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Ranking top 10 receivers in college football for 2026playJeremiah Smith’s TD grab on 4th down draws Ohio State closer (0:33)Eli LedermanClose
ESPN Staff Writer
ESPN Staff Writer
Who are the best wide receivers in college football entering the 2026 season? There’s no debate about who’s No. 1.
ESPN surveyed more than 20 front office staffers across college football — including general managers, player personnel directors and scouting directors — to find out whom they consider the top returning players in the sport.
At wide receiver, the debate began with the No. 2 spot. Our panel of talent evaluators, which included staffers from all four power conferences, offered a wide range of votes and opinions on their favorite playmakers. But nobody was bold enough to suggest anyone other than Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith should hold the top spot.
Here’s how they ranked the top 10 receivers in college football.
2025 stats: 87 receptions, 1,243 receiving yards, 13 TDs (one rushing)
Smith has been a first-team All-American in each of his two college seasons. He has logged more receiving yards (2,258) and touchdowns (27) since the start of the 2024 campaign than any other current FBS pass catcher, per ESPN Research. No one in the storied history of Ohio State’s wide receiver room has reached 200 catches, 2,000 receiving yards and 25 touchdowns faster.
We entered this exercise with open minds. But the consensus among personnel staffers across the country is clear. As one ACC GM put it simply: “Obviously, Jeremiah Smith is No. 1, right?”
Smith returns for his junior season as perhaps the most feared offensive weapon in all of college football. A Biletnikoff Award finalist in 2025, Smith totaled more first-down receptions (52) than any other FBS pass catcher outside of Miami’s Malachi Toney last fall, finishing in the top five nationally in both receiving yards and touchdowns for the second straight season. He stepped up when it mattered, too; Smith burned D’Angelo Ponds and Indiana for eight catches and 144 yards in a Big Ten title game defeat to the eventual national champions, then followed with seven catches for 157 yards and a touchdown against Miami’s fifth-ranked defense in a losing effort in the College Football Playoff.
Smith’s production stands out. But FBS talent evaluators gush even more over his physical tools — a combination of imposing size at 6-foot-3, 223 pounds and elite explosiveness, speed and technical ability.
“Seeing him on the sideline, it’s unbelievable,” one GM stated. “I couldn’t believe his physical makeup, his body, just how athletic he is. It was nuts.”
Equally dangerous behind the line of scrimmage as he is downfield — his 31 contested catches rank fourth nationally since Week 1 of the 2024 season, per ESPN Research — Smith is the definition of a complete wide receiver.
“He checks all the boxes,” a director of player personnel whose team faced Ohio State last fall stated. “I would be surprised if he wasn’t the first non-quarterback off the board in next year’s NFL draft.”
Cam Coleman, Malachi Toney, Jeremiah Smith and Charlie Becker are at the top of our receiver rankings. Illustration by ESPN2. Malachi Toney, Miami2025 stats: 109 receptions, 1,211 receiving yards, 113 rushing yards, 298 punt return yards, 11 TDs (one rushing)Toney unsurprisingly received a ton of support among college scouting staffers surveyed by ESPN based on his rare skill set and the game-changing ability he displayed as a true freshman. After digging into Toney’s tape, one Big Ten staffer texted back his one-word evaluation: “Whew.”Toney was dynamic from Day 1 for the Hurricanes, from his first score in his debut against Notre Dame to burning Indiana for 122 receiving yards in the CFP title game. The 18-year-old made it all look easy as a receiver, rusher and returner who compiled 1,622 all-purpose yards with eight 100-plus-yard performances.Bill Connelly’s Conference PreviewsLeading up to the 2026 season, we’re previewing every conference in college football.
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The production was impressive, but what really wowed scouts was Toney’s toughness for his age and size (5-foot-11, 188 pounds).
“He’s elite, extremely versatile and extremely dynamic with the ball in his hands,” one scout who faced Miami stated. “He also gives you really tough blocking on the perimeter. He’s a tough matchup. He can hold up on the perimeter and you can’t out-physical him.”
