By Paul Vozzella
NEFJ Correspondent

The wide receiver position is obviously still in need of an upgrade for the Patriots heading into the start of the NFL Draft on Thursday night. Here’s a deeper look into several intriguing options New England could end up with, including the name everyone’s talking about:

Travis Hunter, 6’0 188, Colorado

The Good: Raw prospect with uber-athleticism. Tracking skills and ability to high-point catches stands out. Soft hands. Great catch radius. Hunter does a good job adjusting his body to make catches. The second gear and YAC ability is evident; he has the shiftiness to make people miss. Highlight play waiting to happen. More success as a deep threat but makes plays in short yardage, as well. Manipulates defenders with knowledge from playing both ways. Finds soft spots versus zone coverage.

The Bad: A lot more to learn about playing the position. Technique needs refinement. Release and route-running are reliant on his athleticism instead of sharp cuts. Showed ability to change pace during routes but was inconsistent. Small frame leads to concerns over playing a full season healthy. Physical press coverage may throw Hunter off routes at line of scrimmage. Does not offer much in run blocking.

Final Thoughts: Hunter is a consensus top two prospect in the draft. He possesses a lot of the intangibles but has a lot more to learn as a receiver. Still, he has the ability to make an instant impact on offense. The film shows major improvement and promise for a lot more room for growth. Ultimately, the gauntlet that is the NFL will limit him to primarily focusing on one side of the ball and he is more of a sure-fire talent at cornerback.

Tetairoa McMillan, 6’4 219, Arizona

The Good: At first glance, prototypical “X” frame with room to fill out more. Tape shows incredible athleticism for size. Proved he has the ability to gain extra yards after the catch with smooth movement. Catch radius is top-notch. Jump ball receiver. Distinguished ability to improvise and get open on broken plays. Potential as a big body slot.

The Bad: McMillan rounds off his routes oftentimes; it’s enough to be a concern. Lacks top end speed. Intermediate game isn’t as apparent as success in short and deep game. Steers away from physicality and will not lower his shoulder to fight for extra yards. Press coverage against big corners is a disadvantage. Separation isn’t as bad as made out to be but is far from ideal.

Final Thoughts: “Tet” is about as boom-or-bust as it gets. He has a super impressive highlight reel but lacks some fundamentals that could prove to be detrimental to success in the NFL. McMillan is a versatile prospect and the right coaching situation could have him as a true No. 1 receiver. It will be interesting to see if his game translates against higher competition, as he did not consistently see top-tier opponents in college.

Luther Burden III, 6’0 206, Missouri

The Good: Play speed is evident and looks even faster than 4.41 40-yard time at the NFL Combine. Explosive. Big time deep threat. Footwork is smooth. Athleticism led to succession in short and deep parts of the field. Created space on routes down the field. Has ability to turn jet sweeps and screen passes into big gains. Dense build with an aggressive mentality as a ball carrier. Ability to make defenders miss as well as breaking tackles.

The Bad: Route-running is inconsistent. Rounded off routes at times. Had concentration drops. Intermediate passing game is a question mark. Used as a returner because of playmaking style but muffed a couple of punts. Underwhelming as a blocker. There are character issues with multiple unsportsmanlike conduct penalties during last season and alleged off-the-field problems.

Final Thoughts: Burden has some stellar film. He is athletic and plays fast. The technique is there but needs to become more consistent to maximize talent. His biggest enemy is himself as far as discipline is concerned. The Missouri product is a textbook “move” receiver and has potential to be successful in the slot with technical refinement. The talent and ability to make plays is worth taking a risk on early in the draft.

Matthew Golden, 5’11 191, Texas

The Good: Top-end speed with a quick burst to challenge a defense from snap to whistle. Golden has a good route tree and is a threat against zone coverage. Has the ability to change pace during route-running. Great at separating. Awareness in the open field and acceleration proves to be successful after catch. Really good catch radius. Can be used as a “move” receiver as well as on the L.O.S. on the boundary.

The Bad: Focus drops. While he had some highlight catches, several concerning drops showed up on film. Unreliable in contested jump balls. Relies too much on pure speed in some instances. Release has to be worked on against aggressive press coverage. Golden is not a willing blocker and was a liability in the run game at times.

Final Thoughts: First round talent. Golden isn’t the perfect receiving prospect but has a lot to offer to an offense. He became more of a weapon for Texas as the 2024 season went on. He has a solid floor with his route-running and high-end speed. If his potential is maximized, Golden could be a top option at the next level. His profile leans towards a “Z” rather than an “X”.

Jayden Higgins, 6’4 214, Iowa State

The Good: It’s tough not to mention Higgins’ footwork first. Arguably the best in the draft. His release is a little unorthodox but works well for his game. Maximum versatility. Sturdy “X” receiver with ability to be highly successful as a slot. More finesse at L.O.S., and physical at the top of routes and catch point. Does well adjusting his body to pull in catches. Game translates to the modern NFL very well.

