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The 2024 NFL draft features a tremendous collection of talented receivers, including Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr., LSU’s Malik Nabers and Washington’s Rome Odunze, not to mention Georgia tight end Brock Bowers, all of whom could be top-10 picks.

But that doesn’t mean there won’t be anyone left to catch the ball in the college game. Our list of the top 10 receivers in college football for the coming season, as determined by a poll of our reporters, includes five players who broke the 1,000-yard threshold in 2023, plus two players who missed significant time due to injury and one who had as big an impact at cornerback as he did as a receiver.

We asked our resident experts to rank their top 10 wide receivers/tight ends entering the 2024 season. Points were assigned based on their votes: 10 points for first place, nine for second place and down to one point for 10th place.

Here are the results.

Previous top 10 lists: Running backs | Quarterbacks

2023 stats: 86 receptions, 1,212 yards, 14.1-yard average, 9 TDs

Points: 92 (five first-place votes)

Burden was a lump of clay in 2022 as a dynamic athlete and a terrifying figure with the ball in his hands. The blue-chip freshman scored rushing, receiving and punt return touchdowns, but wasn’t where he needed to be as an actual receiver. He averaged just 8.3 yards per catch and finished his first year at Missouri with 375 receiving yards.

The light bulb came on for Burden in 2023. He moved to the slot and topped 375 yards by the second quarter of his fourth game. He gained 114 yards or more in five straight games, threw himself into blocking and dirty work late in the year when running back Cody Schrader began to catch fire and still finished the season ranked ninth nationally in receiving yards. He dropped only two passes all season and finished in the top five in the nation in yards after catch (711, third), forced missed tackles (30, fourth) and yards after first contact (300, fifth). He caught a desperate fourth-and-17 pass to set up a game-winning field goal against Florida and the game-clinching touchdown pass in the Tigers’ Cotton Bowl win over Ohio State. Schrader received some Heisman votes for his late-season work, but Missouri doesn’t go 11-2 in 2023 without Burden. And now he enters his junior season as maybe the most proven receiver in the country. His potato chips are pretty good too. — Bill Connelly


2023 stats: 90 receptions, 1,402 yards, 15.6-yard average, 10 TDs

Points: 78 (three first-place votes)

After an impressive freshman year in 2022, where he caught 39 passes for 702 yards, McMillan broke out as a sophomore, hauling in 90 passes for 1,402 yards with 10 touchdowns as Arizona won 10 games for just the second time in more than two decades. No returning power conference receiver had more receiving yards than he did last year, catching passes from both Noah Fifita and Jayden de Laura.

The offseason saw a major change in Tucson with head coach Jedd Fisch departing for Washington, which led to some initial speculation that McMillan might move with him to the Big Ten. However, both McMillan and Fifita announced they would stay at Arizona to play for new head coach Brent Brennan, who arrived from San Jose State. It will be hard for McMillan to top his statistical output from a year ago, but the Wildcats will no longer have Jacob Cowing — who caught 90 passes as a senior — which could make them more dependent on McMillan. — Kyle Bonagura


2023 stats: 41 receptions, 515 yards, 12.6-yard average, 4 TDs

Points: 59

Top-three national wide receivers typically don’t have a ton to prove, but Egbuka is looking to deliver more for an Ohio State offense with the highest of expectations. After a breakout season in 2022 — he had 1,151 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns on 74 receptions, while adding two rushing touchdowns and 75 yards on punt returns — the Steilacoom, Washington, native seemed poised to make the leap to the NFL in 2024. But last season didn’t go as planned, as Egbuka was slowed by a midseason ankle sprain that sidelined him for three games. He finished with only 41 receptions for 515 yards and four touchdowns, never reaching the 100-yard mark and eclipsing 40 yards just once in Big Ten play.

