Longhorns Land In Top Three Of Lastest College Football Receiver Rankings

Texas has a six-man set that could take college football by storm this season.

Just how good could Texas' receiving room be in 2023? Try Ohio State level. 

In the latest rankings from CBS Sports, the Longhorns ranked second among pass-catchers — including tight ends — trailing only the self-proclaimed "WRU" Buckeyes. Ohio State has the argument for the top spot with returning talent like All-American and future first-round pick Marvin Harrison Jr., along with Emeka Egbuka. 

Texas has the duo of Xavier Worthy and Ja'Tavion Sanders back in the saddle after productive sophomore seasons. That's only a third of the production found on the Forty Acres. The Longhorns also feature two unknowns and a consistent target in the slot. 

For now, the Buckeyes own the top spot. By midseason, Texas could be tied on the leaderboards in more than one category. 

If Texas can stay healthy, it has the potential to push for the top overall unit this season. Xavier Worthy was primed for big things in 2022 but injury problems kept him from reaching his full potential. The Longhorns also lost exciting Wyoming transfer Isaiah Neyor to a torn ACL before the season even began. Those two are back, and Neyor may not even need to start. Fifth-year senior and second-leading receiver Jordan Whittington spurned the NFL Draft, and Texas added five-star transfer Adonai Mitchell through the portal. The former Georgia Bulldog has shown a knack for stepping up in big moments. Freshman Johntay Cook, the No. 7 WR in the 2023 class, will likely see the field a good bit, too. Ja'Tavion Sanders is one of the most athletic tight ends in the nation and is coming off a breakout year with 613 receiving yards and five touchdowns. - CBS Sports

Much remains a mystery with Neyor as his impact was only felt during spring practice alongside the arrival of Quinn Ewers. During his two seasons with the Cowboys, however, few could combat the size, speed and physical contested catch rate the 6-3 Fort Worth native possessed. 

Neyor finished his sophomore season in Laramie with 44 catches for 878 yards and 12 TDs while garnering All-Mountain West honors. His long striding play style should pair well with Worthy, who hopes to prove he's capable of being the next great target in Austin. 

Mitchell's arrival this offseason could benefit Texas in the red zone. Last season, the 6-4, 190-pound receiver only registered nine catches for Georgia in four games. Injuries sent him to the sidelines from Week 2 until the start of the College Football Playoff, but two of his three scores came from within the 20-yard line. 

Sanders has the potential to be Ewers' security blanket on early downs. Last season as the No. 2 option in the passing games, Sanders caught 50 percent of his balls on first down and averaged over 13 yards per catch. Sixty percent of his scores (3 TDs) also came on first downs and inside the red zone. 

With questions surrounding the run game following Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson's departures, attention turns toward passing downs. Sanders, Whittington and Worthy are proven commodities. Neyor and Cook are wild cards with upsides. Mitchell's health is the only factor in his lack of production. 

The six-man set might not make up Spider-Man's "Sinister Six" foes, but they could snag anything from the air that makes takes one of the more dangerous passing units in the country by midseason. 

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