The Carolina Panthers would be wise to take advantage of an outstanding draft class.
We are now just days away from the 2024 NFL Draft and the Carolina Panthers sit in a peculiar spot on Day 2 of the selection process. It is an organization in need of surrounding its – no pun intended – young quarterback, second-year starter Bryce Young, with an infusion of skill talent.
Since the final seconds of the Panthers’ regular season came to a close against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, it’s been made evident all offseason that wide receiver is at the top of the pecking order in this list of positional needs, even with the acquisition of former Pittsburgh Steelers Pro Bowler Diontae Johnson.
Adam Thielen impressed this past season as a slot option, but he is not getting any younger. It is paramount that Carolina does not end up in the same situation they were in last year with their original group.
Throughout the offseason, many fans on social media have argued about what type of receiver the Panthers should draft. It doesn’t seem like the team is looking for a specific style or role. Dan Morgan and Dave Canales will be looking for players with alignment versatility, speed, and separation ability. That could be anyone in this class.
While it would be ideal to nab a potential future No. 1 wideout, the expectations should be tempered. Look for the team to draft a receiver – or two – that could come in and make an immediate contribution as the No. 2 or No. 3 on the roster to start their career. Without further ado, here are my top 12 wide receivers in the 2024 NFL Draft. But first, some honorable mentions.
Carolina Panthers wide receiver rankings ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
Honorable Mentions
Jalen McMillan
The Washington Huskies had one of the best wide receiver corps in terms of draft prospects since at least the 2019 LSU Tigers, who possessed the likes of Ja’Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, and Terrace Marshall Jr. Grading out as a top-75 prospect, Jalen McMillan could be argued as the second or third best perimeter weapon from their offense, depending on your taste of style at the position.
A former four-star high school recruit, McMillan missed four games in 2023 due to a knee injury. Even so, he showed to be a rock-solid route runner who has shown to win in the slot and perimeter. He offers good ball skills but will need to lower the number of drops. Plus, he has just average play strength and lacks elite explosiveness.
However, McMillan is an overall strong catcher who can display some creation after the catch while offering quality body control on off-target throws. Whoever drafts him will get a solid contributor early on.
Javon Baker
It is hard not to like Javon Baker as a prospect and there is little to no wonder why plenty of Carolina Panthers fans are excited at the possibility of drafting him on the second or third day of the draft. A former teammate of Bryce Young’s, he transferred to UCF and became one of the best receivers in the Big 12 this past season, tallying over 1,100 receiving yards.
Baker is still green in some areas such as his footwork at the line of scrimmage and being more deliberate as a separator. However, his flashes are worth the draft selection. The prospect offers terrific body control and aggression at the catch point while also being one of the best overall ball trackers in this year’s draft.
Troy Franklin
This will rattle some fans of Troy Franklin. However, this is a reminder that this year’s wide receiver class is one of the deepest in the last decade or more. The Oregon standout, who bestows a late second-round grade on my big board, is still a quality option.
A first-team All-Pac 12 this past season, Franklin’s tape was slightly underwhelming. There are some concerns related to his catching technique. He doesn’t win as a contested catcher and isn’t as consistent as you want him to be as a route runner.
However, Franklin is a smooth and explosive player who possesses sound run-after-catch skills that will allow him to win on all three levels of the field. He’ll be, at best, a quality No. 2 target who can win inside-out as a Z or slot receiver.
12. Roman Wilson
There is an argument to be made that the Carolina Panthers should consider drafting Adam Thielen’s replacement or successor. Despite having over 1,000 receiving yards and 100 catches in 2023, the veteran isn’t the athlete he once was and his role should begin to be limited throughout the next season.
There aren’t many true slot receivers in this year’s class. However, the 12th-ranked wide receiver on this list offers the skill set to be not just a quality slot but a dynamic one at that.
Roman Wilson has the chance to be drafted earlier if the Panthers choose to select Thielen’s successor with one of their first two selections. A key piece in Michigan’s title run, he is one of the more dynamic playmakers in this year’s draft. He is an incredible athlete with the explosiveness and speed to make the single-high safety covering the middle deep third quite conflicted. The prospect uses that explosiveness to eat off-man cushions and accelerate in his breaks.
The former 2020 four-star high school recruit has a small frame at 5-foot-10, 186 pounds, and does not present the adequate play strength to consistently win against press-man coverage. His lean frame will lead to some concerns about his durability at the next level. However, Wilson has shown to win from the slot or as the Z-receiver versus off-man coverage in two wide receiver sets.
