The Las Vegas Raiders and Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan have been linked togehter all throughout the NFL Draft cycle.
McMillan is considered by just about everyone to be the No. 1 wide receiver available in the draft and the chances he falls to the Raiders at No. 6 are likely. That being said, the Raiders would be foolish to not take a look at other options in the draft past the first round.
There are plenty of talented wide receivers in the 2025 NFL Draft, and Pro Football Focus' Dalton Wasserman picked out who had the best ability for each superlative the position can have.
Some of the names are not highly touted. Should the Raiders start considering these prospects?
Best Long Speed: Dont'e Thornton Jr., Tennessee
Wasserman: "Between the big play ability he’s shown at Oregon and Tennessee along with his 4.30-second 40-yard dash time at the combine, Thornton is a big play waiting to happen. He just hasn’t gotten the requisite volume to put up big numbers. His 25.5 yards per reception mark and 99.9 deep receiving grade led all qualified wide receivers in 2024. That level of speed in a player who stands at 6-foot-5 is sure to tantalize a team into selecting him at some point in the draft."
Wasserman: "Higgins’ ability to create space off the line of scrimmage is quite impressive for someone who measures in at 6-foot-4 and 214 pounds. When facing press coverage over the past two seasons, he ranks among the top two players in the class in receiving grade, receptions, yards and explosive plays. He can stutter step his way into an open slant route, create vertical and horizontal separation on go routes, and find space without getting too physical with defenders."
Wasserman: "A wide receiver who weighs in at just 154 pounds better be able to separate at an elite level. Johnson did just that as he terrorized defenders in the slot while at Troy and Oregon. He sits in the 100th percentile among wide receivers over the past two seasons with a 92.8% open target rate. That includes a 97th percentile mark at 77.3% versus single coverage in that same timeframe. Johnson separated from defensive backs constantly in games. He twisted defenders in knots at the Senior Bowl. Despite his size, he will still get a chance to prove he can get open at the NFL level."
