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Jackson's early college football wide receiver rankings for 2026. His top 15 CFB wide receivers, including Jeremiah Smith, Malachi Toney, Cam Coleman, Duce Robinson, and more.
The 2026 college football wide receiver group is talented, as there is no shortage of key studs who are NFL-bound in 2027 and 2028.
However, we're ranking the top 15 college football wide receivers for next year, independent of whether they are top NFL Draft prospects.
In the rankings ahead, check out where players such as Malachi Toney, Jeremiah Smith, Cam Coleman, and more stand, among the other top 15.
15. Parker Kingston, BYU
2025 Stats: 66 receptions, 924 receiving yards, five receiving touchdowns, 26 carries, 123 rushing yards, three rushing touchdowns
Under true freshman quarterback Bear Bachmeier, BYU didn't exactly have a high-powered passing attack, but that didn't stop Parker Kingston from making an impact and piling up solid counting stats.
The veteran is heading into his final collegiate season, and he should be in line for a big-time year with another season of building chemistry with his young quarterback.
14. Beau Sparks, Texas State
2025 Stats: 84 receptions, 1,200 receiving yards, 10 receiving touchdowns, six carries, 74 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown
Sparks is likely an unknown star among many college football fans, but his numbers in 2025 speak to his importance in the Texas State offense. After a quiet first season with the Bobcats in 2024, he led the team in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns.
Texas State WR Beau Sparks in two games
• 12 Receptions
• 237 yards
• 5 Touchdowns
• 19.75 ypc🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/YGtutqJsTw
— NCAAF Nation (@NCAAFNation247) September 6, 2025
It's nice to see a player stick around at a smaller program after a monster season, and he'll get to work with Brad Jackson at QB once again in 2026.
13. Wyatt Young, Oklahoma State
2025 Stats: 70 receptions, 1,264 receiving yards, 10 receiving touchdowns, three carries, 16 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown
Former North Texas head coach Eric Morris, quarterback Drew Mestemaker, running back Caleb Hawkins, and wide receiver Wyatt Young are among many members of last year's Mean Green squad to move to Oklahoma State this offseason. North Texas was the nation's top offense in 2025, and Young had a lot to do with that as the team's leading pass-catcher.
Oklahoma State should improve dramatically in 2026 after a 1-11 season, and it wouldn't be a surprise if Young contended to lead the Big 12 in receiving yards right away.
12. Charlie Becker, Indiana
2025 Stats: 34 receptions, 679 receiving yards, four receiving touchdowns
Becker's counting stats aren't all that impressive, but with Elijah Sarratt and Omar Cooper Jr. headed to the NFL, he could take the WR1 role for Indiana under new quarterback Josh Hoover (formerly of TCU). Becker was a significant contributor in Indiana's run to the CFP National Championship win, averaging over 20 yards per reception and catching two touchdown passes in three CFP games.
Charlie Becker is putting the entire state of Indiana on his back pic.twitter.com/vjhnJiHI13
— Bussin' With The Boys (@BussinWTB) January 20, 2026
The 6'4" Nashville, Tenn., native is a contested-catch specialist, and he should make a big leap in production entering his junior campaign.
11. Danny Scudero, Colorado
2025 Stats: 88 receptions, 1,291 receiving yards, 10 receiving touchdowns
Scudero was a target hog in his lone season at San Jose State, and his performance in the Mountain West Conference caught the attention of Deion Sanders at Colorado. Scudero caught 29 more receptions, 523 more receiving yards, and seven more receiving touchdowns than any of his teammates in 2025.
He almost had as many receiving yards (1,291) as the team had total rushing yards (1,440). Needless to say, the offense ran through him, and he should make an immediate impact for the Buffs, who are looking for a bounce-back season.
10. Cooper Barkate, Miami
2025 Stats: 72 receptions, 1,106 receiving yards, seven receiving touchdowns
Former Harvard and Duke wide receiver Cooper Barkate is joining former Blue Devils quarterback Darian Mensah at Miami, and he's just the first Hurricanes wide receiver on this list. The rising redshirt senior has posted back-to-back 1,000-yard campaigns, and his chemistry with Mensah bodes well for Miami entering 2026.
This should be one of the nation's best passing attacks, similar to when Cam Ward was in South Beach.
9. Amare Thomas, Houston
2025 Stats: 67 receptions, 966 receiving yards, 12 receiving touchdowns, five carries, nine rushing yards
Thomas began his career at UAB before heading west to Houston, and after a strong junior season, he's back with quarterback Conner Weigman for another year. Last season, he led the Cougars in receiving yards and touchdowns, and trailed only NFL tight end prospect Tanner Koziol in receptions.
With Koziol gone, don't be surprised if he puts up video-game numbers in 2026.