Keep an eye on the All-Pac 12 receiver as a dark horse in the second round for Carolina.
11. Ricky Pearsall
Here is another wide receiver prospect who could be seen as a successor to Adam Thielen. Ricky Pearsall may be fighting off some of the white receiver stereotypes that can be a hindrance at times. Yet, some have the fifth-year senior from Chandler, Arizona as a top-seven prospect at his position. Here is why.
Pearsall’s biggest strength is his spectacular ball skills. The former three-star high school recruit has filled up his highlights in Gainesville, including arguably the catch of the year in traffic against Charlotte.
Ricky Pearsall ROBBED pic.twitter.com/FNvC7CszGd https://t.co/ICzsj165w9
— Barstool Florida (@UFBarstool) November 20, 2023
Along with Pearsall’s amazing ball skills, he also displays great tempo as a route runner and the football acumen to identify and attack zone coverage. The Florida prospect has quality foot speed at the line of scrimmage to beat press-man, but will sometimes falter in the play strength department. Plus, you aren’t going to get a sound run blocker, a potential key piece for what Dave Canales might want in a potential run-focused offense.
Pearsall is a rock-solid wide receiver prospect in this draft class. He could go as high as No. 33 overall or as low as the middle of Round No. 3. He’ll give you sound alignment versatility and the ability to win from either the slot or Z role.
10. Xavier Legette
This is another ranking on this list that will also rattle some Carolina Panthers fans. However, it’s crucial to know that based on my board, WR6 and WR10 are only separated by just two points, which is also how close the South Carolina Gamecock was to earning a first-round grade.
Let’s also get this out of the way, Legette is a good receiver prospect.
There are plenty of reasons to be excited about his skill set at the next level, especially when Carolina has shown plenty of interest in him throughout the offseason. However, there are concerns that cannot be overlooked.
The second-team All-SEC receiver is inconsistent as a route runner and his route tree needs more expansion. He doesn’t have great lateral quickness and won’t win with short-area ability at the line of scrimmage. Being a high-hipped, muscular-built receiver, Legette will take extra steps when breaking the stem of his route.
Even so, Legette is a fun player to watch. He offers the ball skills and tracking ability, second-level acceleration, separation ability on vertical planes, and solid run-blocking ability to be a playmaker at the next level.
Legette won’t be a WR1 anytime soon. He can win as a big slot early on and use his physicality to win as either the X or Z at the line of scrimmage, and he’ll likely be one of Carolina’s top targets in the second round if available.
9. Ja’Lynn Polk
If you have followed my work throughout the offseason, you will know that I am higher on Washington Huskies playmaker Ja’Lynn Polk as someone who could be a great fit for the Panthers.
I think three traits could pique Carolina’s interest in Polk: the ability to win from any alignment, ball skills, and run blocking. These are things that the former Texas Tech transfer does very well.
Polk has arguably the top-three best hands in the entire draft. With almost 10-inch hands, the prospect has amazing ball-tracking skills and body control to snag any pass that comes his way on all three levels of the field due to high-level hand-eye coordination.
On top of that, Polk has shown to win from any alignment due to his already rock-solid release packages and separation ability on any level of the field. He needs to grow his route tree and overall consistency in these areas, but the baseline skill set he already possesses will get him on the field early in the NFL.
Polk is also very competitive with terrific play speed and blocking skills. He does a good job playing with sound technique and creates lanes for his running back to hit on the perimeter. He projects as an immediate three-level threat receiver at the next level and should be considered a legitimate dark-horse pick if the Panthers draft a wideout in the second round.
8. Xavier Worthy
One of the things the Carolina Panthers lacked offensively in 2023 was speed. D.J. Chark was supposed to be that but failed to reach expectations. It’s also unfair to expect Ihmir Smith-Marsette to be that vertical, open-the-top-off receiver for the offense.
If he were to be available for at No. 33 overall, Texas speedster Xavier Worthy should be in serious consideration to be Carolina’s selection at the top of the Day 2 order.
There is a narrative that continues to go around that Worthy is just a speed guy with no versatility. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Sure, he ran the fastest 40-yard dash in NFL Scouting Combine history at 4.21 seconds. Yet, he wins in a lot of different ways that can benefit the Panthers or any NFL offense.