The Bad: Higgins is limited after reeling in the ball and does not come with blazing speed. His athleticism does not pop off the charts. Route-running is not the most crisp at the top and may be easy to read. Physical corners will consistently beat him at L.O.S.

Final Thoughts: As more of a possession receiver, Higgins has a higher floor than most receiver prospects. His versatility is intriguing and has the talent to continue playing inside and on the boundary. His background in basketball is evident in his jump ball abilities. Offensive coordinators will get creative with his usage.

Emeka Egbuka, 6’1 202, Ohio State

The Good: High intelligence for the game. He understands spacing in route concepts and how to manipulate DBs to create separation. His late hands make it tough for DBs to contest catches. Fundamentals are noticeable, specifically his footwork. Has long speed down the line. Good build for slot receiver.

The Bad: Not a deep, jump ball threat; will primarily live from 12 yards and in. Lacks explosion and acceleration. Inconsistent ability to create separation against intelligent corners. Does not have extensive catch radius. Not a big play threat.

Final Thoughts: Ohio State has a history of producing a lot of great receivers and Egbuka is no exception. He is the smartest receiver in the draft and is fundamentally sound. Because of this, he is one of the safer picks at the position. With a lack of track speed and elite athleticism, Egbuka will be more of a possession receiver but with year-to-year potential to be an 80+ catch option.

Kyle Williams, 5’11 190, Washington State

The Good: Extensive route tree. Success at all three levels of the field and plenty of experience at slot and on the boundary. Knowledge of the game is evident against zone coverage. Physical player: breaks tackles, lowers shoulder, willing blocker. Plays even faster than his 4.4 40-yard time. Strong hands.

The Bad: Frame leaves a lot to be desired. Inconsistent in jump ball scenarios. Skill set in the slot won’t translate as well as boundary talent, limiting his versatility. Footwork and release are going to need a fair share of coaching-up.

Final Thoughts: Flying under the radar at Washington State, Williams is a well-rounded receiver. His quarterback play hindered his success and caused him to be overlooked. He profiles as more of a field stretcher, but can be effective at all levels. He is a Day 2 talent with a ceiling as a strong WR2.

Jaylin Noel, 5’10 194, Iowa State

The Good: One of the shiftiest receivers in the draft. Crisp route runner. Surprisingly effective as a deep threat from the slot position. Find extra yards with the ball in his hands. Offers value as a punt returner. Chain-mover with explosiveness. Will be able to withstand the brutality of the NFL with a filled out frame.

The Bad: Extremely limited catch radius. Limits him to strictly playing slot. Catching is inconsistent and had a couple of drops on routine catches last season. YAC ability relies more on physicality rather than agility and athleticism. Allows corners to get into his chest in press coverage.

Final Thoughts: Noel is by far the best pure slot receiver in the draft, however his lack of versatility limits his draft stock. Noel was a two-time team captain in college and will be a major factor in a rebuilding team’s culture. He is a natural separator and will be a go-to target for whichever quarterback he plays alongside.

Elic Ayomanor, 6’2 206, Stanford

The Good: True boundary receiver. Adjusts body and knows how to time up a throw at to secure the ball at optimal catch point. Can dissect defensive schemes and does a great job of finding soft spots against zone defense. Understands where he excels and plays to his strengths. Adds a lot as a run blocker.

The Bad: Speed, acceleration and explosiveness are all underwhelming. Struggles to create separation against man coverage. Has tendency to round off routes and is stiff at the top of his routes. Should-be catches outweigh highlight catches.

Final Thoughts: Ayomanor has a strong build and maximizes it as an advantage. His intelligence raises his floor but his lack of speed and acceleration lower his ceiling. A big concern is his inability to separate but he will find success against zone coverage. Some teams will fall in love while others will completely avoid him.

Jack Bech, 6’1 214, Texas Christina University

The Good: Does well against zone defense. Primarily lined up outside but had fair share of success in the slot. Finds extra yards by being crafty and physical. Breaks tackles. Experience at tight end is evident. Excels at tracking down deep passes. Made incredible catches, showcasing wide catch radius and strong hands. Plays with a tough demeanor.

The Bad: Struggles to create separation. Route running needs improvement as he does not display sharp cuts and efficient movement. Release is questionable and varies depending on coverage; inconsistent against press coverage. Doesn’t possess much explosiveness.

Final Thoughts: Bech is not only a great football player, but a great person. He plays with a physicality that coaches and fans alike will fall in love with. He is still learning the nuances of the WR position but has a playstyle that will translate well to the NFL. At worst, Bech is a threat across the short middle of the field with the playmaking ability to reel in deep targets.