The Cleveland Browns need help in their wide receiver room, and Malachi Corley or Xavier Worthy may just have the answer in the 2024 NFL draft.
There have been plenty of talented wide receiver prospects in the past few drafts, but this year’s class takes the crown. From top to bottom, you can find playmakers in every round that have the upside to be immediate contributors at the next level.
It is the last year the Browns will be without their first round pick due to the Deshaun Watson trade, with their first pick coming at with the 55th overall pick. There will be plenty of options still left on the board for Cleveland as Andrew Berry will look to make the passing offense more dynamic for the 2024 season.
It will come down to what skillset they target in the draft. They need to add a young field stretcher to do what they had hoped Marquise Goodwin would give them in 2023.
Here are five wide receiver prospects the Browns could have on their radar in the 2024 NFL draft.
Ja'Lynn Polk, Washington
One of three great wide receivers coming from Washington, Ja’Lynn Polk brings versatility having done damage both in the slot and out wide in his college career. He has good size and length with strong hands to make tough contested catches and to play through contact consistently.
Polk isn’t a Tyreek Hill burner but he has above-average speed and the acceleration to reach his top speed quickly. He has great short-area quickness and can cut on a dime to create separation and turn short gains into explosive plays in the open field.
Ja’Lynn Polk at the bottom of the screen vs man coverage running a post corner with some YAC. Sells the post with his eyes & body language then separates on the break. Nice spin too
Penix uses the space & throws Polk upfield and to the sideline
— Anthony Cover 1 (@Pro__Ant) January 22, 2024
Xavier Worthy, Texas
Texas pass catcher Xavier Worthy has as much speed as any player in this year’s class and could run a sub 4.3 40 at the combine next month. Worthy isn’t a finished product and will only be 21 years old during his rookie season. He has the skill set to continue to develop as a route runner and become a truly dynamic playmaker at the next level.
With the upside potential and elite speed that can be effective right away, Worthy would make a great draft pick in the 2024 NFL draft for the Browns.
Xavier Worthy showing off his acceleration & ball tracking on this moon ball
Also, a nice head fake at the top of the route to widen the safety slightly & give himself a little more space insidepic.twitter.com/AYzZV6arfK
— Anthony Cover 1 (@Pro__Ant) January 27, 2024
Roman Wilson, Michigan
During the National Championship season for Michigan this year, Roman Wilson was the most dynamic player in the passing game. He does most of his damage from the slot, something the Browns need, and is as explosive of a player as you will find in this class.
The college production isn’t there for Wilson in the run-first scheme but when you watch the tape he jumps off the screen and makes the most of the opportunities he gets. He is another player that needs some time to develop but with his elite agility, acceleration, and great speed drafting Wilson would be a solid choice for the Browns.
He could be a riser after a dominant showing at the Reese’s Senior Bowl.
Jermaine Burton, Alabama
Jermaine Burton possesses the high-end speed needed for explosive plays and combines that with good route running to create elite levels of separation. He gets in and out of his breaks using good body control and has reliable hands creating an easy target for quarterbacks.
Burton does a great job throttling up and throttling back down using the threat of his speed to do damage on comeback routes. There isn’t a ton of college production for Burton but his skillset with translate well at the next level.
Malachi Corley, Western Kentucky
One of the more fun prospects to watch in this class is Western Kentucky’s Malachi Corley and the comparisons he draws to San Francisco’s Deebo Samuel. He is one of the best accelerators in this class and even though his top speed isn’t elite he is still more than fast enough and gets to that speed in a hurry.
Corley has great hands and is very dynamic in the open field to turn short gains into explosive plays and he does it as well as anyone in this class. A strong pass catcher his ability to work well in traffic might be one of his best attributes as a player.
Oh yeah, and he may be the best in the class after the catch.
