As college football gears up for the 2025 season, one question that always comes up during offseason chatter is: Who will emerge as the nation’s top pass catcher or catchers? The consensus seems pretty clear on Ohio State’s electric Sophomore, Jeremiah Smith, being the best of the best that stands head and shoulders above the competition for now. Following a jaw-dropping freshman campaign, Smith not only captured Big Ten Freshman and Receiver of the Year honors but also vaulted into early Heisman Trophy consideration going into this next season.
While Alabama standout Ryan Williams seems like the next best when it comes to experts' opinions, the rest of the top guys remain a diverse mix of comeback stories, transfer standouts, and rising breakout candidates. Let's take an early look at some of the top pass catchers heading into 2025.
1. Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State
An unanimous No. 1 pick by ESPN analysts. Smith is the hands down favorite for the Biletnikoff Award in 2025. His stellar freshman season has analysts buzzing about how he might be the best receiver the game has ever seen in a player at his age. In 2024, the 6'3", 215‑lb sophomore tallied 76 receptions for 1,315 yards (17.3 YPC) and 16 receiving touchdowns plus one rushing TD. He was Big Ten Freshman and Receiver of the Year and set Heisman buzz as the Buckeyes' offensive centerpiece.
2. Ryan Williams, Alabama
Ryan Williams was the other Freshman last year to burst onto the scene. Don’t take the word “other” as a dig, but when you're in the shadow of Smith being from the same class, it gets harder to receive more attention. There was a point last season when both of them were 1A and 1B, and no one could definitively say which one was, but Smith broke away towards the end of the year. Williams amassed 48 catches for 865 yards and 10 receiving TDs (plus 2 rushing TDs), averaging 18.0 yards per catch with five plays of 50+ yards in 2024. Known for his explosive plays, he’s poised for even more under Alabama's new offensive system, with Deboer bringing back his old OC from his Washington days.
3. Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
A transfer who rebounded from injury, Tyson logged 75 receptions for 1,101 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2024, emerging as a high-upside deep threat. Last season, he burst onto the scene in the same style that ASU did, with a bang. Not many knew of him, but when people saw Leavitt starting to play well, then someone had to be catching the ball from him, and that was Tyson from about week 5 till the end of the year. Expect him to build on his chemistry with his star QB in Sam Leavitt, forming one of the best 1-2 punches in all of college football.
4. Elijah Sarratt, Indiana
Another portal success story after FCS stints, he delivered 82 catches, 1,199 yards, and 8 TDs at JMU, then produced 53 catches for 957 yards and 8 TDs with Indiana. He followed his Coach over from JMU to Indiana, and that might’ve been the best thing for his career. His 18.1 YPC ranked top‑10 nationally last year, and he might be in line for an even bigger 2025 with a better QB, viewed by most, taking over the reins.
5. Antonio Williams, Clemson
Came back strong from injury to record career highs in 2024: 75 receptions, 904 yards, 11 TDs, and a 75% catch rate. He seemed to be the number 1 option for star QB Klubnik last season, and even though there seem to be more options for Clemson this year, being the number 1 receiver in a high-octane offense like this should spell another great season for Williams.
6. Ja’Kobi Lane, USC
Ja’Kobi Lane is a standout wide receiver for the USC Trojans, known for his rare blend of size, hands, and clutch performance. Standing at 6’4″ and weighing 195 LBs he has the ideal size to become a college football star with the right quarterback play. As a freshman, Lane began making waves with 7 catches for 93 yards and 2 touchdowns in the Holiday Bowl, which seemed like a sign of greater potential to come. His sophomore season in 2024 was a breakout: he led USC with 12 receiving TDs, ranking second in the Big Ten with 43 catches for 525 yards. Looking ahead, analysts project him as a potential No. 1 wide receiver in draft circles whenever he does decide to declare, given his physical gifts and continued refinement under Lincoln Riley’s system.
7. Carnell Tate, Ohio State
Carnell Tate, a 6′3″, 191-lb sophomore from Chicago, is emerging as a pivotal offensive weapon for Ohio State. A former five-star recruit out of IMG Academy, Tate has already turned heads with his route-running precision, contested-catch ability, and a willingness to high-point the football. He has almost become criminally underrated since Ohio State has been WRU for so many years now, churning out talent left and right. In the 2024 season, Tate recorded 52 catches for 733 yards and 4 touchdowns, including a career night in the Cotton Bowl with seven receptions for 87 yards. With veteran departure and Tate’s standout sophomore campaign, he's positioned to take on an even larger role in 2025.
8. Eric Singleton Jr., Auburn
A transfer from Georgia Tech, Singleton had 1,468 yards over two seasons and led Power Five receivers in deep-ball yards (664 since 2023). Known for his track‑level speed, he can finally break out in a new, pass-heavy scheme that is tailor-made for his skill set. Two factors remain: whether QB Jackson Arnold can revert back to his top recruit self this year, and as long as the other guy on this list doesn’t steal too many targets away from him.
9. Trebor Peña, Penn State
Trebor Pena is a dynamic wide receiver entering his sixth year of college football, after starring at Syracuse (2020–2024) and now suiting up for Penn State in 2025. At Syracuse, the 6′0″, 184‑lb New Jersey native emerged as a key playmaker, but most didn’t know much about him until last season, being Kyle McCord’s go-to target. He exploded in 2024 with 84 receptions, 941 yards, and 9 touchdowns and earned Second‑Team All‑ACC honors. Known for his dependability in the slot, Pena has been described as the precise, sure-handed target Penn State’s offense hasn’t had out wide in years. If he can click with QB Drew Allar early and OC Kotelnicki gets him involved the way they anticipate, this spot might be too low for him to unlock his full potential.
10. Cam Coleman, Auburn
A highly touted freshman recruit (5-star), Coleman broke out late in 2024 with 27 catches, 598 yards, and 8 TDs—and led the nation in receiving touchdowns over the final three weeks. This is the second Auburn receiver listed, but both of these guys have unlimited potential to be the best receiving duo in all of college football. Typically, Auburn is a run-first team, but they might have to change their scheme, having a two-headed monster like this running on the outside.
Other notable names
Early sleepers include a pair of LSU receivers in Nic Anderson and Aaron Anderson, having one of the top QBs distribute the ball weekly to these guys. Other names include Lane’s teammate at USC in Makai Lemon, and also a big name transfer looking for a bounce-back year in Kevin Concepion from Texas A&M now. So many more that could be included, but these are just some of the big-time names that can dominate the college landscape in 2025.
In conclusion, many think of this year's crop of receivers as a “down” year outside of the stud Sophomores, but it’s actually a very deep group that displays all the necessary talent and skills to be very good from top to bottom. Expect some to break out and come out of nowhere like usual, so this list could look completely different come mid-season.