Top 10 Wide Receivers for Broncos in 2026 NFL Draft

The Broncos need to build the nest around Bo Nix.

Dec 6, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Carnell Tate (17) looks on in the first half against the Indiana Hoosiers during the 2025 Big Ten championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium. | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

The Denver Broncos saw some good development from Troy Franklin, Marvin Mims Jr., and Pat Bryant as the season went on, but ultimately, the lack of another top-tier talent to pair with Courtland Sutton created issues. Drops were a consistent issue, and then injuries hit the room. 

Franklin had over 700 yards on the season, but drops continued to plague him, and he had six games over 50 yards, three over 75, and none over 100. He was a fine depth piece, but wasn’t able to settle in as a legitimate No. 2 to Sutton. 

Mims has had minimal impact in the regular season as a receiver because Denver has struggled to get him going consistently, partly because of his route-running. As for Bryant, he did well as a blocker and showed plenty of potential, but not enough to bet on as the No. 2 receiver next year. 

Denver needs help, and the veteran market is the most reliable way to get the immediate help needed to raise the room and take pressure off Sutton at the top. However, it's also an expensive way to go, and receivers enter the NFL in droves every year through the draft.

Fortunately, this is another good draft class with a bunch of options, even at the top. 

Carnell Tate | Ohio State

Tate is one of the top receivers in this class and isn’t currently projected to fall out of the top 10. With Denver at 30th overall, it would be tough and costly to trade up to get him, but if he falls a bit, the Broncos could look his way. 

When thinking about Sean Payton's mold for a receiver, Tate checks all the boxes. He has the size, versatility, blocking ability, and toughness over the middle.

Tate, on the surface, may seem redundant, but he has legitimate star potential to be the No. 2 receiver as a rookie and develop to replace and upgrade over Sutton. 

Makai Lemon | USC

Nov 22, 2025; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Southern California Trojans wide receiver Makai Lemon (6) runs with the ball during the first half against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium. | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

The Broncos consistently lacked explosiveness in their offense, and they struggled to hit deep shots, which fell on both Bo Nix and the receivers. The Broncos also have Mims in the final year of his deal, and could look for a cost-controlled option. 

Now, Lemon is expected to go top 12 currently, and that’d be rich for a Mims replacement, but Lemon is far more developed as a receiver with the route running entering the NFL than Mims is with three years under his belt. The size and blocking aren’t there, but Lemon can be an explosive player as he averages nearly 15 yards per reception in his collegiate career. 

Jordyn Tyson | Arizona State

Nov 28, 2025; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils wide receiver Jordyn Tyson (0) against the Arizona Wildcats during the 99th Territorial Cup at Mountain America Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Tyson is all over the place on boards, and it stems from his medicals, which can be hard to trade up for. Some have him as WR1 and a top 10 pick, while others have him near the end of the first round, where the Broncos are picking. 

If the medicals check out, Tyson would bring a lot of what the Broncos need offensively to the table with his skill set. He has good size, can make plays after the catch, and has shown great improvement in his hands from 2024 to the 2025 season.

However, Tyson's knees are concerning, and when watching him, he reaches for them as if they’re hurt or bothering him after nearly every tackle. 

Denzel Boston | Washington

Oct 10, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Washington Huskies wide receiver Denzel Boston (12) catches a pass for a touchdown against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights during the first half at Husky Stadium. | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

Boston is a big, physical receiver who doesn’t drop many passes and is a solid blocker on the outside. When you look at life after Sutton, Boston stands out as a similar mold of player to replace him. 

There are concerns about Boston's route-running and overall explosiveness, but he is tough over the middle, has good, soft hands, and excels in contested-catch situations. The lack of traditional explosiveness is obvious, but he can still be an explosive threat on jump balls, and he is projected as a late first-rounder. 

Omar Cooper Jr. | Indiana

Jan 19, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Indiana Hoosiers wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. (3) against the Miami Hurricanes in the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Since my top 50 board was released, Cooper has been the biggest riser; he wasn’t on my top 50 and now sits in the top 30. This comes after watching more of his tape and being blown away. If the Combine goes well, he could find himself ahead of Boston and maybe even Tyson, pending medicals. 

Cooper is so good at the catch point and such a threat with the ball in his hands, where 494 of his 937 yards came after the catch. He's a fine blocker, has reliable hands, and does well in contested catch situations. There is a lot to like about his skill set, given what the Broncos have. 

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KC Concepcion | Texas A&M

Dec 20, 2025; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies wide receiver KC Concepcion (7) runs the ball against the Miami Hurricanes during the second half at Kyle Field. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

If you want to look at a potential Mims replacement, then Concepcion would be the guy to look at as a late first/early second-round-projected prospect. Their skill sets are similar, and they share weaknesses, but they can still work together, especially as returners under the new rules, if Denver extends Mims. 

The biggest concern with Concepcion is his hands, as he isn’t a natural hands catcher and often double-clutches. Early in his career, a team will have to play to the gadgetry of his offensive game to improve his hands and unlock more potential on the field. 

Antonio Williams | Clemson

Clemson wide receiver Antonio Williams(0) reacts after a catch against Furman during the first quarter at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, S.C. Saturday, November 22, 2025. | Ken Ruinard / USA Today Co Inc SC / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Williams is a weird study because you expect to see more explosives on tape than you actually do, but that isn’t entirely his fault. He is only listed at 5-foot-11 and 190 pounds, but he doesn’t play to that size all the time, which isn’t a good thing or a bad thing. 

There has been some gadget usage in college, but Williams is a sound route runner with good hands. Outside of an unusual eight-drop year in 2024, he had only a single drop every other season. He may not be the best fit for what the Broncos need, but he can work, especially given Denver's love of the screen game. 

Malachi Fields | Notre Dame

Notre Dame wide receiver Malachi Fields (0) catches a pass during the first half of a NCAA football game against Navy at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025, in South Bend. | MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Fields is a big, physical, athletic receiver who is very limited in his route tree, but there is so much room for improvement, and the traits to bet on that development. He is tough over the middle, a solid enough blocker, and can be another guy to develop for life after Sutton. 

While Fields hasn’t been great after the catch, you can see the room and potential for even more with some added development. He has a large catch radius and natural hands, so he can at least be a reliable outlet in Denver, given the issues other receivers have with dropped passes. 

Elijah Sarratt | Indiana

Indiana's Elijah Sarratt (13) battles with Miami's Ethan O'Connor (24) during the College Football Playoff National Championship college football game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. | Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Sarratt isn't an explosive threat, but he's a great athlete who shows his basketball background when he goes and makes catches. He knows how to protect the catch point and keep it clean for the clean catch, with drops uncommon for him. 

He's a natural back shoulder receiver, and has shown some good potential with the ball in his hands with surprising quickness. Sarratt would be a good fit in Denver's current receiver corps and is a promising prospect who is somewhat overshadowed by his college teammate, the aforementioned Cooper. 

Chris Bell | Louisville 

Oct 17, 2025; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Louisville Cardinals wide receiver Chris Bell (0) reacts after a carry against the Miami Hurricanes during the second quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The late injury to Bell through a wrinkle: he tore his ACL and will miss the start of the season. He is such a threat as a receiver, though, that he can be worth drafting and storing. Many had Bell ranked in the top 25 before he got hurt, so it would be a risk, but it may be one worth taking. 

A healthy Bell would probably be one of the favorites to mock to the Broncos because his skill set is almost exactly what Denver could use, and he fits so well with what they have and what they like to do. With his injury, he could be in line for the late second-round or early third as a team looks for someone to help in October or November of the 2026 season and beyond.