Every year, without fail, NFL teams find starting-caliber players at wide receiver on day two, and even into day three. Depth players and fringe starters can be found there, too, at tight end, but the money is typically made in round one for TE’s. Some view this as a slightly down year for wide receiver and a strong year for tight end, but I believe those roles should be reversed.
Let’s dive into the top 10 rankings for receiver first:
- 1) Carnell Tate, Ohio State
- 2) KC Concepcion, Texas A&M
- 3) Zachariah Branch, Georgia
- 4) Germie Bernard, Alabama
- 5) Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
- 6) Chris Brazzell II, Tennessee
- 7) Makai Lemon, USC
- 8) Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana
- 9) Bryce Lance, North Dakota State
- 10) Skyler Bell, UConn
Yes, I am aware this ranking is vastly different than the trends. Tyson at five, Lemon at 7, and no Denzel Boston in my top ten. Boston’s horrific combine showing soured me, Tyson’s medicals terrify me, and with Lemon, I struggle to see the long-term upside. The biggest sleeper people aren’t focused on is Concepcion. Don’t be surprised if he develops into a long-term WR1 for someone, getting 130 targets a year.
Now we move to the tight ends:
- 1) Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
- 2) Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt
- 3) Max Klare, Ohio State
- 4) Michael Trigg, Baylor,
- 5) Justin Joly, NC State
- 6) Oscar Delp, Georgia
- 7) Jack Endries, Texas
- 8) Joe Royer, Cincinnati
- 9) Riley Nowakowski, Indiana
- 10) Eli Raridon, Notre Dame
The national media has really been hyping up this tight end class, and I could not disagree more. There is only one prospect I would take in the first 50 picks, and the rest are round three and beyond. Sadiq will be a game-changer early on, and the rest are guys you hope to develop into rotational pieces for your offense.
This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: 2026 NFL Draft: Wide receiver and tight end rankings highlight depth