Ranking the Receivers: 2025 Wide Receiver Rookie Prospects (Part 2)

by John Laub · Featured
dynasty draft Rookie rankings WR 2

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Ranking the Receivers: 2025 Wide Receiver Prospects (Part 2)

Be sure to check out Part 1 here.

Jaylin Noel, Iowa State

Prospect Resume

In the past 12 years, I have watched more Iowa State football than any normal person would like to admit and have scouted many prospects, including receivers Hakeem Butler, Allen Lazard, and Xavier Hutchinson. Without any doubt, Jaylin Noel has the best tape of the aforementioned playmakers and is the highest graded in my model. An amazing Combine performance cemented his status as a second-round selection: 4.39 in the 40-yard Dash, 41.5” in the Vertical Jump, 11’2” in the Broad Jump, 6.82 in the 3-cone Drill, and 4.17 in the 20-yard Shuttle. According to the Relative Athletic Score, Noel earned a 9.58 score, which ranks 144th of 3,441 prospects since 1987.

In high school, Noel was a three-star prospect, the No. 8 player in Missouri, and a top 100 recruit in the nation. A four-year starter, he was an all-state selection as a senior and three-time all-conference and all-district pick. He also lettered in track and field as an all-conference high jumper and sprinter. Noel chose to go to Iowa State over Nebraska, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Kansas State, among others. As a true freshman in 2021, he recorded one of the best rookie seasons by a wide receiver in Cyclones history: He played in 13 games, earning three starts and recording 39 receptions for 269 yards. As a sophomore, he snatched 60 passes for 572 yards and three scores.

Breakout

In 2023, the junior blossomed, posting a massive campaign with 66 catches for 820 yards and seven touchdowns. He was named Second Team All-Big 12 at WR and earned an honorable mention All-Big 12 as a KR/PR. He brought back 14 punts for 119 yards and nine kicks for 245 yards. Last year, as a senior, Noel recorded career bests across the board with 80 catches for 1,194 yards, averaging 14.9 yards per catch (ypc.), and scored nine times. He was bestowed with honorable mention All-Big 12 as a WR and garnered Big 12 Co-Special Teams Player of the Year. For the past two seasons, he was a co-captain for the Cyclones, and for his campus tenure, he finished high among the all-time program leaders—receptions with 245 (second), receiving yards with 2,855 (third), and receiving touchdowns with 18 (fourth).

Film Breakdown and Skills

At 5-10 and 194 pounds, Noel is a slippery, smooth, and elusive route runner who wins inside. In 2024, he lined up from the slot 70% of the time and out wide on 27% of plays. He effortlessly creates separation with polished skills, subtle moves, fluid hips, and fantastic footwork. With a sturdy and well-built frame, the four-year competitor ventures into the middle of the defense and does not shy away from contact.

Lining up inside, Noel identifies spots in zone coverage and breaks tackles after he corrals the ball. Taking the top off the defense, he splits safeties and gives the quarterback an opening to throw the ball deep. He is a natural hands catcher who is aggressive with the ball in the air and adjusts well to a misplaced pass. He provides special teams utility as a punt (53 for 466 yards and 8.8 avg.) and kick (37 for 821 yards and a 22.2 avg.) returner.

Built like a running back, Noel lacks elite-level moves and jukes. Against press coverage, he will need to improve hand fighting to get off the line of scrimmage. Occasionally, he fails to outmuscle defenders and does not provide a lot of assistance in the run game. In the red zone, he is not a rebounder—posting up and out-jumping opponents. There is no doubt that Noel profiles as a premier playmaker inside the formation. For the team that selects the former Cyclones’ playmaker, he is a plug-and-play special teamer immediately. In the right offensive scheme, he could be a 120-magnet target earner in the NFL.

Scholar’s Grade: B

Tre Harris, Mississippi

Prospect Resume

Despite a suboptimal path to reach his professional aspirations, Tre Harris has an impressive resume heading into the Draft. During a player’s journey to the NFL, the competitor faces tougher opponents along the way. The fifth-year wideout has already overcome two big hurdles along his trek: He succeeded at the G5 level at Louisiana Tech and excelled the past two campaigns against SEC opponents as a Rebel.

As a Bulldog in 2022, Harris was named First Team All-Conference USA, and in 2021, Second Team All-Conference USA. In three seasons at Louisiana Tech, he started 20 of 31 games and corralled 106 passes for 1,517 yards and 14 scores while averaging 14.3 ypc.

Ole Miss

Subsequently transferring to Mississippi and competing at a higher level, Harris paced the team in yards with 985 and receiving touchdowns with eight on 54 receptions. Recording 18.2 ypc, he garnered Second Team All-SEC. Since 2021, Harris is one of five FBS receivers with a 200-yard receiving outing (Texas A&M) and a four-touchdown performance (Mercer) within the same season.

