B/R Recruiting: Ranking the Top 10 WR Prospects in the 2025 Class
Every offense needs scoreboard-jarring weapons in its offensive arsenal, which is why all teams go all-in on top wide receivers in every recruiting cycle.
The transfer portal has made things a little easier to stockpile playmakers at the position, but when you can hit on an elite talent, it certainly make things better.
Another good thing is receiver is one of the easiest positions to make an instant impact in college football, but it's also one that's often difficult to evaluate.
The 2024 class was one of the best in recent memory with guys such as Jeremiah Smith (Ohio State), Ryan Williams (Alabama) or Ryan Wingo (Texas) already taking college football by the horns this year.
This year's group isn't nearly as full of "sure things," but it's still electric and probably even deeper. Teams such as Oregon and Texas even have a pair of future stars, too. But where do they fall?
Bleacher Report tried to sort all that out. We already ranked the class of 2025 quarterbacks and running backs, and now it's time for the pass-catchers. Let's dive in and see who made the cut.
10. Travis Smith, Tennessee Commit
1 of 10
Ever since coach Josh Heupel came to Tennessee, he has put together some top-shelf wide receiver classes.
The next potentially great one coming up Interstate 75 is Travis Smith, a 6'3½", 199-pound Westlake High School superstar from Atlanta who is wowing everybody during his senior year of high school.
Most recruiting services have Smith ranked a bit lower, but the resume he's putting on film this year speaks for itself. He is big, physical and high-points the ball as well as any player in this class. His long strides also allow him to gallop away from defenders and stretch the field.
With Bru McCoy and Dont'e Thornton leaving Knoxville next year, there will be some reps to be won in practice. And while Tennessee has a terrific group of young receivers, Smith has the potential to slot right in.
This is the second cycle in a row Tennessee beat Georgia (as well as others such as Alabama and Auburn) for a massive receiving target in Atlanta, joining 2024 class 5-star Mike Matthews.
Smith has special ability and comes in as 10th on this list.
9. Andrew Marsh, Michigan Commit
2 of 10
Michigan is as hot right now as it's been in a long time coming off the national championship and with new coach Sherrone Moore entrenched in Ann Arbor.
Yes, the Wolverines need to find a better quarterback, but beating USC in the Big House last weekend was a big step forward. And Moore is going to pull offensive reinforcements to assist with rebuilding a passing game in need of it.
One of the biggest building blocks for the 2025 class is 4-star receiver Andrew Marsh from Fulshear, Texas, who stands at 6'1", 175 pounds and can do a lot of different things with the ball in his hands. He has great wiggle for a guy his size and is a power-keg play waiting to happen.
In other words, he's exactly what Michigan needs right now but doesn't really have.
Marsh obviously sees the potential for a quick-turn onto the field next year as there aren't a lot of guys with his skill set on the roster. That's why he's eschewing the Lone Star State juggernauts and other top-tier programs such as Alabama and USC to head North.
This is exactly the kind of athlete the Wolverines need to jump-start the air assault.
8. Derek Meadows, LSU Commit
3 of 10
When it comes to high-upside receiver recruits, look no further than LSU pledge Derek Meadows, who is going to come in as part of a class that boasts top-rated quarterback Bryce Underwood and a wealth of offensive talent.
Coach Brian Kelly has to be thrilled just thinking about the future potential of that group. He also went into a "far-away land" of Las Vegas to lure Meadows to the Bayou.
It's not every year that you see a 6'5", 200-pound pass-catcher who may be closer to 6'6" and can run like a deer. As a sophomore, he was the Gatorade Track and Field Athlete of the Year and one of the region's top hurdlers, per 247Sports' Greg Biggins in the profile above.
If you want a collegiate comparison, how about Arizona's Tetairoa McMillan? Is that a lofty expectation? Sure, but Meadows has that same big frame and can motor past defenders. He also is the type of guy who won't be afraid to go across the middle and catch passes.
With what Kelly is building offensively through the 2025 class, there are plenty of reasons to be excited about Meadows' future. He is one of those guys who is raw right now and just scraping the surface of what he can become.
