his projection to the NFL.

On one hand, he has had a lot of time to rehabilitate, and when he ran the 40-yard dash, he turned in impressive times of 4.42 overall with a 1.53 10-yard split, the latter of which is especially notable because the deltoid can impact your short-area quickness.

On the other hand, the best-known instance of a receiver suffering this injury is probably Michael Thomas in 2020, who subsequently missed all of 2021 with an ankle injury, and was never the same after. Now, it should be noted that Thomas returned from the deltoid injury later in the 2020 season, and was incredibly productive with 37 catches for 421 yards over a six-game span, and it was a separate ankle injury, suffered in Week 14, that took him so long to return from. Whether or not the deltoid was a harbinger of that following injury is impossible to say without more intimate knowledge of the situation, but is still a concerning study case when considering Royals at the next level.

For the Denver Broncos: Jalen Royals makes a ton of sense for the Denver Broncos if his medicals check out.

Royals’ speed and elusiveness after the catch would add an element Denver’s offense sorely needs. Plus, he’s a clean projection as a ‘Z’ receiver at the next level, and that’s currently the Broncos’ biggest need in the WR room.

He is lacking as a blocker, but shows the necessary willingness and has the physical tools to get better. The route-running problems will be a bigger hurdle for the Denver Broncos, but, on the bright side, he also has the athletic gifts to become dramatically better in that facet.

Value for the Denver Broncos: Worthy of the 51st pick, if he gets a clean bill of health from Denver’s medical team. Anything short of a sterling report should have Denver waiting until the 3rd round.

No. 6 wide receiver for the Denver Broncos in the 2025 NFL Draft -- Luther Burden III
No. 6 wide receiver for the Denver Broncos in the 2025 NFL Draft — Luther Burden III

Overview: Luther Burden III is one of the most polarizing picks in this year’s NFL Draft. A highlight reel of his best plays demonstrates his high-end upside and dynamic talent, which might be higher than anyone in the class but Travis Hunter. Unfortunately, his inconsistencies make it difficult to feel confident that he will realize all of his potential.

With the ball in his hands, only Hunter is a comparable weapon. Burden flies past defenders, has special stop-start ability, and has the strength necessary to shrug off arm tackles and some smaller defenders. From the moment he enters the league, he should be a threat on jet sweeps, bubble screens, and other concepts that simply allow him to get the ball and go.

He’s a plus player at the catch point too, with the strength and athleticism to beat defenders for jump balls, despite his 6-foot-0 frame, and the strong hands needed to complete the play.

Burden’s ceiling is as high as any other receiver in this draft, save for maybe Hunter, but the floor is quite low. The flexibility and body control he shows in the open field don’t always show up in his routes, and he tends to round-off breaks. Beyond the rawness there, there are plenty of times when he’s on the backside of a concept, knows he won’t be getting the ball, and phones it in. He should be a dangerous vertical weapon with his talents, but right now, his lack of development makes it hard to utilize those skills.

Also, the Missouri product is coming off a rough 2024 season where he was nowhere near as dynamic as he was the previous year. A lot of that can be pinned on the failures of his quarterback situation, but those excuses don’t explain how much less explosive he was in space. He averaged 6.1 yards after the catch this season, a 27.4% decline, which ranked 49th out of 156 defenders. Last year, he ranked ninth.

That’s still above average, but for Burden, the ability to create after the catch is supposed to be the foundation of his sales pitch. While you wait for the other stuff to develop, at least you have a hyper-dangerous athlete with the ball in his hands. If he’s just ‘good’ in that facet of his game, why are you taking him in the top 50?

For the Denver Broncos: Although he has the talent of a top-20 selection, the concerns with his regression this past season, the lack of development, and some rumblings about coachability that don’t seem unfounded considering the on-field effort, it’s hard to take him that high.

Considering his questionable fit with the Denver Broncos, they shouldn’t consider him until 50.

His ability is closer to the receivers ranked ahead of him, but there are just too many question marks. His profile — a dangerous gadget player, who could double as a deadly downfield target, but might have to work almost exclusively out of the slot at the next level — is very duplicative of Marvin Mims Jr., and Mims is coming off a breakout season and is still worth developing.

