Ranking CFB's Top 10 Wide Receivers for 2025
- Liam Donnan
- May 18
- 8 min read
Updated: 4 hours ago
As the field continues to spread out and the passing side of offenses continue to develop, the receiver position's importance continues to rise. 2024 brought us two of the most dominant true freshman seasons at receiver in recent memory, with Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith and Alabama's Ryan Williams. Cam Coleman at Auburn also became a legitimate weapon for Auburn down the stretch as well. High school development at the position has become elite to a level better than any other position.
Incoming freshmen Kaliq Lockett (Texas) and Dakorien Moore (Oregon) will look to make an immediate impact for their respective offenses as well.
While receiver is very dependent on the rest of the team, especially quarterback (who is very dependent on the offensive line), offenses can work around and "hide" a quarterbacks flaws simply by getting the ball into a receivers hands, and see what they can do with it. Not every receiver on this list has an elite quarterback, but it is considered to a degree.
1) Jeremiah Smith - Ohio State
It's difficult to imagine any true-freshman at Ohio State has filled his helmet with the Buckeye stickers faster than Jeremiah Smith. He is a big play in human form, and is a threat to all three levels of the defense. He is about as polished as a true freshman could be, and is already NFL ready with his 6'3" 215 lb frame.
For context -- many believe he would have been a top three selection in this years NFL draft, at worst. He is arguably the best player in all of college football and an absolute star. The craziest part - he will play two more seasons of college ball. Unfair.
2) Ryan Williams - Alabama
Ryan Williams absolutely popped as a true freshman, early enrollee. He made the play of the year, on a 75 yard touchdown late in a close game against Georgia. He should have been in high school. The pace that Williams is on puts him in contention to shatter Alabama program records held by former Heisman winner Devonta Smith.
Cementing his legacy in a program who has wide receiver lore only matched by Ohio State is easy for Williams, based on what we saw in 2024: Keep being great at football. Alabama will have a new quarterback for the first time in two years, since Jalen Milroe is off to the NFL. The QB projects to be Ty Simpson, a former five-star recruit who has patiently waited in the wings for years now. Also competing for the starting job are Washington transfer Austin Mack and five-star true freshman Keelon Russell.
3) Jordyn Tyson - Arizona State
Tyson was a Coach Prime reject at Colorado entering the 2023 season, he would be the best player on their team this year. Good job Deion! He was one of the best receivers in the Big 12 and the entire nation a season ago, and was sorely missed by the Sun Devils in their playoff game against Texas. Outmatched and out-talented, Arizona State nearly defeated Texas without their premier wide-out. If Tyson was there to stretch the field and keep a safety out of the box, away from star RB Cam Skattebo, who knows what may have happened.
ASU's quarterback, Sam Leavitt, is back for another year, and will be one of the best signal callers in the nation. Head coach Kenny Dillingham's offense is run heavy, but uses receivers creatively, and relies on a dynamic receiver to stretch the field. Tyson is just that, and does so in dominant fashion. He put together some ridiculous box scores across the year, clearing 125 yards in three straight games to end the regular season. Because of Ryan Williams and Jeremiah Smith's age, he could easily be the WR1 in the NFL draft in 2026.
4) Eric Singleton Jr. - Auburn
Singleton left one of the most underrated ACC teams, Georgia Tech to join one of the biggest question marks in the SEC, Auburn. Himself and true-sophomore Cam Coleman will put tremendous stress on opposing defenses, and make up one of the best receiving duos in the country.
The big question for both Singleton and Coleman is if Oklahoma transfer QB Jackson Arnold will be able to right his wrongs from 2024. The Oklahoma team he was on was injured, and far below the standard that the OU fans have come to know. Auburn in 2025 is a more talented team than Oklahoma was in 2024. If Arnold figures it out, Eric Singleton is set to be one of the best in the SEC.
5) Evan Stewart - Oregon
A former five-star recruit who went to Texas A&M originally, Evan Stewart became the Ducks downfield threat of choice in 2024, and looks to have an expanded role in a loaded receiver room. Coming to Oregon and developing helped Stewart avoid any "five-star bust" conversations. Oregon will need Stewart to be more consistent this year. Though he was highly productive, even as WR2/3, 449 of his 613 yards came in four games.
With Tez Johnson and Traeshon Holden gone to the NFL, Evan Stewarts role can expand to the slot, and will likely be used in motion more. He will work alongside the nation's number one receiver, true freshman Dakorien Moore, and perhaps the nation's best tight end, Kenyon Sadiq. Throwing him the ball will most likely be former five-star redshirt sophomore Dante Moore.
6) Elijah Sarratt - Indiana
Sarratt flourished in the new-look, surprise Indiana team, and was clearly the WR1. He had QB Kurtis Rourke throwing him the ball, and Coach Cignetti went and replced him with an even better quarterback, Fernando Mendoza. Mendoza was very good for Cal a season ago, and has NFL like traits.
Elijah Sarratt was highly productive for the Hoosiers, and will be one of the biggest pieces if Indiana is able to replicate their success from 2024, despite a more difficult schedule.
7) Cam Coleman - Auburn
Another explosive and impressive true freshman from 2024, Cam Coleman really stepped up his game late into the season. In the first six games of SEC play, Coleman combined for 177 yards. In the last three games of the conference schedule, he had 306.
In pairing with the aforementioned Eric Singleton, we may not see a massive step up in production (598 yards, 8 TD in 2024), but he will again be one of the best in the country.
