As the calendar turns to April, the 2024 NFL Draft is just a few weeks away. Teams have begun finalizing their boards and are meeting with players to complete their scouting. The Chiefs have an obvious need at wide receiver. Fortunately, this class is full of talented prospects that can fill a variety of needs.
The Chiefs' need at receiver has been well-documented throughout the 2023 season and the 2024 offseason. The addition of Hollywood Brown was a step in the right direction but there's certainly room for more talent at the position. Despite some of the recent news surrounding Rashee Rice, we are going to assume he will be playing the majority of the games for the Chiefs in 2024.
To keep up with all of the best prospects in the NFL Draft, make sure to bookmark the Arrowhead Addict Big Board, a Chiefs-specific draft board tailored to the team's roster needs.
1. Marvin Harrison Jr, Ohio State, Outside Receiver
There's been some prospect fatigue when it comes to MHJ but he's still an all-time WR prospect. At 6'3", 209 lbs. and clocked at 23 m.p.h. on GPS, Harrison is more than just contested catches. He's a refined route runner that can win on all levels of the field. He's not going to be YAC killer but that's fine given how excellent he is down the field.
2. Malik Nabers, LSU, Outside/slot
Nabers is the most explosive receiver in the class but it's more than just straight-line speed. Short area quickness and fast feet get him separation at an elite rate. He was incredibly productive on an offense with tons of talent. At times he tends to be a body catcher rather than attacking the ball with his hands and is still a little raw as a route runner.
3. Rome Odunze, Washington, Outside receiver
Odunze would easily be WR1 in most classes but here he's third simply because of the elite talent at the position. A fully developed route runner, Odunze has been one of the best contested catch receivers in all of college football. He has more speed than he's given credit for too.
4. Brian Thomas Jr, LSU, Outside Receiver
Brian Thomas scored more touchdowns than any receiver in college football this season. He ran a 1/10 of a second slower than Xavier Worthy's 40-yard dash at 45 pounds heavier. This is an elite size/speed prospect with strong ball-tracking ability. He's not a complete route runner by any means but he can win right away with speed and size.
5. Adonai Mitchell, Texas, Outside Receiver
Mitchell is the last wave of true WR1 in this class. While some of the prospects after him could certainly become a WR1 he's the last one who has all the tools. Excellent feet, strong ball-tracking ability, and a true alpha mentality. There are some concerns over his attitude when he's not being fed the ball but it sounds like most teams cleared him at the combine.
6. Ladd McConkey, Georgia, Outside/ Slot
The goal of a receiver is to get open and Ladd does that at an elite rate. There will be plenty of stereotypes around him but he's more than shifty. He's an impressive athlete and has strong after-the-catch ability. He can win on the outside too. Between some injuries and low depth of target, there are some elements of McConkey that could be concerning to some teams but he has a high floor as a 2nd or 3rd option in an offense.
7. Troy Franklin, Oregon, Outside/ Slot
Highly productive college player with a fully developed route tree and game-breaking speed. He's slightly built and can struggle at the catch point he had a 10% drop rate in 2023. However, that drop rate has not been consistent over his career. He's a high-impact field stretcher with more size and route running ability than others in the class.
8. Xavier Worthy, Texas, Slot/ Outside
With game-changing speed and YAC ability, Worthy is a big play waiting to happen. He's been aligned all over the field and in the right hands could be a real weapon. However, he'd be one of the smallest receivers ever to have real success in the league. He's had some issues with drops as well. His landing spot is going to matter a lot for his productivity in the league.
9. Xavier Legette, South Carolina, Outside
Legette is another size/speed combo that honestly could go much higher than anticipated. He's been clocked at over 23mph on GPS in a game and had a big performance at the NFL Combine. He was highly productive this year in an offense that he was the predominant weapon in. His age, one year of production, and polish as a route runner are the primary reasons why he's not a consensus first-rounder.
10. Roman Wilson, Michigan, Slot
Wilson is the 1st pure slot receiver in the class but he's going to go quickly on Day 2. He's very quick and shifty and was a go-to receiver for the national champions. His football character is through the roof and he plays bigger than his size. There are very few teams he doesn't make sense for.
11. Keon Coleman, Florida State, Outside
Keon Coleman is an interesting prospect. He had an excellent season this year after transferring to FSU but the draft process hasn't been kind to him. He had an underwhelming Combine and several advanced metrics (YPRR and separation) don't like him. However, the offense FSU ran was fairly generic and Coleman was athletic enough to return punts. There's some projection in his profile but his size and highlight reel catches will entice a team.
12. Ricky Pearsall, Florida, Slot
Slick Rick has been climbing up boards after a strong showing at the Senior Bowl and the combine. He's another slot receiver who wins with route running and short-area quickness. He has above-average speed and hands too. He's an elite athlete, so don't let his run out of the slot doubt that. He's an older prospect (24 this season), so we give the slight lead to Roman Wilson.
13. Jalen McMillan, Washington, Slot
McMillan took all but about 20 snaps from the slot this season. Was that because of the talented trio of receivers in Washington or a limitation? At 6'1", 197 lbs. he's not going to be a full-time outside option. However, he has a great feel for zone coverage and has great hands. He might not make the most sense with Rice and Skyy Moore on the roster.
14. Javon Baker, UCF, Outside
Baker is a former 5-star recruit who transferred out of Alabama in 2022. He's been highly productive at UCF as the lead option. Baker has the upside to be a high-end WR2. He runs quality routes, has above-average body control, and wins at the catch point. He has average speed and agility but he can fill a role well.
15. Malachi Corley, Western Kentucky, Outside/ Slot
Corley might be one of the best receivers in the class with the ball in his hands, the problem is getting it there. Corley's route tree resembles a running back's, with almost all of his targets at or behind the line of scrimmage. He's a tank of a physical presence and if used correctly could be a viable weapon for an offense. However, his usage would look very similar to 2023 Rashee Rice. This is a valuable asset but it might not make sense for the Chiefs.