There’s been plenty of conversation about the Cleveland Browns taking a wide receiver in the first round of the upcoming NFL Draft. However, that isn’t necessarily realistic when you look at the history of the Browns and their reluctance to select wide receivers early.
The last wide receiver the Browns selected in the first round of an NFL draft was in 2016 when they chose Corey Coleman from Baylor. That didn’t work out so well as he finished with 61 receptions and 789 yards and was out of the NFL by 2018. The last legit wide receiver prospect Cleveland drafted in the first round was back in 2005 when they selected Braylon Edwards out of Michigan. He had a solid career, finishing with over 5,522 yards and 40 touchdowns.
So if the Browns don’t take outstanding wide receivers like Carnell Tate from Ohio State or Makai Lemon out of USC, they will need to search for wide receivers in the later rounds, as they’ve done for decades.
The good news is that the wide receiver class in this year's draft seems to be strong. While taking a first-round chance on an elite wide receiver would seem logical, especially when you consider how poor Cleveland has been in that crucial department of the team (Jerry Jeudy only had 602 yards receiving as Cleveland's No. 1 WR in 2025), history says otherwise in the case of the Browns.
Here are four under-the-radar wide receivers that could potentially help reverse fortunes for the Browns and their subpar offense.
The Browns can’t ignore their wide receiver problem in this year’s draft
Bryce Lance, North Dakota State
Lance is a lanky 6-foot-3, 205-pound prospect who played against competition that wasn’t quite up to NFL standards while he was at North Dakota State. However, his speed and ability to create space and get downfield vertically make him appealing to a team like the Browns.
The Bison product ran a 4.34 at the NFL Scouting Combine. He's a little bit older than your average prospect and really didn't contribute much in college until his junior campaign, but then he exploded onto the scene. He caught 75 passes for 1,071 yards and added 17 touchdowns. In his senior season, he added 51 receptions for 1,079 and eight touchdowns.
He's projected to be drafted anywhere from the third round on. His big play ability, speed, good route running skills, and sure hands make him an appealing prospect. His older brother is Trey Lance, who is currently a backup quarterback in the NFL and was originally drafted by the San Francisco 49ers as the No. 3 player taken in the 2021 draft.
Elijah Sarrett, Indiana
Sarrett is the other wide receiver at Indiana, the one not named Omar Cooper Jr. He had some good seasons for the Hoosiers. He has a good skill set and can catch footballs in traffic thanks to his 6-foot-2, and 210-pound frame. His speed off the line isn't elite, but his ability to win 50/50 balls is impressive.
The former James Madison player moved over to play for the Hoosiers over the last two seasons. He had an impressive 82 catches for 1,191 yards and eight touchdowns when he played for James Madison. That stardom transitioned well to Indiana, where he accumulated 118 receptions for 1,787 yards and 23 touchdowns.
Ted Hurst, Georgia State
Georgia State doesn’t really sound like a wide receiver juggernaut of a school, but Hurst has the skill set to be a potential superstar in the NFL. He has a good frame at 6-foot-4 and 206 pounds. He has long arms, too, with the ability to catch balls in traffic. He has a long stride with the ability to blow past his opponent in the open field with his quickness. He posted a 4.42-second 40 time at the scouting combine.
Hurst played his first two seasons at Valdosta State (Division 2) before moving over to Georgia State. Moving to the NFL will come with a learning curve, but his speed and ability to generate chunk plays in the passing game makes him a name to watch as the draft nears.
Dezhaun Stribling, Ole Miss
The Ole Miss prospect has played a lot of college football, including at Washington State and Oklahoma State. He’s had some good, productive years, and his flexibility playing both on the outside and in the slot makes him an appealing candidate.
Stribling posted a fast, 4.36-second 40 time at the combine and used that quickness well at the college level. He’s a good route runner who takes disciplined angles. He also has a good skill set of coming back to the ball on routes and being able to catch over his opponent with his long arms.
When you look at Stribling's collegiate career, he was a very steady and productive player. He finished with 2,964 yards on 216 receptions with 23 touchdowns over his five collegiate seasons.