Top wide receivers in the initial 2026 Rivals300 rankings

Elite wide receivers are plentiful in the 2026 cycle. On Monday, the initial Rivals300 rankings were released, tabbing 20 receivers as top-150 overall prospects.

In total, 48 receivers are featured in the new rankings. All but three are already committed, too. The cycle continues to churn quick ahead of football season.

Below is a look at the top wide receivers in the 2026 cycle, according to the Rivals300:

1. Tristen Keys — LSU

Rivals300 Ranking: No. 15 NATL.
School: Hattiesburg (Miss.)

Scouting Summary: “Contested catch maven who looks like the top wide receiver prospect early in the 2026 cycle. Has good size, measuring at ver 6-foot-2, 185 pounds with good length as a junior. Turned in a strong junior campaign, catching 58 passes for 1,275 yards and 14 touchdowns while leading his team to a deep playoff run. Excels in contested catch situations, elevating to come down with acrobatic grabs. Hangs in the air and is able to contort his body into favorable positions. Displays a huge catch radius, high-pointing the football and coming down with one-handed grabs. High-level ball tracker with the ability to locate and corral the ball over his shoulder. Shows some route-running nuance.

…Has some shake off the line of scrimmage and is able to stack corners with his releases. Runs hard after the catch. Able to attack all areas of the field with his well-rounded skill set. Made some huge plays in big contests as a junior. Also a star on the 7-on-7 circuit before his junior season. Good marks in track and field in the high jump (6-0 feet) and triple jump (43-2 feet). Also plays basketball. Can continue improving his top-end speed.”

2. Jase Mathews

Rivals300 Ranking: No. 17 NATL.
School: Greene County (Miss.)

The Skinny: Mathews is down to four SEC programs — Auburn, LSU, Ole Miss, Texas A&M — and he’s now set to announce his commitment on Aug. 8. Mathews told Rivals’ Hayes Fawcett that LSU and A&M were the programs setting the pace heading into the final weeks of his process. It’s Ole Miss that currently has a slight edge in the Rivals Recruiting Prediction Machine.

3. Naeem Burroughs — Clemson

Rivals300 Ranking: No. 31 NATL. (No. 3 WR)
School: Bolles School (Fla.)

Scout’s Take: “Naeem Burroughs has continued to show why he’s an outlier for us at the wide receiver position. Watching him move and cut in his route running while flashing his body control and balance at the catch point and at the top of his routes was a treat to watch at the Rivals 5-Star event. He’s a truly gifted athlete consistently hitting the 10.6 mark in the 100m and sub-22.00 in the 200m during his junior track and field season. Combine that with his natural ball tracking downfield and his natural hands and you have a three-level pass catcher who can score from anywhere on the field.”

4. Cederian Morgan — Alabama

Rivals300 Ranking: No. 35 NATL.
School: Benjamin Russell (Ala.)

Morgan on his decision: “I get to stay home and play for Alabama,” he told Rivals’ Chad Simmons. “Alabama has tradition, they win and I get to play for coach Shep, the best receivers coach in the country. He is big on development, I can’t describe our connection and I know he will push me to be the best version of myself on and off the field.”

5. Messiah Hampton — Oregon

Rivals300 Ranking: No. 43 NATL.
School: James Monroe (N.Y.)

Scout’s Take: “Hampton delivered a sensational performance at Under Armour Miami. Making the trek to South Florida from Rochester, New York, Hampton proved unguardable all afternoon. At 6-foot-1, 180 pounds with plus length, Hampton pairs his translatable size with advanced technical skills. He was dominant during 1-on-1’s showing the ability to win at levels of the field while winning the vast majority, if not all of his reps. We saw him separate vertically, showing top-end speed and the ability to tempo his routes. He later shook a Power 4 cornerback prospect with a nasty out-breaking comeback route.

