The 2025 NFL Draft has some elite-level wide receiver talent ready to hit the ground running. The current CBS mock draft has four wide receivers in the top 20 picks: Luther Burden III, Travis Hunter, Tetairoa McMillan, and Emeka Egbuka. All of those players are worthy of a first-round selection, but there is a dark horse who may be the most NFL-ready wide receiver, and he comes from the ACC.
Elic Ayomanor hails from Stanford University, which is newly ACC-acquainted. Who? Ayomanor does not garner the hype or excitement of the stars mentioned above, but it is a name you need to remember. He has the size, skill, mindset, and instincts that should make him an excellent NFL wide receiver, one of the best in the 2025 NFL Draft class. Ayomanor has all the traits to become an elite wide receiver.
NFL Draft Scouting Report
Strengths
Ayomanor is a stout build for a wide receiver at 6’2″ and 210 pounds. Within this mass-packed frame is a competitive will to succeed. Ayomanor routinely comes away with 50-50 balls, where his strength and leaping ability are constantly put on display, as seen here:
ELIC AYOMANOR ONE-HANDED😮💨
— PFF College (@PFF_College) September 20, 2024
He does a great job extending and catching with his hands, showcasing the same strength. Ayomanor has long strides that allow him to break away and take any throw the distance, as well as sudden bursts and agility. His quick foot jab keeps defensive backs on their heels, and he uses his acceleration to leave them behind. Ayomanor is most effective on slants, where his size and shifty elusiveness allow him to rack up yards after the catch.
Weaknesses
Ayomanor has had some issues with drops, though, at this point, it seems to be more of a concentration issue than a skill issue. The main thing is learning how to be press coverage. His large frame offers plenty of real estate for cornerbacks to press him at the line and get their hands on him. He needs to compact his body more at the line and use the footwork he showcases in his breaks in press at the beginning of his routes. Again, this is coachable and should not hinder his progression.
How Elic Ayomanor Stacks Up in the NFL Draft
As mentioned earlier, this is a deep draft class at the wide receiver position. What makes Ayomanor comparable to the other top options at the position? Let’s break down how he stacks up with the other top-four receivers.
Emeka Egbuka
Egbuka may be knocked down a peg due to his environment. Unfortunately, he has been teamed up with some of the better wide receiver prospects we have seen. As a sophomore, he played with Chris Olave, though he was productive with 1,151 yards and ten touchdowns. As a junior, he had to deal with playing with Marvin Harrison Jr., who was a top-five pick in the 2024 draft. His numbers dipped significantly.
Now, he plays with Jeremiah Smith, who is one of the best receiving prospects ever seen. Smith has assumed the top receiving role in Ohio State. This tells me that as good as Egbuka is, he does not have that elite or alpha mentality that you want from a top wideout; Ayomanor does.
Luther Burden III
Burden checks most of the boxes as a wide receiver. He is explosive, has soft hands, and can run a diverse route tree. Burden checks in three inches shorter than Ayomanor, making Ayomanor a jump ball threat in the red zone. Burden is also more of a reluctant blocker than Ayomanor is. Burden is a great talent, and I do not doubt he will be a great NFL draft prospect. Ayomanor just is not that far off.
Tetairoa McMillan
McMillan is off to an incredible start in 2024. As a sophomore in 2023, McMillan racked up 1,402 receiving yards and ten touchdowns. He has followed that up with 503 receiving yards and four touchdowns through the first four games of 2024. McMillan has tremendous length, coming in at 6’4″, and has long stride speed with great footwork. His ability to dominate the catch point is unmatched by any other receiver in the 2025 NFL draft. There is not much to dislike about McMillan.
Travis Hunter
Hunter is a polarizing prospect. He is an outstanding receiver but an even better cornerback. Richard Sherman said Hunter is more of an athlete than a receiver with a limited route tree. That is not really up for debate, though Hunter had other ideas. Either way, Ayomanor may not be the athlete Hunter is, though his mechanics and fundamentals of Ayomanor separate the two.
Ayomanor may not be the best receiver in the 2025 NFL draft. He is likely to be drafted in the second round. He is closer to the “elite” prospects in this draft class. He has done everything in his college career with poor quarterback play. Do not count out Ayomanor to be a dark horse top wide receiver in the 2025 NFL draft class.
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