Toney led all FBS receivers with 845 yards after the catch last season, gaining 300 receiving yards after contact and forcing 45 missed tackles. Multiple staffers whose teams played Miami last season praised him as nearly impossible to tackle. Toney also had zero drops on a whopping 141 targets.
Miami offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson kept finding new ways to get his star freshman the ball in space, and he proved especially dynamic in the screen game. Toney’s 54 receptions and 446 receiving yards on screen passes led all receivers nationally.
“With his pure competitiveness, playmaking ability, run after the catch and contact balance, he’s just such a unique player,” one ACC GM stated. “If I was starting a team, I’d probably take Toney.”
2025 stats (at Auburn): 56 receptions, 708 receiving yards, five TDs
Multiple GMs and scouting staffers offered identical assessments when asked about Texas’ new star receiver: “Cam Coleman is a freak show.”
The 6-3, 200-pound junior arrived at Auburn as a top-five recruit in the 2024 class and displayed undeniable first-round potential over his two seasons on the Plains. Now he’s teaming up with Arch Manning and Steve Sarkisian to chase a championship at Texas.
Coleman caught passes from five different QBs over his first two seasons but still produced 93 receptions for 1,306 yards and 13 TDs with the Tigers. He led all SEC receivers with 14 contested catches last season, per ESPN Research, and flashed the ability to take over games, including a 10-catch, 143-yard performance against Vanderbilt with several acrobatic snags.
“I think Cam Coleman is in a stratosphere that is only approached by Jeremiah Smith,” a Big Ten staffer stated.
Coleman picked the Longhorns over Texas Tech, Texas A&M and Alabama and knew he was signing up for big-time expectations with this move. If he can take the next big step in his development, he could end up being a top-10 NFL draft pick. One former SEC staffer described Coleman as an “old-school” talent, more of a possession receiver than a yards-after-catch playmaker.
“He reminds me of Calvin Johnson,” the GM stated. “You’re going to have to command some type of double-team, because it’s not a 50-50 ball with him — it’s almost 80-20. He’s going to go up and get it.”
2025 stats: 34 receptions, 679 receiving yards, four TDs
There are a few reasons why Becker is already generating first-round buzz for next year’s draft. Though he ranked only fourth in targets for Fernando Mendoza and the Hoosiers last season, Becker ended up making a major impact for the national champs.
Charlie Becker gets his turn as Indiana’s prime receiver after excelling in a supporting role. AP Photo/Darron CummingsThe 6-4, 207-pound junior possesses impressive size and speed, but he made a name for himself last season with contested catches on critical downs. Becker picked up first downs or touchdowns on 85.3% of his catches last season, best among all Power 4 receivers, according to ESPN Research. He was huge for the Hoosiers on third and fourth down, catching 11 of 15 targets for 253 yards with four big receptions against Ohio State, a 21-yard touchdown against Alabama and two back-shoulder snags in the title game against Miami.”I think he’s sneaky good and will go in the top 20 picks next year,” a Big Ten staffer stated. “He’s straight-up fast. He’s not just a receiver who’s big and can catch jump balls. He can run and he can run routes. When you have that length and size and can adjust your body that well, it’s a cheat code.”Becker hit a max speed of 20.8 mph last season, according to Teamworks data, while breaking out as a big-play threat alongside first-round pick Omar Cooper Jr. and fourth-rounder Elijah Sarratt. His 20 yards per catch average led the Big Ten and ranked third among all Power 4 wideouts, and 12 of his 34 receptions were wins on contested catches.”He’s clutch,” another Big Ten staffer stated. “It’ll be interesting to see how he does with a little more focus from the defenses on him this year.”5. Nick Marsh, Indiana
2025 stats (at Michigan State): 59 receptions, 662 receiving yards, six TDs
Marsh and his footwear drew the ire of Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti in March, but the third-year Michigan State transfer will be a focal point of Indiana’s title defense this fall. Front office staffers across the country already view him as one of the sport’s top pass catchers.