…The play speed and slick routes combined with excellent ball skills. Hampton consistently framed his catches away from his body and tracked the ball effortlessly over his shoulder. He also showed the ability to fight through contact at the catch point. It’s not every day we see a prospect from upstate New York come down to South Florida and dominate, but he left little doubt he was the MVP by day’s end.”

6. Chris Henry Jr. — Ohio State

Rivals300 Ranking: No. 50 NATL.
School: Mater Dei (Calif.)

Scouting Summary: “Big receiver with a rare combination of size, athleticism and coordination as a young prospect. Measured in at over 6-foot-4.5 and around 185 pounds prior to his sophomore season. Tests as a strong athlete, posting an electronically-timed 4.65 second 40 yard dash at Under Armour’s Ohio Camp. Flashes outstanding functional movement skills at his size, with the ability to sink his hips and change direction with ease. Projects as a high level route runner as he continues to progress. Not overly long for his height, but flashes good ball skills and catch radius. Has strong pedigree as the son of the late NFL wide receiver Chris Henry. Projects as one of the top receivers early on in the 2026 cycle.”

7. Davian Groce

Rivals300 Ranking: No. 54 NATL.
School: Lone Star (Texas)

The Skinny: The recruitment of Groce has been more lowkey than most, but the blue-chip pass-catcher has gotten an in-depth look at his top contenders this summer. It’s down to Baylor, Florida, Houston and Oklahoma, and according to Rivals’ Sam Spiegelman, a decision could be on the horizon. The Sooners are trending in the Rivals Recruiting Prediction Machine.

8. Chase Campbell

Rivals300 Ranking: No. 57 NATL.
School: Frenship (Texas)

The Skinny: Campbell remains down to three programs — Baylor, Kansas State, Texas Tech — and has now locked in a new commitment date of July 22. He continues to trend toward the Red Raiders, per the Rivals Recruiting Prediction Machine. Rivals’ Sam Spiegelman has the latest on the Lone Star State pass-catcher here.

9. Tyreek King — Tennessee

Rivals300 Ranking: No. 60 NATL.
School: Knoxville Catholic (Tenn.)

Camp Review: “King made the most big plays we saw from a receiver at Rivals Five-Star. King was good during 1-on-1s after being a late arrival. He picked things up during 7-on-7. The Tennessee pledge was a touchdown waiting to happen throughout the afternoon. King threatened every level of the field with his burst off the line, long speed, and elite change of direction. The Knoxville native has a ton of wiggle within his routes. He showed excellent speed after the catch, taking a crossing route before weaving through the defense for an impressive touchdown. He later got open on a corner route during the final 7-on-7 game, tracking the ball over his shoulder while getting his feet down in bounds.”

10. Craig Dandridge — Georgia

Rivals300 Ranking: No. 76 NATL.
School: Cambridge (Ga.)

Scout’s Take: “Craig Dandridge had a great junior season and has really been a prospect, to a degree, that kind of came out of nowhere as a junior. He’s continued to rise as we’ve gained more information about this receiver group nationally — which is not the deepest. When you stack up what Dandridge did as a junior, then did in the spring and in the track season, it all really stands out. As a junior he was productive and efficient with over 1,400 yards, 14 touchdowns at nearly 25 yards per catch. Very strong athleticism in the combine setting and he backs that up running in the 10.8s in the 100-meters during track.

…He had a dominant spring, had multiple plays that went viral from his spring game and was outstanding in the 7-on-7 setting, too. Based on what we’ve seen so far, Dandridge is a really well-rounded receiver prospect. A guy who can win with speed, has good ball skills, can separate with his routes and has a high skill level. He looks to be an ascending prospect and is getting better at a fast rate.”

Wide Receivers 11-20 in the Rivals300

11. Jabari Mack — LSU
12. Boobie Feaster — USC
13. Calvin Russell — Syracuse
14. Kaydon Finley — Notre Dame
15. Tyren Wortham — Michigan State

16. Aaron Gregory — Texas A&M
17. Travis Johnson — Michigan
18. Jayden Warren — Houston
19. Vance Spafford — Miami
20. Justin Williams — Florida