2025 NFL Draft: Joel Klatt ranks top five wide receivers with surprise at No. 1

Just around a month separates us from the 2025 NFL Draft. The entire football world will have eyes on Green Bay, where Roger Goodell will step up to the podium and change the lives of many athletes.

As usual, wide receiver is a popular position in this year’s cycle. FOX’s Joel Klatt decided to rank his top five players at the position, all of whom could wind up hearing their names called on Thursday night.

Klatt does have a bit of a surprise at No. 1 overall. Let’s check out the full top five, beginning with somebody some consider the best overall player in the draft.

1. Travis Hunter, Colorado

Everyone raves about Hunter having two-way ability, also playing cornerback. Klatt says this evaluation is just looking at Hunter as a wide receiver, though. If the Colorado product only played offense, Klatt would still have him at No. 1.

Klatt: “This guy is incredible instinctually when the ball is in the air. His ability to win, regardless of where his body is, is remarkable. He can jump, he understands leverage… He is incredibly sudden. He is also very polished in the way he uses what I would call hesitation and then also the ability to kind of throttle down or not be at full speed in order to speed up once he has luled the defender to sleep.”

2. Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona

Klatt believes somebody will be getting a true No. 1 wide receiver in McMillan. He lists what makes McMillan such a great prospect, having intangibles football coaches cannot teach.

Klatt: “He is a true threat in terms of a No. 1. A redzone threat, a scoring threat, a third down threat. His frame alone make him that… He’s got the frame and athleticism to go out there and just beat defenders. That’s hard to teach.”

3. Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State

Almost everywhere you look, Ohio State has a wide receiver in the NFL. Egbuka is slated to be the next one produced by Brian Hartline. Nobody develops their position like Hartline in college football.

Klatt: “His word for me is polished. These guys from Ohio State, man, they just succeed. They are some of the best wide receivers in the National Football League because of who was coaching them in college. Brian Hartline is the best position coach in college football… You cannot argue with his track record.”

4. Matthew Golden, Texas

This time last year, Golden was not on too many draft radars. He was not even considered Texas’ main guy in the early portions of the season. But Steve Sarkisian began to call his number more often as the intensity picked up.

Klatt: “He never shied away from the big moment. When they needed it most, they were going to Matthew Golden. You talk about big moments — the SEC Championship game, the Playoff games… They went to Golden because they trusted his ability to be in the right spot.”

5. Luther Burden III, Missouri

Burden has seemingly dropped down draft boards but Klatt keeps the Missouri receiver inside the top five. Slot is where Burden might project best in the NFL, having the traits to play inside.

Klatt: “This guy wins on the outside. A lot of it is pure acceleration. He is so athletic and he’s twitchy. I think he can be a really good slot player at the next level.”