2023 NFL Draft WR Class Makes Up for Lack of Star Power with Depth

Every year at the NFL Scouting Combine, one of the highlights is the wide receiver workout session. This year will be no different—on March 4, fans, draftniks and scouts will all watch intently as the class of 2023 is put through its paces in Indianapolis.

It's a class that has inspired quite a bit of handwringing–Michael Renner of Pro Football Focus called it "arguably the weakest at the position in half a decade." And it's true that this year's crop doesn't have a seemingly can't-miss superstar like Ja'Marr Chase headlining it. While we probably won't see four wideouts drafted inside the top 12 picks like last year, what this year's class lacks in star power it makes up for in depth.

There are a number of Day 2 prospects with the potential to look like bargains in a few years. And if you're an NFL team headed into this year's draft with a hole in the slot, you are in luck—the class of 2023 is loaded with prospects who can do damage over the middle of the field.

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The First-Rounders

The consensus top prospect in this year's class is TCU's Quentin Johnston, who is the top-ranked wide receiver on the NFL Draft Big Board here at Bleacher Report. Johnston possesses traits that pro teams covet in wide receivers, whether it's his 6'4" frame, excellent speed or plus athleticism. Ian Cummings of Pro Football Network believes that Johnson has the skill set to approach the sort of impact that Chase and Garrett Wilson of the Jets made as rookies.

"With his all-encompassing talent, Johnston can be a versatile, dynamic catalyst for an NFL offense—a true centerpiece with the potential to be a game-changing force," he wrote. "This is the kind of talent that's reserved for early Round 1, and it's what could elevate Johnston to new heights in April."

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Johnston may be the top-ranked wideout in this class, but it isn't by much. USC's Jordan Addison received the same grade from B/R's scouting department as Johnston, and the 2021 Biletnikoff Award winner was the first wideout off the board in Daniel Jeremiah's latest mock draft at NFL.com.

There are at least a couple more receivers who will likely hear their names called before the first day of the 2023 draft concludes. Ohio State's Jaxon Smith-Njigba piled up 95 catches for over 1,600 yards in 2021, and he told CBS Sports that he's the top prospect at his position in the 2023 class.

"I definitely believe that I am the best wide receiver available in this draft," he said, "but I'm all about proving it. No matter what happens, I'm just ready to go out there and prove it."

There's also Zay Flowers of Boston College, who recorded over 1,000 receiving yards and a dozen scores in 2022 despite shaky quarterback play. Per ESPN's Matt Miller, one scout called Flowers "the best deep threat in CFB."

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However, while all these players possess considerable talent, each also carries at least one sizable question. Johnston's production didn't match his profile at TCU. Addison has a slight frame that raises concerns that he'll be pushed around in the pros. Smith-Njigba and Flowers are both slot receivers, and the former missed almost the entire 2022 season.

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Day 2 Depth

The first round will dominate attention leading up to 2023 draft, but it's Day 2 where things could get really interesting—because players will be drafted there who have a very real chance of outplaying their draft slot.

Tennessee's Jalin Hyatt is arguably the most polarizing prospect at his position this year—he was a first-round pick in Jeremiah's mock but ranks outside the top 10 wide receivers on Bleacher Report's Big Board. Dane Brugler of The Athletic ranked Hyatt fifth among receivers, but he cautioned that some NFL teams could view the speedy 2022 Biletnikoff Award winner in an even more favorable light.

"There are mixed feelings on Jalin Hyatt throughout the league because of his limited route tree in college and Tennessee's offensive scheme," he wrote. "But Hyatt is above average in two areas that will translate well to the NFL: linear speed and ball skills. Using his ability to eat up cushion and win vertically, Hyatt led the nation with six receptions of 50-plus yards in 2022 and was one of only three pass-catchers to reach 15 touchdown grabs. Some teams will have Hyatt as a top-three WR prospect on their board."

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If the B/R Scouting Department is lower than most on Hyatt, it's higher than most on SMU's Rashee Rice, ranking him fifth at the position. A 6'2", 203-pounder capable playing both on the boundary and in the slot, Rice has versatility that will benefit NFL teams.

"For more creative teams, Rice's bully-ball YAC skills and alignment flexibility will make him a nifty weapon to move around the formation," Bleacher Report NFL scout Derrik Klassen wrote.

Bleacher Report's scouting crew is even higher on A.T. Perry of Wake Forest, a lanky 6'5" 205-pounder who NFL Draft Buzz expects to appeal to teams looking for a bigger wide receiver who can win 50/50 balls down the field.

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"Thriving on physicality," they wrote, "he's a contested-catch specialist with a knack for warding off defenders while the ball is in the air. Perry has strong hands and the ability to wrestle the ball away from defenders."

Perry may be viewed primarily as a boundary receiver, but North Carolina's Josh Downs did the overwhelming majority of his damage inside in 2022. Per Bleacher Report NFL Analyst Brent Sobleski, Downs was a force in the slot for the Tar Heels.

"The speed and quickness with which Downs plays make him nearly unguardable in one-on-one situations," Sobleski wrote. "Coming out of this past regular season, he earned Pro Football Focus' highest grade against single coverage, and he led all Power Five wide receivers with 95 slot receptions."

Now, just as with the group above, these Day 2 prospects aren't flawless. Hyatt ran a limited route tree. Rice isn't especially explosive off the line of scrimmage. Perry actually shares both those questions. And Downs is only 5'10" and 175 pounds.

But one or two of those players could sneak into the back end of Round 1, and this is just scraping the surface of the talent available to NFL teams on Day 2.

LSU's Kayshon Boutte was frustratingly inconsistent for the Tigers in 2022, but he possesses an intriguing combination of size, speed and route-running ability. Cedric Tillman of Tennessee was overshadowed by Hyatt last year, but he's a talented, physical prospect in his own right. Cincinnati's Tyler Scott is an explosive pass-catcher with excellent ball skills.

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And most of these receivers either played primarily in the slot last year or have shown some aptitude at doing so.

Versatility is never a bad thing.

So, if you happen to be a fan of an NFL team that needs to bolster its pass-catching corps in 2023, do not despair. Yes, the free-agent crop this year is uninspiring. And yes, this year's rookie class lacks a can't-miss high-end prospect sure to be drafted inside the top 10.

But comparing this year's class to the stacked groups of the past few seasons just isn't fair. The class of 2023 isn't "bad." It's just different. It makes up for a lack of a headliners with a variety of quality players who can fill any need an NFL team might have.

And who knows? A year from now, as we're trying to figure out who is No. 2 in the class of 2024 behind Marvin Harrison Jr., we may look back on this year's class and wonder why we sold it so short.