The Patriots search for a playmaker to build their offense around has reached another offseason.

At some point, New England's quest for that coverage-dictating receiver needs to end, whether by finding a legitimate No. 1 option in its passing offense through free agency or the draft. Based on their recent actions, one would expect the Patriots to pursue the top available receivers on the market. However, it's important to understand the entire landscape heading into the offseason so that the Pats can make an informed decision on how to upgrade at wide receiver.

This year's wide receiver class isn't as appealing as the loaded 2024 class. There isn't a Marvin Harrison Jr. or Malik Nabers-level prospect this cycle. Instead, the wideouts are mostly a tier below the top prospects in last year's draft with one exception, and that's reigning Heisman winner Travis Hunter. Most view Hunter as a better corner, but his playmaking ability as a wide receiver is elite if he chooses to play offense.

The other big-picture takeaway is that there are some intriguing day-two talents, like almost every year nowadays. Although the first-round talent isn't as robust, at least one of the receivers drafted on day two will outplay their draft slot, like Chargers WR Ladd McConkey did, for example. The key will be identifying that hidden gem, which has been a struggle for the Patriots.

Here are our pre-combine wide receiver tiers for the 2025 NFL Draft.

Note: I base pro comparisons on playing style. When you watch this guy play, who does he remind you of and why? Don't look at them as setting expectations for career production.

Tier 1 - Instant Star/Offensive Centerpiece

This tier is pretty self-explanatory: he's Batman. You can build a passing offense around this player. These players are projected top-10 picks.

1. Travis Hunter, Colorado

Projected Role: X or Z, Pro Comparison: DeVonta Smith

While understanding that Hunter is an elite cornerback prospect, it's hard to fathom that teams will watch his wide receiver tape and ignore what he can do on offense. As coaching legend Dante Scarnecchia said, when you're drafting in the top five, the adage is that you draft players who sack the quarterback or score touchdowns. For teams starving for playmakers, Hunter had 16 total touchdowns on offense in his Heisman campaign. Ignoring that would sap the value that Hunter brings.

As a receiver, Hunter has a great natural feel for finding space and catching the football, along with elite open-field explosiveness. He is a threat to score from anywhere on quick-hitters, which is his superpower, but he's also excellent at the catch point. Hunter registered a 64.7% contested catch rate, displaying legit ball-winning skills to high-point and make acrobatic catches. There's also some nuance to how he works in the middle of the field, attacks leverage and finds openings off-script for his quarterback, which would be fun to watch paired with QB Drake Maye.

Hunter isn't a finished product as a wide receiver, but his game-breaking speed and sticky hands give him an incredibly high ceiling at the position.

Tier 2 - Impact Rookie with WR1 Potential

A tier two receiver could be Batman but is best cast as a high-end Robin (example: Tee Higgins to Ja'Marr Chase). These are projected top-15 draft picks.

2. Tet McMillan, Arizona

Projected Role: X/Big Slot, Pro Comparison: Drake London

Although he's not a blue-chip receiver prospect as we saw in last year's top-10, McMillan still has an enticing profile as a fluid and flexible big-bodied receiver standing at 6-5, 210 pounds. McMillan is an above-average separator and route-runner for his size, while he can also win with an enormous catch radius and excellent body control.

McMillan can play above the rim like a center in basketball, but his smoothness as a route-runner makes him a high-end prospect. McMillan has very good start-stop quickness to snap off comebackers/stop routes/digs when running the vertical route tree. The Arizona product also adds value by flexing inside the slot, where his speed is a problem for linebackers and safeties. There's some juice there after the catch as well, and at his size, it'll take some effort to get him on the ground.

McMillan's routes sometimes lack explosiveness, and his top-end speed to stack corners on the outside is only average. His size and fluidity are enough to project him as an immediate contributor, but McMillan's ceiling is lower than a typical top-five pick due to those play-speed factors.

Tier 3 - High-End Complementary Receiver (WR2)

A tier-three receiver could be a good Robin but shouldn't be expected to be Batman. These are projected late first, early second-round draft picks.

3. Luther Burden, Missouri

Projected Role: Z/Slot, Pro Comparison: bigger Zay Flowers

For those who are longtime followers of my draft coverage, you all know that Burden is my type of receiver. The Missouri product is a three-level threat to take it to the house. He's also a versatile playmaker who can line up in the slot or off the line of scrimmage. Creative offensive coordinators will find ways to scheme touches and put Burden in motion, where his punt-returner-like skills in the open field can generate explosives.