To go along with his game-breaking three-level speed, Worthy is a great route runner. His explosiveness and elite twitch allow him to be a nightmare in short and intermediate routes with in-breaking stems. He shows good body control and hip sinkage when breaking on deeper out-breaking routes and comebacks.
Worthy also wins in run-after-catch situations due to his speed, creative footwork, and surprisingly sufficient contact balance despite his 5-foot-11, 165-pound frame.
The prospect’s slender build will lead to some durability concerns. He has below-average play strength and doesn’t win consistently in contested catch situations. However, Worthy’s elite explosiveness and speed along with RAC and return specialist skills will allow him to be an immediate impact playmaker in any offense.
7. Ladd McConkey
When discussing potential wide receivers that could fit the Panthers’ offense, we also think about ones that can win quickly and efficiently in the short to intermediate range where Bryce Young has shown to thrive. This receiver doesn’t need to be a No. 1 target and once again, it’s unrealistic to expect whoever Carolina to draft at the position to be just that, unless it’s one of the six remaining players on this list.
With that being said, Ladd McConkey is one of the best overall route runners in the draft and has shown to win at all three levels of the field. He’s a great salesman with double moves and displays superb short-area quickness that allows him to win quickly and early in his routes.
McConkey isn’t just a great route runner. He’s a superb athlete with the explosiveness and creativity to win after the catch and pursuit angles. The Georgis standout also adds value as a punt returner and could compete with Smith-Marsette for the role should he be drafted.
A two-time national champion, McConkey offers terrific football IQ to destroy and pick apart zone coverages along with the foot speed to beat press-man coverage cleanly at the line of scrimmage. In recent mock drafts by local and national media outlets, he has been seen as a favorite to be selected at either No. 33 or No. 39 overall. He would be a great selection at the position and give the Panthers a quality No. 2 target in the passing game.
6. Brian Thomas Jr.
This ranking may come as a shock to a lot of fans considering Brain Thomas Jr. is a consensus No. 4 wide receiver prospect in the draft. While he is still one of six receivers that bestow a first-round grade on my board, he has some inconsistencies that need ironing out.
Thomas’ route tree needs expansion and he must be more consistent with his short and intermediate separation skills. Furthermore, the LSU prospect is inconsistent with his catch technique due to occasions of double catches, body grabs, and drops. However, this doesn’t mean Thomas wouldn’t be a quality selection for the Carolina Panthers if he were to fall. It’s quite the opposite.
He is one of the best vertical threat receivers in the NFL Draft. Thomas wins consistently on vertical planes, using quick foot-fire and twitch to open defensive back’s hips, attack their leverage, and deploy his elite explosion and long speed to create natural separation.
Thomas has the ceiling to be a No. 1 target in the NFL, but it may not happen immediately.
5. Keon Coleman
Keon Coleman has been a hot discussion topic among Panthers fans for most of the offseason. Some either love him or hate him with at times no in-between. I am in the middle with who he is as a player and overall prospect along with his overall fit with the franchise.
Coleman has elite size and density at 6-foot-3 and 213 pounds. He is a three-level threat thanks to outstanding ball skills and tracking ability. Outside of Marvin Harrison Jr. and possibly Rome Odunze, the Florida State stud is one of the best-contested catchers in the draft, using his athleticism, tacking skills, and strong mitts to come down with the 50-50 passes. He also offers the explosive burst and rare fluidity for his size to be a threat in RAC situations.
At the time, the first-team All-ACC wideout has room to grow when it comes to creating separation. He could be more deceptive and deliberate as a route runner, which would allow him to be more consistent in short and intermediate route concepts. However, what Coleman offers now is good enough to help him when as a big slot and movement Z-receiver early on.
Coleman’s current skill set may not be everyone’s flavor. However, it’s hard to ignore that his current skill set will help him succeed early at the next level.
4. Adonai Mitchell
I’ve been a fan of Adonai Mitchell’s game for almost a year now. Although there are some concerns, he offers a skill set that I have fully bought into as a draft evaluator.
Before transferring to Texas, Mitchell was a clutch performer for the Georgia Bulldogs during the postseason. He came down with significant touchdowns in the winning minutes of some of their playoff and national championship games. With the Longhorns, he helped lead them to the doorstep of their first national title appearance since 2009.
Mitchell is a three-level threat with great athleticism and size. He offers incredible fluidity and nimble foot speed that allows him to create almost consistent separation as a route runner while varying his tempo depending on the concept. He displays quality ball skills that allow him to snag passes away from his frame while being able to track passes well on vertical planes.
