NFL Player News

The Dolphins selected Washington in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 184th overall.

Washington was expected to go a good two rounds earlier than this, so the former Virginia and Northwestern standout could prove to be a nice pick for the Dolphins this late. Washington doesn't look like your typical coach Mike McDaniel wideout at 5-foot-9, 191 pounds, and he lacks the lateral dynamism of wideouts like Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, but it seems like Washington should be able to assist the Dolphins offense if only in a small role. More specifically, at his height Washington is likely somewhat slot dependent, and unlike most slot wideouts he's more explosive vertically than laterally. With a 4.47-second 40-yard dash and standout hands, there should be enough here for McDaniel to figure something out, just perhaps never in a starting role for Washington.

The Titans selected Jackson in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 182nd overall.

Tennessee revamped its wide receiver corps this offseason with the addition of Calvin Ridley, who will pair with DeAndre Hopkins to dominate targets. After that duo, things are a bit murky, but Jackson isn't particularly likely to fill the void. He's undersized and not impressive athletically -- aside from his 4.42 40-yard dash time -- which limited him to the slot while at Tulane. He could be competing with Kyle Philips for a roster spot in training camp, as the duo overlap both in their role as slot receiver and also as an option to return punts.

The Saints selected Means in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 170th overall.

Means took awhile to settle into a program during his collegiate career, but things came together in his final two seasons of eligibility with Pitt. He turned in 41 receptions for 721 yards and six touchdowns in his senior season, though that production came when he was 22 years old. Means is a lengthy receiver (86th percentile wingspan) with plenty of size (212 pounds), making him an interesting player in contested catch situations by the goal line. He also lands in a decent situation, as the Saints lack reliable pass catchers behind Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed.

The Browns selected Thrash in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 156th overall.

Thrash (6-feet, 188 pounds) is a graceful wideout with good speed (4.46-second 40-yard dash) and was productive enough at Louisville and Georgia State for people to suspect he has real skill as a wideout. The problem for his pro projection is that Thrash looks and plays like a featherweight, meaning his otherwise graceful route running is liable to get knocked off course. Similarly, Thrash is unlikely to hold up well at the catch point if it's in the middle of traffic. Thrash might be something like Nelson Agholor at the NFL level -- a wideout ideally used situationally and one at his best when the field is wide open.

The Eagles selected Smith in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 152nd overall.

Smith (5-foot-9, 190 pounds) is a short but stocky receiver who showed a fair amount of promise throughout his Texas A&M career. Given his build, it's unlikely that Smith will play much on the boundary in the NFL, but as a horizontally oriented slot type, he might surprise some with his playmaking ability. Although a fifth-year player, Smith was productive during his true freshman and sophomore seasons, so he's already proven that his standout production was not due to any age advantage. Smith should push for slot reps on offense and the punt returner role on special teams for the Eagles.

The Colts selected Gould in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 142nd overall.

Gould will join Adonai Mitchell as rookies in the Colts' receiver room, though Gould is far less likely to make an immediate offensive impact. He didn't break out until his fifth season with Oregon State, when he posted 44 receptions for 718 yards and two touchdowns. However, Indianapolis may have opted for Gould due to his skills on special teams, as he was an elite punt returner with the Beavers -- earning All-American and All Pac-12 Honors in 2022 after leading the nation with a punt return average of 18.3 yards.

The 49ers selected Cowing in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 135th overall.

San Francisco is raising some eyebrows with its draft thus far, making Cowing its second receiver pick in the first four rounds. As the roster's currently constructed, Cowing is effectively blocked from seeing the field, but some movement could change that outlook. As a player, Cowing is best described as an undersized playmaker at 5-foot-8, 168 pounds with 4.38 speed and strong college production. Cowing starred at UTEP with 1,354 yards and seven touchdowns in 2021, which put him on the Power 5 radar. He transferred to Arizona, where he caught 20 touchdowns and recorded nearly 2,000 receiving yards over two seasons. The Tank Dell comparisons will follow him as a small and dynamic player out of the slot, but it will take time for him to live up to that in San Francisco as it stands.

The Ravens selected Walker in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 113th overall.

Walker led Kent State in receiving yards and touchdowns back in 2022 before transferring to North Carolina last season, but a delay in eligibility saw the soon-to-be 23-year-old play in only eight games with the Tar Heels. Walker still managed to find a way to lead the team in touchdown receptions and by all accounts seems to possess both the level-headed nature and frame (6-foot-2, 193 pounds) to be a productive receiver at the NFL level. The talented wideout didn't necessarily display the type of game speed that saw Walker register a 4.36 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, but his ability to threaten defenses in the second level will add another element to a Baltimore receiving corps that's brimming with young talent.

The Patriots selected Baker in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 110th overall.

Baker was a four-star recruit and spent his first two years of college at Alabama. He struggled to get on the field with the Crimson Tide before ultimately transferring to UCF, where he combined to post 108 receptions for 1,936 yards and 12 touchdowns in his last two seasons. Baker's ability to translate to the NFL is in question, as he was a big-play threat in college but posted only mediocre size-adjusted speed at the NFL Combine. Nevertheless, the Patriots lack clarity on their wide receiver depth chart, so Baker could emerge with a bigger role than expected.

The Broncos selected Franklin in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 102nd overall.

Franklin had impressive production throughout his collegiate career at Oregon, posting 891 receiving yards and nine touchdowns as a sophomore in 2022. He also showed impressive speed and leaping ability at the NFL Combine, though questions about his route running and thin stature (6-foot-2, 172 pounds) caused him to slip a bit down the draft board. Franklin could contribute immediately on offense, particularly as he'll join Bo Nix -- his college quarterback -- in Denver.