As a route-runner, Burden has the quick-twitch movements to uncover at all three levels of the defense. He's at his best stretching the field vertically or horizontally, working slot fades, making corners bite on double moves, or running away from DBs on crossers. However, he can also win on option-style routes with jitterbug quickness, and smoothly transition into YAC mode where he's a pain to tackle (30 forced missed tackles in 2024).

Burden must answer questions about why his last season in Missouri wasn't as productive as his breakout 2023 campaign. We aren't here to judge a player's mental makeup in this space, just the film, but there are concerns about Burden's mental toughness. Still, his early breakout, film, and college production easily make Burden a top-20 talent in this class.

4. Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State

Projected Role: Z/Slot, Pro Comparison: Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Although he's had a longer journey than other Buckeye receivers who have gone on to star in the NFL, Egbuka had a strong showcase in the Big Ten Championship Game and the College Football Playoff. The 22-year-old initially broke out as a sophomore with a 1,151-yard, 10-touchdown campaign in 2022, but took a step back in a constantly crowded receiver room before re-establishing himself in 2024 (1,011 yards, 10 TDs).

Egbuka is a rugged and efficient mover. His movement skills are reminiscent of JSN because he has more of a gliding style, but he is incredibly crafty with his route pacing and how he sets up defenders to create separation. Egbuka makes everything look effortless, which might have some question his top-end speed, but it always looks like he's challenging to cover on runway routes (crossers, seam-splitters, slot fades). Egbuka projects as a power slot with the ability to go into tough areas, work middle of the zones, and uncover against slot corners in man coverage. Plus, he'll stick his nose in and block in the run game, making him a receiver who can stay on the field in all situations.

There are flashier movers in this tier that are projected first-round picks, but Egbuka's route polish and toughness are safe bets for teams needing a plug-and-play starter.

5. Matthew Golden, Texas

Projected Role: Z/Slot, Pro Comparison: Deion Branch

As another riser due to his play in the College Football Playoff, Golden averaged nearly 103 receiving yards per game in Texas's final four games between the SEC title game and the CFP. The Longhorns wideout is reminiscent of former Patriots Super Bowl MVP Deion Branch because he's a bursty and savvy route-runner who runs QB-friendly routes.

Golden primarily wins by accelerating off the line of scrimmage to sell vertical routes before smoothly slamming on the breaks to make hard, angular cuts that create separation. Golden has an extra gear when breaking at the top of routes and has a high IQ to find zone voids. He'll also make some terrific adjustments on off-target throws, flashing excellent body control and hands to make catches outside his frame. Golden plays the game at a great pace with natural ball skills and quick-twitch movements to create separation as a route runner.

The Texas product projects as a production speed slot, a viable option in motion, and can eat up off-coverage when he aligns on the outside. However, a smallish frame and lack of physicality to win in isolation vs. press-man could limit his usage as an 'X' receiver on the perimeter.

Tier 4 - High-End Complementary Receiver with Too Many Red Flags for Tier Three

6. Tez Johnson, Oregon

Projected Role: Z/Slot, Pro Comparison: Tank Dell

The Oregon product gets his own tier because he has tier-three talent, but his 156-pound frame comes with obvious durability concerns. Some teams won't be able to take on that risk, opting for safer prospects who don't have Johnson's ceiling but are more likely to stay healthy. Frankly, the Patriots are probably in that boat since they cannot afford to blow another high-draft pick on a receiver. Still, Johnson deserves his flowers.

Johnson is an electric playmaker with elite speed, separation quickness, and burst after the catch. He's more than a one-trick pony, as Johnson has excellent quickness at the first two levels to complete his route tree from the slot. Johnson will need to prove he can stay healthy and be quick enough to avoid physical coverage, but with the proper usage, his play speed will be a problem for opposing defenses.

Tier 5 - Complementary Receiver (WR2/3)

A tier-four receiver is a legitimate candidate to be a top-three wideout on an NFL depth chart. These are projected day-two draft picks. This will be an interesting tier for the Patriots, who could find that hidden gem with one of their three day-two picks out of this cluster.

7. Jaylin Noel, Iowa State

Projected Role: Z/Slot, Pro Comparison: Tyler Lockett

Stacking the Cyclone receivers in this draft is a flavor thing. If you prefer big-bodied pass-catchers, Higgins will be ranked above Noel. However, this scribe is a sucker for separation, and that's what Noel brings to the table. Noel's production steadily improved at Iowa State, with a career-high 1,193 yards and eight touchdowns this past season. He then went on to have a stellar week in Mobile at the Senior Bowl, where he was voted the toughest cover in practices by defenders on his team.