Marvin Harrison Jr.’s departure puts Egbuka in the spotlight as Ohio State’s No. 1 receiver and a Biletnikoff Award candidate. He had displayed top-end speed and route-running and averaged 15.7 yards per reception in 2022 while contributing to the return game his first two seasons. Egbuka will be instrumental in easing the transition for Kansas State transfer Will Howard and leading a receiver group once again pegged to be among the nation’s best. — Adam Rittenberg


2023 stats: 86 receptions, 1,182 yards, 13.7-yard average, 10 TDs

Points: 41 (one first-place vote)

Johnson racked up 86 catches for 1,182 yards and 10 touchdowns, playing as Oregon’s No. 2 receiving target last season. Those are hardly No. 2 numbers as only five other receivers in the country — including his 2023 teammate Troy Franklin — posted an 80-1,100-10 line. The only two players from that group returning for 2024 are Johnson and Arizona’s McMillan.

Johnson was a wizard both before and after the catch. He hauled in more than half his contested catches, averaged more than 3 yards per catch after first contact (with 17 missed tackles) and racked up 727 yards after the catch, most among all Power Five receivers last year. Meanwhile, he was as reliable an option as there was in college football, hauling in 78.9% of his targets, third-most among all FBS receivers with at least 100 targets and tops in the Power 5. — David Hale


2023 stats: 54 receptions, 985 yards, 18.2-yard average, 8 TDs

Points: 30

One of the many transfers Ole Miss has cashed in on in recent seasons, Harris returns as one of the top pass-catchers in the country. He started his career at Louisiana Tech and had a breakout season there in 2022 with 10 touchdown catches. He missed one game at Ole Miss last season with an injury but still finished with 54 catches for 985 yards and eight touchdowns. He’s 6-foot-2, 205 pounds and has the athleticism and size to win most one-on-one matchups.

The Rebels will be deep at receiver with slot Jordan Watkins and tight end Caden Prieskorn returning and South Carolina transfer Antwane “Juice” Wells coming in, which will make it difficult for opponents to double-team Harris. Not only will Harris be a target for Jaxson Dart in key third-down situations, but he is one of the more dangerous big-play receivers in college football. He averaged 18.2 yards per catch last season, and his 21 catches of 20 yards or longer rank third nationally among returning FBS players. — Chris Low


2023 stats: 85 receptions, 1,092 yards, 12.8-yard average, 6 TDs

Points: 28

Restrepo had three relatively quiet seasons at Miami before 2023, when he turned in one of the best years by a receiver in school history. The South Florida native set a school record with 85 catches, becoming just the sixth Hurricanes receiver ever to break the 1,000-yard mark in a season (1,092). A first-team All-ACC selection, Restrepo was at his best in a loss to Louisville, when he caught eight passes for 193 yards with a touchdown late in the year.

He had a strong connection with quarterback Tyler Van Dyke, but will now be catching passes from former Washington State QB Cam Ward, who briefly announced he would enter the NFL draft before reversing course and transferring to Miami. — Bonagura


2023 stats (at South Alabama): 91 receptions, 1,316 yards, 14.5-yard average, 7 TDs

Points: 27

Find you a slot receiver who can do it all. At South Alabama in 2023, Lacy was first in the nation in receiving yards from screens, shallow and hook routes (606 from 60 catches), first in yards after catch and first in yards after first contact. He was also an A+ deep threat, ranking 18th in receiving yards on passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield and averaging 14.5 yards per reception on the season despite all the short routes. He was the No.1 in the Jaguars’ passing attack — he was targeted on 30% of his routes and accounted for 38% of his team’s receiving yards — and still, no one could stop him. He topped 100 yards in eight of his 12 games.

For each of four seasons, Lacy showed massive development, leaping from 11 catches in 2020 to 41 in 2021, 64 in 2022 and 91 in 2023. He was one of the nation’s best return men in 2022 as well. And now he takes the logical next step in his career: seeing what he can do at a Power 5 school. He will serve as the most proven pass-catcher in a drastically remodeled Louisville receiving corps as Jeff Brohm attempts to make his second ACC championship game appearance in two seasons. — Connelly


2023 stats: 45 receptions, 649 yards, 14.4-yard average, 4 TDs

Points: 23

Michigan has lost a lot of star power from its national championship offense, but Loveland, along with running back Donovan Edwards, will enter the spotlight in 2024. Loveland emerged as an elite-level tight end during his first two seasons in college and should be one of the top prospects at his position in the 2025 NFL draft. Michigan doesn’t have many recruits from Idaho, but Loveland made the long journey from Gooding, in the southern portion of the state, and arrived as a three-star recruit in 2022. He broke out late in his freshman season, starting five games, recording 16 receptions for 235 yards, while excelling on special teams.

