2026 NFL draft, position by position: Can the Eagles find an impact wideout?

From April 6-17, the Inquirer’s Eagles reporting team will be breaking down each position on the roster ahead of the NFL draft, looking at the depth chart and long-term personnel picture, as well as some names that could emerge as Eagles targets in the April 23-25 event.

Let’s take a look at the wide receiver depth chart ahead of the draft:

The receiving corps revamp is well underway. Since the start of the new league year, the Eagles have added three players at the position, with at least two of them poised to make the initial 53-man roster in Dontayvion Wicks and Hollywood Brown. For now, both players are penciled into the WR3/4 spot, but that could change by the time training camp begins.

Their roles (and DeVonta Smith’s) could change if A.J. Brown is traded. The uncertainty surrounding Brown’s future with the Eagles has persisted throughout the offseason. If that uncertainty becomes reality and Brown is moved, a major shake-up could be coming to the top of the depth chart.

Howie Roseman said on Feb. 20 that “A.J. is a great player. I think that from my perspective, we’re looking to improve in all areas, and you don’t do that by subtracting.” Brown, despite his knee issues and his dissatisfaction with the offense and his role within it last season, is still capable of making a positive impact in the receiving game.

» READ MORE: Eagles obtain wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks in trade with Packers

However, trading him doesn’t necessarily mean the Eagles would be “subtracting” on paper, especially if they get a fair return in the form of draft capital for the 28-year-old receiver.

It could feel like the Eagles are subtracting in the short term, though. Smith would likely assume a greater share of the targets as the probable WR1, giving him the opportunity to prove that he hasn’t reached his ceiling, as Nick Sirianni suggested at the scouting combine.

Even though the Eagles added a promising, 24-year-old receiver in Wicks, possibly as a prospective candidate to backfill Smith’s WR2 role, he is only under contract through 2027. Roseman would still likely need to add another receiver with eventual starting potential through the draft.

However, by acquiring Wicks, the need to draft a wideout in the first round this year seems less pressing. Instead, the Eagles could wait until Day 2 or 3 to pick one up, especially if they aren’t enamored by the options at the position within their range in the first round.

Alternatively, A.J. Brown could return to the team in 2026. Still, the Eagles would likely need to select a receiver in the mid-to-late rounds and/or sign an undrafted one. The team went into camp last season with 12 wideouts.

If Brown remains on the roster, the Eagles have solid depth at the position. Wicks or Hollywood Brown should provide an upgrade at the third receiver spot over Jahan Dotson. Darius Cooper, the 2025 undrafted free agent out of Tarleton State, performed well in camp last season but didn’t have much of a role in the offense, as he notched nine receptions for 92 yards in his rookie season on 212 offensive snaps (26%).

Johnny Wilson, the 2024 sixth-rounder out of Florida State, is set to return to action after suffering season-ending knee and ankle injuries during training camp. While Wilson had an inconsistent first season as a receiver, the Eagles offense missed his presence as a blocker on the perimeter last year.

The receiver class is once again one of the stronger position groups in this year’s draft class, with at least six players in position to be taken in the first round. The Eagles have brought in one of them for a predraft visit (Indiana’s Omar Cooper Jr.) and have been linked to another, Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson, as a potential prospect whom the Eagles could trade up for in the first round.

Even if the Eagles opt to draft a wide receiver later, there will be plenty of starter-level players to find well into the fourth round. Adding Wicks via trade makes receiver less of an urgent need, but the Eagles can still use some young, inexpensive help in an expensive position room.

Here are six players the Eagles could target in the draft.

For most of the predraft process, Tyson has long been considered a top-10 pick. But his lack of athletic testing and on-field workouts during the predraft process along with his lengthy injury history has clouded his NFL projection.

Tyson, a 6-foot-2, 203 pound receiver, has inside-out versatility, plays with excellent route pacing and salesmanship at the top of his routes, and consistently extends for passes outside of his frame despite having 30¼-inch arms. He finished with 61 catches, 711 yards, and eight touchdowns across nine games in 2025.