Burden is talented enough to surpass him and become the game-changing weapon Denver desperately needs, but he’s not overly close to that point now, and it’s fair to doubt he’ll ever get there.

Value for the Denver Broncos: Worthy of a late-1st-round gamble for other teams, but shouldn’t be considered by Denver until the second round (either at 51 or following a trade down from 20, not trading up).

No. 5 wide receiver for the Denver Broncos in the 2025 NFL Draft -- Jayden Higgins
No. 5 wide receiver for the Denver Broncos in the 2025 NFL Draft — Jayden Higgins

Overview: If the Denver Broncos miss out on Tetairoa McMillan but still want to find their long-term replacement for Courtland Sutton, Jayden Higgins would be a terrific selection.

At 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, with 33-inch arms, a 39-inch vertical, and a 4.47 40-yard dash, he looks like he was built in a lab to play the ‘X’ receiver position, though Iowa State was comfortable playing him everywhere, which is a compliment to his football IQ and willingness to block.

Higgins explodes off the line of scrimmage and knows how to use his speed and stature to make opposing cornerbacks uncomfortable from the jump.

His physicality also shows up after the catch and flashes as a blocker. The refinement in his game makes him an excellent redzone target, as he has a great understanding of where to settle to help out his quarterback, along with all the tools one would want.

Once he secures the ball, he’s deadly after the catch too, possessing more wiggle and creativity as a runner than you typically see from receivers built like him, yet he doesn’t ‘play like jane’ either, as he’s plenty happy to dribble a cornerback’s forehead off the turf with a powerful stiff-arm.

He’s also a well-coached route-runner with a nice arsenal of releases and footwork, but he still isn’t an effective route-runner much of the time. His impressive physical gifts also present some limitations when trying to make sharp cuts, and the fact that he still isn’t where you’d want him to be, despite his development, suggests he might not ever be an above-average separator.

That means Higgins will have to win at the catch point. Fortunately, he is a smooth catcher of the football and is above-average in contested-catch situations, but he can also be a frustrating watch because he should be so much better. Too often, when elevating for one of these catches in traffic, Higgins will fail to fully extend his body, resulting in a much more difficult catch than it should be for him. If he were to take advantage of his full wingspan, he could regularly secure the catch at a point too high for other defenders to easily interfere with.

Ultimately, his completion rate in these moments is comparable to McMillan’s, but it feels like Higgins’ current method won’t translate as well, so he’ll need further development. Though, one could argue that also points to him having a higher ceiling than the highly touted Wildcat.

For the Denver Broncos: The Denver Broncos need to figure out a plan for the future at their ‘X’ receiver position, and while Vele could be that guy, he might ultimately project better as a power-slot.

Higgins would solidify that spot for the future, while also offering the versatility to move around the offense in the meantime. His potential as a blocker could have Sean Payton drooling over visions of a Lil’Jordan Humphrey from Planet Krypton.

His combination of prototypical traits, areas of refinement, and untapped potential makes him a tantalizing option, but the limitations in his game shouldn’t be overlooked.

Value for the Denver Broncos: Value for the Denver Broncos: Worthy of a 2nd-round selection, either at 51 or following a trade down from 20, but not trading up.

No. 4 wide receiver for the Denver Broncos in the 2025 NFL Draft -- Matthew Golden
No. 4 wide receiver for the Denver Broncos in the 2025 NFL Draft — Matthew Golden

Overview: For those clamoring for an injection of speed into the Denver Broncos’ offense, Matthew Golden and his 4.29 40-yard dash at the combine might seem the ideal solution, but Golden’s tape doesn’t quite match his testing numbers.

Golden glides across the field with ease and is lightning-quick in and out of his breaks, but you don’t often see the extremely rare speed he tested with at the combine. In fact, Golden’s teammate, Isaiah Bond, who ran the 40-yard dash in 4.39, was viewed as the team’s speed threat all season long and was expected to turn in the faster time.

What you run in Indianapolis goes down as your official time, of course, but play speed is more important, and although fast, Golden’s play speed doesn’t quite match up with the testing.

Nonetheless, Golden is a dangerous receiver worthy of a top-20 selection in this year’s draft.

