• Iowa State’s stars had no issues against zone coverage: Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel, both top-100 prospects on PFF’s big board, graded above 83.0 when facing zone looks in 2024.

• Tetairoa McMillan and Tre Harris were among the best against man: Harris comes in at No. 1 in PFF receiving grade against man looks, while McMillan places a respectable fifth.

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Estimated Reading Time: 7 minutes

The wealth of receiver talent in any given NFL draft — see it all in PFF’s 2025 NFL Draft Guide — makes it all the more important to understand each player’s skill set, including against which coverages they excel.

Here, we’ll examine the FBS’ top draft-eligible wide receivers by coverage scheme.

Man Coverage

Harris dealt with a groin injury in the second half of the 2024 season that forced him to miss the final six games, although he attempted to return in Week 13 against Florida (one snap). Through Week 7 (when he sustained the injury), Harris led the nation in receiving yards against single coverage (398) and yards per route run (10.76). He secured 15 of 19 targets for four touchdowns and 10 first downs, with eight of his catches gaining 15 or more yards. He averaged 15.9 depth yards per target and was one of three receivers to record a perfect passer rating when targeted over that span.

Harris had his best game in Week 4 against Georgia Southern, securing six of seven single-coverage targets for 134 yards, a touchdown and four first downs. He had two catches of 15-plus yards and finished with 11 catches for 225 yards.

2. Coleman Owen, Ohio Bobcats (90.5)

The sixth-year receiver made his mark with the Bobcats this past season, catching 34 of 55 single-coverage targets for 490 yards — all top-three marks among draft-eligible FBS wideouts. He gained 24 first downs (tied for second most), caught three touchdowns and secured six of 13 contested targets. Owen ranked third in yards after the catch (201), fourth in yards per route run (4.08) and recorded 13 explosive gains on such plays.

The former Northern Arizona receiver was targeted seven or more times against man coverage this past season, with 42.9% coming from the slot. He twice gained more than 100 yards against single looks — in Week 12 against Eastern Michigan (107) and in the Cure Bowl against Jacksonville State (101).

3. Dante Wright, Temple Owls (90.3)

Wright caught 12 passes for 230 yards and three touchdowns against man coverage in 2024. Nine of his catches moved the chains and seven resulted in gains of 15-plus yards, including a 91-yard house call in Week 4 against Utah State. Wright averaged 5.48 yards per route run (second best), ranked seventh in yards after the catch per reception (11.6) and forced five missed tackles. His 90.3 single coverage PFF receiving grade in 2024 was the highest of his six-year career.

Williams led the FBS draft class with nine touchdowns against single coverage and 228 yards after the catch in 2024. Like Tre Harris, he averaged 15.9 depth yards per target, with 36.4% of his targets coming on deep routes. Williams caught 20 passes against single looks for 505 yards. All but one of his catches moved the chains, and he recorded 15 explosive gains.

Williams had a monster day against New Mexico in Week 12, bringing in five of six single-coverage targets for 142 yards and three touchdowns. He had another 100-yard game in the Holiday Bowl against Syracuse. Six of his nine touchdowns came in his final five games.

5. Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona Wildcats (89.1)

McMillan led the draft class with 34 catches for 508 yards against single coverage in 2024, and Missouri‘s Luther Burden III was the only other FBS receiver in this draft cycle to force double-digit missed tackles against man coverage. McMillan gained 211 yards after the catch (second most), caught three touchdown passes and gained 24 first downs. He secured nine contested targets and recorded 12 explosive gains.

McMillan was on fire through the first six weeks of the season, hauling in 19 of 30 single-coverage targets for 336 yards. He had nine explosive gains in that stretch, with four coming in Week 6 against Texas Tech.

Zone Coverage

1. Jamaal Pritchett, South Alabama Jaguars (88.2)

Pritchett attacked zone coverage all season, starting with a seven-catch, 158-yard game against North Texas in Week 1. He ranked in the bottom third in average depth of target (6.8 yards) but still recorded 19 gains of 15-plus yards and led the FBS draft class in yards after the catch (604). Pritchett was targeted 76 times against zone looks and caught 60 passes for 825 yards — all top-five marks. He brought in five touchdown passes, gained 32 first downs (tied for fifth most) and averaged 3.86 yards per route run (second best). Pritchett is one of two FBS draft-eligible receivers who averaged more than 10 yards after the catch per reception (Monaray Baldwin).

Pritchett recorded five or more catches against zone coverage in eight games, including a season-high 10 for 87 yards in Week 9 against Louisiana-Monroe.

2. Jayden Higgins, Iowa State Cyclones (84.6)

Higgins caught 45 passes for 598 yards and three touchdowns against zone in 2024. He finished with the fewest yards after the catch of the players on this list (187) but gained the most first downs between them (34) and recorded 14 explosive gains. Higgins forced five missed tackles, secured four of his eight contested targets and averaged 2.53 yards per route run against zone.

The Iowa State star had three games with 50-plus receiving yards against zone coverage this season, including a six-catch, 89-yard day in Week 10 against Texas Tech.

3. Andrew Armstrong, Arkansas Razorbacks (83.8)

Armstrong was targeted 61 times against zone looks in 2024 and caught 41 passes for 624 yards and a touchdown. He finished third in first downs (27) and forced 10 missed tackles. 

The Arkansas product recorded 18 catches of 15-plus yards against zone coverage, producing four games with multiple explosive gains. He recorded at least one such catch in seven consecutive games from Weeks 3 through 10 and finished with at least one explosive gain in nine games this past season.

Bech led the list in average depth of target against zone looks (13.9 yards) and finished seventh in receiving yards (750). He caught 39 of 54 targets for 27 first downs and four touchdowns, in addition to forcing 10 missed tackles and securing six of 10 contested targets. Nineteen of Bech’s catches went for 15-plus yards, and he ranked ninth in yards per route run (3.13).

Bech put together five games this season with at least five catches and 90 receiving yards against zone. Four came in the first five weeks of the season, including a perfect six-target, six-catch day against Central Florida in Week 3 for 165 yards.

5. Jaylin Noel, Iowa State Cyclones (83.5)

Noel, like Jayden Higgins, was targeted more than 60 times against zone coverage and caught 49 passes for 807 yards and five touchdowns in 2024, both top-five marks. He gained 27 first downs, recorded 11 explosive gains and averaged 3.51 yards per route run (third best). Noel secured six of 11 contested targets and generated a 138.6 passer rating against zone.

He opened the season by catching each of his eight zone targets for 135 yards and a touchdown against North Dakota, before finishing the season with four games of 80-plus yards against zone looks.