Last year, Harris posted his most productive and impressive campaign. He only played in eight games (injuring his hip/groin area against LSU) and left the Florida game after reinjuring himself in the first half. Harris still paced the Rebels in receptions (60), receiving yards (1,030), and finished second in receiving touchdowns (7), averaging nearly 130 yards per game and 17.2 ypc. He was named First Team All-SEC and Second Team All-American.

The receiver was the sixth Rebel to break 1,000 yards in a season. In Mississippi history, Harris was tied for fourth with five 100-yard outings and sixth in receiving yards (1,030) in a single season. He closed his two-year tenure averaging 100.8 yards per game—one of only two in SEC history to average over the century mark. Along his journey, Harris has smashed everywhere that he has played, and there is little reason to believe that he will not do so as a professional.

Film Breakdown and Skills

At 6-2 and 205 pounds, Harris is a solid-framed athlete who looks like an archetype of an X-receiver. With lengthy and gliding strides, he is a boundary playmaker and excels at slant, stick, and dig routes. He makes eye-popping plays on a regular basis with natural hands. He is difficult to press, beating corners with physicality and initial burst.

A dynamic home run hitter, Harris is an elite ball tracker down the field, savvy at the stem, dominates at the catch point, and wins contested catches. He defeats secondaries over the top with very good straight-line football speed. The senior wins from different spots in the formation and eliminates tackler angles to gain chunk yards after the catch.

Like some big receivers, Harris is not a quick-twitch athlete and lacks premier short-area quickness and elite tools. Without slippery hips or quick feet, he is not as effective laterally as vertically, does not always make crisp cuts, and needs time to accelerate downfield. When failing to gain separation, he relies on size and frame to win. Is Harris similar to Laquon Treadwell, Jonathan Mingo, and Treylon Burks? Or does he mirror George Pickens, Rome Odunze, and Tee Higgins as an NFL playmaker? I will gamble that Harris is nearer to the latter trio rather than the former.

Scholar’s Grade: B-

2025 Scholar’s WR Draft Rankings

Jayden Higgins, Iowa State

Prospect Resume

I am used to profiling playmaking duos from Ohio State, LSU or Alabama among my top 12 receivers. It is the first time that two receivers from Iowa State have ranked with the best in the nation. Over the past two seasons for the Cyclones, Jayden Higgins and Noel subjugated opponents and both are prepared to compete as professionals and impact Dynasty fantasy rosters.

Leaving high school, Higgins enrolled at Eastern Kentucky (an FCS program). He played two seasons and accumulated 87 receptions for 1,151 yards and 13 touchdowns. He produced his breakout campaign as a sophomore, concluding the campaign with 58 receptions for 757 yards and 10 touchdowns while earning Second Team All-Atlantic Sun. Afterwards, he transferred to Iowa State.

In 2023, Higgins collected honorable mention All-Big 12 and Offensive Newcomer of the Year after totaling 53 catches for 983 yards, averaging 18.5 ypc., and scoring six times. He recorded five catches over 40 yards and in three games, surpassed 100 yards. In the Liberty Bowl, he caught nine passes for 214 yards—both career highs.

In 2024, the senior was even better with 87 catches for 1,183 yards, 13.6 YPC., and nine touchdowns. He was named Second Team All-Big 12 and Third Team All-American for his performance. Higgins topped 100 receiving yards five times. He joined Noel to form one of the top pass-catching duos and were one of just two pairs to each surpass 1,000 yards. In the Big 12, the Iowa State duo was the first pass-catching combo to each exceed the magical mark since 2018. Despite playing just two campaigns in Ames, Iowa, he had 140 career receptions (tenth all-time), 2,166 receiving yards (seventh), and 15 touchdowns (tied for sixth).

Jayden Higgins stood out at Iowa State.

Film Breakdown and Skills

Higgins has a large body and frame and a massive wingspan at 6-4 and 215 pounds. With an enticing combination of athleticism, size, and body control, he is a savvy player with a high football IQ and can play all three receiver positions. The former Cyclones’ star is a physical athlete with an impressive catch radius and a very good leaper with nice fluidity. A leggy strider, he employs exceptional ball-tracking abilities and strong hands to win contested battles at the catch point.

In 2024, Higgins played 70% out wide and 30% in the slot: He is a mismatch from the inside. Fighting to get open, he uses pacing, tempo, and leverage to be victorious. With shoulder and head fakes to complement moves, he exploits small spaces in zone coverage. Sudden at the stem he has great ball skills and is a sky-high rebounder in the red zone.