“I think he’s top-10 worthy,” one Group of 5 GM stated of Marsh.
Marsh sprouted through the cracks of a pair of bottom-half passing offenses with the Spartans, setting the program’s freshman receiving record in 2024 and accounting for 100 catches for 1,311 yards and nine touchdowns in his two seasons at Michigan State. Marsh has the speed and deep-ball ability to stretch opposing secondaries at 6-3, 213 pounds. But where Marsh truly separates himself is his motor and gift for shedding defenders. Per ESPN Research, Marsh forced 36 missed tackles on receptions last fall, second nationally only to Malachi Toney (39).
“His ability after the catch from a physical standpoint is really impressive,” a Big Ten GM stated. “He just plays so dang hard. He’s tough to bring down and can make things happen, and he’s got great hands.”
Offensive execution was central to Indiana’s success a year ago. Marsh, who dropped five passes and made only three contested catches last fall, will have to be sharper. But operating as a complement to Becker in a high-functioning offense around transfer quarterback Josh Hoover, Marsh has the skill set to thrive as the Hoosiers’ big-play replacement for Omar Cooper Jr.
2025 stats: 60 receptions, 1,084 receiving yards, seven TDs
Duff is a favorite among personnel staffers and would have been highly coveted had he entered the transfer portal in January, but Rutgers succeeded in getting him re-signed after his 1,000-yard sophomore campaign.
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“KJ’s a dude dude,” an SEC staffer stated.
The 6-6, 225-pound wideout earned second-team All-Big Ten honors after leading all Power 4 receivers with 23 contested catches, according to ESPN Research, and 21 receptions of 20-plus yards. Duff went off for 241 receiving yards on just six catches in a win over Purdue and produced 127 receiving yards against Penn State, 93 against Illinois and 92 against Iowa.
“I was really impressed by his body control and quickness being a 6-foot-6 guy and his ability to get in and out of breaks, drop his hips and do all those things,” a Big Ten staffer stated. “And then he’s obviously got elite size and shot ability.”
Duff displayed serious big-play ability with 18.1 yards per catch while averaging 16.3 air yards per target, and he converted 83% of his receptions into first downs or touchdowns with just two drops on the year. Rutgers must replace a four-year starter at QB in Athan Kaliakmanis, but Duff should continue to put up big numbers this fall regardless of who’s throwing him the ball.
2025 stats: 34 receptions, 497 receiving yards, four TDs (one rushing)
Moore, the No. 1 wide receiver in the 2025 recruiting class, flashed his five-star potential right away with the Ducks and should keep ascending this list as a sophomore. In fact, one SEC staffer stated they would already rank Moore at No. 3, ahead of Coleman.
Oregon needed the 5-11 playmaker to contribute early after losing Evan Stewart to a season-ending injury, and he started strong with 94 total yards and two scores against Oklahoma State and seven catches for 89 yards in a double-overtime win at Penn State. Moore missed four games in November with a knee injury but returned for the Ducks’ CFP run and finished fourth among Big Ten true freshmen in receiving yards.
“The game comes to him so naturally,” an SEC GM stated. “It’s effortless when he’s out there. You don’t see other guys move so effortlessly, and on top of that his athletic ability is through the roof.”
Moore was one of just eight FBS receivers to hit 22 mph last season, according to Teamworks data, and he competed in the long jump with Oregon’s track and field program this spring. Another year of development and continuity with quarterback Dante Moore sets him up to take the next step in 2026.
“He can go,” a Big Ten staffer stated. “He has got some holes in his game in terms of his route running and consistency, but he certainly made some ridiculous plays. He was pretty unstoppable in some of their games and he’s only going to get better. He has got all the physical ability.”
2025 stats: 56 receptions, 1,081 receiving yards, six TDs
The former top-50 recruit might not have lived up to the hype during his two seasons at USC. But Robinson broke out in a big way during his debut season with the Seminoles last fall, and despite the questions hovering over Florida State in 2026, there’s little question among personnel staffers that the 6-6, 230-pound pass catcher belongs in this conversation.