8) Kevin Concepcion - Texas A&M
After being one of the most productive true freshmen in the country in 2023, Concepcion was put on the 2024 Biletnikoff watchlist, and stuck around at NC State. The Wolfpack season absolutely got derailed when quarter back Grayson McCall was forced to medically retire before conference play even started, and Concepcion's production was cut in half from 2023 to 24.
Now on a significantly better team with the Aggies, and a quarterback I believe has potential to be an absolute STAR in Marcel Reed, Concepcion should be able to put his natural ability to use, and be one of the more productive wideouts in the SEC.
9) Ryan Wingo - Texas
I'd be remissed to leave off a true freshman who was Texas' third leading receiver. While he hasn't had the production that some others on this list have had, Wingo looks to be WR1 for the Longhorns, a team that many assume will have improved quarterback play as they transition from Quin Ewers to Arch Manning.
Deandre Moore Jr. also returns for Texas, and the pair should form a very scary combination. Wingo can make defenses pay in a variety of ways, and is a player everyone should be excited to watch go to work in Sark's offense.
10) Antonio Williams - Clemson
Entering his redshirt junior year, Williams has solidified himself as Clemson's clear-cut receiver number one, and will be playing on one of the best teams in the nation, receiving passes from arguably the best quarterback in the nation.
He has other more than capable receiver options around him, including TJ Moore and Bryant Wesco, which should take some of the attention off of him, which can only help. Everytime the Tigers have been able to succeed on the national stage, they have had elite options at receiver, and it looks like they have their guy in Antonio Williams.
Honorable Mentions
Ja'Kobi Lane - USC
Lane was not very productive in yardage for the Trojans in 2024, but lit up the scoreboard with twelve touchdowns through the air. USC struggled with offensive issues at times, relied on the ground attack and had inconsistencies at quarterback. It appears that Lincoln Riley has found his answer at QB, in former UNLV transfer Jayden Maiava. We said the same thing about Miller Moss, so we shall see. Either way, Ja'Kobi Lane has been turning heads throughout spring ball, and should continue his upward trajectory on the field, solidifying himself as the Trojans WR1. I believe he will surpass teammate Makai Lemon this year to take that title.
Carnell Tate - Ohio State
Tate will be moving up from WR3 to 2 for the Buckeye's this year, which means he would be the WR1 at over 100 different FBS teams. With almost all of the defensive attention being paid to Jeremiah Smith, Carnell Tate can be used in a variety of ways to get open. With less leniency on the run game this year and Emeka Egbuka off to the NFL, expect Carnell Tate's production to jump.
Bryant Wesco Jr. - Clemson
Another receiver on the list who is only entering their true sophomore season, Bryant Wesco Jr. stood out for Dabo and his Tigers in 2024. As Cade Klubnik continues to improve, Wesco will as well. Wesco is a great athlete and will only improve as he continues to fill out his frame.
Denzel Boston - Washington
After being stuck behind three NFL draftees in 2023, Boston stuck around at Washington through a complete staff overhaul, and it paid dividends, despite Washington having their own struggles. With a more solidified plan at QB this year in the dynamic Demond Williams, Boston should be able to impress.
Dakorien Moore - Oregon
If I included relatively unproven quarterbacks in my QB top 10, I can put the number one receiver in the nation, who his peers have absolutely gushed over to this point. He made big plays in the Ducks spring game, and can play any receiver position on the field. Do not be surprised if he leapfrogs Evan Stewart to be the Ducks leading receiver at the end of the season.
Deandre Moore - Texas
Moore was about equally as productive to his teammate Ryan Wingo, who is also on this list. In head coach Steve Sarkisian's offense, and with Arch Manning at QB, the sky is the limit for both, and they will both be used in a variety of ways.
Honorable Mentions Continued (in pairs)
Nic Anderson & Barion Brown - Louisiana State
Both of these receivers were strongly considered to be in or around the top ten, but I feel that they were best mentioned as a pair. They are both transfer-ins (a theme in this section), and have both been dominant so far. For me, this is what the ideal receiving duo looks like, from a size and skillset perspective. Anderson is a big body, jump ball threat who can work across the middle or downfield, and Brown is an ultra-shifty, electric, small player in the slot. Anderson is transferring in from Oklahoma, where he suffered an injury that sidelined him for most of 2024, but was dominant in 2023. Brown was a standout for the Kentucky Wildcats the last two seasons.
Devonte Ross & Trebor Pena - Penn State
Both are transferring in (Ross from Troy, and Pena from Syracuse) and both look to fix the woeful receiving play that Penn State has had, which has greatly hindered them in the biggest games. For example, a wide receiver did not catch a pass for the Nittany Lions in the CFP semi-final against Notre Dame.
Jaden Greathouse & Malachi Fields - Notre Dame
Greathouse broke out in a big way throughout ND's playoff run, and Malachi Fields is a transfer from Virginia, who has put together back-to-back 800 yard seasons, each with five touchdowns. He will be a boost to an offensse who struggled to move through the air at times last season.
Squirrel White & Duce Robinson - Florida State
Both were highly rated receiver prospects in the transfer portal, and will join the Seminoles, who had the disaster season to end all disaster seasons in 2024, going 2-10. Transfer QB Thomas Castellanos is also a massive question mark. Head coach Mike Norvell has had the highest of highs, and lowest of lows scrapping a team together through the portal, we shall see what 2025 has in store for FSU.
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