But the future is glaring bright, much like the lights of Sin City.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
7. Dallas Wilson, Oregon Commit
4 of 10
Some recruiting services really believe in Dallas Wilson's ability, and it's easy to see why. For instance, On3 currently has him as the No. 2-rated wide receiver and the nation's No. 21-rated player.
The 247Sports' composite rankings have the 6'3", 195-pound Tampa, Florida, native rated as the 22nd-rated player in the country and the fifth-rated receiver. He's a little lower on this list, but that doesn't mean anybody is down on his elite ability.
Wilson is a big, lanky pass-catcher who needs to add weight but will grow more into his long arms and huge hands; and when he does, watch out. He's nowhere near a finished product on the gridiron, and he is going to team with another superstar on this list to be a weapon for Oregon very soon.
Coach Dan Lanning is recruiting at a high level, and with Evan Stewart and Tez Johnson likely off to the NFL next season, the Ducks will need some star players on the perimeter. Wilson qualifies, which is why he's going about as far away from his Sunshine State home as you can to play college football.
If you want upside, Wilson possesses it. But he doesn't have anywhere near the best hands in the class, and it takes him a long time to get moving sometimes, as he needs to get to the second level before running away from defenders. That's why he's a little lower in our rankings.
6. Vernell Brown III, Florida Commit
5 of 10
Without a doubt, coach Billy Napier has a mess on his hands in Gainesville as he tries to navigate the hot-seat talk and the rumors that donors have stockpiled enough money to handle his buyout.
That hasn't stopped Napier from landing a few marquee players in the 2025 class, though, and one of those guys with blue and orange flowing through his veins is receiver Vernell "Trey" Brown III.
The 5'11", 170-pound jitterbug from Orlando, Florida, played at Jones High School, and now he's set to follow in his father's footsteps in the Swamp. The elder Brown with the same name played defensive back for the Gators and is now Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson's manager.
The younger Brown has been around the game his entire life, but he has the type of speed, quickness and burst that you can't teach. He's exactly the type of weapon who can take the lid off offensives, get the ball in short spaces and turn into big gains and break games open from special teams.
Pretty much everybody wanted Brown, but family ties were too much in the end. Will he stick with Florida through the tough times if they come? That remains to be seen, but Brown seems locked-in right now.
5. Jerome Myles, USC Commit
6 of 10
Remember when Lincoln Riley first got to Los Angeles, and he was luring top-tier playmakers left and right to play for his USC Trojans? That took a bit of a hiatus as they lost their way the past year or two.
Now, the Trojans are trying to be the "hot" name on the recruiting trail again after joining the Big Ten, and the head coach has landed yet another elite pass-catcher who proves he hasn't lost that his mojo on that side of the ball.
Jerome Myles is coming to the glitz and glamour of Hollywood from Draper, Utah. Schools from all over the country came after the 6'2", 210-pound target, and it's easy to see why when watching video of his highlights.
Greg Biggins of 247Sports evaluates that area, and he compared Myles to former Washington phenom and Chicago Bears' first-round pick Rome Odunze due to his body style and body control. We don't disagree with that assessment.
Myles has the potential to be amazing, and B/R is ranking him higher than other recruiting services because when you combine those traits with his size and track speed, there aren't a lot of things to dislike. He's already an extremely advanced prospect who looks like he will be able to help the Trojans right away.
Look for Myles to get on the field quickly and shine.
4. Jaime Ffrench, Texas Commit
7 of 10
There was a time when Jaime Ffrench was all set to go to Alabama, which would have given the Crimson Tide two of our top four pass-catchers on the list.
But when he reopened his recruitment, the 6'1", 185-pound Jacksonville, Florida playmaker entered a wild recruitment that was anybody's guess where he'd wind up. At points in time, Ohio State, Tennessee, Oregon and others seemed to have his ear.
In the end, though, he decided he'd head to top-ranked Texas to play for coach Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns, and the thought of him teaming with another guy on this list with Ryan Wingo already in Austin must be tantalizing for 'Horns fans everywhere.
If they weren't already excited about 2025 with Arch Manning taking over, guys like Ffrench will take it overboard. Sark's Horns are definitely SEC-ready, and they are building toward a championship.
