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At least five wide receivers have been selected in the first round of the last two NFL drafts, but the 2023 wideout class is viewed as weak at the top, so we could see less of the position on Day 1 of this cycle.
As of now, there is seemingly only one wide receiver who is a lock to hear his name called on Thursday night, but a couple more could be in play in the later part of the evening.
Who are the top wide receiver prospects in the 2023 draft class and how many of them will be selected in the first round on Thursday night? Let's dive in.
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Top 2023 Draft WR Prospects
Ohio State's Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Boston College's Zay Flowers, USC's Jordan Addison, TCU's Quentin Johnston, and Tennessee's Jalin Hyatt are the consensus first five wideouts to be taken in the 2023 NFL Draft -- according to MockDraftDataBase.com.
This year's class features mostly wideouts under 200 pounds, but the smaller wide receivers have become better weapons and fantasy options over the past few seasons. Johnston is the big man of the group, standing 6'2" and weighing 208 pounds. Still, he's smaller than many expected before the pre-draft process. All in all, it's a small class full of slot flankers and Z WRs.
Even though the class is viewed as weak, the premium on the position has never been more extreme, so all it will take is a WR-needy team to fall in love with one of the prospects on the first-round bubble.
How Many Wide Receivers Will Be Taken in the First Round?
According to DraftKings Sportsbook, the total is set at 3.5 wideouts to be taken in the first round. The odds for the over and under are both sitting at (-135). Smith-Njigba is a virtual lock to go in the first round, while Flowers, Johnston, and Addison have the next best chance to be taken on Thursday.
Jalin Hyatt (+250) has fallen during the process and is not expected to be a first-round selection.
Ultimately, the total of 3.5 feels appropriate and we should see no more than four come off the board inside the first 31 picks.
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