Phil Steele releases top 10 draft-eligible wide receivers
Get ready for a season full of highlight plays. On Tuesday, Phil Steele released his top 10 draft-eligible wide receivers list.
NFL teams are salivating at the thought of the 2024 draft class, and they should be. The group boasts generational talents such as Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka. However, the Buckeye pair is just the tip of the iceberg.
Steele’s list consists of obvious choices and surprising picks alike. From the swamps to the sand dunes, Steele leaves no stone unturned. Look below to see if your favorite receiver made the illustrious list.
1. Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State
If you’re a college football fan, you saw this coming. Most NCAA experts agree Marvin Harrison Jr. is the top prize out wide in 2024. He’s earned the respect. As a sophomore in 2022, Harrison caught 77 passes for 1,263 yards and 14 touchdowns.
For his efforts, Harrison was named the Big Ten Conference’s Richter-Howard Wide Receiver of the Year. Further, the 6-foot-4 talent was a unanimous All-American. If Harrison can manage another standout season, he’ll be at top of NFL teams’ minds next April.
2. Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State
Yes, you read that correctly. Steele believes Ohio State has the two top draft-eligible receivers in college football this season. Crazier, he might be right. Emeka Egbuka trailed just behind Harrison last season, hauling in 1,151 receiving yards and 10 touchdown catches.
Egbuka doesn’t go down easily. The 6-foot-1 wideout tallied 526 yards after the catch last season, good for 12th among all players nationally, according to Pro Football Focus. With defenses distracted by Harrison, Egbuka could be in for an even bigger season.
3. Malik Nabers, LSU
It’s not Ohio State, but it’s another powerhouse program. In his freshman season, LSU wideout Malik Nabers was the fourth option on LSU. Last season, he became the Tigers’ go-to guy. Now, Nabers is poised to be one of the best options in the country.
As a sophomore, Nabers led the Tigers with 72 catches for a team-high 1,017 yards. With another offseason to build chemistry with standout QB Jayden Daniels, fans expect Nabers to pile on to his statistics in 2023.
4. Troy Franklin, Oregon
This Duck can fly. Franklin boasted a breakout sophomore season in 2022, collecting 61 receptions for 891 yards and nine touchdowns. His nine receiving TDs are the 10th most in a single season in program history.
Franklin seemed to get better with every game last season. In fact, the 6-foot-2 receiver enters 2023 with at least one reception in 17 consecutive games and a touchdown catch in four straight games. If Franklin can keep the streak going this season, he’ll be a hot commodity in the 2024 NFL Draft.
5. Rome Odunze, Washington
Washington’s return to prominence can be contributed to Rome Odunze as much as head coach Kalen DeBoer. As a sophomore, Odunze appeared in 12 of Washington’s 13 contests, recording a conference-high 1,145 receiving yards.
To pile on, the 6-foot-3 wide receiver also boasted seven touchdowns and 75 receptions. DeBoer claims Odunze has grown even stronger and faster this offseason. With Michael Penix Jr. delivering dots, there’s no telling what Odunze is capable of this season.
6. Xavier Worthy, Texas
This could be the season Texas returns to glory. However, the Longhorns can’t do it without Xavier Worthy. The 6-foot-1 wide receiver has already etched himself into UT history with 21 career touchdown receptions, the third-most in program history.
Last season alone, Worthy totaled 60 receptions for 760 yards and nine touchdowns. With the departures of running backs Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson, Worthy will only receive more offensive attention this season.
7. Jacob Cowing, Arizona
While Jacob Cowing’s name is not as familiar in the headlines, his skills are just as worthy. After spending three seasons at Utep, Cowing transferred to Arizona last season. In his first season with the Wildcats, Cowing posted 1,034 receiving yards and seven touchdowns on 85 receptions, the most in the Pac-12.
Suddenly, his name is starting to ring a bell. Get used to it. Cowing has already been named to the 2023 Maxwell Award Watch List along with the Preseason All-Pac-12 Second Team.
8. Mario Williams, USC
Behind every Heisman quarterback, there is a reliable receiver. In Caleb Williams‘ case, Mario Williams is that man. Last season, Williams caught 40 passes for 631 yards and five touchdowns. While he wasn’t the top target last season, he’s expected to take over the Trojans’ receiving room in 2023.
While Williams is only 5-foot-9, he plays with an unmatched intensity. “He’s small, but he’s got a rocket up his butt,” an NFL scouting source said, per On3’s Matt Zenitz. If USC fans are lucky, that rocket will carry them straight to the College Football Playoff.
9. Bru McCoy, Tennessee
Bru McCoy was a fresh face on Tennessee last season, but he sure looked comfortable in orange. After transferring from USC, McCoy recorded 52 catches for 667 yards and four touchdowns. More impressively, McCoy posted these numbers while playing next to Biletnikoff Award winner Jalin Hyatt.
With Hyatt gone to the NFL, McCoy is in for a massive campaign. The former five-star recruit’s quarterback certainly has faith in him. “There’s a lot of things you haven’t seen from Bru,” Tennessee QB1 Joe Milton III said.
10. Tory Horton, Colorado State
Tory Horton is the only player not from a Power Five program on Steele’s list. Nonetheless, he’s worthy of the ranking. The 6-foot-2 receiver exploded for 71 catches for 1,131 yards and eight touchdowns last season.
Able to receive punts as well as passes, Horton is on the 2023 Paul Hornung Award Watch List. Not to mention, the California native is already on watchlists for the Biletnikoff Award and Maxwell Award, as well.
No matter where a receiver is from, they can be fun to watch. Luckily for college football fans, there’s no shortage of talent out wide this season. In just a couple of weeks, fans will be routinely wowed by high-flying catches and one-handed snags. See you there.