NFL Player News

The Commanders selected McCaffrey in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 100th overall.

McCaffrey originally arrived to Nebraska as a coveted quarterback recruit, but he couldn't stick at the position and ended up making the switch to receiver after transferring to Rice. He's a bit thin at 6-foot-2, 198 pounds and has little catch radius to speak of, but his athleticism tested well at the NFL Combine (4.46-second 40-yard dash, 6.7-second three-cone drill), and his production at Rice was generally encouraging, especially since he just started playing wideout in 2022. It's possible that McCaffrey might need some more developmental time after switching from quarterback, but the bloodlines are obviously highly favorable, and he clearly possesses starter-caliber athleticism. Washington simply now waits to see how much he can improve with experience.

The Buccaneers selected McMillan in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 92nd overall.

McMillan might not have as much hype as former Washington teammate Rome Odunze or even Ja'Lynn Polk, but McMillan was about as productive as Odunze and was more productive than Polk prior to McMillan missing roughly two months with a knee injury in 2023. In other words, if McMillan never got hurt, then Polk might not have been drafted ahead of the former. McMillan (6-foot-1, 197 pounds) demonstrated his skill set by producing alongside the likes of Odunze and Polk in college, and his solid combine performance proved the NFL viability of his athleticism (4.47-second 40, 37-inch vertical). Trey Palmer should not be in the WR3 role much longer for Tampa.

The Steelers selected Wilson in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 84th overall.

Wilson was widely expected to go sooner than this, but he falls to Pittsburgh here likely due to concerns about how well-rounded his skill set may be. The Michigan product is small at 5-foot-11, 185 pounds, and his generally strong 4.39-second 40-yard dash was actually a slight disappointment given that he was expected to be one of the three fastest receivers at the combine (his 4.39 was tied for sixth best). Still, Wilson is some version of very fast and should pose a consistent downfield threat in the NFL, even if he lacks other dimensions to his game. He risks getting cast largely as a speed decoy if he doesn't draw targets more consistently than he did at Michigan, however.

The Bengals selected Burton in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 80th overall.

Burton (6-foot, 196 pounds) is a former blue-chip recruit who transferred from Georgia to Alabama, displaying standout talent at both schools but also picking up his share of critics along the way. He developed a reputation for dubious judgement on the field and in the locker room both, and not as many former coaches went to bat for him as they normally would with a player of his abilities. With that said, Burton's fit at the pro level doesn't require much speculation. If he has his head in the game he has the talent to emerge as at least an average starter at some point, and for the Bengals he should be an immediate boost to the deep passing game. With 4.45-second 40-yard dash and impressive hands/tracking ability, Burton could hurt defenses that leave him in single coverage against slower corners.

The Jets selected Corley in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 65th overall.

Corley adds depth behind the Jets' star power out wide behind Garrett Wilson and Mike Williams. He posted remarkable production during his time at Western Kentucky with 29 touchdowns over the last three seasons. He was the engine of one of the most explosive offenses in the country, taking on workhorse target shares upwards of 143 in one season (2022). He never saw fewer than 103 targets in any of his final three seasons. As for how his game translates, Western Kentucky maxed him out with short passes and screens, trusting him to make plays after the catch. With Corley's 207-pound frame and 4.56 speed, it remains to be seen if he can have that same YAC success at the next level. Even with questions about how his college role will translate, the Jets could prove a nice fit -- he has a path to working out of the slot right away as an intermediate target for Aaron Rodgers.

The Colts selected Mitchell in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 52nd overall.

Mitchell (6-foot-2, 205 pounds) was almost universally expected to go much earlier than this, as the former Texas and Georgia receiver dazzled at the NFL Scouting Combine (4.34-second 40-yard dash, 136-inch broad jump) following a productive end to his Longhorns career (55 catches for 845 yards and 11 touchdowns on 92 targets in 2023). Mitchell drew fewer targets at Texas than first-round pick and fellow wideout Xavier Worthy, and that might be evidence of a potential target cap with Mitchell in the NFL as well. However, at the very least, he should prove an explosive No. 2 receiver even if he never turns into a 100-catch player. He'll need to compete with 2022 second-round pick Alec Pierce and 2023 third-round pick Josh Downs for snaps before any such breakout occurs, though.

The Patriots selected Polk in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 37th overall.

New England gets a rookie wideout to pair with new quarterback Drake Maye. Polk began his career at Texas Tech before transferring in 2021 to Washington, where he caught 41 passes for 694 yards and six touchdowns on 68 targets in 2022. He truly broke out in 2023 with 1,159 yards and nine touchdowns as the Robin to Rome Odunze's Batman, though it's fair to wonder whether teammate Jalen McMillan's injury-plagued 2023 helped fuel Polk's breakout (McMillan nearly matched Odunze's production the year before). Polk is 6-foot-1, 203 pounds, and while he doesn't wow with his speed (4.52 40), he's a refined player that wins with skill and good hands. Joining a New England offense that desperately needed receiver help, Polk could start right away.

The Chargers selected McConkey in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 34th overall.

McConkey (6-foot, 186 pounds) is a lighter receiver, but the former Georgia standout can threaten defenses from both the slot and the boundary. While the downfield game isn't his primary strength, a 4.39-second 40 at the combine almost by default makes him the Chargers' best deep target. There's also a good chance McConkey is the Chargers' best option for short and intermediate passes -- the main strength of his game in college. While Joshua Palmer and Quentin Johnston have seniority and size working in their favor, McConkey is the quickest and most skilled of the trio, combining crisp routes with strong work after the catch. McConkey took a clear back seat to TE Brock Bowers in Georgia's target distribution the past three years -- never recording more than 762 receiving yards in a season -- but there's no similar such presence in L.A. now that Keenan Allen and Mike Williams are elsewhere.

The Bills selected Coleman in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 33rd overall.

Buffalo came into Round 2 desperately needing a receiver and had several options available. Ultimately, it landed on Coleman, a big-bodied target out of Florida State and a polarizing prospect among draft analysts. His production was mediocre in 2023 apart from 11 TDs, with 7.3 yards per target and a 55 percent catch rate despite playing in an efficient FSU offense. A 4.61 40 didn't help his draft stock, but that's doesn't mean Coleman can't play -- he outproduced Jayden Reed in 2022 as a 19-year-old sophomore at Michigan State. Coleman is at his best when he's playing above the rim and using his 6-foot-3 frame and 38-inch vertical to box out smaller defenders. That profile was much-needed in Buffalo after losing both Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis this offseason. Coleman projects as a starter right away for the Bills, and while he lacks explosive speed, he complements a position group that otherwise features quicker, smaller wideouts like Khalil Shakir and Curtis Samuel.

With the Panthers' selection of Xavier Legette with the No. 32 overall pick Thursday night, Mingo is pushed down the wide receiver depth chart, Joe Person of The Athletic reports.

Carolina has made it a point to upgrade its wideout room this offseason, first trading for Diontae Johnson before then trading up into the final pick of the first round for Legette. Adding those two to veteran slot man Adam Thielen pushes both Mingo and Terrace Marshall down in the pecking order for targets. Mingo -- who is bouncing back from a late-season foot issue -- started 14 of 15 games he appeared in as a rookie, but he posted an uninspiring 43-418-0 receiving line on 85 targets. He was one of the least productive starting receivers in the league in 2023.