The Big Ten has been home to some elite wide receivers and tight ends over the past few seasons. Over the last four NFL Drafts, six Big Ten receivers went in the first round. If you expand that to the West Coast quartet that joined last offseason, that number jumps to nine (or 10 if you want to include Jameson Williams, who spent two years with Ohio State before transferring to Alabama).
This year, the crop of pass-catchers is just as loaded. Here at Last Word on College Football, we have been ranking the top players in each position group. So, here are the four top pass-catchers in the conference, home to the last two College Football Playoff national champions.
The Best Receivers Returning to the Big Ten in 2025
Honorable Mentions
Only picking four pass-catchers from a conference as large as the Big Ten will result in a few snubs, naturally. By far, the best player to be left off this list is Oregon receiver Evan Stewart. Leading into the 2025 season, he was primed to break out as one of the top receivers in the conference. However, he suffered what appears to be a season-ending injury before he’s even begun. As a result, keep an eye on Dakorian Moore, a true freshman. The top receiver in the 2025 recruiting class, Moore doesn’t qualify as a “returning” player, but he projects to have a massive impact on day one.
Transfers within the conference count, so the top tight end in the Big Ten should be shouted out. Max Klare was Purdue’s offense last year, but he transferred to Ohio State this offseason. Last year, he broke out with 685 yards and four touchdowns for the Boilermakers. Truth be told, this list could just be Ohio State players up and down the list.
Another receiver worth mentioning is Michigan State’s Nick Marsh. In a year with what felt like a dozen elite receivers taking college football by storm, Marsh stood out on an up-and-down offense with inconsistent quarterback play. He tallied 649 yards and three touchdowns in 11 games with a quarterback who completed just 59.4% of his passes and more interceptions than touchdowns. If that quarterback can have a solid season, Marsh could be a household name.
Finally, USC’s Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane are popular picks to be among the top receivers. Lemon led the way last year in receptions and yards while Layne had a whopping dozen touchdowns. Is this the year Lincoln Riley’s offense finally takes off?
4) Elijah Sarratt, Indiana
Last year, Indiana had its greatest season since its inception in 1887. Curt Cignetti’s coaching was a massive part of that success, as was the plethora of players he brought over from James Madison. One of those players was Elijah Sarratt. He’s had an unconventional path throughout his collegiate career. As a true freshman, Sarratt amassed 700 yards and 13 touchdowns off just 42 catches at St. Francis (FCS). After one year with the Red Flashes, he transferred to James Madison. Immediately, he led the Dukes with 1,191 yards and eight touchdowns, kickstarting James Madison’s own surprising season.
Then, he followed Cignetti to Indiana. In his first season with the Hoosiers, Sarratt hauled in 53 passes for 957 yards and eight touchdowns.
Sarratt is destined to hear his name called in the NFL Draft next spring. He is as sure-handed as they come and has incredible body control. He’s also a chains-mover. 43 of his 53 catches in 2024 resulted in a first down. Indiana is going to have to break in a new quarterback. With Sarratt out wide, the Hoosiers can expect another impressive season.
3) Denzel Boston, Washington
Washington looks to take a step forward in its second season in the Big Ten. A big season from Denzel Boston is how that’s possible.
Standing at a commanding six-foot-four, Boston broke out for the Huskies in a disappointing 6-7 campaign last year. He led the way with 834 yards and nine touchdowns off 63 receptions. Just as was the case for a handful of other Big Ten receivers, Boston was held back by an inexplicably inept offense. This year, however, he looks to take another step with Demond Williams Jr. as quarterback.
Boston is an athletic receiver who moves better than one would expect from his size. He’s a separator with a fluid route running. When the ball is in the air, Boston can turn 50/50 balls into 90/10. He is sure-handed and can wrestle the ball away from even the best defensive backs. This year, Boston looks to develop into a serious red-zone threat who can also be as reliable as any in the middle of the field.
2) Carnell Tate, Ohio State
Last year’s WR3 in the Ohio State offense is set to truly break out thanks to Emeka Egbuka heading to the NFL. Carnell Tate made a name for himself despite the two massive shadows cast on him last year. This year, while one of those Galactus-sized shadows remains, Tate is set to truly take that next step and become the latest in a long line of elite Brian Hartline-coached receivers.
Currently slated as the top receiver in the 2026 NFL Draft, Tate has all of the tools one would find in a top-end receiver. As can be expected from Ohio State, Tate is a polished route runner who can create separation where there otherwise would not be. He’s a deep-ball threat who can get open with a handful of tempo-changing moves to set up the secondary. His six-foot-three frame fights through contact and showed it against strong defensive backs in the CFP.
In his first season as a starter, Tate amassed 733 yards and four touchdowns as the third option in an Ohio State offense that actually ran the ball 53.5% of the time. He was able to pick up the slack as the Buckeyes’ top option was completely neutralized in the Cotton Bowl and paced the Ohio State offense with 87 yards off seven catches.
1) Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State
No surprise here, right? Forget ranking the top Big Ten receivers, Jeremiah Smith is nearly unanimously considered to be the top offensive weapon in all of college football…as a true sophomore.
All of the hype and expectations for the top player in the 2024 recruiting class somehow fell short of his freshman season. Smith shattered Ohio State freshman records en route to a 76-catch, 1,315-yard, 15-touchdown season. To put that into perspective, he’s 1,583 yards and 21 touchdowns away from rewriting the career records in Columbus.
What can be said about Smith that hasn’t already been said? Players of his size are not meant to move as quickly or as smoothly as he does. Frankly, it’s against the laws of nature. And yet, number four in scarlet and gray defies nature.
Expect Smith to, at the very least, be in contention for just about every individual award for which he qualifies. It’s not outlandish to expect two Biletnikoff Awards and at least one trip to New York for the Heisman ceremony.
Main Image: The Columbus Dispatch
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