DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk NFL Draft 2026 WR Prospects

Since WR is a need, I thought I'd start a thread and lead with this.

Based on analysis from NFL Films senior producer Greg Cosell, Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders is considered a top-tier prospect with projections placing him as a late first-round or early second-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

I agree with this take completely, except about the top ten pick WR... Top ten pick refers to the class, not the player. In the case of the 2026 draft, there is only 1 true top ten pick and it's because he is a QB. The position raises him to that status. Every other player in this draft has question marks. I don't see a guy that is expected to be a future hall of famer. So, the definition of top ten pick changes. Any given draft, you have WRs that don't add up to a Ja'Marr Chase, but they are still better than players at other positions, so they are a top ten talent, for that draft.

I would love to trade down, but we have to be ready in case there isn't a team willing to trade up. It's a real possibility. If Carnell Tate was a Ja'Marr Chase, I would be pounding my fist to say, we can't trade down. We can't miss out on this guy. At the same time, if we don't have a responsible trade offer, we still need to take one of the best players in this draft and that is Carnell Tate.

Go back to what this guy said about Tate...He would be a "S" grade if it wasn't for his combine... That is where he lost credibility for me. Look at the top WRs in the league, most of them don't run a 4.3 or even a 4.4. Ability out lasts speed at the next level. Tate's skill set is top tier.

And there ya go. Experts aren’t as plentiful as many think. Anyone can take a huge “swing and a miss.”

And that was pretty much my train of thought here. There have been several of these self proclaimed experts/draft gurus that make many predictions. Some are way off base and their accuracy is most certainly in question.

I mean all anyone has to do is think about for a second. We see NFL GM's miss on draft picks all the time. And these guys aren't even good enough to get an NFL GM job. So at that juncture how seriously should we take them?

Mike Mayock is the only such "draft guru" I can think of who landed an NFL GM job. He served as the Raiders GM from 2019 through the 2021 season. There is a reason he only lasted for three years on the job and many think he held the job for too long.

Thank you, I have been saying the same thing about these media "experts" for decades. If they are so good, why is no NFL team hiring them? I always thought they were information gatherers, not evaluators. I think they speak with NFL GMs for inside info and make their "guesses". It makes me wonder if some of these GMs might have started feeding bad/false info to throw the experts off their true intentions.

J/C

And to think that most of those "experts" know more about the prospects than do the vast majority of fans.

It seems we can get a solid productive WR in the later rounds. We should take one high and another one later IMO. That would really improve our WR room. Signing a vet that may get cut is also another possibility but again I would draft a couple of them.

As much as I want this FO to focus on the priority of next year's QB class, I am really looking the idea of Carnell Tate.

As they should. They actually get paid to do this for a living. They have resources most fans don't. It still doesn't change anything in regards to how inaccurate they often times are and that they do not have the resources or qualifications that those working in the NFL do. If they were as good as NFL GM's they would be an NFL GM.

Agreed. Take Tate At #6, if not available, trade down no further than #12. If no takers, select the best CB on the board.

At @24, double up on WR's and pick Boston. WR room done.

At #39, select best OG (unless one of the OT falls)...Pregnon, Bisontis.

3rd rd - Sam Hecht OC, 4th rd - Jude Bowry OT, then fill in the rest with LB's or CB's. The Oline is donel all it needs is to perform as advertised.

This is the way it is gonna go down - the guy who was teleported into the Waffle House told me so....

I'm in general agreement with you but looking at it from the opposite viewpoint. Select Tate at #6 if he's available; if not, then trade down if possible. I would double up at WR at #24 with Boston, then pick best OG (Pregnon, Bisontis) in Rd 2, OC )Hecht) in Rd #3, and a steal in Rd 4 (Bowry). Should all come together, we would have resolved both the WR and OLine rooms.

If none of the options at #6 above fall into place, then take the best CB at #6 which is another need or us.

The only WR I would consider at #6 is Tate. As far as the rest of your draft you are only addressing the interior OL. That was already addressed to some degree in free agency. It looks like a combination draft and free agency of four G's, a C and no help at the OT positions. Yeah, no. There's no way I'm on board with that.

Jude Bowry is an OT. We have DJ at LT currently and have lost 2 OG' and our starting OC. We need help all along the line and this should fill the holes, at least for now. As I said in another post, this was revealed to me by the guy who was teleported into the Waffle House....lol

A 4th round project, yes.

Projected Role: Developmental swing tackle or guard with starter potential in a zone-blocking scheme.

Needs to improve his hand placement, technique, and strength.