Loveland took on a bigger role last fall in Michigan’s passing game, finishing third on the team in receptions (45) and second in both receiving yards (649) and receiving touchdowns (4). He had multiple receptions in each of the Wolverines’ final nine games, including three for 64 yards in the national championship win over Washington. The 6-foot-5, 245-pound Loveland earned first-team All-Big Ten honors and was named Michigan’s offensive player of the week five times. As the Wolverines reload at quarterback and wide receiver, Loveland will have even more responsibility on his very capable shoulders this fall. — Rittenberg


2023 stats: 57 receptions, 721 yards, 12.6-yard average, 5 TDs

Points: 21 (one first-place vote)

Hunter’s place here is sort of like if Michael Jordan had ranked as one of the White Sox’s top prospects in 1994. He really has no business being this good at what is, essentially, his part-time gig. While Hunter excelled as one of the elite cover corners in college football last year, his impact on offense was nearly as significant, catching 57 balls for 721 yards and five touchdowns in nine games. To put that in perspective, the last time a Colorado receiver hit all three of those marks was Laviska Shenault back in 2018 — and Hunter did it while also playing defense and missing three games.

How Hunter’s role evolves in 2024 is one of the more intriguing questions of this offseason, and whether he’s up to the rigors of playing both ways over the course of a full season for a second year in a row is anyone’s guess. But what’s unquestioned is Hunter’s rare talent, which makes him dangerous anywhere on the field — and perhaps at receiver most of all. — Hale


2023 stats (at Alabama): 48 receptions, 668 yards, 13.9-yard average, 4 touchdowns

Points: 19

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian is hoping Bond can do what Georgia transfer Adonai Mitchell did for the Longhorns’ offense in 2023. Bond had 48 catches for 668 yards with four touchdowns at Alabama last season. Most famously, he hauled in the winning touchdown on fourth-and-31 with 32 seconds left in a 27-24 victory at Auburn, which put the Crimson Tide in the SEC championship game.

A former Georgia high school sprint champion in the 100 and 200 meters, Bond has blazing speed and should develop into a reliable deep threat for the Longhorns. — Mark Schlabach

Also receiving votes: Brant Kuithe, Utah (17); Kevin Concepcion, NC State (16); Ricky White, UNLV (14); Juice Wells, Ole Miss (12); Zachariah Branch, USC (11); Brennan Presley, Oklahoma State (11); Tory Horton, Colorado State (10); Evan Stewart, Oregon (10); Elic Ayomanor, Stanford (8), Deion Burks, Oklahoma (6); Kris Mitchell, Notre Dame (6); Oscar Delp, Georgia (5); Moose Muhammad, Texas A&M (5); Benjamin Yurosek, Georgia (1)

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Isles win draft lottery for first time since ’09

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Isles win draft lottery for first time since '09

SECAUCUS, N.J. — The New York Islanders won the NHL draft lottery on Monday night, moving up 10 spots to make the league’s first live televised drawing a memorable one.

“It was dramatic,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman told ESPN after the drawing. “It worked the way it was supposed to in terms of the process. But the result was unpredictable.”

The Islanders had a 3.5% chance of securing the first pick entering the draft, the 10th-best odds out of the 16 teams in the lottery. It’s the fifth time in franchise history that the Islanders will select first, and the first time since they picked center John Tavares in 2009. Other first overall picks for New York were forward Billy Harris (1972), defenseman Denis Potvin (1973) and goalie Rick DiPietro (2000).

“The hockey gods smiled on us. I can’t tell you how thrilled I am for Islander fans, for our ownership, for the entire Islander organization,” Islanders director of pro scouting Ken Morrow said.

The Islanders’ jump from 10th to first is the biggest involving a team winning the No. 1 selection. It comes after the last-place team won the lottery to retain the first pick in four of the past five years.

