2023 Opposing Wide Receiver Unit Ranking

Written by: Nate Comp (@NathanComp1)

We are ranking each position groups for all of IU’s 2023 opponents. Today, we focus on the wide receivers.

1. Ohio State Buckeyes

From the school who brought you Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, Michael Thomas, Terry McLaurin, Parris Campbell, the list goes on… let me introduce you to Marvin Harrison Jr, Emeke Egbuka, Julian Fleming, and five-star true freshman Carnell Tate. The Buckeyes will have one of the best receiving units not just on Indiana’s schedule, but in the entire country.

2. Maryland Terrapins

They’re always talented at the skill positions and they are once again this year; the Terrapins will have numerous weapons for Taulia Tagovailoa including Jeshaun Jones, Tyrese Chambers, and Kaden Prather. Chambers certainly has breakout potential after recording 1,074 yards and 9 touchdowns with FIU two seasons ago and good-not-great numbers on a bad offense last year. Keeping Jeshaun Jones healthy will be key, as he has only played the majority of games in two of his five seasons.

3. Penn State Nittany Lions

Penn State’s receiver room oozes potential, it just has to have its breakout year to live up to this #3 ranking. KeAndre Lambert-Smith will likely be Drew Allar’s primary target after having 58 catches for 910 yards and seven touchdowns the last two seasons. He’ll be joined by Kent State transfer Dante Cephus, where he was able to haul in 48 catches for 744 yards in an injury-shortened season. Kaden Saunders, Malik McClain, and Harrison Wallace III are other breakout candidates.

4. Wisconsin Badgers

Luke Fickell has the aerial attack headed to Madison, a new look for the stalwart Badgers. New offensive coordinator Phil Longo will have Chimere Dike returning after posting 689 yards and nine touchdowns last season. They also have been busy in the transfer portal, bringing in Bryson Green from Oklahoma State, CJ Williams from USC, and Will Pauling from Cincinnati. Keontez Lewis and Skylar Bell return, giving the Badgers a pretty deep and experienced squad entering the new season.

5. Michigan Wolverines

Ronnie Bell is off to the NFL and the Wolverines must retool to make another run for the CFB Playoff. Cornelius Johnson and Roman Wilson, who combined for 875 yards and 10 touchdowns last year, return this season to lead the group. Darrius Clemons and Tyler Morris return for their sophomore seasons in which they did not put up big numbers, but were steady parts of the rotation.

6. Illinois Fighting Illini

There will not be many new faces to the Illini receiving room this offseason after being relatively quiet in the transfer portal. Isaiah Williams returns in 2023 after having the most yards of any other receiver in the Big Ten save the elite Ohio State Buckeye returnees. Pat Bryant, Casey Washington, Shawn Miller, and Hank Beatty will also round out the group of returning players for Ole Miss transfer quarterback Luke Altmeyer to target.

7. Louisville Cardinals

Talk about contrasts in style compared to the Illini, Jeff Brohm heads to Louisville this offseason and will bring the air-heavy attack that he ran at Purdue with him. Two will return to the Cardinals, Chris Bell and Ahmari Huggins-Bruce. Other than that, Brohm has completely flipped the receiving room on its head: Jimmy Calloway, Kevin Coleman Jr, Jadon Thompson, and Jamari Thrash join from the transfer portal, while William Fowles, Cataurus Hicks, and Jahlil McClain join through high school recruiting.

8. Purdue Boilermakers

The Boilers are hoping that TJ Sheffield can become the new Charlie Jones/David Bell of this offense after losing Jeff Brohm to Louisville. He’ll be joined by Jahmal Edrine, an FAU transfer that had 39 catches for 570 yards and six touchdowns with the Owls. Deion Burks, Elijah Canion, and Mershawn Rice will all see expanded roles under Graham Harrell’s offensive system.

9. Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Greg Schiano’s crew this year will be relying on a couple impact transfers to get their passing offense going – Naseim Brantley and JaQuae Jackson. Brentley enters his sixth year of college football after productive seasons at Sacred Heart and Western Illinois, last season totaling 903 yards and nine touchdowns. Jackson joins from D-II California University of Pennsylvania, where he had 77 catches for 1178 yards and 13 touchdowns. Chris Long is the only other receiver of note on the roster that has logged playing time.

10. Michigan State Spartans

The Spartans will have a wide open receiving room after losing Jayden Reed to the NFL Draft and Keon Coleman to the transfer portal. Tre Mosley returns as the WR1, having 70 catches for 889 yards and seven touchdowns the last two seasons. Nebraska transfer Alante Brown joins, while returnees Montorie Foster and Christian Fitzpatrick will need to greatly improve their roles on the team for Michigan State to really be competitive through the air.

11. Akron Zips

The Zips will rely heavily once again on former LSU transfer Alex Adams, a First-Team All-MAC selection last year who finished sixth in the MAC in touchdown receptions, receiving yards, and catches. While Adams is the big play threat, he will be joined alongside the sly Daniel George, a former Penn State receiver, who will also have a significant role – he finished second on the team in receptions last season and was often relied on to pick up first downs.

12. Indiana State Sycamores

The FBS talent could not hold up to the names on the rest of this list, but the Sycamores could have a sneaky good receiving room this season. Indiana State will return 7 of their top 8 receivers last season, most notably in Kevin Barnett and Harry Van Dyne. The big-bodied receivers (6’4 and 6’5, respectively) can certainly cause problems to a defensive secondary.