I think if the Browns draft in the 1st round by team needs Carnell Tate is the only prospect at WR or LT that is worthy of the #6 pick. Every other WR or Left Tackle prospect would be somewhat of a reach at #6. New Orleans at #8 is the first team that may make a slight trade up to #6 if David Baily is still there at #6 but those 2 spots in this draft will probably only net the Browns a 4th round pick at most. Then it would be the Cowboys, Rams, and Buccaneers that may want to trade up for a top defensive player like Reese, Bailey, Styles, Bain, or Downs that would still be available at #6 but certainly would not be available at 12, 13, or 15. I don't think in this year's draft that 12, 13, or 15 would net the Browns a 2027 1st round pick. What it would secure is another 2nd in this draft and that is where the true quality can be found. At 12, 13, or 15 the Browns could then draft either Fano, Freeling, Lomu, Tyson, or Lemon at that spot. Then at 24 they could take either Proctor, Boston or if they really get lucky one of the first group could still fall to 24. Then at 39 and either 46 or 61 take sure up the defense with players like R Mason Thomas or D'Angelo Ponds, or continue with lineman or Receivers with Conception, Cooper, Bernard, Brazell, Fields, Pregnon, or Bisontis.

In this draft I would want the Browns to get a 2nd, 2nd round pick like they did last year. There will be some really nice players available in the 2nd. I don't see much of a drop off between the #24 pick and the #39 pick this year. The top end talent is all defense and the Notre Dame RB. So, trade down if possible and especially if Tate is gone. He is only player of need that I like at #6.

jc:

There are a lot of people who have Jordyn Tyson as the best/most talented WR in this draft if not for the injuries. And certainly those injuries play a role but I think many are in alignment that the ceiling is there for him being a # WR1 in the NFL if he can stay healthy.

If we are going off of need, then it is definitely WR and LT, I agree 100%. There is no easier way to improve this roster than finding really good replacements at those positions.. Reality is, we could use TWO at WR. Like Day of the Dawg states above though others would be a reach at #6, I caution everyone on what it means to "upgrade" the positions.

At WR, I think there are (4) guys that would elevate the roster with NFL starter ready skills, Carnell Tate and Denzel Boston have similar skill sets, with Tate being ahead of Boston imo. Then you have Makai Lemon who I believe will be a stud in the slot at the next level. I think he is valued at the #6 overall level if Tate were to be taken before us. Then as Memphis said, Jordyn Tyson has the ability to be the best of the best in this deep WR class. My caution on him is availability, which he hasn't had in any of his 4 years in college. He has missed time in all 4 years. The injury history makes me not like him at #6, but LOVE him at #24.

At LT, this is where it gets real icky for me... The talent level just isn't there for Monroe Freeling at #6. He enters the picture at #24 for me. Kadyn Proctor is a better player than Freeling on film. He still isn't better than at least 20 other players in this draft, which is why I wouldn't take him at #6, but I LOVE him at #24, I just don't think he will be there. If we want to get the answer at LT in this draft, Proctor is the better option imho, but may need to trade up from #24 a few spots to get him. I don't know that he is the answer, but he is a lot closer than Freeling in my opinion, based on tape. Especially if we are talking run blocking. They are both fairly proficient in pass blocking, but Proctor has clearly better skills in the run game. Freeling will come into the league as a liability in the run game.

Again, I don't hate trade down here, I simply don't know that we will get the value needed to do it. I'm not trading out of #6 overall for anything less than a second round pick.

I think I've firmed up my opinion that, assuming we stay at 6 and 24, I'd prefer to use 24 on a OT than 6. As much trading up/down I think could still happen for OL in the first round, I think a OT would still be there for us at 24. I think a key selection in the first round will be what Detroit does as I have them pegged to select a OT.

In the worst case scenario that we don't get a potential starter in the draft, there is still Dawand Jones and OTs in the FA market that can be had as a bridge (thinking Taylor Decker here or similar.)

At WR, Tate continues to grow on me and I am not concerned with the lack of speed everyone is talking about. There are other ways to create separation- crisp route running, body control, size/frame, QB ball placement that can achieve that.

This is an oft-repeated statement on here. Do we KNOW that that's actually true? For example, we say the same thing about Manziel, but he had the story about zero playbook hours/minutes. I don't recall hearing anything even remotely similar with Wills. The closest thing (that I remember) was a mini injury controversy where folks felt he was holding himself out and using injury as an excuse.

Jed Wills happened to be on the Browns when the best OLine coach of the past 20+ years was employed. If he couldn’t develop with Bill Callahan, he isn’t developing.

I'd be very happy with Tate. I don't think it's a great comp - but when you talk about creating separation and getting open without the element of pure speed or even shiftiness - I always think of Anquan Boldin. He just had a knack. And he always caught the ball. There's definitely a lot more to getting open than a 40 time.

There have been a few people that have started talking about him at 6.