The South Florida Sun Sentinel continues its nine-part series previewing top players in the 2024 NFL draft (April 25-27) with the wide receivers.
It’s a deep and talented crop of wide receivers this year, which follows a recent NFL trend.
There could be as many as five wide receivers, most of whom feature good size, selected in the first round this year.
Last year there were four wide receivers selected in the first round, the year before (2022) there were six, and three years ago (2021) there were five.
The Miami Dolphins have a top-heavy wide receivers corps led by All Pro Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, who form one of the league’s best 1-2 combinations.
After that, however, the Dolphins quickly go from average to below average among slot receiver Braxton Berrios, River Cracraft, Erik Ezukanma, Braylon Sanders, Anthony Schwartz and Matthew Sexton.
An injury to Hill or Waddle and this crew will likely struggle — which was the case last season.
The Dolphins have a first-round pick for the first time in coach Mike McDaniel’s three years in charge as Miami has the 21st selection. Aside from that, the Dolphins have a second-round pick (No. 55), a fifth (No. 158), two sixth rounders (Nos. 184 and 198), and one seventh (No. 241).
Here’s a breakdown of the top wide receivers in the draft:
Marvin Harrison Jr. Ohio State
Harrison (6-3, 209), the first team All-America whose father, Marvin Sr., is a Hall of Fame wide receiver, is the consensus No. 1 receiver in the draft. Excellent route-running, good hands and a high football IQ are what make Harrison so consistently good.
Malik Nabers, LSU
Nabers (6-0, 200) is smooth and athletic with a flair for spectacular plays. He can also play from the slot. He accelerates quickly and is adept at short, medium and deep passes.
Rome Odunze, Washington
Odunze (6-3, 212) is a big-bodied wide receiver who has that rare combination of play-making speed and a top-level ability to make contested catches. He’s not an elite route-runner but he knows how to get open and make the catch.
Brian Thomas Jr., LSU
Thomas (6-3, 209) led the nation with 17 touchdowns, and he did so largely using his size, athleticism, and well-rounded game. Thomas can go deep, play inside and make catches in traffic.
Adonai Mitchell, Texas
Mitchell (6-2, 205), a Georgia transfer, combines smooth movement with size and an ability to go get the ball with his wide range. He’s thin, but he can jump and knows how to use his length.
Best of the rest
Florida State’s Keon Coleman, a Michigan State transfer, should be an upper second-round pick; Georgia’s Ladd McConkey is an excellent route-runner from the slot and is elusive; Florida’s Ricky Pearsall is a top-notch slot receiver; Oregon’s Troy Franklin is a big-play receiver who averaged 17.1 yards per exception last season; Michigan’s Roman Wilson is speedy with good hands.
Class grade: A
This is a deep, talented class that features as many as three top 10 talents at the top (Harrison Jr., Nabers, and Odunze), high-quality talent through two rounds, and starting-caliber talent through three rounds.
Teams in need
Chicago, New England, Arizona, Los Angeles Chargers, New York Giants, Tennessee, New York Jets, New Orleans, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Buffalo, Detroit, Baltimore, Kansas City.
Dolphins’ focus
The Dolphins could take one of several approaches in the first or second round. They could draft a No. 3 wide receiver to make the offense better this season. They could draft a wide receiver to plan for the future in the event Waddle departs in two years as a free agent. They could draft a wide receiver to be a starter in the slot. Or, the Dolphins could decline to draft a wide receiver.
All are in the realm of possibility with the offensive-minded Dolphins, a team that has more pressing needs at the top of the depth chart at other positions but could use some quality depth at wide receiver.
More 2024 NFL draft coverage
Dolphins have added tight ends in free agency; do they still look for another in draft?
Dolphins NFL draft options: Tight ends
Dolphins could draft a high-quality O-lineman (Armstead’s successor?) in first two rounds
Dolphins NFL draft options: Offensive line
Dolphins NFL draft options: Running backs