As an athlete, Higgins has a dearth of explosiveness and twitchiness. Coming out of his breaks, he lacks crispness running and cutting, rounding out routes. Against stronger defensive backs, he can be rerouted off the line of scrimmage at times and does not sink hips well to explode upfield. Not a YAC titan, Higgins loses races in the open field against faster defenders. Is he a power slot receiver in the NFL? He profiles as a possession rather than a big-play receiver, and there is always room for a big and talented competitor in the NFL. He comes off the board on Day 2 of the Draft.

Scholar’s Grade: B-

Jalen Royals, Utah State

Prospect Resume

I have been tracking the NFL success of Group of 5 prospects in comparison to P4 (previously P5) players since 2020 in fantasy football. Among the top 36 annual fantasy producers in the past five seasons, only 34-of-180 (19%) top scorers learned their trade at the G5 level. It has been predominantly the same players—Devante Adams, Tyreek Hill and Courtland Sutton. Last year, only Puka Nacua and Darnell Mooney joined the trio among the elite fantasy receivers. It is clear that keen Dynasty owners must factor the level of competition when grading and ranking receivers.

Therefore, Jalen Royals is an intriguing prospect, but my expectations for fantasy success at the next level is tempered by the reality of the hurdle ahead. In high school, he was a two-sport competitor in football and track-and-field and all-state high jumper in Georgia. Afterwards, he enrolled at Georgia Military College and recorded seven catches for 92 yards and two scores.

In 2022, Royals moved up in competition and transferred to Utah State (a G5 program), but did not record any stats. In 2023, he became a reliable pass-catcher for the Aggies with 71 receptions for 1,080 yards and 15 touchdowns while averaging 15.2 ypc. He also recorded four 100-yard games and scored seven times from beyond 50 yards. He was named First Team All-Mountain West and Third Team All-American (CFN). Side note: I witnessed Jalen Royals‘ breakout game versus UConn at the Rent when he torched the Huskies’ secondary for 185 yards and three touchdowns on seven catches.

Last winter, the sophomore had NIL opportunities with P4 teams but remained with Utah State. In 2024, he played in only seven games after suffering a season-ending foot injury. He declared for the Draft immediately and finished the season with 55 catches for 834 yards and four scores. At the Combine, he dashed the forty in 4.42 seconds with 1.49 seconds in the 10-Yard Split. Can Royals overcome the odds and succeed as a top 36 fantasy producer in the NFL?

Film Breakdown and Skills

At 6-0 and 205 pounds, Royals has a stout frame, bouncing off tacklers and absorbing big hits. A jitterbug in tight spaces, he is lightning quick and combines it with a great short-area wiggle to separate from opponents. A smooth-and-fluid mover, he leaves opponents in the dust and rapidly turns upfield. The former Aggie is a superb run-after-the-catch competitor and has very good long speed.

A threat to score at any moment, Royals is a big-play machine with the ball. He does not shy away from traffic in the middle of the field and shakes off the first tackler. With a keen spidey-sense, he wields spatial awareness to identify defenders around him and flee tacklers. He has instinctive and soft hands and smoothly plucks the ball away from his body. He was employed all over the field and is a versatile weapon.

Despite his quickness, Royals occasionally gets slowed down at the snap and does not always erupt out of cuts. He essentially needs to improve hand fighting against press man coverage. With concentration lapses, he loses momentum downfield and rounds off breaks at the stem. He ran a limited route tree and is coming back from a foot injury. Only two seasons under his belt, Royals is a developmental player with an enticing ceiling in Dynasty drafts. Will he be among the 19% of G5 prospects who succeed in the NFL? I believe that Royals will be able to beat the odds and impact fantasy rosters down the road.

Scholar’s Grade: B-

Jack Bech, TCU

Prospect Resume

Jack Bech produced the most memorable moment during the draft process when he caught the game-winning touchdown for the American Team in the Senior Bowl. One month earlier, his brother Tiger lost his life in the New Orleans terror attack. Honoring Tiger, every Senior Bowl participant wore a #7 sticker in Princeton stripes on the back of their helmets. Jack was named the MVP of the game after catching six passes for 68 yards and the game-clinching score.

Coming out of high school, Bech was a top 10 player in Louisiana and a four-star prospect. During his final campaign, he caught 69 passes for 1,391 yards and 16 touchdowns. He also won state championships and earned first-team all-state as a junior and senior. On the hardwood, he played on three straight title teams.

Bech enrolled at LSU in 2021 and showed tremendous promise as a true freshman, with 43 catches for 489 yards and three scores. He tallied off as a sophomore with only 16 receptions for 200 yards and a touchdown. With both Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas, Jr. ahead of Bech on the depth chart, he transferred to TCU before the 2023 campaign.