He regularly plucks the ball out of the air without breaking stride, and he was a reliable downfield option for Quinn Ewers all year. His blend of speed and remarkable body control also often makes him a devastating route-runner, and he likely boasts the highest ceiling of any of his draftmates there.

Golden’s intangibles are also very enticing. He was moved all over the formation in his first season in Texas’s offense, demonstrating a pretty quick mastery of Steve Sarkisian’s offense. Further underlining that notion is the fact that, by season’s end, he had emerged as the clear No. 1 pass-catcher on the team, despite the staff recruiting him to be a complementary piece, so he must have impressed in practice and throughout the season.

While the great moments are really exciting, Golden also has some holes in his game. Unless given a clear alley that allows him to simply pull away from the pack in a straight line, Golden is unremarkable as a ball-carrier, as he doesn’t have much creativity or physicality as a runner.

He’s also a little undersized, and that lack of heft can be a problem for him when he isn’t wide open.

Plus, unfortunately for the Broncos, Golden might be the worst blocker among the receivers we’re likely to see go early in the draft. His mediocre play strength and lackluster technique led to far too many blown blocks.

For the Denver Broncos: Matthew Golden provides the cleanest projection as a ‘Z’ receiver, which is the team’s biggest need at the position.

Plus, his field-stretching ability pairs nicely with Devaughn Vele and Courtland Sutton, even if it’s a little redundant with Marvin Mims Jr. and Troy Franklin still on rookie contracts.

Sean Payton took Brandin Cooks in the first round during his time with the Saints and could look to go in a similar direction with a selection of Golden. That said, Payton demands that his receivers to support the run game, and Golden’s struggles there could turn Denver away.

Value for the Denver Broncos: Worthy of a late-1st-round pick

No. 3 wide receiver for the Denver Broncos in the 2025 NFL Draft -- Tetairoa McMillan
No. 3 wide receiver for the Denver Broncos in the 2025 NFL Draft — Tetairoa McMillan

Overview: The best pure ‘X’ receiver in this draft, Tetairoa McMillan, has recently been dragged down draft boards, and it’s tough to figure out why.

T-Mac, as he prefers to be called, instead of ‘Tet’, is the prototype of what you want in an old-school ‘X’. He is an overwhelming physical force, at 6-foot-4 and 219 pounds, who lives above the rim and dominates the catch point.

He makes excellent use of his physical traits with a volleyball background that helps him lock in on the highlight, and he aggressively spears the ball out of the air with his pillow-soft hands. He won 18 contested catch situations, the fourth-most of any FBS wide receiver, over 30 targets, good for a rate of 60%, ranking 14th out of 64 qualifying receivers.

Oftentimes, the concern with these ‘jump-ball’ wide receivers, especially when they post a 4.55 40-yard dash, like McMillan did, is that they will struggle to separate and are therefore forced into high-difficulty receptions they’re forced to complete at a high rate to be effective. Winning at the catch point is great, but it’s difficult to do, even for the very best in the league, so if that’s the only way you can win, it makes you a pretty limited prospect.

McMillan had the seventh-most contested catch situations among FBS receivers last season, which suggests he might already struggle with separation. Though it should be noted that his quarterback’s ongoing bout with accuracy often threw him into these positions where he had to dunk on a defender to snag the reception.

Another problem is that, despite being an overwhelming physical force, he doesn’t use it to the extent you would like to see. Some of this is a product of him needing to bulk up more, but still, it’s frustrating to see him struggle with more physical press corners as much as he has, and although that are intriguing flashes as a blocker, he’s nowhere near as impactful as he should be considering his stature.

Fortunately though, McMillan has more shine to his game than just his fantastic contested-catch ability.

The star Arizona WR is an especially crafty route-runner for his size and manages to stay tight and sudden on his breaks, despite the extra weight he’s lugging around.

The mammoth receiver is also surprisingly quick, even if his long speed leaves one wanting more. McMillan’s able to parlay that quickness and impressive body strength into some dynamic runs after the catch, making him a more dangerous ball-carrier than the average jump-ball threat.

Ultimately, McMillan is an impressive prospect who is easy to imagine thriving in a prototypical ‘X’ role at the next level with his prowess at the catch point, as a route-runner, and as a force after the catch. Nonetheless, his athletic limitations could prevent him from ever becoming one of the game’s elite receivers.

