Ranking Best WRs in 2025 NFL Free Agency, Draft After Davante Adams Release
The pool of wide receivers available during the 2025 NFL offseason grew on Tuesday following the release of Davante Adams.
The New York Jets parted ways with the 32-year-old just five months after acquiring him, opening the door for the veteran to link up with one of the many franchises in need of an offensive boost this spring.
While the Cincinnati Bengals' decision to franchise-tag Tee Higgins earlier in the week took one of the top free agents off the board, the addition of Adams to the open market—coupled with the slew of talented prospects up for grabs in the 2025 NFL draft—makes this an ideal offseason for franchises to add a wideout.
Discounting Travis Hunter, who may only play part-time at the position in the pros, here's a ranked look at the top rookie and free-agent wide receivers available this offseason.
Note that rankings were determined by a combination of predicted impact over the next few seasons, projected market value/draft slot and historical production.
No. 10: Amari Cooper (Free Agent)
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Amari Cooper has long rated as one of the premier receivers in the NFL. The No. 4 overall pick in 2015 thrived at every stop across the first decade of his career before hitting a wall following a trade to the Buffalo Bills this year.
The 30-year-old struggled to mesh in Buffalo's system and wasn't the answer the team needed to solve its receiver room woes. He finished an eight-game stint with the organization having caught just 20 balls for 297 yards and two touchdowns.
Despite the down 2024 season, Cooper is still only a year removed from the latest of his five career Pro Bowl appearances. Despite playing for a Cleveland Browns squad that signed Joe Flacco off the couch after losing Deshaun Watson, the Alabama product managed to explode for 1,250 yards and five touchdowns on 72 catches.
The 2023 campaign marked the fifth time in six seasons that he eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark and recorded at least 72 catches.
Cooper could still have something left in the tank as he gears up for an age-31 campaign, and teams shouldn't hesitate to kick the tires on him if they prefer a proven option this offseason.
No. 9: Luther Burden III (Rookie)
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Any franchise needing a playmaker would do well to draft Luther Burden III this year.
The 21-year-old is one of the most intriguing prospects in the 2025 class thanks to a special ability to make good things happen when he has the football.
He displayed that talent over the last three seasons at Missouri, piling up 2,263 yards and 21 touchdowns on 192 catches while also adding another 234 yards and four scores on 34 totes.
As a top-30 ranked prospect on the Bleacher Report Scouting Department's big board, Burden has the potential to contribute immediately at the next level. He'll be most at home in the slot, but he'll also be a weapon on gadget plays drawn up to get him the ball in space.
He brings some special teams value as well. While he didn't return many kicks for the Tigers, he did house a punt as a freshman and could be utilized as both a kick and punt return man in the NFL thanks to his shiftiness and explosive burst.
A lack of size may limit Burden to fewer touches than some of the other highly regarded WRs in the class, but he still has all the tools necessary to make the most of these looks. If he catches on with a club willing to cook up ways to spring him free, he'll be a regular scoring threat.
No. 8: DeAndre Hopkins (Free Agent)
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DeAndre Hopkins' days as a superstar No. 1 wide receiver may be behind him, but there are plenty of reasons to believe he can still be a valuable piece for a contending franchise.
The 32-year-old showed as much during his brief stint with the Kansas City Chiefs last year, a team that acquired him at the trade deadline and leaned on his talents to make it back to the Super Bowl.
Hopkins participated in 10 regular-season games for the back-to-back defending champs, finishing with a respectable 437 yards and four touchdowns on 41 catches.
Considering the five-time Pro Bowler looked washed at the start of the 2024 campaign—he put up a meager 173 yards and one touchdown on 15 catches over the six games he spent with the Tennessee Titans—it was promising to see him turn things around in Kansas City.
Although he didn't see many targets in the playoffs, Hopkins did catch a touchdown pass in Super Bowl LIX and could play a bigger part for the Chiefs or whichever contender he catches on with for 2025.
