Absolute Units: Wide Receivers Edition (ft. Oregon, Missouri, Miami, Ohio State, Notre Dame)
We delve into some of the strongest wide receiver corps in the country, from cream-of-the-crop recruiters like Ohio State, elite home-growers like Missouri (minus Luther Burden) to those that have used a mix of strong recruiting, home-growing and the transfer portal, like Oregon
In honor of the recent birth of 9-lb Commissioner Jr., an Absolute Unit himself, this series from Robn explores some of the highest-projected positional units in college football for 2024.
This piece examines the best wide receiver contingents in college football.
All recruiting rankings and information comes from our friends at On3.
Oregon - WR1 Tez Johnson, WR2 Traeshon Holden, WR3 Evan Stewart, TE Terrance Ferguson
Top 30 WR recruits (2023): Jurrion Dickey (No. 2 WR, No. 28 Nat'l), Kenyon Sadiq (No. 6 TE, No. 118 Nat'l), Ashton Cozart (No. 30 WR, No. 215 Nat'l)
Top 30 WR recruits (2024): Gaitlin Bair (No. 7 WR, No. 30 Nat'l), Jeremiah McClellan (No. 14 WR, No. 69 Nat'l), Ryan Pellum (No. 28 WR, No. 171 Nat'l), Dillon Gresham (No. 30 WR, No. 176 Nat'l)
Top 30 WR recruits (2025): Dakorien Moore (No. 1 WR, No. 3 Nat'l), Dallas Wilson (No. 4 WR, No. 18 Nat'l), Isaiah Mozee (No. 29 WR), Cooper Perry (No. 30 WR)
Notable transfer additions: Gary Bryant (from USC, 30 Rec, 442 Yds, 4 TDs), Evan Stewart (from Texas A&M, 38 Rec, 514 Yds, 4 TDs)
Notable losses: Troy Franklin (81 Rec, 1383 Yds, 14 TDs - Ducks single-season Yds and TD record holder); 2023 recruit Cozart left for SMU; Gaitlin Blair isn't a "loss" per se, but Oregon will lose him for two years while he serves an LDS mission
Contingent's 2023 stats: 397 Rec, 4857 Yds, 49 TDs
Top Depth: Gary Bryant, Kyler Kasper, Jurrion Dickey, Jeremiah McClellan
Notes:
This contingent is so deep that the second-best wide receiver recruit in the country last year is currently projected as the WR3 backup, and it is projected to improve in spite of losing team WR record-holder Troy Franklin.
Last year's group led the country in receptions, touchdowns and receiving yards per game.
This year, the Ducks owe their depth at wideout to a combination of insane recruiting (they've also got the No. 1 and No. 4 wide receiver recruits in the 2025 class) and portal raiding. WR1 Tez Johnson came from Troy and WR2 Traeshon Holden came from Alabama, each prior to the 2023 season. Now, two more Power Four transfer wideouts come in in 2024 in Bryant and Stewart. Both Johnson and Stewart are All Big Ten First-Team WRs.
The whole group will be targeted by new transfer QB Dillon Gabriel, from UCF via Oklahoma. The First-Team All-Big Ten QB praised his visit to Eugene, and is clearly looking to maximize his shot at a national title and Heisman candidacy in his sixth and final year of playing.
It's unclear the exact extent to which NIL money is playing a role in Eugene, but it's certainly playing a role. Gabriel is estimated to have a $1.3mn NIL value, Stewart is estimated to have the same and has inked a football equipment brand endorsement, while top recruits Blair and Dickey are each pegged at around a $300,000 NIL value by On3.
Thomas Goldkamp
Missouri - WR1 Luther Burden, WR2 Mookie Cooper, WR3 Theo Wease, TE Brett Norfleet
Top 30 WR recruits (2022): Luther Burden (No. 1 WR, No. 1 Nat'l)
Top 30 WR recruits (2023): None
Top 30 WR recruits (2024): Courtney Crutchfeld (No. 15 WR, No. 75 Nat'l)
Top 30 WR recruits (2025): Donovan Olugbode (No. 13 WR, No. 94 Nat'l), Jayvan Boggs (No. 28 WR, No. 221 Nat'l)
Notable transfer additions: None
Notable losses: None
Contingent's 2023 stats: 248 Rec, 3410 Yds, 23 TDs
Top Depth: Mekhi Miller, Josh Manning, Marquis Johnson
Notes:
With the mother of all exceptions, this unit reflects the complete opposite of Oregon's portal-raiding and insane recruiting tactics. It's all about homegrown greatness and continuity. By "homegrown," we mean players who were non-five-star recruits that have stuck around and are now playing in their third-or-greater season with the same team.
The exception is 2023 Second-Team All American Luther Burden, who was the top overall recruit in the country in 2022. But even he came to Missouri, and ... stayed at Missouri.