Noel is an urgent route-runner with the suddenness and body control to make sharp angular cuts that tend to translate at the next level. There's very little wasted movement or drifting to Noel's routes: when he gets to the top of the route, he's snapping it off and bursting through the break. On film, there are so many NFL-caliber routes in terms of the details and movements, especially in the drive phase where Noel is out of the break efficiently, already gaining ground through the cut. There's also a third-level threat to his game, with the ability to win on deep crossers, slot fades, and inside posts.

The only slightly disappointing aspect of Noel's game is that he's not a YAC demon in terms of his elusiveness and breakaway speed. He only averaged 4.2 yards after the catch, with three forced missed tackles on 80 receptions. However, Noel has a PhD in route running.

8. Jayden Higgins, Iowa State

Projected Role: X/Big Slot, Pro Comparison: Michael Pittman

Higgins is the day-two Tet McMillan. At nearly 6-4, 217 pounds, Higgins is also a graceful mover who can win the ball downfield with physicality and a large catch radius. However, his skill as a possession receiver makes it easier to project a high-volume role as an 'X' or big slot at the next level. Last season, Higgins was one of the highest-graded receivers in the FBS with 1,185 yards and nine touchdowns.

Along with flashing the body control and hands to win contested catches, Higgins is at his best when he can open up his long strides to get defenders on their heels and then cut across their faces on in-breaking routes, creating enough separation to use his frame to shield the catch point. Although his top-end speed isn't threatening on the outside, Higgins is another big-framed receiver who can stretch the field from the slot, making it a possibility that he can cover up below-average speed to play on the outside by winning vertically in the middle of the field.

The reason we aren't higher on Higgins is that his play speed is a concern. Higgins isn't a threat to run by defenders playing on the outside and will need to release with dynamic burst more consistently off the line of scrimmage, or he might wear coverage at the next level. Still, Higgins has a chance to make an impact with his fluidity and size.

9. Elic Ayomanor, Stanford

Projected Role: X/Big Slot, Pro Comparison: JuJu Smith-Schuster

It was tempting to have Ayomanor higher in this ranking after watching him go wild for 13 catches, 294 yards, and three touchdowns vs. Colorado in 2023. For my money, that was one of the best tapes of any receiver in this class, with seven catches for 133 yards and two scores coming with Travis Hunter in primary coverage (Hunter's worst game as a CB).

Ayomanor is a thickly built receiver who is very physical throughout the route to win hand-fighting battles and with body positioning to keep. He's also very good at limiting surface area when he releases off the line with sudden lateral movements to slither around press-man corners and flashes good acceleration to run by defenders once he clears jams. When he faces off-coverage, Ayomanor uses an effective rocker step and head fakes to get defenders leaning in the wrong direction. He shows good savvy in setting up route breaks and finding space working against zone coverages. Due to his thick lower body, Ayomanor can also run through arm tackles with good contact balance to pick up yards after the catch.

The Stanford product will need to cover up a lack of top-end speed, cut down on drops (12 over the last two seasons), and eliminate wasted movement at the top of routes. But there's a certain sturdiness to his game that bodes well for him to handle the physicality of NFL coverage.

10. Tre Harris, Ole Miss

Projected Role: X, Pro Comparison: Brandon LaFell

Harris is another prototypical 'X' receiver build who will need to make up for a lack of blazing speed with savvy, which he often did at Ole Miss. LaFell, the former Pats Super Bowl champ, was a 4.58-second 40 guy who didn't have high-end speed. However, he was crafty, got to his spots on the same page as the quarterback, and was able to finish through contact. Harris, who has the smarts to be a good pro receiver, is similar to LaFell.

Harris is at his best when he can attack off-coverage with above-average change-of-direction talent for a 6-3 210-pound receiver. He has separation quickness on hitches, digs, and outs and is a good salesman to get defenders leaning in the wrong direction. Harris will change gears throughout the route to keep defenders off-balance, and he can finish off-target throws with a large catch radius to erase poor accuracy.

There's a lot to like about Harris's route-running polish. However, he's more of a long-strider who needs to build up speed rather than an instant accelerator. Teams must also medically clear Harris from a hip/groin injury that plagued him in 2024.

