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Justin's college football wide receiver rankings for 2025. His top 14 CFB wide receivers, including Jeremiah Smith, Ryan Williams, Evan Stewart, and more.
Two of the best wide receivers of the past decade will be suiting up this season in college football. But while much of the talk about the state of the position revolves around Ryan Williams and Jeremiah Smith, that doesn't mean there aren't many other good receivers in the college game right now.
From potential breakout stars to veteran players who are ready to take their game to the next level, the college football world has a plethora of wide receiver talent at the moment.
Below, check out where Smith, Ryan Williams, Evan Stewart, and others stand among the nation's finest WRs.
Honorable Mentions
- Makai Lemon, USC
- Deion Burks, Oklahoma
- Devonte Ross, Penn State
- Denzel Boston, Washington
- Zachariah Branch, Georgia
- Nyck Harbor, South Carolina
- Evan Stewart, Oregon (Injury Reasons)
14. DT Sheffield, Rutgers
2024 Season Stats (North Texas):
- Receiving: 66 receptions, 822 yards, 11 touchdowns
UNT has produced some nice receivers over the last decade or so, including Jaelon Darden and Jalen Guyton. DT Sheffield won't have the school name beside him in the NFL since he transferred to Rutgers this offseason, but I'm sure Mean Green fans will be cheering him on as he moves to the Big Ten and, potentially, to the NFL after.
Sheffield joins Rutgers after catching 11 touchdowns for UNT last year. His decision to transfer to Denton after not doing much of anything in his lone year at Washington State seems like a good one, and now he gets a chance to star for the Scarlet Knights and catch passes from quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis, who is coming off the best season of his career.
13. Malachi Fields, Notre Dame
2024 Season Stats (Virginia):
- Receiving: 55 receptions, 808 yards, five touchdowns
After two strong back-to-back seasons at Virginia, fifth-year senior Malachi Fields is off to Notre Dame to close out his college career in a place where he'll have even more chances to shine.
Fields finished last season with 808 yards and five touchdowns. Not great numbers, but let's not forget that he 5-7 Cavaliers weren't a very good team, ranking 107th in the nation in points per game. Fields did his best in an offense that produced just 16 passing touchdowns and whose primary quarterback threw 11 interceptions.
The move to Notre Dame pairs Fields with C.J. Carr, a redshirt freshman with a lot of hype behind him. Assuming Carr can come in and make an immediate impact, Fields should have his first 1,000-yard season.
12. Trebor Pena, Penn State
2024 Season Stats (Syracuse):
- Receiving: 84 receptions, 941 yards, nine touchdowns
After five seasons at Syracuse, four of which saw him barely see the field, Trebor Pena is off for Penn State after a 2024 season that saw him emerge from nowhere to lead the ACC in receptions.
Per ESPN, Syracuse All-ACC transfer WR Trebor Peña is the No. 1 newcomer for top-25 teams based on a way-too-early list. He caught 84 passes for 941 yards and 9 touchdowns last year.
Seems like nationally he’s Penn State’s biggest offseason addition.pic.twitter.com/oUuci7qWzo
— Lyle Alenstein (@LAlenstein) May 31, 2025
Catching passes from Kyle McCord provided a nice boost for Pena last year. Now, he gets an even bigger boost as he'll have one of the preseason Heisman finalists, Drew Allar, throwing the ball his way. Don't be shocked if Pena leads the Big Ten in receptions and potentially in touchdowns in 2025.
11. Ja'Kobi Lane, USC
2024 Season Stats :
- Receiving: 43 receptions, 525 yards, 12 touchdowns
After a quiet freshman season, Ja'Kobi Lane caught 12 touchdown passes last season for USC. He only finished fourth on the USC team in receptions, but his ability to find the end zone should lead to more consistent usage in 2025.
Lane has what it takes to be a great receiver as far as size and athleticism go. While you'd like to see him play a slightly larger role where he's more than just a touchdown threat, you can't deny the impact he had last year, even with the team's other receivers getting more looks.
10. Cam Coleman, Auburn
2024 Season Stats:
- Receiving: 37 receptions, 598 yards, eight touchdowns
As a freshman, Cam Coleman showed a ton of potential, catching 37 passes for 598 yards and eight touchdowns. It took a little bit for Coleman to get going, but his final three games were outstanding, as he caught 22 passes for 306 yards and six touchdowns over that span.
There were some quiet games before that, with Coleman catching more than two passes in just two of his first eight games with the Tigers. His 2025 outcome will depend on whether we get the late-season version of Coleman all year or not.
9. Bryant Wesco Jr., Clemson
2024 Season Stats:
- Receiving: 41 receptions, 708 yards, five touchdowns
Bryant Wesco Jr. is a big-play waiting to happen every time he steps out on the field. As a freshman, Wesco averaged 17.3 yards per catch, a number that ranked third in the ACC.
With Antonio Williams set to thrive as the chain-mover on this offense, Wesco should see a lot of usage as a deep threat in 2025. Expect quarterback Cade Klubnik to find him on some big shots down the field.
