Position unit breakdown: All you need to know about the top 12 receiving corps in 2022
We continue our position breakdown series today with a look at the nation’s top receiving corps.
We came up with the 12 best receiving corps (wide receivers and tight ends), as well as the top receiving corps in each league (if it is not mentioned in the top 12) and the top three receiving transfer classes.
This is a mixture of talent and expected production. It should be no surprise that receiving corps that work with top quarterbacks have an advantage. (Then again, it’s a chicken-or-egg thing: Is the quarterback productive because of his receivers or vice versa?)
We looked at the nation’s top 10 offensive backfields Tuesday.
12. TCU
Key players: WR Taye Barber, WR Derius Davis, WR Gunnar Henderson, WR Jordan Hudson, WR Quentin Johnston
The buzz: The Horned Frogs return their top five receivers, add touted freshman Hudson (a national top-75 recruit) and will throw the ball more often (and more efficiently) this season with new coach Sonny Dykes. Johnston is a big-timer who should put up huge numbers in this offense. Henderson is a walk-on transfer from FCS Incarnate Word who earned a scholarship in the spring. The biggest question about the passing attack is whether the starting quarterback will be Max Duggan or Chandler Morris.
11. Penn State
Key players: TE Theo Johnson, WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith, WR Malick Meiga, WR Mitchell Tinsley, WR Parker Washington
The buzz: Leading receiver Jahan Dotson went in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, but the Nittany Lions still have a strong crew. Washington likely ascends into the No. 1 receiver role, and Tinsley is a key transfer portal addition from Western Kentucky. Johnson heads what is the second-best tight end group in the nation, behind only Georgia.
10. Fresno State
Key players: WR Jalen Cropper, WR Josh Kelly, TE Raymond Pauwels Jr., WR Zane Pope, WR Nikko Remigio
The buzz: QB Jake Haener is aiming for his second consecutive 4,000-yard season, and, hey, someone has to catch all those passes. Cropper is one of the best receivers on the West Coast, and Kelly is another returning 50-receptions guy. Remigio was Cal’s second-leading receiver, and he now plays in a passing offense that will take advantage of his quickness.
9. Stanford
Key players: WR Elijah Higgins, WR John Humphreys, WR Brycen Tremayne, WR Michael Wilson, TE Benjamin Yurosek
The buzz: If QB Tanner McKee can stay healthy (and upright behind a line that has questions), his receiving corps will produce. And these receivers are big dudes: Each of the five listed is at least 6 feet 2 and three are at least 6-4 (Humphreys, Tremayne and Yurosek). Yurosek is one of the most talented tight ends in the nation.
8. Wake Forest
Key players: WR Donavon Greene, WR Taylor Morin, WR A.T. Perry, TE Blake Whiteheart, WR Ke’Shawn Williams
The buzz: This depends upon the health of QB Sam Hartman; if he plays, the Demon Deacons again will have one of the most prolific offenses in the nation; they averaged 41.0 points (fourth nationally) and 467.9 yards per game (11th) last season. As talented as these receivers are, if Hartman does not play, they will not be as productive. Perry is one of the most talented receivers in the nation. Greene had a big 2020 (20.7 yards per catch) but missed last season with torn ACL; he and Perry should form an excellent 1-2 punch, and both are legit deep threats. There are solid complementary targets, too.
7. LSU
Key players: WR Jack Bech, WR Kayshon Boutte, WR Jaray Jenkins, WR Malik Nabers, WR Brian Thomas Jr.
The buzz: Boutte is one of the most talented receivers in the nation; he missed the final seven games last season with an ankle injury. That obviously hurt LSU’s passing attack last season, but his injury allowed younger guys with intriguing upside to get more reps and that will pay off this season. The Tigers can go seven or eight deep at receiver, which should make the quarterback (whether it’s Myles Brennan, Jayden Daniels or Garrett Nussmeier) mighty happy. The tight ends look fine, too.
6. Georgia
Key players: WR Dominick Blaylock, TE Brock Bowers, TE Arik Gilbert, WR Kearis Jackson, WR Ladd McConkey, WR AD Mitchell
The buzz: Bowers is an elite tight end who led the Bulldogs in receptions last season and should do so again this season. Gilbert is a tantalizing prospect who has had his share of off-field issues; if he puts it all together, watch out. The Bulldogs also have Darnell Washington at tight end, giving them the best tight end group outside of the NFL. None of the wide receivers is elite (not yet, at least), but there are a lot of them and they are talented. Mitchell, especially, looks to have a high upside.
5. Virginia
Key players: WR Lavel Davis, WR Malachi Fields, WR Billy Kemp IV, WR Keytaon Thompson, WR Dontayvion Wicks
The buzz: QB Brennan Armstrong threw for 4,449 yards last season and his top three receivers return. Kemp, Thompson and Wicks combined for 209 catches, 2,918 yards and 16 TDs in 2021. Wicks is one of the nation’s best deep threats, and Thompson – who was a quarterback at Mississippi State – is a Swiss Army Knife-kind of receiver. Kemp is the possession guy. Davis missed last season with an ACL injury, but he’s a 6-foot-7 receiver who can get deep (25.8 yards per catch on 20 receptions in 2020).
4. Alabama
Key players: WR Ja’Corey Brooks, WR Jermaine Burton, WR JoJo Earle, WR Tyler Harrell, TE Cameron Latu
The buzz: Going strictly by past production, this is not a top-12 group. But there is ample talent – and these guys get to work with Bryce Young. Burton had 53 receptions in two seasons at Georgia; he will be the Tide’s go-to guy and should blow by his career receptions total by, oh, Game 7. Harrell is a Louisville transfer with legit track speed, and has big-time potential as a deep threat. He had just 20 receptions in four seasons with the Cardinals but should be able to double that this season. And it seems as if Brooks and Earle are the second-year guys most likely to become important offensive cogs this season. Latu was a surprise emergence last season, but he has a knee issue; if he misses any time, the tight end group is in trouble.
