2023 NFL Draft Rankings: Wide Receivers
Josh Frey
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Over the past few years, we’ve seen a golden age of wide receivers in the NFL. Every year, new stars emerge from the NFL Draft at this position, and 2023 doesn’t look like it will be any different. Here’s a look at the 2023 NFL Draft rankings for the wide receivers that could be some of the first players off the board when April rolls around.
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1. Quentin Johnston (TCU)
There’s at least a decent chance that there won’t be a single wide receiver taken inside the top 10 for the first time since 2020, but whenever that first receiver goes off the board, I expect it to be Quentin Johnston.
Johnston has had some inconsistent play at TCU throughout his career, but at 6’4, he has the size to be a dominant receiver at the NFL level. Combine that with vice-grip hands and some serious explosiveness, and you have the makings for a potential star at the NFL level.
2. Jordan Addison (USC)
Jordan Addison is one of the best route runners in college football, and he can play well anywhere whether it be outside or in the slot. After a couple years at Pitt, he transferred to USC this year to play with Caleb Williams and Lincoln Riley, and while his stats aren’t as ridiculous as they used to be, he’s showcased a variety of skills at wide receiver.
If he were being drafted a couple years ago, people may have scoffed at his size, but we’ve already seen Devonta Smith overcome those question marks. At 6’0 and 175 pounds, he won’t be overpowering defensive backs with his size, but consistent hands and elusive speed make him difficult to cover nonetheless.
3. Kayshon Boutte (LSU)
2022 got off to a bit of a strange start for Kayshon Boutte, including him deleting everything LSU related from his Instagram profile following the season-opening loss to Florida State. Since then, though, we’ve seen the star receiver bounce back to his normal levels of production.
Jordan Addison and Boutte are probably 1A and 1B in terms of route running ability, and the LSU receiver seems to deny physics with some of his cuts.
He could get more consistent at bringing in contested balls, but we can’t overlook the recent history of star LSU receivers translating their skills to the NFL. Vikings fans are probably drooling at the thought of potentially bringing in Boutte to pair him with Justin Jefferson.
4. Josh Downs (UNC)
If anyone has doubts about Kayshon Boutte, then Josh Downs is certainly a viable option to take the third spot on this list. The North Carolina receiver is once again a smaller player that won’t dominate with physicality, but his breakaway speed and explosiveness into his routes make him a handful.
He lulls defenders to sleep and then blows past them with a ridiculous burst of speed. Downs likely won’t be a first-round pick because of the lack of size, but he can be a big play machine at the next level.
5. Rashee Rice (SMU)
If production is important to you, Rashee Rice is the guy to pay attention to. The SMU receiver has produced the most receiving yards in the country with 1355, and he’s paired it with 10 touchdowns. He’s done this in an AAC conference that has produced a number of competitive teams as well.
Even more impressive, Rice has put up numbers with defenses knowing that he’s going to be the guy carrying the offense week in and week out. He has accounted for over a third of QB Tyler Mordecai’s completions and passing yards this year.
This production has come from a combination of size and speed that will undoubtedly be productive at the NFL level. Rice is 6’2 and 200 pounds, but he still has the speed that could translate to a 4.4 40-yard dash at the NFL combine.
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Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho with a bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing. He also earned minors in History, Human Biology, and Journalism. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys marathon training, playing video games, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. For more of his opinions, check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.