There are bigger, faster receivers in this class than Ffrench, but he's plenty of both. There may not be a better pass-catcher or route-runner, though, and those special skills have him here. He can pretty much do everything you ask of him.
That's why a "who's-who" of teams tried to recruit him and why Texas got a very good one around whom to build its class.
3. Caleb Cunningham, Alabama Commit
8 of 10
Kalen DeBoer has done a phenomenal job picking up where Nick Saban left off recruiting at Alabama, but if there's one position on which he can hang his coaching hat, it's wide receiver.
The man has churned out elite pass-catchers during his days at Fresno State and Washington, and now he has another one in Tuscaloosa with freshman Ryan Williams, who he convinced to remain with the Tide after Saban retired.
There's another similar talent headed to the Capstone next year in Ackerman, Mississippi, receiver Caleb Cunningham, and while there have to be questions and concerns about the competition he plays, there's no doubting his elite talent.
Teams all over the nation wanted the 5-star playmaker, but he chose Alabama over Ole Miss, Tennessee, Mississippi State and others, and he doesn't appear to be wavering at all. Teaming with fellow Magnolia State star offensive player in running back AK Dear is an exciting duo for 2025.
Cunningham is 6'1", 190 pounds but plays bigger than that. He's also a basketball star who could have played on the next level, and his jumping ability and catch radius allows him to be an elite weapon at any receiver position on the field.
He may need some time to acclimate to the college game, but his ability is unmatched.
2. Kaliq Lockett, Texas Commit
9 of 10
Oh yeah, the Texas Longhorns also have Kaliq Lockett coming to the Forty Acres to join Jaime Ffrench.
That's a disgusting embarrassment of riches at the position that can only be rivaled by perhaps Oregon in this cycle. Unlike Ffrench, coach Steve Sarkisian didn't have to go far to land this pledge. Lockett's hometown of Sachse is a little more than three hours due north of Austin, so it isn't far for his parents to go.
They'll probably see him star sooner rather than later. There are simply too many skills and too many intangibles surrounding Lockett for him not to thrive.
He stands at 6'2", 175 pounds, and while he could add 25 pounds and be more college-ready, there are tons of things to love about his game. Perhaps that's why teams such as LSU, Texas A&M, Alabama and Florida State wanted him when he pledged in August.
His ability to jump, to accelerate and to catch passes is amazing. There aren't many sheer athletes out there who can do as many things as effortlessly as Lockett, who looks like he was born to play the position.
"Anytime the ball is in the air, it's mine," he told Spectrum Sports' Adam Rossow. "You're gonna have to put two or three people over me. Single coverage doesn't work on me."
When you think of all that Texas talent, those are scary words.
1. Dakorien Moore, Oregon Commit
10 of 10
We've already talked about one Oregon commitment in Florida pass-catcher Dallas Wilson, and coach Dan Lanning went into another recruiting hotbed and ended up luring the top playmaker at receiver in the nation.
Dakorien Moore stunned many when he decided to head to Eugene rather than play for the LSU Tigers where he was previously committed, but the Ducks did a great job recruiting him, and he seems set on heading there now.
The Duncanville, Texas, native is part of an elite connection at the powerhouse program where Alabama quarterback commitment Keelon Russell throws him passes. The duo are playing at the top of the college football food chain next year, but in different places.
On Moore's 247Sports profile, analyst Gabe Brooks compares him to former Ohio State standout and current New Orleans Saints star Chris Olave, another Lone Star State product who left the state to play his college ball.
At 5'11", 182 pounds, Moore isn't the biggest target, but he's certainly the most-skilled in this class. There's not anything he can't do. He's a stat-packer who routinely rolls up huge numbers against top-tier competition, and he already is used to playing at the highest level of high school football.
Factor in his speed, catching ability and leadership, and he is a can't-miss superstar who can start right away in Eugene.
All stats courtesy of CFBStats and Sports Reference unless otherwise noted. Recruit rankings courtesy of 247Sports unless otherwise noted.
Follow Brad Shepard on Twitter, @Brad_Shepard.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
