The 2023 NFL Draft is right around the corner with the 1st Round getting underway on Thursday, April 27th. As you check out NFL mock drafts and update fantasy football rankings, it's time to take a closer look at NFL Draft wide receiver prospects. If you missed it, check out my scouting reports for the top NFL Draft WR rookies like Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Quentin Johnston. Just outside of those top names, though, we have a ton of wide receiver sleeper prospects who could rise up dynasty rookie rankings and emerge as viable fantasy football draft picks. Names like Cedric Tillman, Tyler Scott, and Nathaniel Dell are among the top rookie WR sleepers to know. Let's now break down some of these under-the-radar wideouts ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft.

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2023 NFL Draft Wide Receiver Prospect Sleepers

Cedric Tillman, Tennessee

While teammate Jalin Hyatt might be the first Tennessee wide receiver drafted, Cedric Tillman could easily end up as the better pro wideout. At 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, Tillman is built like a prototypical outside receiver who plays with physicality and strength. He’s one of the bigger-bodied receivers among the top-tier prospects this year, which could push him up draft boards to the second round. Tillman’s sturdy frame and larger catch radius make him dangerous on jump balls and contested catches. Plus, he’s an ideal target on slants and quick throws. Tillman’s stats last year aren’t too impressive as he played in only six games while missing half the season with an ankle injury. However, he racked up over 1,000 yards with double-digit TDs in 2021. 

Tyler Scott, Cincinnati

There are some quick receivers in this draft, but Scott might be the fastest among them. The former high school track star has elite sprint speed and short-area quickness to stretch the field in multiple ways. Scott is a great deep-ball threat with natural ball-tracking skills and has after-the-catch agility to run away from defenders on underneath completions. The Cincinnati Bearcats’ product ran a 4.37 40-yard dash at his Pro Day and that speed will certainly translate to the NFL, especially in the return game. Scott’s lanky frame, unpolished route-runner, and lack of physical strength may limit him to a burner role. However, we’ve seen how productive guys like Tyler Lockett and DeSean Jackson have been with a similar profile. 

Nathaniel Dell, Houston

If you watched Houston’s offense at all over the past two years, you surely saw Nathaniel “Tank” Dell’s game-breaking upside. With elite-level elusiveness and quick-twitch agility, Dell is a blur on tape with the ability to take it to the house at any point while making multiple defenders miss. As the star in Houston’s high-scoring offense, he led the FBS in receiving yards (1,398) and receiving TDs (17) last season. Dell was also one of the more dangerous kick and punt returners while in college. At 5-foot-8 and 165 pounds, he’s certainly undersized with a small frame and not much strength. Plus, his route-running and raw pass-catching skills aren’t as polished as others in this draft. This could limit his upside at the NFL level, but the playmaking talent is very evident and he would be a dynamic addition to any offense. 

 

Jonathan Mingo, Ole Miss

Sometimes we get WR prospects that maybe aren’t the best at any one thing but have a bunch of very good traits. That’s Jonathan Mingo, who brings a lot to the table and can be a quality starting outside receiver in the right landing spot. The Ole Miss product is a smooth route-runner with a strong, physical presence at 6-foot-1 and 220 pounds. The majority of Mingo’s targets last year in an uptempo offense were on short and medium routes as a trustworthy pass-catcher on slants and quick throws. He was a strong receiver who caught the ball well in traffic and turned short completions into longer gains with impressive build-up speed for his size. Mingo doesn’t boast elite-level quickness or agility and his route-running needs some development. Still, a 4.46 40-yard dash time at the Combine should not go overlooked – as well as this one-handed catch from last season.

Marvin Mims Jr., Oklahoma

Marvin Mims is one of the most explosive receivers in this draft class. He ran a 4.38 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine and showed off his field-stretching ability across three seasons at Oklahoma. Mims has the straight-line speed and burst to distance himself from defenders in coverage and after the catch. He averaged 20.1 yards per catch last year en route to a 1,000-yard season. The pure speed is great, but Mims needs to get better as a route runner and has a thin frame. Still, the big-play ability will add another dimension to any NFL team that drafts him. 

 

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