He struggles against physical defensive backs who get their hands on him at the line of scrimmage and at times chooses to not generate yards after the catch on passes over the middle of the field to preserve himself.

If the Eagles are drafting him, it could signal they’re moving on from Brown, but Tyson’s ability to play as an outside receiver or slot gives him a chance to carve out an early role at either spot.

Regardless of whether the Eagles trade Brown, Concepcion would be a fit in the receiving corps because of his inside-out versatility. The Texas A&M wideout is an explosive player who can generate big gains after the catch and is a natural vertical field stretcher from the slot or as an outside receiver. He compiled 61 catches, 919 yards, and nine touchdowns in his lone season with the Aggies.

Concepcion snaps off his routes and accelerates with the ball in his hands, but he needs to improve his play strength and clean up his drops (seven in 2025).

His dynamic, game-altering speed might ultimately push him to being the second wide receiver off the board behind Carnell Tate with the uncertainty surrounding Tyson and USC’s Makai Lemon likely being a slot-only player. Concepcion could get drafted as high as 13th overall by the Los Angeles Rams.

Cooper, who took a predraft visit to Philly, has the speed to run by a secondary and is hard to bring down in the open field, primarily operating as a slot receiver in Indiana’s offense.

The receiver also has strong hands at the catch point, terrific body control in contested catch situations, and can create after the catch. According to Pro Football Focus, he forced 27 missed tackles last season.

He didn’t have a diverse route tree in college and doesn’t command many, if any, outside receiver targets, but he’s a receiver who will thrive on vertical throws and one-on-one matchups, and that skill set could translate to being an outside receiver. He’s projected to go in the back half of the first round.

Bernard is a smooth athlete with the route-running feel to find the soft spots against zone coverage and generates enough separation while working in the boundary. He was Ty Simpson’s top target at Alabama, finishing with 64 catches, 862 yards, and seven touchdowns in 2025.

He isn’t an overly explosive athlete. His lack of a second gear on vertical routes and struggles catching through contact will likely prevent him from being a primary receiving option.

However, his ability to create after the catch coupled with reliable, strong hands while working over the middle of the field will make him a nice WR2 or WR3 for an NFL team. A source told The Inquirer that the Eagles had a formal interview with Bernard during the combine, signaling the team’s interest in the versatile pass catcher. He projects as a Day 2 pick.

» READ MORE: 2026 NFL draft, position by position: Will the Eagles find a tight end they like?

Bell, who also took a predraft visit to Philly recently, has drawn comparisons to A.J. Brown for his size and explosiveness. At 6-2, 222, the Louisville receiver uses his height to win jump-ball, 50/50 passes and has a second gear to create for himself after the catch.

He’s not an elite route runner, often using his size to box out smaller defensive backs or just running right by them, and has had some inconsistent reps against press man coverage.

Because Bell suffered an ACL injury late in the 2025 season, which has caused him to miss athletic testing and working out before the draft, there is uncertainty as to whether he will be ready for training camp. But his speed and ability to create after the catch will be alluring to teams in the second round.

Williams was banged up early in the 2025 season, but he brings value as a field-stretching player and with his ability to win one-on-one matchups primarily as a slot receiver. He finished 2025 with 55 catches, 604 yards, and four touchdowns across 10 games.

Williams is a willing blocker who excels attacking the middle of the field and does his most damage after the catch. He is likely a slot only receiver since he’s only 5-11, 187.

Listen to the latest episode

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro is a diehard Eagles fan, and just like you, he’s got takes on the offseason, A.J. Brown, Jalen Hurts, and stadium plans. By the nature of his day job, however, he’s also ecstatic that Pittsburgh will become the epicenter of the NFL universe in two weeks, when the Steel City hosts the draft. It marks the second time in 10 years the Commonwealth has welcomed the marquee event. Which positions does Shapiro think the Eagles should address? How about whether the team needs to move on from Brown? Shapiro discusses these topics and more, including owner Jeffrey Lurie’s recent remarks about Lincoln Financial Field’s future, with The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane. Listen here.

Listen to all episodes here or wherever you get your podcasts.