For the Denver Broncos: With Courtland Sutton’s future in limbo, McMillan is an appealing prospect, as he could naturally slot into Sutton’s offensive role and replace him if necessary. That would mean that not only could you get a younger and cheaper version of Denver’s top receiver, but you could also get a mid-round pick back in return for trading Sutton.

McMillan also has the traits that suggest he could be a solid power-slot presence for Sean Payton in the meantime.

In a 90th-percentile outcome, McMillan could become a Michael Thomas-esque threat in Payton’s offense, with his size, strong hands, and excellent understanding of how to use his frame to box out opposing defenders. He would have to improve as a blocker, but he has all the tools to clear the bar at that position and could do so as a rookie with a little coaching.

One concern would be that the Broncos already have a lot of receiving-first players with this body type already rostered, with Sutton, Devaughn Vele, Evan Engram, and even A.T. Perry already fitting the ‘X’/’power-slot’ role. Only two of those players can be on the field at any given time, and adding McMillan to the mix would create a logjam until Sutton was moved or departed in free agency.

Also, the team lacks a super dynamic No. 1 option, and swapping out Sutton for McMillan might not quench that thirst.

Value for the Denver Broncos: Worthy of a mid-1st-round pick, but not a trade-up

No. 2 wide receiver for the Denver Broncos in the 2025 NFL Draft -- Emeka Egbuka
No. 2 wide receiver for the Denver Broncos in the 2025 NFL Draft — Emeka Egbuka

Overview: Emeka Egbuka seems to be getting slept on because of the draft process. The industrial draft complex focuses on each prospect’s super abilities, and Egbuka doesn’t really have any, outside of maybe his grit as a blocker.

So, how does he find himself ranked among the two best receivers in the class? His game is so well-rounded that it makes up for the lack of an elite trait, like McMillan’s contested-catch ability, Matthew Golden’s straight-line long speed or Luther Burden’s dynamism as a ball-carrier.

For starters, Egbuka has a remarkably refined game. He’s a polished route-runner who knows how to create separation and manipulate leverage while possessing an excellent understanding and feel for the weak points in a defense’s zone coverage.

He’s also a natural catcher of the football and helped buoy his quarterback’s deep passing numbers with his ability to track down and reel in their passes. This is highlighted in how well he performed in contested catch situations. Despite being several inches shorter and 20-plus pounds lighter than both Jayden Higgins and Tetairoa McMillan, Egbuka performed about the same in those positions, completing 59.1% of his contested targets, compared to 60.0% from McMillan and 58.3% from Higgins.

Egbuka is a terrific blocker for the position. He has all of the desire to exert his force on the defense, he’s able to pack a respectable punch, and his technique is ahead of schedule for a college prospect, making him arguably the best blocker at the position in this class, which Sean Payton values.

This all resulted in Egbuka, despite his unflashy profile, becoming the Ohio State’s career leader in receptions and receiving yards, while spending every year of his collegiate career buried behind another elite WR.

The most lacking part of Egbuka’s game is his ability to create yards after the catch. He’s inconsistent about shaking off tacklers and doesn’t show the juice to blow past second-level defenders. He’s not a zero in this regard, but he ranks in the bottom half of the class in yards after the catch per reception.

Still, his athletic profile suggests his ceiling in that facet should be higher than he’s demonstrated so far, and there are plenty of flashes on tape that support that conclusion, even if the yardage totals haven’t yet followed.

The big knock on Egbuka, though, despite all his strengths, is that he’ll never be able to develop into a true No. 1 at the next level. The big pieces of evidence for this are that he’s an underwhelming athlete and that he consistently played second fiddle for the Buckeyes.

However, his actual athletic profile doesn’t support that notion, and being a second fiddle in college to Marvin Harrison Jr. and Jeremiah Smith doesn’t preclude one from becoming an elite No. 1 in their own right.

In fact, these criticisms help highlight just how similar Egbuka’s pre-draft profile is to one of the league’s best receivers — Justin Jefferson.

