Ranking the ten best Big Ten wide receivers for 2024

Typically, the Big Ten has been home to dominant rushing attacks and stout defenses. But with the influx for four former PAC-12 schools, including USC, the look of the conference is shifting.

Sure, there will still be old-school offenses like Iowa, Michigan, and Penn State. However, more and more Big Ten programs are realizing that the forward pass is nothing to be feared. Even Wisconsin under Luke Fickell is embracing a modern offensive philosophy these days.

So in 2024, the Big Ten's offensive attacks could be more diverse than ever. That's why it make sense to get to know the top ten wide receivers in the conference heading into the season.

It will be interesting to see how the UCLA offense looks without Chip Kelly orchestrating things this year. If it is going to be a strong unit, redshirt junior J. Michael Sturdivant will have to be big.

Last year, he caught 36 passes for 597 yards and four touchdowns. That's an average of 16.6 yards per catch. The year prior, while playing for Cal, he had 755 yards and seven TDs on 65 catches. If he puts up those types of numbers this year, the Bruins will be pleased.

It seems like a bit of a jump to put a true freshman on this list. That's especially true for one who plays for Ryan Day, who doesn't usually give freshmen WR a huge role. In fact, former Buckeye Marvin Harrison Jr. had only 11 catches for Day in his first season in Columbus.

However, Jeremiah Smith isn't the typical true freshman. Rated by 247Sports.com as the No. 1 overall player in the nation, regardless of position, he had a recruit score of 101 making him the second-highest-rated high school recruit to sign with Ohio State since 247Sports has been in existence. At 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, he has the size to contribute immediately and he could be a freshman star for the Buckeyes.

Another former Cal wide receiver, Jeremiah Hunter has 13 career touchdowns and over 2,000 receiving yards in his three-year career. He's never had fewer than 388 yards in a season (which came in his freshman year) and as a sophomore, he had 965 yards and five TDs.

Last season, despite the fact that Cal had massive issues at QB, Hunter put up 731 yards and seven scores. Therefore, many think he'll be in for a big year now that he's transferred to Washington where he'll have the reliable Will Rogers as his QB.

When you think about Wisconsin football, running backs, not wide receivers come to mind. However, this is the Luke Fickell era in Madison and that means plenty of flying objects in Camp Randall Stadium.

Senior slot receiver Will Pauling is a name to know. Last year, he snagged 74 balls for 837 yards and six scores in a breakout season. That was over 700 yards more than he had in 2022. Now, it is fair to wonder if he can take the next step this year and become a superstar in the Big Ten.

In all four of his college seasons, Minnesota's Daniel Jackson has taken a major step forward. That included catching 59 balls for 831 yards and eight TDs a season ago.

This year, the Gophers have some questions at QB, though. Namely, can New Hampshire transfer quarterback Max Brosmer replicate his FCS success at the FBS level? If he can, Jackson could have a huge year and top the 1,000-yard mark in his final college campaign.

We all know that Zachariah Branch has the speed, elusiveness, and athleticism to be a game-breaker for USC. After all, he earned All-American honors as a kick returner last season as a true freshman when he averaged 18.4 yards per kickoff return and 20.8 yards per punt return.

As a receiver, he was decent after hauling in 31 catches for 320 yards and two scores. This year, with USC replacing several talented offensive weapons, Branch could become the Trojans' next fantastic wide receiver under Lincoln Riley's tutelage.

Texas A&M transfer Evan Stewart is now an Oregon Duck. He'll bring even more electric speed and explosiveness to Eugene where speed is always in strong supply.

In two seasons in College Station, the smallish wide receiver caught 91 passes for 1,163 yards and six scores. However, he's never topped 650 yards in a season. Look for him to blow past that mark this year for the Ducks who should have one of the best offenses in the NCAA.

With Marvin Harrison Jr. now in the NFL, Emeka Egbuka could be the new WR1 for Ohio State. The senior put up 1,151 yards and 10 scores in 2022 but was limited to less than half of that yardage output and only four TDs last fall due in part to nagging injuries.

The Buckeyes will have a dominant offense once again, especially on the ground with the Big Ten's best running back situation. Still, new QB Will Howard (a Kansas State transfer) and the wide receivers must do their part to bring balance to the equation.

Indiana isn't necessarily synonymous with elite wide receiver play. However, James Madison transfer Elijah Sarratt could become a star in the Big Ten. Last year, he had 82 catches for 1,191 yards and eight touchdowns.

He'll be playing for new Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti, who was his head coach at JMU last year. Thus, he should be more than comfortable in the offense and he could be one of the breakout stars of the Big Ten.

Tez Johnson will spearhead a lethal passing attack at Oregon. Last season, he went off for 1,182 yards and 10 TDs. It was the third straight season in which he had at least 735 yards and 53 catches.

Oregon will be reloading with Oklahoma transfer QB Dillon Gabriel taking over the offense. However, that shouldn't slow the Ducks one bit. With some questions about the defense, look for Oregon to keep the accelerator floored on offense this year and that could mean a huge season for Johnson.