NFL

NFL Draft 2025: Steve Smith Reveals Best WRs Big Board

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Anthony Cardenas
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Anthony Cardenas Sports Editor

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Published19 Mar 2025

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Former NFL star Steve Smith Sr. took to his YouTube channel earlier this week to talk about the upcoming draft. He ranked the top wide receiver prospects, creating his own big board for the position that he used to specialize in, and some of his rankings may come as a bit of a surprise.

Steve Smith Sr. Reveals His WR Big Board For The 2025 NFL Draft

Most big boards have Arizona wideout Tetairoa McMillan as the top prospect at the position this year. Given his combination of size and athletic ability, he appears to be something of a prototype for a player who could eventually be one of the top pass catchers at the next level some day.

But Steve Smith has him listed as the second-best on his big board. He explained that McMillan was a “good player, not a great player”, saying that he leaves a lot of plays on the field and doesn’t have the ability to dominate like a player at his size should. Smith applauds McMillan’s jump ball ability, but questions his route tree.

Smith has instead elevated Texas wideout Matthew Golden into the top spot on his wide receiver big board. He says that Golden’s speed will set him apart from the rest, and the fact that he played a defined role with the Longhorns that will benefit his development in the NFL.

One of the biggest movers on Steve Smith’s big board was Utah State wideout Jalen Royals. Many draft projections have him pegged somewhere in the 8 to 10 range when it comes to the best available wide receivers, but Smith has elevated him to 5th on his list. He says that Royals has a skill set that will translate well to the next level, and that he was done no favors by poor quarterback play and misguided coaching while playing for the Aggies.

Steve Smith Sr. was a third round pick in the 2001 NFL Draft. He far outplayed his draft status throughout his career, and is one of 15 players in the history of the league to rack up 1,000 catches during his playing days. He ranks 8th on the all-time receiving yards list, and was named an All-Pro on three different occasions. Smith Sr. retired after the 2016 season.