Boston College forward James Hagens, a Long Island native, is one of the top prospects available in the 2025 NHL draft, scheduled for L.A. Live’s Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on June 27-28.

Two drawings were held, the first to determine the No. 1 pick followed by the No. 2 selection. Only the bottom 11 teams in the standings were eligible to land the first pick due to a rule restricting teams to moving up no more than 10 spots in the draft order. Each drawing selected a four-number combination that had been assigned to a team before the draft, with balls drawn at 30-second increments. There were 1,001 possible combinations.

The San Jose Sharks entered the day with the best odds, 18.5%, to win the lottery and a 25.5% chance of landing the No. 1 choice for the second straight season, having selected center Macklin Celebrini first in 2024. Celebrini joined Montreal defenseman Lane Hutson and Calgary Flames goalie Dustin Wolf as finalists for the Calder Trophy for NHL rookie of the year, as announced on Monday.

The Sharks settled for the second pick in 2025 after the Utah Hockey Club won the second lottery draw, moving up from 14th to No. 4 overall. The Chicago Blackhawks had the second-best chances to win the lottery and will pick third. The Nashville Predators had no lottery luck — despite having the third-best odds, they drop to the fifth pick.

The drama was amplified in this season’s lottery as the NHL televised the drawing live from the NHL Network studios for the first time in the event’s 30-year history. Previously, the drawing was held in a sequestered room at the facility, with deputy commissioner Bill Daly revealing each draft position by flipping over a stack of cards on television.

“It’s basically the same thing that I do when we’d pretape it and Bill would reveal it. For me, it’s the same. It’s a little different for Bill. He doesn’t have to flip the cards over now,” Bettman said.

The NHL decided to make the drawing live because it drew more fan bases into the excitement of the first overall pick than the previous format. Before the Islanders won the lottery, seven teams still had a shot at the first overall selection: The Blackhawks, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins and the Islanders each had two balls that would win them the lottery, while the Sharks, Seattle Kraken and Buffalo Sabres each had one.

“It gave those teams and those fan bases hope going into that final. To me, that was what this was all about: To keep hope alive all the way until the end,” Steve Mayer, the NHL’s chief content officer, said.

There was plenty of drama before the final ball was drawn, too. The NHL partnered with SportsMEDIA Technology (SMT) to create real-time odds adjustments after every ball was selected. When No. 7 was selected as the first ball in the first drawing, the Sharks’ odds spiked to 20.6%, while the Calgary Flames were eliminated. When No. 11 was taken second, the Sharks went up to 24.3% while four other teams were eliminated. When No. 12 was selected third, that’s when things took a turn: The Sharks’ chances dropped to 9.1%, the Predators and New York Rangers were eliminated and suddenly both the Penguins (9th) and the Islanders (10th) had an 18.2% chance at the first overall pick.

“This was the idea from the beginning. If we’re going to do this, we have to know after the first ball what the percentages are and who’s out. We need to know after the second ball and the third. We need to know going into the last ball what every team needs,” Mayer said.

“I said, ‘Can somebody way smarter than me figure this out?’ And that’s what they end up doing.”

At last year’s draft lottery, the NHL did a very rough run-through of what a live lottery draw might look like. Mayer sent that video to Bettman and Daly before the live broadcast as a way to present the run of show, with MLB Network employees having stood in for the commissioner and deputy commissioner.

Were there any concerns? “Steve said a hundred percent guaranteed, no problem. And his track record on putting on events, outdoor games, All-Star Games and the draft is impeccable. So we rely on his assurance,” Bettman said.

The NHL was pleased with the event after its completion, both in creating a more dramatic viewing experience and in the technology working. Bettman said there would be a debriefing among the league’s staffers but anticipated the format would return next season. That’s when the drama will really get amplified, when 17-year-old phenom Gavin McKenna of Medicine Hat in the Western Hockey League is expected to be the first pick.

“All the lotteries are important, and they all get the same treatment, in terms of how seriously we treat them,” Bettman said. “We can be a little lighthearted talking about how this [live drawing] came about, but in the final analysis, we had to get comfortable that this was a process with unquestionable integrity.”

