The top of the Bucs’ wide receiver depth chart could not get any better than the duo of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, each is coming off another 1,000-yard season. In fact, it is worth appreciating just how good they have been together for the past seven seasons.

But looking ahead, Evans will be 31 years old when the 2024 season begins, while Godwin, 28, will be in a contract year. For as long as they have been productive together, Tampa Bay must also have an eye toward the future when looking at the depth behind them.

With a loaded draft class at the position, it is clear that the team should look into adding another weapon for quarterback Baker Mayfield.

Who are some potential options at wide receiver, and when should Bucs general manager Jason Licht select one?

Bucs Formally Met With 3 WRs At NFL Scouting Combine, Each Could Be A Solid Option

Heading into this offseason, the Bucs’ clearest team needs were along the interior offensive line and outside linebacker, among other positions. While the team could look to fill one of those positions with their first-round pick at No. 26, how the draft goes could change the Bucs’ approach.

LSU WR Brian Thomas – Photo by: USA Today

Let’s say by the time Tampa Bay is on the clock, Florida State’s Jared Verse, UCLA’s Laiatu Latu, Oregon’s Jackson Powers-Johnson, and Duke’s Graham Barton are all off the board. Instead of picking to fill a need, their approach could quickly change to taking the best player available. That player may just be one of the many top receiving prospects.

Outside of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, Trey Palmer, Rakim Jarrett, and Deven Thompkins currently fill out the rest of the receiver room. While Palmer could become the team’s No. 3 wide receiver, he could use some competition. Jarrett and Thompkins are still promising young players, but they may not yet be ready to see expanded roles.

The Bucs started to do some due diligence at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine, formally meeting with LSU’s Brian Thomas Jr., Florida State’s Keon Coleman, and Washington’s Jalen McMillan, according to Pewter Report. Thomas could be someone worth taking in the first round, while Coleman and McMillan could both be early Day 2 options.

There is a lot to like about the 6-foot-3, 209-pound Thomas. He has an impressive athletic profile, with a 38.5-inch vertical and an identical 4.33 40-yard time to Palmer, who was one of Tampa Bay’s 2023 sixth-round picks. But unlike Palmer, Thomas is a more polished deep threat while also having a knack for finding the end zone. With the Tigers last season, Thomas had 68 receptions for 1,177 yards (17.3 yards per reception average) and 17 touchdowns.

Florida State WR Keon Coleman – Photo by: USA Today

There is arguably no better deep threat in the draft. Per Pro Football Focus, Thomas’ 670 deep yards last season ranked second among all wide receivers and he paired that with an impressive 53.8% contested catch rate. When looking at someone who could complement Evans and Godwin, he would bring a great blend of both size and speed to the mix.

Coleman is another intriguing name, and he fits more of an Evans mold. He did not have a lightning-quick 40 time (4.61), but he may not need it. He has great football speed and a sudden burst that can allow him to win matchups and utilize his size and impressive catch radius to haul in passes.

Coleman joined the Seminoles last season after he began his college career at Michigan State where he caught 58 passes for 798 yards (13.8 avg.) and seven touchdowns in 2022. He showed a knack for finding the end zone as well, with 11 of his 50 receptions going for touchdowns in 2023. He totaled 50 receptions for 658 yards (13.2 avg.) and 11 TDs in his lone season at Florida State.

McMillan spent much of last season with the Huskies playing behind two star receivers in Rome Odunze and Ja’lynn Polk, and he could begin his NFL career doing the same with the Bucs. At the next level, he profiles as someone who could do much of his damage in the slot, with his 4.47 speed and quick burst off the line creating a lot of mismatches. McMillan battled injuries last year and was limited to catching 49 passes for 559 yards (12.4 avg.) and five touchdowns after recording 79 receptions for 1,098 yards (13.9 avg.) yards and nine TDs in 2022.

In a deep class, he is one of the wide receivers who could sneak down the draft and be there for Tampa Bay to take with one of their two third-round selections.

What About Some Of The Other Top WRs?

Brian Thomas Jr., Keon Coleman, and Jalen McMillan are just the tip of the iceberg at the wide receiver position in the 2024 NFL Draft Class, as there are plenty of other talented wideouts the Bucs could select in the first two rounds.

Georgia WR Ladd McConkey – Photo by: USA Today

To name just a few more that might fit for one reason or another, Oregon’s Troy Franklin, Georgia’s Ladd McConkey, South Carolina’s Xavier Legette, Western Kentucky’s Malachi Corley and Texas’ Adonai Mitchell all fit the bill. Interestingly enough, new wide receivers coach Bryan McClendon has ties to all of them besides Corley, having coached them at various points during their time in college.

Starting with Franklin, he had a productive season for the Ducks, with 81 receptions for 1,383 yards and 14 touchdowns. He is a little bit on the lighter side at 6-foot-2, 183 pounds, but as he continues to grow and add to his frame he could become a polished big-play machine with the opportunity to flourish with Evans and Godwin drawing the top coverage assignments.