11. Jalen Royals, Utah State

Projected Role: Z/Slot, Pro Comparison: Jayden Reed

As a smaller-school prospect whose season was cut short due to a foot injury in 2024, it would be easy to sleep on Royals. However, he's a legitimate big-play threat with easy speed to either separate over the top or take quick hitters to the house. Despite only playing eight games, Royals tallied 55 catches for 839 yards and six touchdowns last season, including a stellar nine catches for 211 yards and two touchdowns vs. Boise State (eventual CFP participant).

Along with his breakaway speed, the appeal with Royals is that he has a thicker lower half at 5-11 210 pounds than other receivers in his mold. Royals' build allows him to break tackles and withstand a high volume as a ball carrier, forcing 17 missed tackles last season. Royals adds schemed touch merchant on screens and sweeps to his field-stretching ability. Plus, he can generate explosives on quick hitters like slants and hitches. Due to his stalkier frame, Royals is more than just a speed guy.

12. Xavier Restrepo, Miami

Projected Role: Slot, Pro Comparison: Danny Amendola

The player comparison says it all: Restrepo fits the bill if the Patriots want the high-volume, jitterbug slot back in the offense under Josh McDaniels. The Miami product will be limited by his smaller frame and lack of top-end speed. But he's wicked quick at the top of routes, looking like a natural fit on the juke series a la Amendola, Edelman, and Welker.

Restrepo also has a running-back-like build with a squatty frame, making him more durable for a high-volume role out of the slot. He's also able to gain yards after the catch, averaging 7.3 yards after the catch on his 69 receptions in 2024. Restrepo won't offer much in terms of vertical separation, as he struggles to stack defenders on slot fades, but he's lightning-quick and is willing to go over the middle of the field.

13. Jack Bech, TCU

Projected Role: X/Big Slot, Pro Comparison: Jauan Jennings

There are things to appreciate about Bech's game that make him a potential undervalued prospect. Bech is an efficient and tough receiver who prioritizes precision over flash, which can be refreshing. You won't see many multi-break routes or splashy releases that create oodles of separation from Bech, but his straight to the point style works.

Bech is also willing to go into the hard areas and absorb contact to make catches in crowds, with just one drop and a 65 percent contested catch rate on 91 targets last season. Lastly, Bech is productive after the catch with some burst and is a bully with the ball. He's at his best working one-cut routes, crossers, and running the seam. Bech might need to be a "big" slot or run routes in tight to the formation because his long speed and release quickness are subpar to be a true ball-winner outside the numbers. Still, he should carve out a role as a QB-friendly target.

14. Isaiah Bond, Texas

Projected Role: Z/Slot, Pro Comparison: Jaylen Waddle Lite

Bond is a boom-or-bust prospect with elite play speed but was inconsistent at two major college programs and is a bit of a one-trick pony. That description will likely turn off most Patriots fans, but if you want a field-stretching athlete on vertical routes, crossers, and schemed touches, Bond is a burner who will likely put down a heck of a time in the 40-yard dash. There's some start-stop ability to snap off routes on vertical stems that could add branches to his route tree, and he's a dynamic mover in all facets, including on schemed touches. However, Bond is more moldable athlete than polished receiver at this stage.

Tier 5 - Role-Specific Contributor

A tier-five receiver has the talent to contribute to an NFL offense, but his usage must be creative. These are projected mid-round draft picks.

15. Savion Williams, TCU

Projected Role: Hybrid, Pro Comparison: Cordarrelle Patterson

Williams was a fun study due to his versatility and explosiveness for a massive offensive playmaker (6-5, 225). The TCU product has the game-breaking speed to run by defenders on vertical routes, turn the corner as a ball carrier, and create yards after the catch on schemed touches/quick hitters. He took reps as an outside receiver, slot receiver, running back, H-Back, and wildcat QB at TCU. Like Patterson, there are major concerns with drops/ball skills and route-running polish. Williams is a body catcher with some ugly drops on tape (eight in total), and his usage will determine his NFL ceiling. Still, few athletes move like Williams at his size, and a creative OC will find ways for him to contribute.

Honorable mentions: Tai Felton (Maryland), Tory Horton (Colorado St.), Ricky White (UNLV), Pat Bryant (Illinois), Nick Nash (San Jose State)

DISCLAIMER: The views and thoughts expressed in this article are those of the writer and don't necessarily reflect those of the organization. Read Full Disclaimer