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Maple Leafs’ Stolarz injured, exits in 2nd period

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Maple Leafs' Stolarz injured, exits in 2nd period

TORONTO — Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz exited midway through the second period of Game 1 of his team’s second-round Eastern Conference series matchup against the Florida Panthers on Monday after taking an elbow to the head from forward Sam Bennett.

There was no penalty called on the play. Stolarz was replaced by backup Joseph Woll. He had made eight saves on nine shots before leaving while Toronto raced out to a 4-1 lead over its Atlantic Division rival.

On the game broadcast, during the third period, ESPN’s Emily Kaplan reported that a source said Stolarz had vomited on the bench before exiting for the locker room. The team made the official announcement that he wouldn’t return during the second intermission.

Stolarz started all six playoff games for Toronto against the Ottawa Senators in their first-round series victory, recording a 4-2 record with a .902 save percentage and a 2.21 goals-against average.

The 31-year-old veteran, who was the Panthers’ backup last season for Sergei Bobrovsky on their run to a Stanley Cup victory, was the Maple Leafs’ backbone in net throughout the regular season. He sat out some time after a midseason knee surgery but was an impressive 21-8-3 with .926 save percentage and a 2.14 GAA.

Woll took over starting duties when Stolarz was out during the regular season. He posted a 27-14-1 record with a.909 save percentage and a 2.73 GAA.

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Five-star QB Jared Curtis to Georgia: How he fits and what’s next

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Five-star QB Jared Curtis to Georgia: How he fits and what's next

Five-star quarterback Jared Curtis, the No. 5 prospect in the 2026 ESPN 300, announced his commitment to the Georgia Bulldogs over the Oregon Ducks Monday, capping the most consequential recruitment to date in the 2026 cycle.

Curtis, who decommitted from Georgia this past October, is the No. 1 overall quarterback in the 2026 class. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound passer from Nashville took trips to both Georgia and Oregon earlier this spring. Sources told ESPN that Curtis held in-home visits with offensive coordinators Mike Bobo (Georgia) and Will Stein (Oregon) last week and had conversations with both programs on Sunday afternoon prior to making his decision.

Curtis’ return to the Bulldogs’ 2026 class marks a crucial recruiting victory for coach Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs’ staff. Curtis now lands as the highest-ranked of four ESPN 300 pledges in the program’s incoming class, a collection of talent that will surely grow this summer as Georgia contends for a 10th consecutive top-three signing class. If he signs later this year, Curtis will arrive as the program’s third highest-ranked quarterback pledge in the ESPN recruiting era, trailing only Justin Fields (No. 1 overall in 2018) and Matt Stafford (No. 5 in 2006).

With his pledge, Curtis cements his place as the potential quarterback of the future in Athens behind expected starter Gunner Stockton, redshirt freshman Ryan Puglisi and 2025 signees Ryan Montgomery and Hezekiah Millender. Oregon, meanwhile, returns to the quarterback market in search of a 2026 passer after missing out on a coveted target in Curtis.

Here’s what you need to know about the most consequential commitment in 2026 cycle this spring as the busy recruiting season of late-May and June enters the horizon:

What makes Curtis so good?

Curtis has supreme arm talent, ideal measurables and a competitive temperament. He has ideal measurables and good speed given his size and is a better athlete than he gets credit for. What we like best is his natural arm power, velocity, and ability to change arm angles. He’s a flexible thrower who can make off-platform throws look easy because he can find alternative ways to get the ball out without losing power or strength. He’s a crafty runner who can extend plays and get out of trouble.

If there is a concern, it would be the level of competition he faces at Nashville Christian, a 2A private school. He has yet to be truly challenged against elite competition throughout his high school career to this point. He is always the best player on the field. That being said, he has a winning mentality, likes to compete, and has abilities that can’t be coached. — Tom Luginbill


Who does he compare to?

When looking at current college players, Curtis, while much bigger, compares most to LSU Tigers QB Garrett Nussmeier. Their skillsets are eerily similar. They are both gunslingers, have live arms and things don’t have to be perfect for them to still make a play. Both players play the game with supreme confidence and make players around them better.

