Best mid-to-late-round WR gems over the past decade — and their 2026 NFL Draft counterparts
Published on Monday, 23 March 2026 at 9:18 pm
Every April, draft rooms preach the same gospel: “You can find receivers after the first round.” The past decade has proved it, and the 2026 class may do it again. From Tyreek Hill’s 4.29-speed heist in the fifth round to Jauan Jennings’ bully-ball artistry at pick 217, value has come in every round since 2016. With that history in mind, here are the era’s best mid-round steals—and the prospects who echo their scouting stories.
Tyreek Hill, 2016, West Alabama – Round 5, pick 165
NFL résumé: 4,755 deep yards, 47 deep touchdowns, 99.9 PFF grade on 20-plus-yard throws.
2026 mirror: Oklahoma State-to-Mississippi State burner Jaxson Thompson (4.26 speed, 96.0-plus PFF grades on deep and intermediate targets).
Cooper Kupp, 2017, Eastern Washington – Round 3, pick 69
NFL résumé: 2019-21 triple-crown season, 4,638 yards, 35 TD, 93.2 PFF slot grade vs. man.
2026 mirror: SEC slot technician Jordan Coleman—97.6 PFF slot grade since 2023, 149 grabs for 1,863 yards, 94th-percentile separation rate.
Chris Godwin, 2017, Penn State – Round 3, pick 84
NFL résumé: five straight 1,000-yard seasons, 89.9 PFF grade 2019-23, 85.7 contested-catch grade.
2026 mirror: UConn inside-outside producer Marcus Bell—2,138 yards the past two seasons, 84.9 contested grade, 54.0% separation vs. man (same pre-draft knock).
Terry McLaurin, 2019, Ohio State – Round 3, pick 76
NFL résumé: 5,762 yards and 140 explosive plays despite 12 starting QBs.
2026 mirror: well-traveled deep threat Dorian Daniels—80.3 contested grade, 89.2 PFF mark on deep shots after knee issues at LSU and Miami.
Jakobi Meyers, 2019, NC State – UDFA
NFL résumé: 91.7 PFF grade on outside targets since 2024, 2.3% drop rate, sixth-best intermediate grade (90.0).
2026 mirror: Alabama Swiss-army knife Xavier Bernard—84.7 slot grade, 87.0 wide grade, 92.3 intermediate grade, 1,194 yards on passes 10-plus yards downfield.
Jauan Jennings, 2020, Tennessee – Round 7, pick 217
NFL résumé: 91.1 contested grade since 2024, 39 grabs for 474 yards in traffic.
2026 mirror: Notre Dame’s 6-4 jump-ball specialist Ethan Fields—48 contested targets since 2024, 90.8 grade in those situations, 4.61 speed, 79.1 overall receiving grade.
None of the 2026 prospects above are clones; each merely shares the size, usage or grading DNA that once pushed their predecessors down boards. History says at least one will make the league regret waiting.
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