Skip to main content
Georgia

Freshman WR CJ Wiley growing into potential factor in Georgia passing attack

On3 imageby: Jake Rowe4 hours agoJakeMRowe
CJ Wiley Georgia
Georgia wide receiver CJ Wiley (6) during Georgia’s annual G-Day spring game on Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Ga., on Saturday, April 12, 2025. (Tony Walsh/UGAAA)

The difference between Georgia’s wide receiver play from 2024 to 2025 is stark. The Bulldogs dropped the most passes in the country last season according to Pro Football Focus. It was a talking point throughout the year. This year it has been a strength. Now, with Colbie Young out for the season with a lower-leg facture, the Bulldogs will need someone to step up. That could spell opportunity for freshman wideout CJ Wiley.

Young entered the Ole Miss game as the team’s leading receiver. He had 300 yards and a touchdown on 22 catches before sustaining the injury on a 36-yard pass from Gunner Stockton on the third play from scrimmage. Georgia rolled right along without the 6-foot-5 wideout, scoring on each of its possessions against the Rebels, ranked No. 5 at the time.

Now, with Young out, Georgia has to dig into its depth at the spot. If the door was closed on Wiley playing this season, it’s now open. To whatever degree it was cracked before, it’s open even more.

“CJ’s got size and speed. We knew that when we recruited him,” Kirby Smart said earlier this week. ‘He had a couple really good days in fall camp where he made plays on the vertical passing game. He reps, and he’s probably the one guy that spends the most time up with our guys, and less time with the scouts. Those guys that go down to the scouts, they get tons of reps, and they get tons of work. And they get to go against the better defensive players.

“He’s been in the rotation with our offense down there in practice, learning a little more of that game plan stuff. Nuances of what we’re doing splits, what we’re doing here, so that he has a chance to help us. But he continues to get better. I’m proud of where he’s at in terms of getting better. He’s going to have lots of opportunities this week to continue to grow and show us what he can do.” 

Wiley was considered the nation’s No. 89 overall prospect in the 2026 class according to the Rivals Industry Rankings, a weighted average that includes all three websites that publish recruiting rankings. He was the No. 12 receiver in America and the No. 15 player in Georgia.

The Bulldogs had to work hard to land him. He committed to Florida State over the summer, a move that surprised pretty much everyone. Four months later, after a few unofficial visits to Tallahassee and some serious Seminole struggles on the gridiron, Wiley changed his mind. He de-committed a little over a year ago.

Texas A&M worked hard to get him on its commitment list, even grabbing the poll position according to some insiders. Georgia, however, remained consistent in its pursuit and eventually won out. He committed to the Bulldogs on November 6, 2025 and signed on the first day of the early signing period.

Georgia still has a number of talented, experienced outside receivers it can depend on. Noah Thomas, a transfer from Texas A&M, will likely step into the starting role at the X-receiver position. Dillon Bell and London Humphreys, who primarily play the Z-Receiver spot, can also step in.

With that said, Wiley’s raw talent is undeniable. He’s also putting in the work to carve out a role, something that might happen sooner rather than later.

“I’d say he’s a dog,” redshirt freshman cornerback Demello Jones said. ‘He’s been getting us better. All the young guys have been getting us better. We’re getting him better by going against us every day. We’re just going to continue to keep working, and he’s going to get his time.”

You may also like