Joel Klatt believes Troy Franklin can be a No. 1 wide receiver in the NFL

The 2024 NFL Draft has more than its fair share of top receivers whether you’re talking at the top or with depth at the position. Oregon WR Troy Franklin is evidence of that based on Joel Klatt’s evaluation of him for the next level.

Klatt listed Franklin amongst his Top-50 prospects in this draft during an episode of his show a week ago. Him being 36th on the list, after already naming a handful within the first few choices and several left to go, showed Klatt just how deep the position group is that’s coming out this year.

“I’m going to go to 36 – wide receiver Troy Franklin from Oregon,” said Klatt.

“He’s another guy. Like, listen, this is littered with wide receivers,” Klatt pointed out. “This is now my fifth wide receiver and I’m only to 36.”

Klatt further made the point by stating that, in his opinion, Franklin has the chance to be a No. 1 receiver for whichever team selects him. That’s because of his ability at wideout to get himself free and then make any catch he needs to regardless of where the ball is coming from.

“Troy Franklin? I think he can be a number one wide receiver,” Klatt stated.

“His ability to get open and then, I would say, make adjusted catches. It’s not always contested like a Keon Coleman, which we’ll get to later. It’s the adjustment catch that’s really uncanny,” said Klatt. “I like that ability of his.”

Franklin appeared in 40 games while in Eugene and finished his career with the Ducks with 160 catches for 2,483 yards and 25 touchdowns. Those 25 receiving scores broke the record for most in school history.

Franklin was Bo Nix’s top target in each of his two seasons there when Franklin was a sophomore and junior. That included this past fall where Franklin caught 81 passes for 1,383 yards and 14 scores. Those statistics put him right there in the top-five to top-ten nationally across the board in receiving numbers. They also broke single-season records at Oregon for reception yards, reception touchdowns, and 100-yard outings with eight total. The 81 catches were also second-most in a single season.

Franklin being outside that accepted top-three at receiver says a ton about the caliber of pass-catchers in this draft. Still, some team is going to end up with him and get high value from that pick with how some like Klatt think he’ll turn out in the NFL.