Teams all over the NFL look to successfully hit on their Day 2 draft picks and turn them into important playmakers on the team. It's not an exact science, but the most successful teams make the most of the opportunities.
That's exactly what the Los Angeles Chargers did when selecting Georgia wide receiver Ladd McConkey in the second round (34th overall) last April. There had been rumors that McConkey could come off the board in the first round, possibly to the Chargers' AFC West rival, Kansas City Chiefs.
Instead, McConkey ended up in LA, where he had immediate success with 82 catches for 1,149 yards and 7 touchdowns as a rookie. That made McConkey the Chargers' top receiver, with the 10th-most receiving yards in the NFL (fourth-most among rookies).
McConkey is just the latest example of Day 2 wide receiver selections to find success in the NFL. Other recent picks on the list include Cincinnati's Tee Higgins, Green Bay's Jayden Reed and Christian Watson, Pittsburgh's George Pickens and DK Metcalf (drafted by Seattle), Indianapolis' Michael Pittman Jr, and Washington's Deebo Samuel (drafted by San Francisco).
Who will be next? Here are a few potential Day 2 wide receivers to watch in the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay.
Luther Burden III - Missouri
It feels like cheating to put Burden III on this list, since he went into last season as the projected No.1 wide receiver in the 2025 Draft class. However, his production was underwhelming in his final year at Missouri, and he has slid down draft boards. Many believe Burden III is now a Day 2 prospect.
If he can replicate the production he had in 2023 -- 86 catches for 1,212 yards and 9 touchdowns -- whoever takes him will be getting a steal. It might not come right away, but Burden III has the skill to make it in the NFL. He just has to prove his best collegiate season was the real deal.
Xavier Restrepo - Miami (FL)
Restrepo is older by draft prospect standards, but the production speaks for itself. He's coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons in which he earned All-ACC honors and 2024 All-America honors while scoring 17 touchdowns and leading the Hurricanes in receiving.
Restrepo is smaller in stature but makes an impact on the field. His 85 catches in 2023 were a program record, and many teams in the NFL could use a player like him. He is truly one of the more underrated prospects in this draft class who could easily break out in the right situation.
Jayden Higgins - Iowa State
Higgins spent two years at Iowa State after transferring from Eastern Kentucky. In his first season with the Cyclones, he was named the Big 12 Conference's Newcomer of the Year and followed it up with a second team All-Big 12 and third-team AP All-America season in 2024.
His 87 receptions were the second most in school history, and he possesses a desirable NFL frame as a big-bodied 6-foot-4, 215-pound receiver. He'd be a great fit for a team looking for a big, physical player at the position, and those traits could help him succeed as a rookie.
Jaylin Noel - Iowa State
Noel was the other half of Iowa State's 1,000-yard receiver duo. He's the smaller option but also consistently improved each season, culminating in 1,194 yards and 8 touchdowns in 2024. Noel was also among the top performers at the 2025 Reese's Senior Bowl.
As if that weren't enough, Noel is also a dynamic kickoff and punt returner, winning Big 12 awards for his special-teams contributions. That gives him two areas to impact the team that selects him as a rookie and show that he can be a playmaker at the pro level.
Kyle Williams - Washington State
Williams consistently averaged around 13 to 14 yards per catch throughout his college career, but really came on during his final season at Washington State. He scored 14 touchdowns with nearly 1,200 yards for the Cougars as they surprised many with an eight-win season.
Williams has similar size to McConkey and had a similar college career when looking at the stats. He also broke former Dallas Cowboy Dez Bryant's Holiday Bowl receiving yards record to cap it all off, which should appeal to decision-makers at the next level.
Tory Horton - Colorado State
Horton was trending toward the first round until an injury ended his 2024 season and his college career. Nonetheless, it was a decorated one. Horton finished 30 yards shy of the Colorado State career receiving yards record and 35 short of the Mountain West Conference mark despite only playing five games last season.
He had three straight seasons of at least 995 yards before the injury. That production is tough to manufacture, particularly with a struggling team. NFL franchises will value his route-running and size. He has the upside to be a No.1 receiver someday, but getting healthy should be his first priority. If all checks out well, he could be in for a solid rookie season.
Tai Felton - Maryland
Felton should be a familiar name to Big Ten fans, and he helped his stock greatly with his 2024 season. Felton led the conference in receptions and receiving yards, finally topping the 1,000-yard mark and scoring nine touchdowns for the Terrapins. His speed is elite and adds to his ability to change direction and make tacklers miss.
He's a rare story (these days) of someone who developed in a program and made the most of waiting his turn. He's also incredibly reliable when called upon. Depending on the situation he joins, that reliability could help him carve out a role as a rookie.
Tre Harris - Ole Miss
Ole Miss has developed its share of NFL receivers, and Harris is one of the latest. He played in 20 games with the Rebels, scoring 15 touchdowns with over 2,000 receiving yards. He's built like a No.1 receiver, although not like a DK Metcalf, and has over 3,500 yards in his college career overall.
Playing at Ole Miss gave him experience in an NFL-style offense under Lane Kiffin, which can give him a leg up on the rest of the class as far as competing on the field and understanding the terminology and nuances of pro offenses go. It'll just be a matter of how quickly he can put it all together.