Unveiling the NFL Draft’s Ultimate Deep Threats: Which Wide Receivers Leave Defenders in the Dust?

Here’s a little brain teaser for ya: What do you call a wide receiver who’s so good at shaking defenders that it’s almost like he’s got a cheat code for getting open? Well, in the world of the 2025 NFL Draft, we’re about to find out. Last year we saw a whopping seven wideouts snatched in the first round, setting a high bar. This year? It’s a bit leaner, probably no more than five, even if you toss in the electrifying Travis Hunter, the two-way phenom from Colorado. Now, rather than just eyeballing highlights and hype, I’ve zeroed in on the seven highest-ranked receiver prospects according to the draft industry consensus — and ranked ’em by their 2024 “burn rate.” That’s right, burn rate: a metric revealing how often these guys literally torch their defenders and set themselves up for the big play — no quarterback magic needed. It’s a fresh lens, a quarterback-independent look at who really knows how to get open and make defenses look silly. So buckle up. We’re diving deep into who’s blazing trails (and defenders) in college football, and who’s primed to light up the NFL next. LEARN MORE

We’ve picked out the seven highest-ranked receiver prospects on the industry consensus big board and ranked them by their 2024 burn rate. That’s our measurement of how often a targeted receiver sheds his defender and puts himself in position to make a successful play.

The 2025 NFL Draft class isn’t overflowing with elite wide receiver prospects in the same way the 2024 class did.

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