8. Braylon Staley, Tennessee
2025 Stats: 68 receptions, 837 receiving yards, six receiving touchdowns
Staley played in just two games as a true freshman in 2024, collecting three receptions for 21 yards. He wasn't high on the radar heading into 2025, but he ultimately became a major contributor out of the slot and won SEC Offensive Freshman of the Year.
UCLA transfer QB Joey Aguilar hits Braylon Staley for a deep Tennessee touchdown🎯
(via ABC)pic.twitter.com/jqWk9MtLk8
— On3 (@On3) August 30, 2025
He produced big-time numbers for a freshman despite sharing the field with Chris Brazzell II and Mike Matthews, who posted 1,017 and 813 receiving yards, respectively. Brazzell is on to the NFL, so expect Staley to become a target hog for the Vols next season.
7. KJ Duff, Rutgers
2025 Stats: 60 receptions, 1,024 receiving yards, seven receiving touchdowns
Rutgers had one of the most underrated receiving groups last season. The trio of Duff, Ian Strong, and DT Sheffield was one of the better units in college football, but it was Duff who led the team in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns.
In 2026, he'll work with promising quarterback AJ Surace, who many Rutgers fans are high on. Hopefully, he can keep the passing offense potent and support another big season of production for Duff.
6. Isaiah Sategna III, Oklahoma
2025 Stats: 67 receptions, 965 receiving yards, eight receiving touchdowns, four carries, 24 rushing yards
Fifth-year senior Isaiah Sategna III is heading into his second year with the Sooners after a three-year career with Arkansas, and he broke out in a big way while catching passes from John Mateer in 2025. Sategna has home-run speed and will be the focal point of the passing offense in 2026, especially after the departure of Deion Burks.
AN OFFENSIVE PLAY HAS BEEN MADE
87-YARD TOUCHDOWN FOR OKLAHOMA pic.twitter.com/X90R78tTXy
— CFB Kings (@CFBKings) November 22, 2025
Mateer never looked quite the same after his midseason hand surgery. If he's fully healthy heading into next year, watch out for Sategna.
5. Duce Robinson, Florida State
2025 Stats: 56 receptions, 1,081 receiving yards, six receiving touchdowns
Robinson transferred to Tallahassee after being buried on the USC depth chart behind Makai Lemon, Ja'Kobi Lane, Zachariah Branch, and Kyron Hudson in 2024. It turned out to be a great decision, as Robinson flashed his big-time receiving ability in Year 1 with the Noles.
Robinson will have a new offensive coordinator and quarterback next year, but his 2025 performance should give us confidence that he'll continue to produce at a high level.
4. Mario Craver, Texas A&M
2025 Stats: 59 receptions, 917 receiving yards, four receiving touchdowns, 11 carries, 81 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown
Craver was in a crowded pass-catching room in College Station last year, but it didn't stop him from delivering impact plays for quarterback Marcel Reed and the Aggies offense. The former Mississippi State Bulldog is one of the fastest players in the country, and another year working with Reed should give him the chance to grow his role even more next season.
MARIO CRAVER ARE YOU KIDDING ME? 😱
— College Football Report (@CFBReport) September 14, 2025
Leading receiver KC Concepcion is NFL-bound. The WR1 role is Craver's for the taking.
3. Cam Coleman, Texas
2025 Stats: 56 receptions, 708 receiving yards, five receiving touchdowns
Auburn ranked 15th in the SEC in passing yards per game last season, so Coleman's numbers are far more impressive with proper context. The rising junior is one of the best wide receivers in college football, but his offensive environment has let him down.
That should not be a problem in 2026 with Texas. Arch Manning took a big leap forward in the second half of his first season as a full-time starter, and we should trust Steve Sarkisian to get the most out of Coleman, something Hugh Freeze could not do.
2. Malachi Toney, Miami
2025 Stats: 109 receptions, 1,211 receiving yards, 10 receiving touchdowns, 23 carries, 113 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown
Toney is one of the most impressive athletes in open-field situations you'll find. As a true freshman, he led the national champion runner-up Hurricanes in all receiving categories, and he's upgrading quarterbacks heading into Year 2. With Cooper Barkate drawing coverage away from him and Darian Mensah tossing him the rock, Toney should continue to dominate.
MALACHI TONEY REFUSED TO GO DOWN ON THIS TD 😤@CanesFootball pic.twitter.com/Pgywhgaqr3
— ACC Network (@accnetwork) January 9, 2026
The 18-year-old is already one of the best players in the country in a sport that has turned into an "old man's" game.
1. Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State
2025 Stats: 87 receptions, 1,243 receiving yards, 12 receiving touchdowns, three carries, 21 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown
Every college football fan knows how great Smith is. He's been one of the best wideouts in the country since stepping on Ohio State's campus as a true freshman, if not the best. With just 310 more yards, Smith will become Ohio State's all-time receiving leader. Seriously, he's that good.
If Smith declined to play next year, he'd still be a top-5 pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. Luckily for college football fans, he's back for another year, and he'll continue to dominate defensive backs.
