2025 NFL Mock Draft: Wide Receiver-Only Edition (Three Rounds)

Joey's three-round 2025 NFL Mock Draft, wide receiver-only edition. Where will wide receivers Matthew Golden, Luther Burden III, and more land in the 2025 NFL Draft?

NFL mock drafts are difficult to make for a variety of reasons. Draft-night trades are impossible to predict and throw a wrench into an entire mock at the drop of a hat. And just because teams have glaring needs at certain positions does not mean they will draft players from that position. There's a reason the Jets and Browns have been awful for most of the last 25 years.

But by narrowing a mock down to just one position -- wide receiver -- we're going to make this easier. Focusing on the wideouts in the class who will be drafted in the first three rounds will give us insight on their individual abilities and how they will fit into NFL offenses.

Outside of Arizona's Tetairoa McMillan, there are no first-round locks at the receiver position. That makes this an intriguing concept that could look completely different come the draft, but let's give it a go anyway.

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First Round

8. Carolina Panthers - Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona

The Panthers defense was terrible in 2024, but head coach Dave Canales was brought in a year ago to fix the other side of the ball. Canales will likely do everything in his power to ensure QB Bryce Young stays on track following his encouraging second season. And Carolina does that here by selecting McMillan, a monstrous wideout with abnormal athleticism for his size.

Hilarious Tetairoa McMillan rep pic.twitter.com/4kz5rJK0wE

— JetPack Galileo (@JetPackGalileo) March 12, 2025

From the technical side of things, McMillan has great route-running chops and sticky hands and can line up at any receiver spot. McMillan's ball skills are sensational; his lengthy 6-foot-4 frame and excellent concentration help him snag passes others would not even reach. McMillan would slot in as Young's WR1 right out of the gate and potentially help him reach stardom.

12. Dallas Cowboys - Matthew Golden, WR, Texas

Do the Cowboys have bigger needs? Absolutely. Is Jerry Jones a sucker for flashy picks and Texas talents? Again, absolutely. Golden is a versatile wideout who can flat-out fly: his 4.29-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine sent his stock skyrocketing, and for good reason.

An instinctive route runner with great body control, Golden is a threat on all three levels of the route tree. His improved contested-catch ability in 2024 was the icing on the cake. Paired with CeeDee Lamb, Golden could help Dallas' offense return to the top form of previous years.

30. Buffalo Bills - Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri

The Bills had a great season in 2024, making it to the AFC Championship Game. However, that game made it clear they are still missing an alpha in the wide receiver room -- a role that Burden has the potential to fill.

luther burden III.

this is what it looks like!! pic.twitter.com/U1i6p19vEo

— Kyron Samuels (@kyronsamuels) November 17, 2024

Burden possesses a devastating combination of deep speed and ball-tracking skills, making him a terrifying downfield weapon. He also excels after the catch on shorter routes -- Missouri loved moving Burden all over the formation to get him the ball in space. Both of these traits make him a perfect candidate to be Josh Allen's next No. 1 target.

Second Round

35. Tennessee Titans - Tre Harris, WR, Ole Miss

The Titans are in a bad spot, and their passing game in 2024 was a large reason why. The team threw 21 interceptions and had a passer rating of 80.7, both bottom five in the NFL. While a new QB may be in the cards for the draft's first pick, the Titans could help out that player with a quality wideout like Harris.

Sporting a big-bodied 6-foot-2 frame, Harris is a physically dominant wideout who emerged as a reliable possession target at Ole Miss. His route-running and contested-catch ability improved in 2024 and he still has room to grow as well.

If Tennessee does decide to go in on Cameron Ward or Shedeur Sanders at the top of the draft, Harris could become that young quarterback's best friend.

38. New England Patriots - Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State

New England could go receiver much earlier in the draft -- McMillan is certainly an option for it at pick No. 4. However, assuming HC Mike Vrabel sticks with his defensive-minded principles, the Pats will take that WR here.

And as a former Buckeye himself, it makes sense that Vrabel would have his eye on Egbuka. The receiver is a talented player who may have suffered from prospect fatigue since Egbuka has been a top talent at Ohio State for the past three seasons.

A savvy route runner who can dominate the short and intermediate areas of the field, Egbuka has the polish to succeed right away in the NFL. While his athleticism may limit him to the slot in the pros, Egbuka's sure hands and great feet will make him a favorite of whoever throws him passes -- in this case, the talented Drake Maye.

