If the media reports are to be believed, Malik Nabers will be selected in the top 10 tonight, and his LSU teammate Brian Thomas won’t be far behind. Two wide receivers from the same school, and that’s been happening more often recently.
Alabama had two wide receivers go in the top 10 back in 2021 – Jaylen Waddle and DeVonta Smith. Ohio State the next year had two in the top 11 (Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave). That Buckeye pair was made more interesting by Jameson Williams having played with them the previous season before transferring to Alabama. He and John Metchie were selected 12th and 44th despite both working their way back from torn ACLs.
The Crimson Tide in 2020 placed two in the top 15 (Henry Ruggs, Jerry Jeudy).
For our current crop, everyone seems to agree that three will go in the top 10 – Marvin Harrison probably first, followed by Nabers and Rome Odunze. Everyone seems to like those three.
Thomas (pictured) seems to be a one-man tier. Nobody seems to think he’s as good as those top 3, but everyone seems to like him more than the remaining receivers. Maybe that places him in the late teens?
If Nabers is picked 7th and Thomas is picked 18th, that would make 25 combined picks of draft position. That would make them the 4th-most coveted pair of wide receivers in the history of the modern draft era.
Pairs going for 100 or fewer combined draft slots are listed below, with pairs from the last four drafts tagged with dots.
| PAIRS OF RECEIVERS FROM THE SAME SCHOOL | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | School | First WR | Second WR | Pks |
| 2021 | • Alabama | Jaylen Waddle, Mia. (6) | DeVonta Smith, Phi. (10) | 16 |
| 2022 | • Ohio State | Garrett Wilson, NYJ (10) | Chris Olave, N.O. (11) | 21 |
| 1997 | Florida | Ike Hilliard, NYG (7) | Reidel Anthony, T.B. (16) | 23 |
| 2020 | • Alabama | Henry Ruggs, L.V. (12) | Jerry Jeudy, Den. (15) | 27 |
| 2007 | Ohio State | Ted Ginn, Mia. (9) | A. Gonzalez, Ind. (32) | 41 |
| 2001 | Miami | Santana Moss, NYJ (16) | Reggie Wayne, Ind. (30) | 46 |
| 2007 | Louisiana State | Dwayne Bowe, K.C. (23) | Craig Davis, S.D. (30) | 53 |
| 2022 | • Alabama | Jameson Williams, Det. (12) | John Metchie, Hou. (44) | 56 |
| 1988 | Miami | Michael Irvin, Dal. (11) | Brian Blades, Sea. (49) | 60 |
| 2005 | Oklahoma | Mark Clayton, Bal. (22) | Mark Bradley, Chi. (39) | 61 |
| 2013 | Tennessee | C.Patterson, Min. (29) | Justin Hunter, Ten. (34) | 63 |
| 2021 | • Louisiana State | JaMarr Chase, Cin. (5) | Terrace Marshall, Car. (59) | 64 |
| 2004 | Louisiana State | Michael Clayton, T.B. (15) | D. Henderson, N.O. (50) | 65 |
| 1991 | Miami | Randal Hill, Mia. (23) | Wesley Carroll, N.O. (42) | 65 |
| 1983 | Tennessee | Willie Gault, Chi. (18) | Darryal Wilson, N.E. (47) | 65 |
| 2000 | Florida State | Peter Warrick, Cin. (4) | Ron Dugans, Cin. (66) | 70 |
| 2014 | Louisiana State | Odell Beckham, NYG (12) | Jarvis Landry, Mia. (63) | 75 |
| 1995 | Ohio State | Joey Galloway, Sea. (8) | Chris Sanders, Hou. (67) | 75 |
| 1994 | Alabama | Kevin Lee, N.E. (35) | David Palmer, Min. (40) | 75 |
| 2002 | Florida | Jabar Gaffney, Hou. (33) | Reche Caldwell, S.D. (48) | 81 |
| 2000 | Florida | Travis Taylor, Bal. (10) | Darrell Jackson, Sea. (80) | 90 |
| 1989 | North Carolina St. | Danny Peebles, T.B. (33) | Naz Worthern, K.C. (60) | 93 |
| 1978 | Florida | Wes Chandler, N.O. (3) | Terry LeCount, S.F. (91) | 94 |
| 2007 | Southern Cal | Dwayne Jarrett, Car. (45) | Steve Smith, NYG (51) | 96 |
| 2013 | West Virginia | Tavon Austin, St.L. (8) | Stedman Bailey, St.L. (92) | 100 |
| 2024 | Louisiana State | Malik Nabers | Brian Thomas | ? |
| 2024 | Washington | Rome Odunze | JaLynn Polk | ? |
| 2024 | Texas | Adonai Mitchell | Xavier Worthy | ? |
—Ian Allan