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Some feel even more strongly about the Seminoles’ WR1.
“He’s one of those guys where after playing them, I was like, ‘Please, let’s never play this guy ever again,'” stated an ACC GM whose program played against Robinson last season. “I’d take Duce before [Malachi] Toney.”
A massive downfield target, Robinson knows how to operate in traffic. Nearly half of his 98 targets last fall were contested, and his ACC-best 19 contested catches ranked fifth nationally. Robinson made the most of his high-usage role. Per ESPN Research, his 19.3 yards per reception trailed only Kam Perry of Miami (Ohio) among FBS pass catchers with at least 90 targets and he led the ACC in receiving yards per game (90.3) on the back of five 100-yard performances.
The Seminoles have a new starting quarterback for a third straight season, but Auburn transfer Ashton Daniels steps in with one of the nation’s premier big-play threats at his disposal in Robinson, whose 12 catches of 30-plus yards tied for most in the Power 4 last fall. Even if Florida State struggles again, Robinson will make Seminoles games worth watching in 2026.
2025 stats: 54 receptions, 834 receiving yards, seven TDs
Wingo has put enough on tape through two seasons to prove he’s one of the most talented wide receivers in the country. Is he ready to put it all together with a monster junior year?
The former No. 33 overall recruit established himself as Arch Manning’s top receiver with a team-high 97 targets last season. He’s one of the fastest players in college football, leading all Power 4 players with 23 plays of 20-plus mph last season, according to data powered by Teamworks, which is quite a feat for his size (6-2, 211).
Wingo flashed that quickness with a 75-yard touchdown on a screen to open the Vanderbilt game last season, hitting a max speed of 21.3 mph. He delivered a career-high 184 receiving yards on five catches in Texas’ overtime win at Mississippi State. The flashes of All-SEC ability were certainly there. He also had the second-most drops (eight) in the conference. Coleman’s arrival will cut into his target share but should also create some favorable matchups.
“He just has to get more consistent in terms of his hands,” a GM who previously worked in the SEC stated. “They dropped a lot of balls last year at Texas.”
2025 stats: 49 receptions, 689 receiving yards, four TDs
Coleman-Williams was ESPN’s No. 2 ranked wide receiver entering the 2025 season after breaking out as a freshman phenom. The sophomore slump he endured was rough, but not rough enough to move him outside the top 10 in the eyes of front office staffers.
The 6-foot, 182-pound wideout finished with just one 100-yard performance on the season, a 165-yard day against Wisconsin, and he had two games (Missouri and Auburn) with zero catches. The most glaring issue to those surveyed were his drops. Coleman-Williams led all Power 4 receivers with 10 drops according to ESPN Research, including five or third or fourth downs.
“Really good player, but he had a lot of drops — and the drops were bad,” an SEC director of player personnel stated.
Coleman-Williams had three or fewer catches in six of Alabama’s last seven games while 2025 second-round pick Germie Bernard emerged as Ty Simpson’s top target. Now the former five-star is on his third QB in three years. One scouting director who faced the Crimson Tide stated his staff was more worried about Bernard and Lotzeir Brooks entering their matchup. Others still see serious upside if Coleman-Williams can eliminate the drops and find some consistency.
“He’s got it, he just had a rough year,” a Big Ten staffer stated. “Another inconsistent guy, but in terms of physical tools, he’s definitely a guy that pops off on tape.”
Honorable mention: Cooper Barkate, Miami; Eric Singleton Jr., Florida; T.J. Moore, Clemson; Bryant Wesco Jr., Clemson; Wyatt Young, Oklahoma State; Lotzeir Brooks, Alabama; Ian Strong, Cal; Griffin Wilde, Northwestern; Mario Craver, Texas A&M; Andrew Marsh, Michigan; Evan Stewart, Oregon; Reed Harris, Arizona State; Isaiah Sategna III, Oklahoma; Mike Matthews, Tennessee; Dallas Wilson, Florida
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