• Marvin Harrison Jr. takes home multiple superlatives: The Ohio State product is already a pro when it comes to some of the nuances of playing the position.
• A tough choice for best separator: It’s a talented class, and with it comes some tough choices for the “best” in certain categories. Ultimately, we went with Arizona's Jacob Cowing, who recorded an 81.6% separation percentage against all coverages and a 71.6% separation percentage against single coverage in 2023.
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We continue our 2024 NFL Draft superlatives with the wide receivers. It’s a talented class, and with it comes some tough choices for the “best” in certain categories.
Best Long Speed: Xavier Worthy, Texas
There isn’t much more to say about the man who holds the record for the NFL combine’s fastest 40-yard dash time at 4.21 seconds. Worthy can fly, but we’ve known that for quite some time. He has 47 explosive receptions of 20 yards or more over the last two seasons. Texas wanted to get the ball in his hands quickly over the last two years, so his average depth of target is a bit lower, but he’s a speed weapon no matter what route he is running.
Best Releases: Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State
Marvin Harrison Jr. is already a pro when it comes to some of the nuances of playing the position. That includes his release packages against press coverage. He earned a 90.9 receiving grade and generated a 23.2% open-target percentage against press in 2023. Whether it was a speed move, single or double moves, diamond releases or hesitations, Harrison has displayed most of them at a high level already.
Best Separator: Jacob Cowing, Arizona
The 5-foot-8, 168-pound receiver is small, but man, can this dude fly. He looks a bit like Tank Dell did last year as a smaller receiver with good speed, elite body control and good change-of-direction ability.
This has yielded some of the highest separation scores in the class. He recorded an 81.6% separation percentage against all coverages and a 71.6% separation percentage against single coverage.
No matter what route he is asked to run, his ability to change direction on a dime makes him an elite separator. Malik Nabers and Ladd McConkey are two other names near the top of this list.
Best Route Runner: Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State
PFF+ subscribers need only read the 2024 NFL Draft Guide to know how good Marvin Harrison Jr. is as a route runner. Of the 10 routes on his route tree, he generated a 100.0-plus passer rating on six of them, with two more in the 80s.
Just as with his releases, Harrison has such a strong understanding of how to win as a route runner with and without an athletic advantage.
Best Hands: Ja'Lynn Polk, Washington
Polk may not have the “best” catch percentages, but he posted solid numbers, and the way he makes it look when bringing in passes makes them more impressive.
Over the last two seasons, he secured 90.3% of his catchable passes, and his contested catch percentage was 52.9%. There are receivers with better numbers in those categories, but the acrobatic ability and strength Polk brings to hauling in the football really stood out to me on tape. He has 9 ¾-inch hands and maximizes his entire catch radius.
Best At Contested Catches: Rome Odunze, Washington
Though I just gave out the best hands to his teammate, Odunze’s contested catch numbers are too good not to give him this specific superlative.
One of my sticking points with not having Odunze higher on my initial 2024 rankings coming out of summer scouting was that I didn’t love how spotty he was in contested catch situations as a big receiver. Well, he sure proved me wrong.
In 2023, Odunze hauled in an incredible 17 of his 24 contested catches for a contested catch percentage of over 70%. Given his volume of opportunities, that’s an extremely impressive number. With that in check, he’s a total package receiver destined for the top 10.
Best Blocker: Johnny Wilson, Florida State
Wilson measures in at a whopping 6-foot-6 and 235 pounds, so it’s to be expected that blocking would be one of his fortes. His 73.9 run-blocking grade was the highest among the top 20 receivers on PFF’s rankings.
His long arms can engulf smaller defenders, and he obviously dominates them with length. As a player who might end up at tight end at the next level, he’s the best blocker of the receivers.
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