Ranking Big Ten Conference's Best Receivers: Oregon Ducks or Ohio State Buckeyes

Which Big Ten Conference team has the best wide receivers entering the 2024 college football season? Ohio State's Emeka Egbuka and Oregon's Tez Johnson and Evan Stewart are at the top.

Ohio State receiver Emeka Egbuka and Oregon Ducks receiver Tez Johnson /

The Big Ten Conference is most known for its talent along the lines of scrimmage, but it’s also loaded with National Football League-caliber weapons in the passing game. Today we’ll break down five of the best wide receivers in the Big Ten and see how they stack up.

1. Tez Johnson - Oregon Ducks

Oregon Ducks wide receiver Tez Johnson is one of the biggest threats in the Big Ten heading into 2024. With the versatility to play on the perimeter or out of the slot, Johnson earned a 91.3 Pro Football Focus grade in 2023. He accumulated 1,182 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns for the Oregon Ducks last year and figures to be even better as a senior.

Oregon wide receiver Tez Johnson makes a catch during spring camp for the Oregon Ducks Thursday, / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA

2. Emeka Egbuka - Ohio State Buckeyes

While Ohio State is known for its depth of elite receiving talent, Emeka Egbuka should be firmly the Buckeyes’ best wide receiver this season. Egbuka has struggled with injuries in his college career but compiled 1,151 yards with 10 touchdowns in 13 games for Ohio State as a sophomore. With NFL size and plenty of targets sure to come his way, Egbuka should be regarded as one of the premier receiving talents in the Big Ten.

3. Evan Stewart - Oregon Ducks

A transfer from Texas A&M, less is known about Evan Stewart than some of the other wide receivers on this list but his potential is through the roof and he’s proven himself well already. In eight games for a highly dysfunctional 2023 Texas A&M squad, Stewart put up 514 yards on 38 receptions with four touchdowns. Stewart played much of the season with a severe ankle injury but with an offseason to recover and train, as well as a move to a much better situation, Stewart should be one of the most electric receivers in the Big Ten this year.

4. Zachariah Branch - USC Trojans

University of Southern California wide receiver Zachariah Branch lit up the college football world with what he showed in limited samples as a true freshman. Deadly in both the return game and out of the slot, Branch’s speed and elusiveness make him a nightmare to defend. Another year in USC head coach Lincoln Riley’s system should have Branch ready to truly break out in 2024.

Aug 26, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans wide receiver Zachariah / Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

5. Elijah Sarratt - Indiana Hoosiers

Despite not playing for a powerhouse football program, Indiana Hoosiers wide receiver Elijah Sarratt brings NFL size and great production from his time at James Madison University. As a junior, Sarratt accrued 1,191 yards and eight touchdowns for one of the newest Division One teams in the country. Moving to a bigger program with his James Madison head coach Curt Cignetti should give Sarratt a blend of positive change and valuable continuity that will make him part of an exciting new era at Indiana.

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