Chris Simms Names the Best Wide Receiver in 2026 NFL Draft

NFL analyst Chris Simms had his eyes on receivers back when he was a quarterback at Texas and the NFL. He's still thinking along the same lines, and recently shared his top receiver options for the upcoming NFL Draft. Not unlike the quarterback position, the wide receiver core is a bit thin, with the top prospect, Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith, still unable to enter the Draft until after another season.

But Simms shared his top five receiver picks, and has divided them into three separate tiers. Interestingly, Simms's take doesn't always seem consistent with other NFL Draft wisdom. That's never more apparent than a surprising top pick.

Simms's Top Receiver

SImms places two receivers in his top tier and his No. 1 receiver pick is Washington wideout Denzel Boston. The 6'4" Boston had two big seasons at Washington, hauling in over 60 catches for over 800 yards in each of the last two years, with 20 touchdowns between the two seasons. But he's not always a consensus top pick-- Mel Kiper Jr's recent big board ranks him as the No. 5 wide receiver in the class.

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Consensus does seem more consistent on Simms's other top target-- Arizona State's Jordyn Tyson. Tyson's 2025 season (61 catches, 711 yards, 8 TDs) was solid, but didn't compare to his epic 2024 season that helped vault Arizona State into the College Football Playoff (75 receptions, 1,101 yards, 10 TDs). The 6'2" Tyson is regarded as a solid, well-rounded pass catcher, and both Simms and Kiper have him as the No. 2 wide receiver in the class.

My 2026 Draft WR Rankings

This is a group where if the right guy gets drafted to the right team they can be a starter FAST.@SNFonNBC @rotoworld @NBCSports pic.twitter.com/Zd2Y9gBcSH
— Chris Simms (@CSimmsQB) March 23, 2026

Second-Tier Standouts

Simms's second tier of receivers are Tennessee's Chris Brazzell II and Ohio State's Carnell Tate. The 6'5" Brazzell took off in 2025, snagging 62 passes for 1,017 yards and nine touchdowns. That followed a quiet 2024 season and a transfer from Tulane. Tate is stepping out of the lengthy shadow of Jeremiah Smith and the 6'3" target is off back-to-back 50 catch seasons. That included 875 yards and nine scores in 2025.

Kiper is impressed with both prospects, with Tate atop his wide receiver picks and Brazzell fourth. The NFL Draft guru has Tate as the No. 7 overall player in the Draft class.

Simms's Third Tier Star

Georgia's Zachariah Branch is the No. 5 receiver in the class, per Simms. The 5'10" speedster stepped up after up-and-down seasons at USC, catching 81 passes for 811 yards and six touchdowns at Georgia. He also projects as a solid pro punt and/or kick returner. Kiper has Branch No. 7 on his list.

While Simms's takes are generally pretty consistent with conventional wisdom, if Denzel Boston becomes the steal of the Draft, Simms can certainly dust off his best "I told you so."