The former three-star high school recruit also displays the lateral quickness and salesman ability to beat press-man consistently at the line of scrimmage. Some wasted movements need to be cleaned up before the catch and his effort as a blocker could improve. Either way, Mitchell projects as a potential No. 1 wideout at the next level and would be an excellent selection if he were to fall to the Carolina Panthers at No. 33 overall.
3. Rome Odunze
Now, we have reached the consensus top three wide receiver prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft. These are the receivers that should not be considered a remote possibility to be available for Carolina in the second round. However, there are no guarantees in the draft and it doesn’t hurt to understand what type of players these guys are.
When it comes to the debate between Malik Nabers and Rome Odunze for WR2, it is as simple as flipping a coin. It’s more about preference with these two spots than anything, which just goes to show how great both prospects are.
Odunze was a consensus All-American receiver in 2023, becoming one of the bigger pieces in the Washington Huskies’ run to the national championship game. There isn’t much of anything to critique about his game. In most classes, he’s the top dog at his position.
At 6-foot-2 and 212 pounds, Odunze is a great athlete who is smooth yet sudden for his size. He has plenty of speed to win foot races and has shown some occasional value as a punt returner during his college career. The wideout also has wonderful ball skills and contested catch ability along with elite tracking ability that allows him to display late hands on vertical stems.
Odunze has shown to win after the catch, showing the fluid change of direction ability along with terrific body control at the catch point. He can win at a high level from any alignment and offers the football IQ to destroy zone coverage consistently.
Whoever drafts Odunze is getting a true X-receiver at the next level with the ceiling to be one of the better playmakers at his position overall.
2. Malik Nabers
Malik Nabers is a flip-of-a-coin type of player in the ongoing debate for the No. 2 wide receiver in the draft. He wins in a way that few can and this is something that translates to the NFL very well.
A unanimous All-American in 2023, Nabers displayed incredible playmaking ability, averaging 18 yards per reception for over 1,500 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns. There are times when the box score doesn’t translate on film, but that is the complete opposite for the LSU sensation, who is just as advertised.
Nabers best trait is his elite run-after-catch ability. He plays like a running back after the catch, sporting high-level vision and contact balance. He turns short route concepts into explosive plays due to his incredible explosiveness and burst. It’s safe to say that his 4.38-second 40-yard dash at his pro day translates smoothly to his tape.
The play-style pro comparison I have for Nabers is a popular one, yet it is a comparison that makes too much sense, D.J. Moore. Both have terrific ball skills and play like running backs after the catch. However, the incoming prospect is more explosive and is a much better route runner.
With his combination of elite ball skills, route-running ability, RAC creativity, separation skills, and football acumen, Nabers projects as a No. 1 receiver in an NFL offense and a potential cornerstone offensive talent.
1. Marvin Harrison Jr.
Imagine an alternate reality where the Carolina Panthers still have the No. 1 overall selection in this year’s draft. There will be a lot of conversation around trading back with a quarterback-needy team, especially with the Washington Commanders sitting at No. 2 overall.
However, if they were to sit tight in this reality, I believe they would make Marvin Harrison Jr. the first wide receiver to be the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft since Keyshawn Johnson in 1996.
Harrison is the best wide receiver prospect in over a decade and is more than deserving of being labeled a generational talent. He is easily the highest grade wideout since I began doing draft evaluations in 2018 over the likes of CeeDee Lamb and Ja’Marr Chase.
The Ohio State phenom has very few flaws in his game. Even if he did, it’s more nitpicking than anything. The son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison Sr. is physically and athletically gifted as a player. His ball skills are arguably the best in the league and can come down with almost any ball thrown his way.
The two-time unanimous All-American is an elite route runner and separator, sporting detail and craft in his tempo, releases, and movements that allow him to win consistently before the catch. After the catch, Harrison has the speed to beat pursuit angles even though he isn’t entirely creative in space. At the catch point, his body control is exceptional along with terrific sideline awareness and contested catch ability.
Overall, Harrison offers the best combination of physical traits and tools I’ve seen entering the league. His skill set is complete, displaying incredible nuance as a route runner, ample quickness as a separator, superior body control, high-level ball skills, and elite athleticism that allows him to be a deadly three-level threat.
He projects as an immediate No. 1 target in an NFL offense and has the potential to be an All-Pro performer in no time at all.