But the bigger revelation is that every wide receiver or tight end that caught a pass for Missouri last season will be in Columbia this Fall, as will their 2023 and 2024 wideout recruits, including the 15th best receiver in the 2024 class and a guy named James Madison.
Last year's 11-2 team that finished second in the SEC East ran the ball 57% of the time under national rushing yards-per-game leader Cory Schrader. Expect two things to be different for the Tigers this year: They'll have an even easier schedule by which to achieve a double-digit win season (they skip Georgia, Texas, LSU and Ole Miss in conference play), and they'll definitely be airing the ball out more often.
Wease came from Oklahoma before the start of last season, and proved an able second option, catching 49 balls for 682 yards and 6 touchdowns.
Cooper is homegrown and was the 13th best receiver in the 2020 recruiting class, while TE Norfleet and the contingent's three primary backups – Miller, Manning, Johnson – are all homegrown guys who never got a sniff on the national recruiting level but are now solid depth pieces for senior QB Brady Cook.
Club Sportico
Ohio State - WR1 Emeka Egbuka, WR2 Jeremiah Smith, WR3 Carnell Tate, TE Gee Scott
Top 30 WR recruits (2023): Brandon Inniss (No. 5 WR, No. 35 Nat'l), Carnell Tate (No. 8 WR, No. 41 Nat'l), Noah Rodgers (No. 9 WR, No. 52 Nat'l)
Top 30 WR recruits (2024): Jeremiah Smith (No. 1 WR, No. 1 Nat'l), Mylan Graham (No. 9 WR, No. 39 Nat'l)
Top 30 WR recruits (2025): Quincy Porter (No. 9 WR, No. 49 Nat'l), likely but not confirmed Phillip Bell (No. 19 WR, No. 177 Nat'l)
Notable transfer additions: None
Notable losses: Marvin Harrison Jr. (67 Rec, 1211 Yds, 14 TD), Cade Stover (41 Rec, 576 Yds, 5 TD), Julian Fleming (26 Rec, 270 Yds, 0 TD)
Contingent's 2023 stats: 255 Rec, 3498 Yds, 25 TDs
Top Depth: Brandon Inniss, Mylan Graham, Jayden Ballard, Kojo Antwi
Notes:
We're right back to recruiting royalty.
This unit loses over half of its wide receiving production with the departures of Marvin Harrison Jr. and Cade Stover to the NFL, and Julian Fleming to Penn State. It almost lost much more than that, as No. 3 WR Emeka Egbuka was 50/50 last season to return or head to the NFL.
Even with Egbuka coming back, a boatload of recruiting talent at the position (five different Top 10 WR signees) is waiting to break out.
2024's version of Luther Burden – top overall national recruit Jeremiah Smith – is projected to start at wideout as a true freshman, while 2023 top signees Carnell Tate and Brandon Innis look to be options 3a and 3b for ex-Kansas State transfer QB Will Howard.
The question in Columbus, as always, is how the ball will be divided amongst what on paper is too much talent to go around. New offensive coordinator Chip Kelly loves to run the ball, and the team has arguably the best backfield duo in the country. Howard, who Kelly has teased is not a shoe-in for the starting job, has consistently ran a pro-style offense throughout his career with a lot of option and RPO, and has nearly 1000 rushing yards himself in his collegiate career.
Most indications point to a balanced attack of run and pass for the Buckeyes this year.
The Commissioner
Miami - WR1 Xavier Restrepo, WR2 Jacolby George, WR3 Samuel Brown, TE Elijah Arroyo
Top 30 WR recruits (2023): TE Riley Williams (No. 4 TE, No. 111 Nat'l), RayRay Joseph (No. 24 WR, No. 148 Nat'l), Robby Washington (No. 29 WR, No. 213 Nat'l)
Top 30 WR recruits (2024): Jojo Trader (No. 10 WR, No. 44 Nat'l), Ny Carr (No. 16 WR, No. 76 Nat'l), Chance Robinson (No. 27 WR, No. 165 Nat'l) + 2025 TE Brock Schott (No. 10 TE, No. 183 Nat'l)
Notable transfer additions: Samuel Brown (four-year player at Houston; 62 Rec / 815 Yds / 3 TDs in 2023)
Notable losses: Colbie Young (47 Rec, 563 Yds, 5 TDs); Brashard Smith (22 Rec, 263 Yds, 2 TDs); No. 4 2022 tight end Jaleel Skinner left for Louisville;
Contingent's 2023 stats: 283 Rec, 3354 Yds, 23 TDs
Top depth: Isaiah Horton, RayRay Joseph, Jojo Trader, Ny Carr
Notes:
Miami creates an incredibly well-rounded corps by hitting all three buckets.
On the recruiting front, they've landed 5 top-30 receivers in the last two years, headlined by Top 10 wideout Jojo Trader. This paves the way for future depth in a post-Restrepo, post-George future in 2025.
On the portal front, they only landed one transfer but they made it count, landing Houston's leading target last year in Samuel George.
