• Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith: The highest-rated wide receiver recruit ever might already be the Buckeyes’ best pass-catcher.
• Alabama’s Ryan Williams: The top-five recruit looks like the Crimson Tide’s next great deep threat thanks to his speed.
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Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes
It’s no secret that the wide receiver position is taking over the game of football. Six wideouts currently make $30 million a year or more in the NFL. Only two other non-quarterbacks (Nick Bosa and Chris Jones) make that much. Seven receivers were taken in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, tying the record.
The position’s dominance even trickles down to the high school level. There were seven five-star wide receivers in the 2024 class, tied for the most since 2008. Three of the top five overall recruits were wideouts, which has never happened since recruiting rankings began in 2000. Just based on their collegiate debuts this past weekend, the hype for this freshmen receiver class was well-warranted.
Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State
Smith entered Columbus with a ton of hype as the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2024 high school class and 247Sports' highest-rated wide receiver recruit of all time.
In his first career game against Akron, he caught six of his eight targets for 92 yards and two touchdowns. Smith paced the Buckeyes in all of those categories, which is even more impressive, considering Emeka Egbuka entered the year as my No. 3 receiver in college football.
The freshman hauled in all three of his contested targets and looks like the next Ohio State great at the position, following in Marvin Harrison Jr.'s footsteps.
FIRST OF MANY FOR JEREMIAH SMITH🔥
— PFF College (@PFF_College) August 31, 2024
Ryan Williams, Alabama
When Isaiah Bond transferred to Texas, there was a question about who would be Alabama’s next deep threat. Williams is the answer.
The former top-five overall recruit caught both of his targets against Western Kentucky for 139 yards and two touchdowns, averaging a ridiculous 69.5 yards per catch. He has the top-end speed to torch opposing defensive backs, running a 10.49-second 100-meter dash as a sophomore in high school. Perhaps most impressively, Williams won’t turn 18 until February after he reclassified up from the 2025 high school class.
17-year-old Ryan Williams with his second catch and TD of the night 🔥 pic.twitter.com/77vNEFina3
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 1, 2024
Ryan Wingo, Texas
Wingo wasn’t one of the seven receivers to earn a five-star label coming out of high school, but he was still highly touted as a top-40 overall recruit. He has a strong frame for the position, at 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds, with outstanding speed for that size.
Against Colorado State, the freshman posted an 89.2 PFF receiving grade and caught all four of his targets for a team-high 70 yards despite running only eight routes. He also forced three missed tackles on those catches and could be in line for an expanded role as Texas figures out its new-look receiving corps.
DEVY ALERT: Texas freshman WR Ryan Wingo impressed in his college debut with 4 receptions for 70 yards.
It appears he will have an early role. Devy Stock 📈 pic.twitter.com/zm53xJlpKL
— Brandon Lejeune (@DevyDeepDive) September 1, 2024
Auburn’s trio
Three true freshmen saw extended playing time with the first-team Auburn offense against Alabama A&M: Cam Coleman, Perry Thompson and Malcolm Simmons.
Coleman is the headliner of the bunch, as he was the No. 2 wide receiver and the No. 4 overall recruit in the 2024 cycle. He caught both of his targets for 62 yards, including a 44-yard touchdown where he made the cornerback bite on a double move.
Cam Coleman with a NASTY double move🦅
— PFF College (@PFF_College) September 1, 2024
Thompson was a top-50 recruit out of high school and caught two of his four targets for 82 yards and a touchdown, which came on a 70-yard post route.
Do your dance, @fhsperryt1 🕺 https://t.co/FTjzDKl31U pic.twitter.com/U5lrJY2j84
— Auburn Football (@AuburnFootball) September 1, 2024
Simmons was the lowest-rated recruit of the three as only a top-200 player, but he tallied the most receiving yards of the three — with 91 on three catches and five targets. He also found paydirt, doing so from 57 yards out on a dig route.
Turn on the burners, @MalcolmSimmons0‼️@Hankb_15 hits Malcolm for the 57 yard TD! https://t.co/Lfs25EsHuX pic.twitter.com/pXsA0dKmO1
— Auburn Football (@AuburnFootball) September 1, 2024
All three should continue to make a major impact on Auburn’s receiving corps this season and beyond.
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