2024 Wide Receiver Unit Rankings: SEC dominates Top 10 but Ohio State, Oregon take top spots
With spring practice in the books and the second transfer portal window closed, it’s time to kickstart our summer series evaluating 2024 positional unit rankings.
I debuted the series with a look at the 10 best quarterback rooms, and then ranked Top 10 running back units in 2024 and the best tight end rooms this fall.
Today, it’s a look at the best-receiving corps in 2024. College football lacks some of the star power at wideout this fall — there’s no Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers or Rome Odunze — but there’s no shortage of really deep, talented rooms either.
Like the tailback spot, some of the sport’s top individual wideouts — say Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan and Oklahoma State’s Brennan Presley — lack the support around them, so their teams don’t crack the rankings.
The same can’t be said for the dudes at Ohio State and Oregon, though. With that…
The Top 10 wide receiver units in 2024:
1. Ohio State
Death, taxes and Ohio State receivers. Once again, the Buckeyes have perhaps the most loaded room in the country in 2024 — and this is after losing All-American Marvin Harrison Jr. to the NFL Draft and former 5-star Julian Fleming to Penn State.
Emeka Egbuka opted to return for his senior season, while 5-star sophomores Carnell Tate and Brandon Inniss will step into bigger roles. Then there’s Jeremiah Smith, the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2024 recruiting class, and Top 40 prospect Mylan Graham.
Smith has been comp’d to Larry Fitzgerald and is considered the most ready-made freshman since Julio Jones. He lost his black stripe weeks into Ohio State’s spring practice — something that had never happened before.
2. Oregon
The Ducks lost top target Troy Franklin to the NFL, but their wideout room might actually be better in 2024. Tez Johnson (86 receptions, 1,182 yards and 10 scores), Trashon Holden and Gary Bryant Jr. will all be in their second year in Will Stein’s system. Same for 5-star Jurrion Dickey, who had just one catch in five games as a freshman last season.
Oregon is also adding former 5-star Evan Stewart and a couple of other blue-chip freshmen to the mix, too. Stewart has untapped potential that wasn’t unlocked at Texas A&M — but likely will be in Eugene. He had 643 yards in 2022, which was No. 2 among all freshmen nationally that year.
3. Texas
Xavier Worthy, AD Mitchell and Jordan Whittington are gone — a combined 172 catches and 17 touchdowns in 2023 — and yet the Longhorns simply reloaded their receiver room via the portal and recruiting.
In steps Alabama transfer Isaiah Bond, Oregon State’s Silas Bolden and Houston’s Matthew Golden — a trio that combined for 140 catches and 20 total touchdowns last season. Meanwhile, former 5-star Johntay Cook II is a potential starter, and blue-chip signee Ryan Wingo looks hard to keep off the field after a big spring.
4. Ole Miss
The Rebels are flush with receiving talent in 2024, bringing back top targets Tre Harris and Jordan Watkins, as well as promising underclassman Ayden Williams. Harris ranks No. 2 among all returning wideouts in the SEC in yards (985), per catch average (18.2) and touchdowns (eight).
This offseason, Ole Miss also added former South Carolina standout Juice Wells and No. 1 JUCO receiver Deion Smith. Wells was an All-SEC performer in 2022 before missing most of the 2023 season with a foot injury. Smith is a 6-3, 180-pound perimeter threat who caught a couple touchdowns for LSU as a freshman in 2021.
5. Missouri
Luther Burden III is the best receiver in the country after a sophomore season where he dropped just four passes on 94 targets and led the nation with over 700 yards after the catch. Burden III isn’t a one-man band, either, as he’s buoyed by vets Theo Wease Jr., a former 5-star Oklahoma transfer, and Mookie Cooper.
In addition to Burden’s production, Wease and Cooper accounted for 85 catches and six scores in 2023. The X-factor in the Tigers’ wideout room is Marquis Johnson, a home run threat nearly every time he sees the field. In limited snaps, the Texas native had seven catches go for more than 25 yards — including three touchdowns.
6. Georgia
Unlike other units ranked in the Top 10, the Bulldogs don’t feature an alpha at wideout (not yet anyways) but few programs have their depth and array of skill sets.
Georgia has slippery guys (Dom Lovett, Anthony Evans III and Rara Thomas), fast guys (Arian Smith, London Humphreys), a big red zone threat (Miami transfer Colbie Young) and a Swiss Army knife (Dillon Bell) who could emerge as the team’s No. 1 option and All-SEC performer.
There’s a reason why Carson Beck decided to skip the 2024 NFL Draft and play one more year in Athens.
7. Miami
With Xavier Restrepo, Jacolby George and Isaiah Horton all back, the Hurricanes should have the top receiver room in the ACC in 2024. Restrepo ranked No. 2 in the conference in yards (1,092) and catches (85) last season and could actually see a spike in production working in tandem with transfer quarterback Cam Ward — who loves throwing to slot receivers.
George is a big-play threat (15.2 yards per catch, eight touchdowns), and the Canes also added Houston transfer Sam Brown, who led the Cougars with 62 catches and 815 yards in 2023. Miami lacks the depth of other receiver units in this ranking, which is why freshmen Joshisa Trader and Ny Carr, both of whom had solid springs, could be counted on early this fall.
8. LSU
Gone are a pair of Top 20 NFL Draft selections in Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. (over 2,700 total yards, 31 touchdowns), and yet LSU’s receiver room remains a scary bunch. Kyren Lacy is ready for his moment in the sun, and the Tigers brought in CJ Daniels from Liberty — perhaps the top Group of 5 receiver to make the jump to a power conference team this offseason.
LSU’s receiver room also features Chris Hilton, former Alabama transfer Aaron Anderson and 2023 5-star Shelton Sampson Jr. For some added insurance, the Tigers brought in Mississippi State transfer Zavion Thomas. The Louisiana native had 40 receptions for 503 yards for an offense that barely could throw the football in 2023.
9. Oklahoma
The Sooners enter 2024 with a strong collection of receiver talent, led by sophomore Nic Anderson who was fantastic as a redshirt freshman last year (21.0 yards per catch, 10 touchdowns).
OU also brings back veterans Jalil Farooq, Jayden Gibson and Andrel Anthony. But the most notable addition to the Sooners’ wideout room is Purdue transfer Deion Burks. The former Boilermaker showcased immediate chemistry with quarterback Jackson Arnold this spring and should be more productive (47 catches for 629 yards in 2023) in OU’s pass-happy offense.
10. Colorado
The Buffs have major concerns up and down the roster, but their receiver room isn’t among them. Shedeur Sanders has plenty of quality targets to throw to.
Two-way star Travis Hunter is a No. 1 option in the slot or out wide, while Jimmy Horn Jr. and Omarion Miller are back too. Horn Jr. was Sanders’ safety valve in 2023, averaging just 9.8 yards per catch but ranking No. 2 on the team in receptions.
Deion Sanders hit the portal for more playmaking help, too, nabbing transfers Will Sheppard (Vandy) and Lajohntay Wester (FAU). Wester was highly productive for the Owls last season, hauling in 108 receptions — second-most nationally. Sheppard led the Commodores in catches, yards and touchdowns in each of the last two years.
Best of the Rest: Tennessee, USC, Texas Tech, Auburn, NC State