College Football's Top 25 Receiving Corps for 2024

The wide receiver position features some of the nation's most talented players for the 2024 college football season, including Arizona's Tetairoa McMillan, Missouri's Luther Burden III, Ole Miss' Tre Harris, Ohio State's Emeka Egbuka, and Oregon's Tez Johnson. In addition to topping the list of individual talent, those players are also crucial in forming the foundation for some of the nation's top receiving corps for the '24 season.

Oregon and Ohio State are locked into a tight battle for the No. 1 overall receiving corps for '24, with Ole Miss, Missouri, and Texas rounding out the top five. The next tier features a handful of standout groups, including Miami, Colorado, Georgia, Oklahoma, and USC.

How did we come up with these rankings? Many factors were considered. Depth, overall talent, production, level of competition and projected output in 2024 all factored into the rankings for the receiving corps. While some teams may have experienced a down year last season, having a different quarterback or a change of scheme can make a huge difference. These rankings reflect projections for '24, not solely what teams have accomplished in '23. Note: This ranking also takes into account tight ends.

College Football's Top 25 Receiving Corps for 2024

1. Oregon

It's a close call between two new Big Ten rivals, but the Ducks have a slight edge on Ohio State for the No. 1 receiving corps in college football. Four of the top five targets from 2023 are back, including receivers Tez Johnson (86 catches for 1,182 yards), Traeshon Holden (37 for 452 yards), and Gary Bryant (30). The targets for new quarterback Dillon Gabriel grew even more this offseason with the arrival of former five-star prospect and Texas A&M transfer Evan Stewart. In 18 games with the Aggies, Stewart grabbed 91 catches for 1,163 yards and six scores. The Ducks have plenty of depth at tight end too. Terrance Ferguson (42) is the headliner, but Patrick Herbert and Kenyon Sadiq.

2. Ohio State

Despite losing Biletnikoff Award winner (and first-round NFL pick) Marvin Harrison Jr., the Buckeyes are once again overflowing with talent at receiver. Emeka Egbuka was slowed a bit by injuries in '23 but caught 71 passes for 1,151 yards and 10 scores the previous year. With a return to full strength, Egbuka should assume the No. 1 role in Ohio State's receiving corps and a place among the best receivers in college football. He's joined by rising stars in sophomore Carnell Tate (18 catches for 264 yards last year) and Brandon Inniss (four-star prospect in 2023 class), while Jeremiah Smith could be college football's top impact true freshman. A pair of freshmen Bryson Rodgers (redshirt) and Mylan Graham (true) will provide depth on the outside. Senior Gee Scott Jr. and Ohio transfer Will Kacmarek are the top contributors at tight end.

3. Ole Miss

Coach Lane Kiffin's high-powered offense could lean a little more on the pass in 2024 after standout running back Quinshon Judkins transferred Ohio State. All of the pieces are in place for Kiffin to have one of the SEC's top passing games once again, as Jaxson Dart is back among the top quarterbacks in the conference, and the receiving corps is loaded with talent. Tre Harris (54 catches for 985 yards and eight scores) is back as the team's No. 1 option, with Jordan Watkins (53), Cayden Lee (eight) and Ayden Williams (four) returning in '24. Kiffin added help to the receiving corps with the arrival of South Carolina transfer Juice Wells (68 catches for 928 yards and six scores in '22), along with more portal additions in Micah Davis (Utah State), Jordan Smart (North Texas), Izaiah Hartrup (Southern Illinois) and Devin Price (FAU). Additional help is on the way in the form of five-star junior college recruit (and former LSU receiver) Deion Smith. Caden Prieskorn returns at tight end after catching 30 passes for 449 yards and four scores in 10 appearances last year. He should be one of the nation's top tight ends in '24.

4. Missouri

Luther Burden III - the nation's No. 1 receiver for the 2024 college football season - is back after catching 86 passes for 1,212 yards and nine touchdowns last fall. The St. Louis native isn't the only weapon returning on the outside for quarterback Brady Cook. Oklahoma transfer Theo Wease returns after catching 49 passes for 682 yards with the Tigers last season, with Mookie Cooper (36), Mekhi Miller (11), and Marquis Johnson (29.5 yards per catch average on 13 receptions) rounding out the top options at receiver. True freshman Courtney Crutchfield (No. 43 overall prospect in the 2024 signing class) is another name to watch on the outside. Tight end Brett Norfleet (18 catches) is a rising star.

5. Texas

Placing the Longhorns in the top five may seem like a stretch after the program lost 219 of the team's 241 catches made by a receiver or tight end last season. However, coach Steve Sarkisian successfully reloaded this position through the portal. Three impact playmakers at receiver arrived as transfers this offseason, including former Alabama standout Isaiah Bond (48 catches for 668 yards and four scores). Oregon State transfer Silas Bolden (54 catches for 746 yards) and former Houston standout Matthew Golden (38 grabs in '23) form a talented trio for quarterback Quinn Ewers to lean on for the team's debut in the SEC. Additional receiver help is coming from five-star freshman Ryan Wingo and sophomores Johntay Cook II and DeAndre Moore Jr. Senior Gunnar Helm returns after catching 14 passes last year, but Alabama transfer Amari Niblack (20 catches for 327 yards in '23) is likely to be the top receiving threat at tight end.

The Next Five

6. Georgia
Receiver Ladd McConkey and tight end Brock Bowers will be missed. However, the Bulldogs still have plenty of weapons for quarterback Carson Beck, including Dominic Lovett, Dillon Bell, and Miami transfer Colbie Young at receiver, along with Oscar Delp and Ben Yurosek at tight end.

7. Colorado
Transfers LaJohntay Wester (FAU) and Will Sheppard (Vanderbilt), two-way threat Travis Hunter, and Jimmy Horn Jr. lead a standout group of receivers for quarterback Shedeur Sanders.

8. Oklahoma
Nic Anderson returns after catching 10 touchdowns as a freshman last year, while Purdue transfer Deion Burks could emerge as the No. 1 target for quarterback Jackson Arnold. Jalil Farooq (45 grabs) is also back, but the depth on this unit took a hit with Jayden Gibson's injury in fall practice, along with Andrel Anthony's continued fall recovery from an ACL injury suffered last season.

9. Miami
Transfer quarterback Cam Ward inherits one of the ACC's top receivers in Xavier Restrepo (85 catches), along with Jacolby George (57), and Houston transfer Sam Brown (62 catches for 815 yards).

10. USC
The Trojans must replace their top two statistical receivers (Tahj Washington and Brenden Rice) from last year, but coach Lincoln Riley still has plenty of talent to work with, including Duce Robinson, Zachariah Branch, Ja'Kobi Lance, Makai Lemon, and Kyle Ford.

The Next Tier

11. LSU
12. Tennessee
13. SMU
14. Notre Dame
15. Louisville
16. TCU
17. North Carolina
18. Arizona
19. Alabama
20. Kentucky
21. Texas A&M
22. NC State
23. Appalachian State
24. Florida
25. Kansas

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