NFL Player News

The Titans selected Ayomanor in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, 136th overall.

Ayomanor was almost universally expected to go a round or more earlier than this, and at the very least Ayomanor was expected to go well ahead of fellow rookie wideout Chimere Dike, whom the Titans selected with the first selection in the fourth round. Ayomanor (6-foot-2, 206) is a bigger wideout from Stanford who was a highly productive pass catcher and blocker both. Ayomanor has excellent hands and rugged running ability, which combines with his 4.44 speed to make a standout all-around big-play threat. Ayomanor should push for a starting role in Tennessee even as a rookie, because the main competition after Calvin Ridley is just Tyler Lockett, Treylon Burks and Dike.

The Chiefs selected Royals in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, 133rd overall.

Royals spent his three-year college career at Utah State, and as a starter in his final two seasons he accumulated 126 catches for 1,914 yards and 21 touchdowns over 20 games. He was named to the First Team All-MWC roster in 2023 after leading the team in receiving yards (1,080) while setting a single-season school record with 15 receiving touchdowns. Royals suffered a season-ending right foot injury in October but was able to recover in time to participate in the Senior Bowl. He led the FBS with 10 catches of 50-plus yards over the past two seasons, and that big-play ability should translate well to the Chiefs' high-powered offense. Patrick Mahomes gets another offensive weapon in Royals, who will look to establish a role for himself in the passing attack alongside Xavier Worthy, Rashee Rice (knee), Hollywood Brown and Travis Kelce.

The Commanders selected Lane in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, 128th overall.

Lane was a dominant receiver at Middle Tennessee State during his junior season before jumping to the ACC and producing 1,004 receiving yards and eight touchdowns over two seasons at Virginia Tech. While he didn't lead the Hokies in receiving in either season, Lane showed versatility by adding 167 yards and two scores on the ground in addition to averaging 10.2 yards per punt return during his final season, finding the end zone once as a returner. With a 4.34 40-yard dash under his belt, Lane could slot in immediately as the Commanders' punt returner while he tries to earn a role in the offense.

The Jets selected Smith in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, 110th overall.

Smith waited his turn in a crowded Georgia receiver room and rarely played through his first four seasons. However, he racked up 48 receptions, a team-high 817 receiving yards and four touchdowns in his fifth season. His 4.36 40-yard dash and 19.9 yards per catch during his career signal that he'll be a deep threat at the next level, although his route running and hands need some polish. The Jets have no clear order after No. 1 wideout Garrett Wilson, so Smith could have a role immediately, even if it's in a decoy capacity at first.

The Raiders selected Thornton in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, 108th overall.

Thornton had modest collegiate production, though he did average 25.4 yards per catch with six touchdowns in his final year with Tennessee. The Raiders likely drafted him with a similar role in mind, as he'll be able to use his 4.30 40-yard dash speed to threaten defenses vertically, in turn opening space underneath for the likes of Jakobi Meyers and Brock Bowers. That may not mean a lot of production immediately for Thornton, but targets after Bowers and Meyers are up for grabs in the Raiders' wide receiver corps.

The Titans selected Dike in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, 103rd overall.

Tennessee adds a wideout to pair alongside top pick Cam Ward. Dike is an interesting receiver prospect who played five years in college, beginning at Wisconsin and then finishing at Florida in 2024. The production is not eye-popping; he never reached 1,000 yards or 50 catches in a season, and he had just one year with more than two receiving touchdowns. However, a closer look shows Dike to be a bit of a technician with his routes, and he was extremely efficient at Florida with a 64 percent catch rate at 12.0 yards per target. His combine performance put him on the radar as an early Day 3 player with a 4.34 40 yard dash and a 128-inch broad jump. Dynasty players will pay attention to his age (23) but there's still some upside here, especially if Ward becomes the franchise player Tennessee envisions.

The Vikings selected Felton in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft, 102nd overall.

Minnesota's receiving corps gets another speedy addition in the form of Felton. The Maryland product bided his time his first two years in College Park before turning into a starter in 2023 and catching 48 of 80 targets for 723 yards and six touchdowns. He reached another level this year as the team's top wideout, racking up 96 catches for 1,124 yards and nine touchdowns. The efficiency dropped from 9.0 YPT to 7.5, but that can be excused in part by a significant volume increase, in addition to Maryland having worse quarterback play. His fit in Minnesota may not be instantly recognizable, but Minnesota could use another receiver on the boundary opposite Justin Jefferson. Felton (6-foot-1, 183 pounds) is a boundary receiver by trade and has 4.37 speed. Look for him to compete with Jalen Nailor for reps this season.

The Packers selected Williams in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft, 87th overall.

Williams (6-foot-4, 222 pounds) is extremely athletic for his size, boasting a 4.48-second 40-yard dash and repeatedly demonstrating rare open-field running ability at TCU. The problem with Williams is that he might be limited to gadget usage and kick return work in the NFL, not unlike his frequent comparison, Cordarrelle Patterson. Williams struggled to draw targets despite competing against a handful of non-prospects at TCU the last three years, so while his athletic tools are tempting there's not much evidence that Williams will ever develop into a viable starter.

The Texans selected Noel in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft, 79th overall.

The Texans already took Noel's Iowa State teammate Jayden Higgins in the second round, so the dominant Cyclone duo reunites in Houston. Nico Collins and Christian Kirk might be too good to lose that many targets to the rookie duo in 2025, and Noel in particular might get the short end of the stick as the smallest of the four, but Noel's athletic testing and collegiate production indicate that he should seize whatever opportunity he's given. At 5-foot-10 with short arms Noel does not have the conventional build to line up on the boundary, though Noel's 4.39-second 40-yard dash showed he absolutely has the wheels to burn a defense deep if they aren't careful. Collins and Kirk both have had their share of durability troubles and Tank Dell isn't expected to be available anytime soon, so there's a chance Noel plays meaningful snaps in 2025 even though the Texans would prefer to keep him in a reserve role. Regardless of his short-term situation, Noel projects as a starting NFL wideout eventually.

The Broncos selected Bryant in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft, 74th overall.

Bryant was more expected to go on Day 3, but coach Sean Payton has a type when it comes to receiver prospects. The Illinois product is tall and lean at 6-foot-2 and 204 pounds. He isn't a workout warrior with 4.61 speed but that didn't stop him from producing. His last two seasons were particularly impressive, as he combined for 17 touchdowns in those years. As a senior, Bryant boosted his YPT from 8.4 to 11.9 despite drawing 17 more targets, which is a positive indicator. It's a crowded receiver room in Denver behind Courtland Sutton with several different intriguing options with different skill sets. It's a good sign for Bryant that he was selected this high, yes, but it's difficult to pinpoint where he fits in alongside Marvin Mims, Troy Franklin and Devaughn Vele.