Jefferson, who tested nearly identically to Emeka Egbuka across the board, as a 94th-percentile athlete, also had his athleticism overlooked throughout the draft process. Jefferson also was forced to play Robin to one of the best collegiate receivers we’ve seen in the 21st century — Ja’Marr Chase. Not only that, but Jefferson was also a high-IQ player with crispy routes who suffered from the billing of being ‘a jack of all trades but a master of none.’

For the Denver Broncos: Out of the realistic options, Egbuka would be the best first-round selection for the Denver Broncos at wide receiver.

He would immediately be able to earn a role offensively, as he has the football intelligence, attention to detail, developed route tree, and blocking prowess to immediately wrestle for a starting job in Payton’s offense.

Not only would he have the talent and skillset for the job, but he has a clear path to success in Denver, too. Egbuka has spent the majority of time in the slot but has seen nearly a quarter of his snaps out wide as the team’s ‘Z’ receiver and played well there too, which would address Denver’s biggest need at wide receiver.

Grade for the Denver Broncos: Worthy of a mid-1st-round pick, but not a trade-up

No. 1 wide receiver for the Denver Broncos in the 2025 NFL Draft -- Travis Hunter
No. 1 wide receiver for the Denver Broncos in the 2025 NFL Draft — Travis Hunter

Overview: Travis Hunter is the top player at any position in this class, not only because he is one of the best cornerback prospects we’ve seen since Pat Surtain II was coming out of Alabama, but also because he’s comfortably the best wide receiver in the draft.

Hunter’s ball skills and catch radius are Odell Beckham Jr.-esque, as he catches nearly everything thrown his way. Balls thrown his way were completed a jaw-dropping 79.3% of the time, the fourth-best rate among any collegian with at least 80 targets last season, and best among anyone with more than 105 targets.

Even more impressively, Hunter’s average depth of target was between 2.6 to 4.7 yards deeper downfield than anyone ranked ahead of him in reception rate, and the furthest ADOT of anyone ranked among the eight-most reliable receivers.

The case for Hunter as an elite receiver in the pros goes beyond the sticky hands and ball-tracking ability, though. He’s also remarkably deadly after the catch, especially for a lighter-framed player. His extreme flexibility and rare stop-and-start quickness make him harder to grab hold of than a greased-up hog.

Hunter also shows a surprising amount of refinement in areas of his game that you wouldn’t expect for such an inexperienced receiver. For example, out of all the receivers in this class, he probably has the best feel for the soft spots to exploit when facing different forms of zone coverage.

That said, he’s still underdeveloped, which will limit his immediate effectiveness somewhat, but in many ways, this too is a positive.

Hunter is already the best receiver in his draft class, and he has barely refined his skillset at the position. Just imagine how far he could ascend if he dedicates all his time to perfecting his craft on this side of the ball.

Now, not every toolsy athlete develops, but Hunter’s football character checks every box imaginable, making him an easy bet to feel confident in.

For the Denver Broncos: Unfortunately, there is no real way that Travis Hunter winds up with the Denver Broncos.

In this class so bereft of talent, and Hunter being a premium prospect who could address different needs for an assortment of teams while holding no off-field concerns, not even a Laremy Tunsil-esque disaster could push Hunter all the way down to the 10th pick. Denver’s lone hope would have to be a shocking draft day slide, followed with a hyper-aggressive trade-up and that’s not in the cards.

Nonetheless, it’s fun to dream, and it barely requires any imagination to picture Hunter thriving in the Mile High City. He also projects naturally as an elite Z receiver at the next level, and the Z is the spot the Broncos need the most help filling right now. From his first day in Denver, Hunter would emerge as the team’s most dynamic pass-catching weapon, even despite his route-running deficiencies, simply because he’s such a reliable outlet and such a dynamic ball-carrier.

If they decided to use him on defense, his presence would allow Denver to hold a competition between Riley Moss and Ja’Quan McMillian for the team’s slot cornerback spot, as Hunter locked down the boundary opposite Surtain II. The two would complement each other brilliantly, with Surtain being the sport’s stickiest man-coverage corner, which would force targets towards Hunter, who would quickly become the position’s deadliest playmaker.

If only it were possible.

Value for the Denver Broncos: Worthy of No. 1 pick in almost any draft.

Picture of Zach Segars
Zach Segars