In Athens, Curtis can play like Stetson Bennett did in his last two seasons in college. Like Bennett, Curtis can use his legs, acumen, resourcefulness, and accuracy to lead this team. Unlike Bennett, Curtis is bigger and has a stronger arm. — Luginbill


What does the team’s QB roster look like now?

Curtis joins a QB room with highly rated prospects with limited experience on the field. Gunner Stockton was the fifth-rated dual-threat QB in the 2022 class and filled in admirably late last year for an injured Carson Beck.

In all likelihood, Stockton will be the starter in Athens over the next two seasons. However, Ryan Puglisi is uber-talented and will also push for the starting job in 2025 and UGA signed two QBs in the 2025 class. The reality is that this decision, if Curtis signs in December, will likely lead to at least one or more players entering the transfer portal. — Luginbill


What’s next for Oregon and Georgia’s recruiting classes?

Round 2 between the Bulldogs and Ducks comes May 13 when five-star offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell announces his commitment. No. 3 in the 2026 ESPN 300, Cantwell will visit both programs in the closing stages of his recruitment, and he certainly won’t be the last elite prospect the two powerhouses battle over, either.

Curtis’ commitment gives Smart and Co. a cornerstone pledge in the 2026 cycle. With the No. 1 overall passer in hand, Georgia will work to build around him. Top running back prospect Derrek Cooper (No. 7 in the 2026 ESPN) and four-star rusher Savion Hiter (No. 27) are a pair of priority targets at another position of need, as is in-state rusher Jae Lamar (No. 129). Five-star end Kaiden Prothro (No. 19 overall) could be the next piece in Georgia’s stellar tight end pipeline, and five-star offensive tackle Immanuel Iheanacho (No. 12) will be on campus for an official visit later this month.

On defense, the Bulldogs remain firmly in the mix for top linebacker Tyler Atkinson (No. 13) and No. 1 athlete Brandon Arrington (No. 14), as well as top-50 defensive backs Jireh Edwards (No. 30), Justice Fitzpatrick (No. 42) and Chauncey Kennon (No. 49).

Oregon whiffed on Curtis, but with multiple years of eligibility for third-year passers Dante Moore and Austin Novosad — paired with the arrival of four-star freshman Akili Smith Jr. — the Ducks don’t have to sign a quarterback in the 2026 class.

Oregon has been in contact with five-star Houston quarterback pledge Keisean Henderson (No. 16 overall) this spring. But the Ducks’ top non-Curtis quarterback target is four-star passer Ryder Lyons (No. 50), who intends to take a mission trip following his senior year and would not join Oregon until 2027. Given the program’s lack of an immediate need at the position, Lyons — the nation’s No. 5 quarterback prospect — could be an especially good fit in 2026.

Other top targets for the Ducks this cycle include: Iheanacho, Atkinson, Arrington, defensive end Richard Wesley (No. 18), safety Jett Washington (No. 22) and tight end Mark Bowman (No. 24). — Eli Lederman


How does this affect the QB dominoes?

As noted, Oregon doesn’t have to sign a QB in this cycle, but with Curtis off the board, the Ducks should still be a major player across the seven months between now and the early signing period.

That could hold significant ramifications for Houston if the Ducks up their efforts to flip Henderson. It could also impact USC and BYU if Oregon turns its full attention to Lyons this summer. The Ducks could look toward other quarterbacks across the country, too.

Alongside Oregon, Alabama, Auburn, Florida State, LSU, North Carolina, Ohio State, Ole Miss and South Carolina stand among the top programs still active in the quarterback market this spring.

However, as of May 5, only four of the 18 quarterbacks ranked inside the 2026 ESPN 300 remain uncommitted. With Curtis now committed, expect the recruitments of those remaining quarterbacks to pick up steam in the coming months.

Lyons is set for June officials with BYU, USC and Oregon. Ole Miss remains the front-runner for Duckworth, who also holds heavy interest from Auburn, Florida State and South Carolina. Bowe Bentley (No. 264) will get to Georgia, LSU and Oklahoma later this spring, while former Purdue pledge Oscar Rios (No. 193) will take official trips to Virginia Tech, Utah, Arizona and Colorado after an April visit to Oklahoma State. — Lederman

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