McConkey came into the draft process overlooked, but he shined at both the Senior Bowl and the Combine and has emerged as an early Day 2 pick. He is not physically imposing but he is sneaky athletic, running a 4.39 40-yard dash and having impressive shuttle and 3-cone times. On the field, he is polished in terms of his footwork and has the versatility to win his matchups in the slot or on the outside.

Legette’s development at South Carolina was slow but steady, but he finally exploded onto the scene catching passes from Spencer Rattler last season. After being a quarterback in high school, he spent his early time in college learning the nuances of the wide receiver position.

Texas WR Adonai Mitchell – Photo by: USA Today

It is safe to say he got it down last season for the Gamecocks with 71 receptions for 1,255 yards and seven touchdowns. At 6-foot-1, 221 pounds, he is well-built, uses his frame to make incredible catches in coverage, and can pull away from defenders with his 4.39 speed. That combination makes him a threat wherever he lines up, and he could be a high-upside pick in the second round.

Corley was a YAC specialist at Western Kentucky where he caught 259 passes for 3,035 yards (11.7 avg.) and 29 touchdowns. Built like a running back at 5-foot-11, 215 pounds, Corley is adept at breaking tackles and making defenders miss. He is scheduled to come to Tampa Bay on a Top 30 visit in April.

He had 101 receptions for 1,295 yards (12.8 avg.) and 11 TDs in 2022, but saw his numbers dip a bit last year with just 79 grabs for 984 yards (12.5 avg.) and 11 scores. Corley is built for the slot and recorded the second-most screen catches in college football last year (42) for the most screen yards (330 yards).

Looking at Mitchell, he stood out last season on a Longhorns’ offense filled with playmakers. After transferring to Texas from Georgia to play out his senior season, he helped make Quinn Ewers’ life a lot easier. If one word could describe his playing style, it would be smooth. Off the line of scrimmage, he releases well, can find open space in a hurry, and changes direction so quickly that opposing defensive backs are left looking for a map.

He is not talked about as highly as some of the biggest names in the draft (Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers, and Rome Odunze), but that did not stop former NFL wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. from calling him one of the top-five receivers in the draft after breaking down his film.

Day 3 Could Be The Sweet Spot For Bucs To Take A WR

While many of the names mentioned above are players worth selecting between rounds 1-3, the Bucs could also find an impact wide receiver on Day 3 of the NFL Draft. Three other names to consider in that range are Virginia’s Malik Washington, Michigan’s Cornelius Johnson, and Texas’ Jordan Whittington.

Each of them met with the Bucs informally at the NFL Combine, and each provides a unique skill set at the next level.

Starting with Washington, he was featured in Pewter Report’s latest 7-round mock draft as a fourth-round pick. Here is what the mock draft had to say about how he could fit in Liam Coen’s offense:

“New Bucs offensive coordinator Liam Coen had a similar smallish wide receiver named Wan’Dale Robinson at Kentucky during his 2021 season with the Wildcats. Robinson (5-8, 185) posted 104 catches for 1,334 yards (12.8 avg.) and seven touchdowns in Coen’s offense at Kentucky before being selected in the second round by the New York Giants. In stature, on film and on the stat sheet Washington is a Robinson clone.

Washington could go higher than the fourth round, but also may slide a bit due to this draft being rich at the receiver position. And Washington’s 4.47 time – although plenty fast – was actually one of the slower times in this fast wide receiver class. After seeing how Detroit’s Amon-Ra St. Brown torched Tampa Bay’s secondary twice last year, the Bucs could opt for a similar YAC receiver to work the middle of the field like Washington.”

Michigan WR Cornelius Johnson – Photo by: USA Today

Johnson is another fourth-round option who could be on the Bucs’ radar. He has great size at 6-foot-3, 212 pounds, and offers great athleticism with a 4.44 40-yard time and 37.5-inch vertical. These traits helped him lead the nation last year with an outstanding 81.8% contested catch rate and he also possesses some route-running savviness to get open all over the field.

Last but not least is Whittington. He profiles as a player who could be of great value towards the end of the draft. The former running back has a lot of traits that have carried over well to the wide receiver position.

Whittington is more of a slot receiver and has the field vision to find soft spots in coverage. He is not the most explosive player, but he could be someone to compete with Rakim Jarrett and Deven Thompkins on the depth chart. Whittington caught 141 passes for 1,757 yards and five touchdowns in five seasons at Texas where he was behind Adonai Mitchell and Xavier Worthy on the depth chart.

In the 2024 NFL Draft, it really is pick your flavor at the wide receiver position. With so many options, it would be foolish if the Bucs pass on the chance to take one of these prospects to fill out the room and add another promising offensive playmaker.