Sadly, the former Tiger endured a leg injury and only played in eight games, making 12 catches for 146 yards. As a senior last year, Bech broke out big time and raised his draft stock, corralling 62 passes for 1,034 yards and nine touchdowns, averaging 16.7 ypc. The 23-year old was just the fifth Horned Frog to record a 1,000-yard receiving season, placing fourth and trailing only first-round NFL Draft picks Josh Doctson, Quentin Johnston, and Jalen Reagor. Bech was named Second Team All-Big 12, All-American honorable mention (Phil Steele), and Biletnikoff Semifinalist.

TCU’s Jack Bech has some fantasy appeal in the right scheme.

Film Breakdown and Skills

At 6-1 and 214 pounds, Bech is a versatile and tough competitor who is a technical player. At the Combine, he did not run the 40-yard Dash but did compete in the 3-cone (6.84) and 20-yard Shuttle (4.21), which illustrated his burst and short-area athleticism. Bech is a physical playmaker who is a mismatch for smaller defensive backs and is fierce with the pigskin in the air. In 2024, he lined up in the slot on 160 snaps and on the outside 512 times.

A high-effort player with a competitive streak, the former Horned Frog is strong through contact and carries tacklers on his back. He is good in and out of breaks and is a savvy route runner. With outstanding ball skills, he reaches for the sky on high passes and secures the ball comfortably. The former Tiger creates space with burst and finds green grass. He is a very good ball tracker and wins at the top of the stem. With strong vice-grip mitts, he only logged one drop in 2024.

Is Bech a one-year wonder after a late breakout? He is not a straight-line burner or vertical threat who challenges safeties deep. Bech does not always release well and needs to polish his route skills. He must sharpen his routes out of cuts in order to distance himself from defenders. Opponents likely will press Bech until he proves that he can beat it more consistently. He shines in the short and intermediate zones and will carve out a role in the NFL. His fantasy ceiling might be capped without hitting home runs. Yet, he will have a role in the right offense.

Scholar’s Grade: C+

Tai Felton, Maryland

Prospect Resume

For three seasons, Stefon Diggs competed in a Terrapins’ uniform but fell to the fifth round of the 2015 Draft. Three years later, I’ll never forget when I plugged DJ Moore’s statistics into my model. His numbers completely blew me away, and the film study knocked me off the couch—the Panthers agreed and selected Moore in the first round of the 2018 Draft. Years later, Tai Felton will begin his NFL career after a fruitful four campaigns at College Park.

A three-star prospect in high school, Felton was the nation’s one hundred fifty-fifth ranked receiver, and the twenty-eighth rated player in Virginia after earning first team all-state and all-region. He decided to stay close to home and enrolled at Maryland. As a true freshman in 2021, he suited up for five games, and the following campaign, the sophomore started six contests and played in all 13, making 23 catches for 309 yards and two touchdowns.

Breakout

Felton broke out in 2023, notching 48 catches for 723 yards and five scores while averaging 15.1 YPC. The junior was fifth in the Big Ten in yards per catch and set a career-high with 140 receiving yards on five receptions versus Rutgers. He collected Third Team All-Big Ten honors.

In 2024, I saw Felton begin his senior crusade against UConn with an eye-opening act—seven catches for 178 yards and two touchdowns. When the curtain closed, he had logged a single-season program record of 96 receptions for 1,124 yards and nine touchdowns, earning Third Team All-American and First Team All-Big Ten as well as being named Team Captain and a Biletnikoff Semifinalist.

At the end of his Maryland career, Felton ranked third all-time in career receptions (172), fourth in receiving yards (2,207), and tied for fourth in receiving touchdowns (17). He is not the hyper-prospect that Moore was as a Terrapin; nevertheless, he should be selected earlier than Diggs.

Film Breakdown and Skills

A smooth pass-catcher, Felton is a fast-moving playmaker with nuance as a route runner to his game. At the Combine, he recorded a 4.37 in the 40 40-yard dash. At 6-1 and 183 pounds, he speeds up rapidly and employs very good short-area burst. Impressive lateral quickness; he uses subtle moves and wins with sharp feet to get open.

A quick-twitch mover, Felton is an effortless runner who sinks and flips his hips to make sharp cuts. In the middle of the defense, he gains positioning and secures the ball through contact with soft and strong hands. Felton separates downfield with speed and draws defensive pass interference after beating corners. He scraps for extra yards, using good field vision after the catch.

Felton is a lean competitor who does not get physical with corners. Poor hand and footwork make it difficult for him to defeat press coverage. He predominantly lined up in the slot, and he lacks the bulk to consistently play outside. At the catch point, Felton loses positioning battles and does not always come down with the ball. As a professional, the former Terrapin is one of the underrated wideouts in the class and will carve out a nice niche from inside with the right organization.
Scholar’s Grade: C+

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