Who will be the first wide receiver drafted in 2026? What NFL draft odds say

There are plenty of talented receivers in the 2026 NFL Draft class, but which one will be the first to hear his name called?

USA TODAY Sports' draft expert Ayrton Ostly has five wide receivers in the top-32 of his big board – guys he considers candidates to be first-round picks in this month's draft. According to the latest betting odds, there are even fewer wide receivers considered to be in the running for the first wideout off the board.

Three players have odds shorter than 5-to-1, with one clear favorite among them.

Here's what the odds are saying about which player will be the first wide receiver selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, as well as a few possible landing spots for the betting favorite:

2026 NFL draft odds: Who will be first WR selected?

Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate is the heavy favorite to be the first wide receiver off the board in the 2026 NFL Draft, according to odds from DraftKings Sportsbook. He's also the favorite to be the No. 6 overall pick in the draft, which would see him land with the Cleveland Browns.

DraftKings lists two other wideouts at 5-to-1 odds or shorter to be the first wide receiver off the board, with a significant drop-off in odds further down the list.

Here's how DraftKings' odds look for the top wide receiver selection in the 2026 NFL Draft:

• Carnell Tate, Ohio State: -300
• Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State: +275
• Makai Lemon, Southern California: +500
• Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana: +3500
• KC Concepcion, Texas A&M: +7500
• Chris Brazzell II, Tennessee: +8000
• Zachariah Branch, Georgia: +10000
• Malachi Fields, Notre Dame: +12000
• Germie Bernard, Alabama: +12000
• Elijah Surratt, Indiana: +15000
• Chris Bell, Louisville: +15000

Carnell Tate landing spots

Here's where the Ohio State wideout could land, according to some of the latest mock draft projections from USA TODAY Sports draft experts:

New York Giants

Ayrton Ostly sent Tate to the Giants in his latest mock draft, citing Big Blue's need to keep building up the roster around quarterback Jaxson Dart.

"Tate’s allergy to drops and threat vertically, thanks to his contested catch abilities, will complement what [Malik] Nabers brings as the No. 1 option in the passing game," he wrote.

New York lost No. 2 receiving option Wan'Dale Robinson to the Tennessee Titans in free agency earlier in the offseason. Nabers, who missed all but four games last season with a torn ACL, is expected to return to begin the 2026 season and take back the mantle of Dart's top target.

New Orleans Saints

Tate landed with the Saints in Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz's most recent mock draft. Similar to Ostly's rationale for the Giants' pick, Middlehurst-Schwartz mentioned the Saints' need to add a secondary receiving target across from top pass-catcher Chris Olave for the young quarterback in New Orleans' offense.

He wrote: "Tate can make life significantly easier for second-year signal-caller Tyler Shough with his reliable route-running and knack for coming down with contested catches."

Washington Commanders

After the early first wave of free agency, Nate Davis and Ayrton Ostly's collaborative mock draft sent Tate to the nation's capital. And similar to his fit with the first two teams on this list, Tate would be a No. 2 receiver in this offense.

"Washington did a lot of work in free agency. But they don't have a clear-cut No. 2 receiver behind veteran Terry McLaurin, who will be 31 this season and is coming off his least productive NFL campaign," they wrote.

McLaurin, a fellow Ohio State product, was hampered by injuries in 2025. In a career-low 10 games, he recorded career lows in catches (38), receiving yards (582) and touchdowns (3).

When is the 2026 NFL Draft?

The 2026 NFL Draft will take place between April 23-25 in Pittsburgh.

• Thursday, April 23: Round 1
• Friday, April 24: Rounds 2-3
• Saturday, April 25: Rounds 4-7

How to watch the 2026 NFL Draft

• Dates: April 23-25
• Time: 8 p.m. ET (Round 1); 7 p.m. ET (Rounds 2-3); Noon ET (Rounds 4-7)
• Channels: NFL Network; ESPN; ESPN2; ESPN Deportes
• Streaming: NFL+; ESPN Unlimited & Select; Fubo

Fans have several options to choose from to watch the 2026 NFL Draft. NFL Network and ESPN will have separate broadcasts providing differing analyses on each pick as it happens on draft night.

Cord-cutters can stream the different broadcasts on NFL+, the NFL's proprietary streaming service; ESPN Select or ESPN Unlimited, ESPN's streaming services; or cable alternative Fubo, which offers a free trial.