NFL Combine Wide Receiver Big Board For Atlanta Falcons

INDIANAPOLIS – The Atlanta Falcons are up at Lucas Oil Stadium this week for the annual NFL Combine, looking for the next generation of players. This week marks the official start of player acquisition season, and Ian Cunningham will have his first opportunity to speak with the 2026 group of draftees.

Cunningham will be joined by Kevin Stefanski and the rest of a new regime looking to make an impact in year one. They will carry five draft selections, but none in the first or fifth round. The regime will need to make the most out of picks 2-48, 3-79, 4-114, 6-196, and 7-231, but the new general manager has already stated that he can make the most from a limited crop.

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“We only have five [picks] right now, but we only had five in Chicago my first year there, too. I think we ended up with 10,” he said. “We love those picks, and we're going to definitely build through the draft that way.”

Wide receiver figures to be one of the top needs this offseason. A looming contract decision on Darnell Mooney may only serve to exacerbate the need should they opt to move on from the veteran. If they do move on from Mooney, the Falcons would have just one wide receiver on the roster who recorded more than eight catches last season.

The Falcons will miss out on some of the elite options this year, but the wideout class is set to be quite deep for a team in need of a player to surround Michael Penix Jr. with.

A full schedule of events can be found here, but as we ramp up to the busy week of interviews and workouts, Falcons OnSi put together a hot board of players that Falcons fans should keep their eyes on this week. In this edition, we took a look at the wide receivers to watch.

FALCONS WIDE RECEIVER TARGETS TO WATCH AT THE NFL COMBINE

Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana

Indiana Hoosiers wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. | Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Omar Cooper is a player I would consider to be the Falcons’ top option at this point in the process, assuming he drops to them at pick 48. He has outstanding coordination and an expansive catch radius for a 6-foot, 204-pound frame. His speed will be something to watch this week, and it could drive him up draft boards. He was a three-year contributor to the national champion Indiana Hoosiers, but took his game to the next level in 2025. He caught 69 passes for 937 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Chris Brazzell II, WR, Tennessee

Tennessee wide receiver Chris Brazzell II | Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Chris Brazzell has an elite combination of size and speed that could turn him into a serious downfield threat in the NFL. He broke out in year four of college, piling on 62 receptions for 1,017 yards and nine touchdowns. The thing to watch with him is the mid-level route running, but he could prove to be the second-best option for the Falcons in the second round.

Germie Bernard, WR, Alabama

Alabama wide receiver Germie Bernard | Gary Cosby Jr. / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

At 6-foot-1, 209 pounds, Germie Bernard has great size with some plus-athleticism for a second wide receiver opposite Drake London. He was a teammate of Michael Penix Jr. in Washington, but followed head coach Kalen DeBoer to Alabama, where his career took off. He recorded 114 receptions for 1,656 yards and nine touchdowns over his two years in Tuscaloosa.

Zachariah Branch, WR, Georgia

Georgia wide receiver Zachariah Branch | Ayrton Breckenridge/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The speedy wide receiver from Georgia is an electric option for the Falcons that could provide some big-play ability. At the very least, Branch can be an explosive return man, but there are some questions about his route tree. His screen game is well known, but the big question he will have to answer is what his downfield ability could look like. The 40-yard dash will be a can’t-miss event for the explosive skill player.

Malachi Fields, WR, Notre Dame

Notre Dame Fighting Irish wide receiver Malachi Fields | Michael Longo / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

At 6-foot-4, 222 pounds, Fields offers elite size. He had an outstanding Senior Bowl, where he flashed some athletic upside to pair with his already outstanding size. The catch radius alone will be something that scouts will admire, but how he develops his route proficiency will be something to watch.

Fields was a five-year player in college, making stops at Virginia and Notre Dame. He recorded 1,619 yards receiving in 2023 and 2024 with the Cavaliers, but saw his production drop to 630 yards in 2025 in an offense that was more predicated on running the ball.

Chris Bell, WR, Louisville

Louisville Cardinals wide receiver Chris Bell | Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images

Chris Bell has great size and speed that will make him a strong run-after-catch player in the NFL. However, he suffered a torn ACL in December that may cost him primary draft positioning. Before his injury, Bell was enjoying his most productive season, and he could end up being a good value selection if he drops down draft boards. He is a big and physical player, but could miss the early parts of the 2026 season.

Ted Hurst, WR, Georgia State

Georgia State Panthers wide receiver Ted Hurst | David Butler II-Imagn Images

Ted Hurst will enter the draft cycle with significantly less hype than some of his Power 4 peers, but the Panthers’ wideout was college football’s most explosive player over the last two seasons. No one in FBS had more catches of 20 yards or more than Hurst since the start of the 2024 season.

If he can pair some good Combine numbers with his production (71 receptions, 1,004 yards, and six touchdowns) and size, then he could start generating mid-round interest from wide receiver-needy teams.

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Brenen Thompson, WR, Mississippi State

Mississippi State Bulldogs wide receiver Brenen Thompson | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Thompson, despite a smaller 5-foot-9 frame, could steal a lot of attention this week and be in the running to have the fastest 40-yard dash in Indianapolis. He showed he can be a productive player last season, leading the SEC in receiving (1,054 yards, six touchdowns). His size will be a detractor, but he could still be a big-play machine in the NFL.

Bryce Lance, WR, North Dakota State

North Dakota State Bison wide receiver Bryce Lance | Samantha Laurey / Argus Leader / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The younger brother of quarterback Trey Lance is an outstanding athlete who will show off some bounce in the vertical jump testing. Lance put together consecutive seasons of 1,000 yards and was a touchdown machine (23). He has some good height/length (6-foot-3), and will be a middle/late-round receiver to watch during the Draft.