Top Ten Projected College Football Wide Receivers of 2021-2022
This is a list of the projected best college wide receivers of the 2021-22 college football season.
Chris Olave proved to be one of the best wide receivers last season and hopes to continue his success into this season. In only seven games last season, he caught 50 passes for 729 yards (14.6 yards per catch and 104 yards per game) and 7 touchdowns.
Despite Justin Fields' departure, Ohio State has a new quarterback with the potential to do great things, and Olave will as well.
In only his freshman season at Oklahoma, Marvin Mims, with freshman quarterback Spencer Rattler, looks to expand on his own potential while Rattler expands his game as well. In 11 games last season, Mims caught 37 passes for 610 total yards (16.5 yards per catch and 55.5 yards per game) and 9 touchdowns.
He will have every opportunity to improve on last season and put himself in the running for the best wide receiver.
Even with the departure of Trevor Lawrence and despite missing last season due to a spinal cord injury requiring surgery, Justyn Ross comes back as a starter trying to regain his success from 2018 and 2019. DJ Uiagalelei is a competent replacement for Lawrence, showing his potential in 2 games last season. Ross remains a major downfield receiving threat at his disposal.
Out of the shadow of Rondale Moore at Purdue, David Bell will have to prove he can maintain the incredible performance he displayed last season. In only 6 games, he accounted for 53 receptions, 623 yards (12 yards per catch and 104 yards per game) and 8 touchdowns.
Even at Purdue, Bell has shown himself to be an incredibly talented player who should be recognized for it.
Coming into the most elite receiving corps in college football at Ohio State, Wilson, paired with Olave, is sure to make a splash this upcoming season. Last season, in 8 games as a WR2, Wilson totaled 43 receptions for 723 yards (16.8 yards per catch and 90 yards per game) and 6 touchdowns.
Even with the departure of Fields, Wilson is talented enough to open himself up for the new quarterback this upcoming season.
Playing for Arkansas always has to be rough, but Treylon Burks was one of the bright spots on a mediocre Arkansas team last season. Burks caught 51 passes for 821 yards (16.1 yards per catch and 91 yards per game) and 7 touchdowns.
In his junior season, he hopes to expand upon these numbers, become a standout SEC receiver, and a household name.
Coming off an incredible season with Alabama, playing with Mac Jones and alongside Heisman winner DeVonta Smith, Metchie will have the opportunity to follow up with an even better season. In 13 games last season, he caught 55 passes for 916 yards (16.7 yards per catch and 70.5 yards per game) and 6 touchdowns.
Now that he is free to play as WR1 at Alabama, he has the opportunity to cement himself as the next great Alabama wide receiver.
Alabama has been so fortunate at wide receiver these last few years.
At a resurgent Indiana program, Ty Fryfogle proved to be a valuable second receiving option for Penix. In 8 games last season, he caught 37 passes, recording 721 receiving yards (19.5 yards per catch and 90 yards per game) and 7 touchdowns.
When not standing in the shadow of Whop Philyor, Fryfogle should be able to showcase his true talents and abilities.
Even in an underwhelming Wake Forest football program, Jaquarii Roberson emerged in his junior season as a significant pass-catching threat. In 9 games last season, he caught 62 passes for 926 yards (14.9 yards per catch and 103 yards per game) and 8 touchdowns.
Roberson's presence will be key if Wake Forest wants any chance at success next season.
While Josh Downs is only a freshman, he still has one of the best quarterbacks in the country at North Carolina, Sam Howell, throwing to him. Even last season, in the few games he played, he proved to be incredibly talented. The most impressive was a 91-yard performance against Texas A&M, one of the best defenses in the country.
It will be interesting to see how Downs performs this season and what he will be able to accomplish.