The Big 12 has no shortage of talented wide receivers.
The revamped conference is filled with returners like OSU’s Brennan Presley and Central Florida’s Kobe Hudson, but also has newcomers like Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan and Colorado’s Travis Hunter.
Here are the Big 12’s top 10 wide receivers entering this season:
Big 12 Position Rankings: Quarterback | Running back
Big 12’s Top 10 Wide Receivers for the 2024 Season
10. Xzavier Henderson, Cincinnati
Even though Cincinnati ranked just 12th among the Big 12 in passing yards per game last season (209), Henderson still looked impressive.
The Florida transfer recorded career-highs of 58 receptions, 782 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns as a junior. He earned an All-Big 12 honorable mention for his strong play.
Henderson has the talent to be at the top of this list, but his production could be limited on a Cincinnati team that will certainly rely on Corey Kiner and the run game.
9. LaJohntay Wester, Colorado
Wester is a transfer from Florida Atlantic who should contribute immediately to Colorado.
Wester ranked second in the nation in receptions last season (108), which he turned into 1,168 yards and eight touchdowns. He earned All-American Athletic first-team selection and also took home Special Teams Player of the Year honors for the conference.
Wester is joined by Travis Hunter and Jimmy Horn Jr. in a stacked receiving room in Colorado. But the Buffaloes love playing football, and Wester should still have plenty of chances to connect with quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
More: Colorado’s Deion Sanders eager to face Oklahoma State football’s Mike Gundy
8.Lawrence Arnold, Kansas
Kansas struggled with injuries at the quarterback position last season, but Arnold provided a reliable target for whoever was throwing the ball.
Arnold caught 44 passes for a career-high 782 yards and six touchdowns as a junior. He even earned an All-Big 12 honorable mention.
Arnold could have another strong campaign if Jalon Daniels remains healthy at quarterback. But if the Jayhawks have to turn to backup rookies Cole Ballard or Isaiah Marshall, they’ll certainly lean more on the run game.
7. Rashod Owens, Oklahoma State
Owens was one of OSU’s biggest emerging players last season.
Owens recorded career highs of 63 receptions, 895 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns as a junior. He also earned an All-Big 12 honorable mention and was named Texas Bowl MVP in OSU’s victory over Texas A&M.
Brennan Presley is still the Cowboys’ top target, and running back Ollie Gordon II is a Heisman Trophy candidate who will get the ball often. But Owens is a talented receiver who will have plenty of opportunities to build on his breakout campaign.
More: Rashod Owens was Oklahoma State football’s ‘ultimate cowboy’ on his way to Texas Bowl MVP
6. Jayden Higgins, Iowa State
After transferring from Eastern Kentucky, Higgins had no trouble adapting to Big 12 play last season.
Higgins earned an All-Big 12 honorable mention as a junior with 53 receptions, a career-high 983 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns. He even became one of three players in program history to record two career 150-yard receiving games in one season.
Higgins will have to share goals with Jaylin Noel again this season. But reigning Big 12 Offensive Rookie of the Year Rocco Becht is returning at quarterback and knows how to spread the wealth.
5. Jaylin Noel, Iowa State
Iowa State needed a new leading receiver last season following the departure of Xavier Hutchinson.
Noel became that guy. The co-captain earned a second-team All-Big 12 selection as a junior with career highs of 66 receptions, 820 receiving yards and seven receiving touchdowns.
Noel has continually elevated his game each season. Now a senior, he is arguably one of the Big 12’s top receivers.
More: Football’s Big 12 Power Index Rankings for 2024: Which Teams Are Underrated, Overrated?
4. Travis Hunter, Colorado
Hunter shined at cornerback last season. He was selected to the Pac-12 first team as a sophomore with 31 tackles, five pass breakups and three interceptions.
But Hunter also shined at receiver. He caught 57 passes for 721 yards and five touchdowns.
Hunter is probably the most talented player on this list and will certainly be a target for Sanders. But he comes in fourth because of Colorado’s crowded receiving room and will also have to split time and energy between both sides of the field.
3. Kobe Hudson, Central Florida
Central Florida made its Big 12 debut last season, and Hudson established himself as one of the conference’s most electric rookies.
Hudson earned an All-Big 12 honorable mention with career-highs of 44 receptions, 900 receiving yards and eight receiving touchdowns as a senior. He averaged 20.5 yards per reception, ranking third in the Big 12.
Hudson put up those numbers despite being UCF’s No. 2 receiver behind Javon Baker. Now that Baker is in the NFL, Hudson will certainly thrive as the target of Arkansas transfer quarterback KJ Jefferson.
More: Football’s Big 12 Quarterback Rankings: Where Do Shedeur Sanders, Jalon Daniels Land?
2. Brennan Presley, Oklahoma State
Presley is back for his fifth season with the Cowboys.
Presley earned an All-Big 12 Second Team selection last season for recording a career-high 101 receptions, 991 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns. The talented senior ranks fourth in program history in career receptions (225) and seventh in career receiving yards (2,548).
Presley is a lethal offensive weapon who can also deal damage as a kick return. And with quarterback Alan Bowman in contention for his seventh season, there’s no doubt who his favorite target will be.
1.Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona
There’s a new top receiver in the Big 12.
McMillan dominated as a sophomore at Arizona last season. He earned a Pac-12 second-team selection by recording the fifth-most receiving yards in the country (1,402) on 90 catches, and caught 10 touchdowns.
McMillan is a former teammate of quarterback Noah Fifita, who is also back in Arizona. He is without a doubt the most dangerous quarterback-receiver duo in the Big 12.
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This article originally appeared in the Oklahoman: Ranking the Big 12’s Top 10 Football Wide Receivers of 2024