Having a full offseason to get integrated into a competitive scheme and carving out a more prominent role could see him further bounce back.
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No. 7: Stefon Diggs (Free Agent)
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Stefon Diggs has seen his career take a sharp downturn after four mostly elite seasons with the Buffalo Bills.
The Houston Texans' decision to trade for him seemed to be a worthwhile one over the first half of the season, but a torn ACL suffered in Week 8 leaves plenty of question marks surrounding the veteran on the cusp of reaching free agency.
Prior to the injury, Diggs had recorded 47 catches for 496 yards and three touchdowns. While he wasn't on par to put up the type of numbers that made him a four-time Pro Bowler in Buffalo, he was tracking toward a seventh consecutive 1,000-yard campaign and a fifth straight triple-digit catch year.
It was a relatively promising showing for the 31-year-old, especially after the Bills felt it was time to part ways following a sharp decline in the back half of 2023. Diggs had started that year strong, but he posted just 563 yards and three scores on 58 catches over the final 11 games that season.
That regression, coupled with a three-catch, 21-yard outing in a playoff loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, ultimately led to the team forging ahead without him.
If he can even get back to the level he was playing at for the Texans prior to the injury, he could be a nice value pickup for a contender this offseason.
Diggs is relatively affordable—Spotrac pegged his market value around $13.5 million annually—and could pay dividends if he comes back healthy and rejuvenated after an extended layoff.
No. 6: Tre Harris (Rookie)
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Although he's not coming off the board until No. 44 in the B/R Scouting Department's updated mock draft, Tre Harris could represent a massive return on investment for whichever club secures him come April 24-26.
The 23-year-old earned the second-highest grade of any receiver and rated as the No. 15 overall prospect on the B/R Scouting Department's big board thanks to a rare combination of size (6'2", 205 pounds at the combine), body control, route-running ability and positional versatility.
The Ole Miss product may not be the fastest receiver in the class, but he ran a respectable 4.54-second 40-yard dash and displayed an impressive 38.5-inch vertical leap in Indianapolis.
Those metrics show he should have little issue continuing to beat coverage with his wile and utilize an outstanding catch radius to haul in anything thrown his way including jump balls.
Given his penchant for success regardless of where he lines up, it shouldn't be too difficult for Harris to find a place in the starting lineup of just about any team that might select him this year. He'll be productive from the get-go and could even be a sneaky Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate in 2025.
No. 5: Matthew Golden (Rookie)
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Teams seeking speed for the receiving corps this spring should look no further than Matthew Golden.
The 21-year-old is officially the fastest offensive player in the 2025 draft class, proving as much during the combine by running a blistering 4.29-second 40-yard dash. That explosive test greatly boosted his draft stock, which was already quite high following his lone season with the Texas Longhorns.
After spending two underwhelming and injury-marred years at Houston, a change of scenery did wonders for the 5'11", 191-pound pass-catcher. He emerged as one of Texas' most dynamic weapons and parlayed his elite athleticism and separation ability into a career-best 58-catch, 987-yard, nine-touchdown season.
While Golden shouldn't be utilized as a traditional X receiver, an offense willing to move the speedy playmaker around and unlock his versatility in motion will be rewarded with an impact rookie.
No. 4: Emeka Egbuka (Rookie)
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Emeka Egbuka is trending towards becoming a Day 1 pick in the 2025 draft.
Although his star faded slightly at times during an up-and-down tenure at Ohio State, the talented wideout is coming off a strong senior campaign and looks ready to dominate at the next level.
Egbuka arrived in Columbus as the No. 1 receiver in his recruiting class and started living up to that billing in 2022 when he busted out with a 74-catch, 1,151-yard, 10-touchdown campaign.
Injuries marred the following campaign, however, but the 22-year-old still finished his tenure with the Buckeyes as the program's all-time leader in receiving yards thanks to a bounce-back 2024 season.