8. Kevin Concepcion, Texas A&M
2024 Season Stats (NC State):
- Receiving: 53 receptions, 460 yards, six touchdowns
- Rushing: 36 yards, two touchdowns
This pick is very much about projection, because Kevin Concepcion's numbers at NC State last season weren't great. After a strong freshman campaign where he caught 10 touchdowns, Concepcion saw his yards per game drop from 64.5 to 38.3 last season.
A move to Texas A&M could be just what reinvigorates Concepcion. As a freshman, he looked like the next great undersized receiver, a 5-foot-11 player who could grind out yards and could make crafty moves with the ball in his hands.
7. Carnell Tate, Ohio State
2024 Season Stats:
- Receiving: 52 receptions, 733 yards, four touchdowns
While his younger Ohio State teammate gets much of the attention when talking about the Buckeyes' receivers, Carnell Tate is an elite player on his own as well.
Last season, Tate caught 52 passes for 733 yards and four touchdowns despite being the No. 3 receiver on this Ohio State offense. With Emeka Egbuka gone, he'll slide up in the pecking order. Jeremiah Smith will be the deep threat with the game-breaking ability, but Tate will be the guy who quarterback Julian Sayin relies on when he needs a first down.
6. Eric Singleton Jr., Auburn
2024 Season Stats (Georgia Tech):
- Receiving: 56 receptions, 754 yards, three touchdowns
- Rushing: 131 yards, one touchdown
Auburn will have one of the best receiving duos in the country this year, featuring Coleman and Eric Singleton Jr. Singleton comes to Auburn after two strong seasons at Georgia Tech, where he showcased his game-breaking speed.
Now with another outstanding receiver on the other side of him and transfer quarterback Jackson Arnold throwing him the football, Singleton should have ample chances to show what he can do to stretch the field for the Tigers.
5. Antonio Williams, Clemson
2024 Season Stats:
- Receiving: 75 receptions, 904 yards, 11 touchdowns
- Rushing: 101 yards, one touchdown
Antonio Williams bounced back from an injury-riddled 2023 campaign to lead the ACC in touchdown receptions in 2024. He'll be a crucial weapon for Klubnik in 2025.
Seeing @nfldraftscout have Antonio Williams as WR1 in his WR rankings put a smile on my face.
Solid route runner
Reliable pass catcher
Good release
Super athleticMy current WR1 and I’m not sure who will top him (right now) https://t.co/nIx5AH4oel
— Zack Patraw (@ZackPatraw) June 21, 2025
Williams might not be a walking highlight reel like some other current college wideouts, but he runs crisp routes and consistently makes positive plays for the Tigers. He could have a long NFL career ahead of him as an elite slot receiver.
4. Elijah Sarratt, Indiana
2024 Season Stats:
- Receiving: 53 receptions, 957 yards, eight touchdowns
The James Madison transfer came up big in his first year at the FBS level, catching eight touchdowns for Indiana last season. He proved to be a big-play threat for the Hoosiers.
Sarratt has the speed to turn any reception into a huge gain, as evidenced by his 18.1 yards per catch last season. If he can develop a quick rapport with quarterback Fernando Mendoza, Sarratt could wind up as the key reason Indiana has another successful season in 2025.
3. Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
2024 Season Stats:
- Receiving: 75 receptions, 1,101 yards, 10 touchdowns
Cam Skattebo gets so much of the attention when people talk about Arizona State's resurgence last year, and if people are talking about someone other than Skattebo, it's usually quarterback Sam Leavitt.
#ArizonaState WR Jordyn Tyson is an menace in one-on-one situations. Legit separation skills whether he’s lined up out wide or in the slot. He's the real deal. #NFLDraft2026 pic.twitter.com/V4KJUTw55e
— Ray G (@RayGQue) July 5, 2025
But wide receiver Jordyn Tyson was a huge part of the success for the Sun Devils in 2024, catching 75 passes for 1,101 yards and 10 touchdowns. He came up big in high-leverage situations and gives Leavitt a huge downfield weapon for 2025. Tyson looks like a future NFL star.
2. Ryan Williams, Alabama
2024 Season Stats:
- Receiving: 48 receptions, 865 yards, eight touchdowns
- Rushing: 48 yards, two touchdowns
Ryan Williams might not have been the nation's best freshman last season, but he still made a huge impact in his first season at Alabama, catching eight touchdown passes.
Williams' numbers faded a bit down the stretch, but part of his issue was that he was catching passes from Jalen Milroe, who took a step back as a passer in 2024. The move to Ty Simpson this year should enable more consistent production from Williams, who has game-breaking speed and should continue to make big plays down the field.
1. Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State
2024 Season Stats:
- Receiving: 76 receptions, 1,315 yards, 15 touchdowns
- Rushing: 47 yards, one touchdown
There should be no question who the best receiver in college football is heading into 2025. Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith was outstanding as a freshman in 2024, catching 76 passes for 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns. He was arguably the nation's best receiver down the stretch and had his best game of the year in the CFP quarterfinals against Oregon, catching seven passes for 187 yards and two touchdowns.
Smith is a legitimate Heisman contender heading into his sophomore season. With all the extra games available now because of the playoffs, Smith could generate some eye-popping numbers this year that place him among some of college football's all-time greats.
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