51. Denver Broncos - Jaylin Noel, WR, Iowa State

HC Sean Payton would love nothing more than to supply QB Bo Nix with weapons -- and Noel certainly fits the bill. The 5-foot-10, 194-pound wideout is lightning in a bottle -- a speedster with outstanding change of direction, Noel is incredibly tough to guard one-on-one.

Jaylin Noel 4.39/41.5"/11'2"/6.82
Snapping it down pic.twitter.com/bBvk5zjOtP

— JetPack Galileo (@JetPackGalileo) March 2, 2025

Noel's ability to consistently separate from his man and escape defenders after the catch is special. Noel needs to work on limiting drops, but as soon as the ball gets into his hands, the defense is in trouble. He's the kind of talent Payton would love to have in his offense -- an elite return specialist, Noel is a big-play threat lining up all across the formation.

Third Round

67. Cleveland Browns - Jayden Higgins, WR, Iowa State

The hapless Browns have a ton of needs, and not many are bigger than wide receivers. Outside of Jerry Jeudy, their WR room is more bare than the cupboards of an abandoned house. Enter Jayden Higgins; the yin to Noel's yang at Iowa State, Higgins is a big-bodied yet smooth outside receiver whose size makes him an instant mismatch against many defensive backs.

The 6-foot-4 Higgins has soft hands and a long wingspan, which help him reel in deep balls and contested catches. His athleticism isn't anything spectacular, but Higgins uses his size and strength to separate from his defender. Whoever is playing quarterback for the Browns in 2025 could use a security blanket, and Higgins could be that guy.

68. Las Vegas Raiders - Xavier Restrepo, WR, Miami

The Raiders hit a massive home run with TE Brock Bowers in the first round of last year's draft, but outside of veteran Jakobi Meyers, the receiver room is lacking. How about a shifty, technical slot receiver with surprising physicality to pair with the big and athletic Bowers? That player is Restrepo.

While not the most athletic receiver in this year's draft, you'd be hard-pressed to find one who has mastered their craft more. Restrepo is an all-star route runner who creates consistent separation, and his quickness and change of direction challenge the reaction time of defensive backs.

His ability to constantly find open space paired with his strong hands made him incredibly productive at Miami. An NFL-ready player without a doubt, Restrepo could become Geno Smith's new favorite target in his first year in Vegas.

82. Seattle Seahawks - Jalen Royals, WR, Utah State

With DK Metcalf shipped off to Pittsburgh and Tyler Lockett released from the team, Seattle needs to reload the wide receiver position, especially because it just signed QB Sam Darnold to a $100.5 million deal. Rising star Jaxon Smith-Njigba will hold it down in the slot, but what about the outside? Royals can help with that.

Jalen Royals , WR - Utah State
(6’0 - 4.42 , Official 40 - 205 lbs)

🟢 80.6 Receiving Grade
• 21 Total Receiving TDs over final 2 seasons
• Great YAC WR (851 Total YAC yards over final 2 seasons)
• Underrated route runner
• Big play/House call ability
• Boundary WR… pic.twitter.com/0BHW2eghAi

— IAmWestsideFetti 💙🖤🤟🏾 (@4MR_Fetti) March 2, 2025

An interesting prospect, to say the least, Royals isn't a special athlete and does not excel at route running, either. But his feel for the game allows him to consistently find open space and haul in the football.

Royals' toughness and hands are admirable, making him a reliable target over the middle of the field and in the screen game. If he becomes a sharper route runner -- which he has already shown the potential to do -- Royals could be the answer to Seattle's wide receiver issue.

89. Houston Texans - Tez Johnson, WR, Oregon

With Stefon Diggs a free agent and Tank Dell's career in question following a devastating knee injury, the Texans need a new option to line up across from Nico Collins. A player who has been compared to Dell himself, Johnson could be the ideal replacement. His quickness and route running made him a high-volume target at Oregon.

There are some glaring concerns with Johnson. Weighing in at just 154 pounds, Johnson ran a 4.51 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine -- he's no sloth, but you'd expect a receiver that light to be a burner.

NFL defensive backs will also have their way with Johnson physically -- he's never been the strongest or best contested catcher. However, if he can put on muscle and up his explosiveness, Johnson could become a solid secondary receiver for Houston.

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