On the homegrown front, sure they'll return First-Team All-ACC Restrepo, 1,000-yard career receiver George, and fourth-year junior TE Elijah Arroyo. But let's focus on the real story: now notorious ninth-year tight end Cam McCormick, granted yet another year of eligibility due to a combination of extensive injuries and COVID exemptions.
What makes all of this particularly exciting is that the Hurricanes landed Wazzu transfer QB Cam Ward. Only three returning QBs passed for more yards than Ward did last year, and in 2024 the First-Team All-ACC QB selection will be working with a significantly upgraded receiving corps and offensive line from his days in Pullman (or, for that matter, at Incarnate Word).
It all makes for a great recipe to get fooled yet another year by the Miami hype machine.
The Commissioner
Notre Dame - WR1 Jaden Greathouse, WR2 Kris Mitchell, WR3 Beaux Collins, TE Mitchell Evans
Top 30 WR recruits (2022): Tobias Merriweather (No. 23 WR, No. 133 Nat'l), TE Eli Raridon (No. 5 TE, No. 138 Nat'l), TE Holden Staes (No. 9 TE, No. 234 Nat'l)
Top 30 WR recruits (2023): Braylon James (No. 23 WR, No. 138 Nat'l), Jaden Greathouse (No. 25 WR, No. 158 Nat'l), TE Cooper Flanagan (No. 16 TE, No. 253 Nat'l)
Top 30 WR recruits (2024): Cam Williams (No. 11, No. 47 Nat'l),
Top 30 WR recruits (2025): TE James Flanigan (No. 7 TE, No. 134 Nat'l)
Notable transfer additions: Kris Mitchell (four-year player at FIU, 100 Rec, 1663 Yds, 11 TDs), Beaux Collins (three-year player at Clemson, 91 Rec, 1290 Yds, 11 TDs), Jayden Harrison (three-year player at Marshall, 63 Rec, 710 Yds, 4 TDs),
Notable losses: Chris Tyree, Rico Flores, Tobias Merriweather
Contingent's 2023 stats: 227 Rec, 3205 Yds, 31 TDs
Top Depth: Jayden Harrison, Jayden Thomas, Micah Gilbert, Eli Rairdon, Jordan Faison, Deion Colzie
Notes:
Last year's corps, despite having some notable names, was both understated and balanced. The leader was TE Chris Tyree, who since transferred to Virginia. But nine players had between 150 and 500 receiving yards, and between 15 and 30 receptions, on the year from QB Sam Hartman.
That said, it was a rush heavy offense under then-OC Gerard Parker (57% of plays were rushing plays), and RB Audric Estime finished the year as a Top 15 rusher in pretty much every major statistical category. Both Parker and Estime are gone, the former to become the head coach at Troy, the latter to the NFL to back up Broncos RBs Javonte Williams and Samaje Perine.
This year's group will likely retain that balance, but will likely earn more targets under former LSU (and, 10 years ago, former Notre Dame) Offensive Coordinator Mike Denbrock. If Denbrock mimics his time at LSU at all, the Irish should have not only a higher amount of passing plays, but more variance amongst passing plays. This should mean plenty of deeper targets for Mitchell, one of the very top WR transfer targets from last year's portal, while potentially mixing up crosses and shallow posts for the likes of Greathouse, Collins and Evans, a 2nd Team Pre-Season Steele All-American and 3rd Team Pre-Season Athlon All-American at tight end.
This unit also has an insane amount of depth – there are 18 wide receivers on the roster, and 8 tight ends. There's so many wideouts that Tyler Buchner, the one-time Notre Dame starting quarterback who left for Alabama and recently got into lacrosse has not only transferred back to Notre Dame, but will walk on as a wide receiver. I'll be impressed if incoming QB Riley Leonard can learn their names, let alone sync up via the playbook.
The Commissioner
Honorable Mentions:
Colorado - A very close sixth on this list (and the team with the player featured in the cover photo), the Buffs got top 2023 WR transfer target LaShontay Wester (from FAU) to partner up with megastar Travis Hunter, Vandy's top WR last year Will Sheppard, and last year's third-leading receiver Jimmy Horn.
Oklahoma - Leading target from 2023 Drake Stoops is gone, but the next five most targeted wideouts return including Nic Anderson, Jayden Gibson and Jalil Farooq, a couple top 100 national recruits in Jaquaize Pettaway and Zion Kearney, plus transfer Deion Burks from Purdue.
LSU - Despite the massive departures of Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas, they return receivers three through six from last year's prolific offense, now led by Garrett Nussmeier, plus transfers from Alabama, Mississippi State, and Liberty's leading wideout CJ Daniels.
USC - 2023 recruits Zachariah Branch and Makai Lemon were the top and sixth-ranked WRs nationally. They will both start as true sophomores alongside returners Kyron Hudson and TE Duce Robinson, and be backed up by transfers from Auburn and UCLA.