Egbuka is one of the best route-runners in the 2025 class while possessing elite hands and an uncanny ability to track down the ball. He has more than adequate size at 6'1", 205 pounds, a build that allows him to consistently win against defenders in the short-to-middle portions of the field. While he's not an elite deep threat, he'll consistently move the chains in the NFL.
Reliable slot receivers such as Egbuka can become game-changers within a pro offense that can utilize their skills to extend drives and keep opposing defenses on the field. If he lands with the right team—the B/R Scouting Department has him going to the Houston Texans at No. 25 in its latest mock—and gets put in a proper role in Year 1, he can become a star.
No. 3: Chris Godwin (Free Agent)
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Chris Godwin is perhaps the most intriguing wideout available this offseason.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers star has had some sensational seasons since entering the league as a third-rounder in 2017, but injuries have held him back from becoming a perennial Pro Bowler.
After missing time in four consecutive seasons—including during his breakout 2019 campaign—Godwin was finally healthy and suited up for all 17 games in 2023. He breeched the 1,000-yard mark for the third straight year and was trending towards free agency on the heels of another sterling performance in 2024.
Unfortunately for the 29-year-old, a dislocated ankle cut his campaign short just prior to the midway mark. He was on track for one of the best seasons of his career prior to the injury after amassing 576 yards and five touchdowns on 50 catches over the first seven weeks.
While the injury—the latest in a series that has cost Godwin 21 games since the start of 2019—may give teams pause when it comes to putting an offer on the table, he has the potential to be one of the most impactful signings of the 2025 free-agent class.
As long as Godwin can stay healthy, he'll be one of the NFL's most dangerous pass-catchers next year.
No. 2: Davante Adams (Free Agent)
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The New York Jets were hoping to find a trade for Davante Adams this offseason but opted to release the wideout when one failed to materialize.
With the six-time Pro Bowler now free of his weighty contract—his $35 million base salary over the next two seasons likely priced most potential suitors out—he's set to become the most coveted veteran pass-catcher on the open market.
Adams has accomplished much throughout an impressive NFL career. He has appeared in 164 games across 11 seasons while recording 957 receptions, 11,844 yards and 103 touchdowns. He earned consecutive Pro Bowl nods between 2017 and 2022, making first-team All-Pro in the final three of those campaigns.
Despite this statistical success, Adams has never advanced beyond the conference championship round of the playoffs. He's openly stated his desire to capture a Lombardi Trophy—even saying he'd be happy posting 850 yards and winning a ring over wrapping up a Hall of Fame bid with another 1,500-yard season—and could opt to take a reduced contract to land with a top-tier contender.
Regardless of where he winds up, he should still contribute as a high-end WR1. He's coming off a down year by his standards, but he finished 2024 with 1,063 yards and eight touchdowns on 85 receptions.
If Adams ends up playing with an elite quarterback in a high-powered passing offense, he could be an All-Pro yet again in 2025.
No. 1: Tetairoa McMillan (Rookie)
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Tetairoa McMillan is one of the prized prospects in the 2025 draft class. As the best pure receiving prospect in the class, he has the potential to instantly overhaul whichever offense he lands on this offseason.
The 21-year-old is the top-ranked wideout and the No. 4 overall prospect on the B/R Scouting Department's big board.
Scout Dame Parson summed up the 6'5", 212-pounder as a "fantastic receiving threat who brings a ton to the table" and projects him to be a "No. 1 wide receiver who you pepper with a high amount of targets per game."
The Arizona Wildcats did just that over the last three seasons. McMillan enters the draft on the heels of a sterling collegiate career, one in which he racked up 3,423 yards and 26 touchdowns on 213 receptions, and has the ceiling of becoming a Pro Bowl fixture at the next level.
While his projected draft slot—potentially within the top five—will put quite a few contending organizations out of the running without a costly trade up, McMillan is ready to hit the ground running and should show out from the jump.
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