Carnell Tate is on a long line of five-star Brian-Hartline-WR-products who’ve excelled alongside other top talent. Tate is a true X receiver with a ridiculous 69% contested catch rate, the highest of any prospect by a significant margin. He’d pair nicely with an aggressive QB who’s looking to push the ball downfield.Although he is a fluid route runner, not just a big play WR, Tate wasn’t the target hog past OSU receivers have been.

Even considering a generational talent in Jeremiah Smith beside him, Tate’s targets per route are at the 20th percentile of recent NFL prospects, easily the lowest of past Buckeyes and dangerously low for a first-rounder. Looking back at 2024, Emeka Egbuka had 108 targets, Smith as a freshman had 107 and Tate had 69 as the clear WR3, scoring only four of the 29 TDs between the three.The question for Tate will be whether he can become a star or if he fits more as a top WR2. In terms of his floor, it’s tremendous.

It’s hard to picture him failing to be a contributor at all, but for fantasy purposes, the focus will be on whether Tate can turn into a true WR1. The odds as a rookie are certainly not a guarantee, as only 42% of Round 1 wideouts have been a fantasy WR3 or better in the last decade.​Landing spot will also be of extreme importance for Tate specifically. With the Browns being the most popular draft location and other positive top-10 spots in play, his fantasy fate is partially outside of his own hands.​Makai Lemon, University of Southern CaliforniaMeasureables: 5’11”, 192 lbsProjected Draft Pick: Mid-Round 1Makai Lemon is the analytics darling.

As a primary slot WR in college, Lemon’s 94th percentile yards per route is the best of this class. 76% of his routes were out of the slot; however, he does not need to be in the slot in the NFL. His yards per route on the outside were actually better than in the slot, a very important factor for his role long term.Makai Lemon owns a career 3.0+ YPRR vs man and zone coverage. Only WRs drafted since 2021 to do the same (PFF) pic.twitter.com/PteYy0iuE9— Football Insights 📊 (@fball_insights) February 2, 2026He’s a productive WR, whether it's in zone coverage or man coverage.

Lemon has led the team in receiving each of the last two years, with 2024 being in competition with Zachariah Branch and Ja’Kobi Lane. He’s great at what you’d expect from a slot WR, his hands are perfect and he is able to be a consistent zone beater. What makes him a first-rounder is that he is also a top talent in what you wouldn’t expect, being a reliable receiver in traffic and contested situations while being physical in all aspects of the game as a 5’11” slot guy.​The constant Amon-Ra St.

Brown comps make sense, another USC vet that is a dynamic WR. St. Brown fits perfectly in Detroit, and if Lemon lands in his most commonly mocked location of the Rams, he could be the first dynasty WR selected.

It’d be a natural fit with Sean McVay elevating his stock to its maximum potential.​Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State UniversityMeasureables: 6’2”, 203 lbsProjected Draft Pick: Mid-Round 1In a draft class that is lower on talent as a whole, drafting a risky player like Jordyn Tyson becomes a little easier. The Arizona State product is fun to watch, shifty, smooth and comes with incredible body control. It translates to the field with pure dominance in 2025, prior to his injury.

His worst fantasy performance in his seven games prior to injury was 17.3 PPR points versus Baylor.Jordyn Tyson #ReceptionPerception Prospect Profile 🔥Some highlights: - 67.7% success rate vs. man coverage- 85.6% success rate vs. zone coverage, which is not only the best result in this class, but it's the fifth-best mark since 2021 for a power-five receiver- Excellent… pic.twitter.com/Xi7UucsZkv— Matt Harmon (@MattHarmon_BYB) April 17, 2026He led the class in success rate versus zone coverage and was a one-man show. An incredible stat to show the dominance he displayed (via Jacob Gibbs): Tyson had 46.7% of his team’s receiving yards and a decade-high 65% of the receiving touchdowns in 2025.

His targets per route are in the 97th percentile, and keep in mind, this is all while playing his last two games with an injury that highly affected his production.The crazy suddenness into selling the slant then sinking his hips. He looks healthy. 👀 pic.twitter.com/Hjh4kNxdEL— Cam White (@RouteUniverse9) April 20, 2026As an 18-year-old true freshman, Tyson broke out at Colorado, leading the team in receiving with only nine games played. He