Honorable Mention: Darnell Mooney, Chicago Bears

While names such as Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs III, Laviska Shenault Jr., Michael Pittman Jr., and Jalen Reagor were all drafted before Mooney, they did not make the cut. Taken in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL Draft, Mooney was a bright spot on an otherwise disappointing Bears team. Mooney showed off his playmaking ability and speed despite being very low on the depth chart to begin the season. With star teammate Allen Robinson II being a free agent this offseason, Mooney will be elevated higher in the depth chart and should see his role in the offense expand. As a result, his production should only increase from here.

5. Brandon Aiyuk, San Francisco 49ers

Aiyuk was arguably the most unproven rookie of the class coming out of Arizona State. Many questioned if the Sun Devil would be able to transition to the NFL, as former ASU teammate N’Keal Harry, a first round pick of the New England Patriots in 2019, flopped. Harry had minimal production in his 2019 campaign. On top of that, he was plagued by injuries and was an early candidate to be the biggest bust of the class. Brandon Aiyuk, on the other hand, changed that. The 49ers offense, known for their gadget players like Deebo Samuel, and now Aiyuk, was still solid despite lacking a starting-caliber quarterback for much of the season. Aiyuk was a big reason for this. A swiss army knife type player, the speedster and athlete that is Aiyuk was able to produce big gains on bubble screens, end arounds, jet sweeps, and on traditional routes. Aiyuk should be a big reason for the Niners offense to see success in 2021.

4. CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys

Lamb was one of the biggest names in the 2020 draft. It was no shock to see Dallas take Lamb at 17th overall. A good separator with great hands, Lamb is a natural athlete and proved it in 2020. In a stacked receiving core alongside Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup, Lamb still flashed his elite potential in his role as the number three receiver. Lamb showed off his amazing body control and hands with his catch of the year against the Minnesota Vikings. Lamb should be a receiver to keep an eye on throughout the 2021 season.

3. Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals

Despite already having a great wide receiver room, the Bengals took Tee Higgins at 33rd overall in 2020. Higgins sat behind teammates Tyler Boyd and A.J. Green for the beginning of the 2020 season, but was thrust into a starting role due to the inconsistency and unhappiness of Green. Higgins silenced all doubters and was a huge threat on a struggling Bengals team that lost their starting quarterback in Week 11. With fellow receivers Green and John Ross III most likely leaving in free agency, Higgins will make a splash in 2021 as the number 2 receiver behind Boyd. 

2. Chase Claypool, Pittsburgh Steelers

A tall deep threat out of Notre Dame, Claypool came into 2020 as a player with a lot of uncertainty around him. Pittsburgh took a shot on the tight end-converted-receiver in the second round at 49th overall. In some years, Claypool would have been one of the first receivers off the board, but was the 11th taken in 2020. Claypool starred in a pass-heavy Pittsburgh offense known for their talented receivers. Despite having to play alongside numerous other stars like Diontae Johnson, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Eric Ebron, and more, Claypool was a perfect pairing with veteran QB Ben Roethlisberger. Claypool amassed 873 receiving yards on just 62 receptions to go alongside a whopping 13 total touchdowns (including the playoffs). Claypool should continue to thrive in Pittsburgh for a long time.

1. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings

Jefferson, a speedster out of LSU, was arguably the biggest steal of the NFL Draft in 2020. At 22nd overall, the Minnesota Vikings took a shot on Jefferson. Jefferson, trying to replace Stefon Diggs, alongside Adam Thelien was an amazing duo. The two helped out a high-powered Vikings offense behind running back Dalvin Cook and quarterback Kirk Cousins. Jefferson played a huge role in making Minnesota a playoff contender for most of the season despite a struggling defense. Jefferson had 1,400 yards in 2020, the fourth most in the NFL. Jefferson should be a star in Minnesota for the years to come.