3. Texas
Key players: TE Jahleel Billingsley, WR Tarique Milton, WR Isaiah Neyor, TE Ja’Tavion Sanders, WR Jordan Whittington, WR Xavier Worthy
The buzz: Neyor, who came from Wyoming, was one of the biggest transfer portal additions of the offseason. He and Worthy should be an extremely potent combination. Worthy had a, well, noteworthy true freshman season in 2021, and he and Neyor are big-time deep threats. Milton transferred from Iowa State. If Whittington can stay healthy, he will be a high-level No. 3 receiver. Billingsley, an Alabama transfer, is a top-notch receiving tight end, but he frequently resided in Nick Saban’s doghouse. Sanders is a former five-star recruit, and he and Billingsley could do some damage with opposing defenses focused on Neyor and Worthy.
2. USC
Key players: WR Jordan Addison, WR Gary Bryant, WR Brenden Rice, WR Tahj Washington, WR Mario Williams
The buzz: Coach Lincoln Riley remade his roster via the transfer portal, and this receiving corps epitomizes that. Addison, who won the Biletnikoff Award last season, comes from Pitt. Rice, Jerry’s son, comes from Colorado. Williams came with Riley from Oklahoma. And Terrell Bynum transferred from Washington. Addison gives the Trojans an unquestioned go-to guy, and Williams should emerge in his second season in Riley’s offense. And there are a whole bunch of guys who can be more-than-able complementary receivers. The biggest concern might be how to keep this many talented receivers happy with just one ball.
1. Ohio State
Key players: WR Emeka Egbuka, WR Julian Fleming, WR Marvin Harrison Jr., WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba
The buzz: The Buckeyes lost two first-round wide receivers, return just one wide receiver who had more than 12 receptions last season and the leading returning tight end had five catches in 2021. Big deal. Talent abounds. Smith-Njigba, who led the Buckeyes in receptions last season, seems like a lock Biletnikoff Award finalist. No Ohio State player ever has had 100 catches in a season, but Smith-Njigba was just five short last season – with two future first-rounders also in the starting lineup. Egbuka, Fleming and Harrison are former top-100 prospects who combined for 32 receptions last season. Two of those guys likely will double that figure by themselves this season. There is immense potential with this group, and QB C.J. Stroud will do his best to make sure the receivers reach that potential.
Other leagues
AAC
Houston: WR Sam Brown, WR KeSean Carter, WR Tank Dell, WR Matthew Golden, TE Christian Trahan
The buzz: Dell is one of the best receivers in the nation, and his speed certainly belies his nickname. Carter was a solid No. 2 guy last season before missing the final five games with an injury. Golden is a touted freshman who had a good spring and could start. Brown is a West Virginia transfer. Trahan had 37 receptions last season.
Conference USA
UTSA: WR Joshua Cephus, WR J.T. Clark, WR Zakhari Franklin
The buzz: The Roadrunners have as productive a starting trio as anybody. Cephus, Clark and Franklin (a first-team all-league pick in 2021) combined for 204 receptions, 2,601 yards and 25 TDs. And QB Frank Harris returns, too, after throwing for 3,177 yards and 27 TDs.
Mid-American
Eastern Michigan: WR Hassan Beydoun, WR Dylan Drummond, WR Tanner Knue, WR Zach Westmoreland
The buzz: The Eagles return their top four wide receivers, but are breaking in a new quarterback. Can these guys be as effective this season? Beydoun was seventh in the nation with 97 receptions last season, and Drummond had 64. Neither is a deep threat, though; Westmoreland had 17 catches last season and did show an ability to get deep.
Sun Belt
Old Dominion: WR Marquez Bell, WR Jordan Bly, WR Ali Jennings, WR Isiah Paige, TE Zack Kuntz
The buzz: Jennings (62 receptions 17.5 yards per catch) and Kuntz (73 catches) are legit standouts. Keep an eye on Kuntz, in particular; he began his career as a national top-125 prospect at Penn State and very well could lead the nation’s tight ends in receptions this season. Page, Bly and Bell, a Cincinnati transfer, will be complementary types. QB Hayden Wolff became the starter midway through last season, and he has a big arm.
The three best receiver transfer classes
3. Ole Miss, with WR Malik Heath (from Mississippi State), WR Jaylon Robinson (UCF), TE Michael Trigg (USC) and WR Jordan Watkins (Louisville). The buzz: Trigg should make a big impact; he is a receiving-first tight end who can get deep and had an excellent spring. Robinson showed a lot at UCF 2020 before getting hurt and missing most of last season. Heath and Watkins are nice complementary targets.
2. Alabama, with WR Jermaine Burton (Georgia) and WR Tyler Harrell (Louisville). The buzz: Both transfers fit big needs. Alabama needed a go-to guy for Bryce Young and got Burton (and it took him from another SEC team). The Tide also needed a complementary guy who can get deep and brought in Harrell.
1. USC, with WR Jordan Addison (Pitt), WR Terrell Bynum (Washington), WR Brenden Rice (Colorado) and WR Mario Williams (Oklahoma). The buzz: Lincoln Riley brought in Addison, one of the nation’s top three receivers. He also added Williams, a legit No. 2 receiver, as well as Bynum and Rice, two guys who already have had some success in the Pac-12.