By Stephen Vilardo, SuperWest Sports activities
As we proceed our preparations for the beginning of the 2025 faculty soccer season, we take a look at the highest pass-catching items within the West.
For this place grouping, we’re combining the tight ends and large receivers into one group.
The area is loaded with expertise at WR and TE, with a number of groups boasting extraordinarily deep rooms.
1. USC Trojans
The Trojans misplaced loads from the WR room within the switch portal, however nonetheless have a bunch of go catchers which can be among the many greatest within the nation.
Makai Lemon is the star and may flat-out make performs when the ball is in his arms. Ja’Kobi Lane is a red-zone machine; 28% of his profession receptions have been TDs.
Prince Strachan involves LA from Boise State and can be an enormous goal on the surface. On the TE spot, Lake McRee needs to be poised to interrupt out in 2025.
Add in some depth with Josiah Zamora together with newcomers Xavier Jordan and Corey Simms and the Trojans needs to be very harmful within the passing sport.
2. Oregon Geese
The lack of Evan Stewart is an enormous blow, however the Geese are usually not precisely barren within the go catching division. Whereas that will have been the issue within the Trojans leaping them for the highest spot, Oregon continues to be loaded.
Kenyon Sadiq is one of the best TE within the area and is impactful as a go catcher and blocker. Dakorien Moore can be explosive and is about to be some of the impactful freshmen within the nation.
Past the speedster Moore, UO may have a whole lot of depth within the receiving room with Malik Benson, Gary Bryant Jr., Kyle Kasper and Jurrion Dickey all able to contributing.
Add in one other stable TE in Jamari Johnson and this can be a very stable group. Ought to Evan Stewart make it again from his knee damage, this unit could be among the many high few go catching items within the nation.
3. Arizona State Solar Devils
Jordan Tyson is explosive and is coming off an enormous season, particularly the tail finish of 2024. Tyson is one of the best WR within the area and could possibly be an All-American come season finish.
Malik McClain could be a extremely good No. 1 WR for many groups; the Solar Devils will line him up reverse Tyson, and that may be a deadly 1-2 mixture.
Add in speedster Jalen Moss and ASU has an excellent trio of beginning WRs. Chamon Metayer provides Arizona State a particularly dependable TE to dump the ball off to and he is aware of what to do with it after the catch.
Sam Leavitt is clearly among the best QBs within the nation, nevertheless it definitely helps having this group to throw to.
4. Washington Huskies
Denzel Boston goes to be the Huskies main receiver and the 6-foot-4 junior may have an enormous season in Seattle. He was a TD machine the primary half of final season and his huge body is good within the crimson zone.
Omari Evans is a proficient switch from Penn State who will produce instantly. Rashid Williams and Kevin Inexperienced ought to see a bump throughout their sophomore season this fall.
The factor that makes the Huskies pass-catchers so good is that they haven’t one, however two actually good TEs within the fold.
Quentin Moore missed all however one sport final season however is an impression participant at TE and resulting from accidents on the place final season Decker DeGraaf was pressured right into a extra outstanding function and all he did was have a Freshman All-American season.
5. Boise State Broncos
The Broncos are stable at TE with Matt Lauter and Matt Wagner.
The previous could possibly be the main receiver for Boise this season whereas the latter presents depth, they usually each could possibly be on the sector collectively in sure units.
On the surface the Broncos will look a bit completely different than they did final season with some new faces in key spots. Latrell Caples and Cam Bates needs to be the 2 guys that step up and have probably the most impression within the passing sport.
Bates is a speedster that would get away this fall whereas Caples is again for a sixth season and can present a veteran management function and has confirmed he could make performs with virtually 100 receptions in his profession.
6. Colorado Buffaloes
Colorado should exchange Travis Hunter, who not solely gained the Heisman however was additionally the Buffs first-ever winner of the Biletnikoff Award as one of the best WR within the nation.
In addition they want to switch Jimmy Horn and LaJohntay Wester. That’s a whole lot of expertise to duplicate in 2025. The Buffs have some gamers in place who may make 2025 a very good one. Orelon Miller is a slot specialist who was Colorado’s most impactful freshmen final fall.
Omarion Miller has the flexibility to be a star and has proven flashes of that the final two seasons, this 12 months he could possibly be a dominant go catcher. Hykeem Williams provides the Buffs dimension and energy.
Quentin Gibson is one other speedy slot man that would see a whole lot of motion as a real freshman. Whereas the star energy may not leap off the web page for CU because it has in previous seasons, this may be the deepest WR unit the Buffs have had since Deion Sanders got here to Boulder.
7. Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors
The Rainbow Warriors have the go catchers to make their go heavy offense zip. Jackson Harris, Nick Cenacle and Pofele Ashlock ought to make up the beginning trio for a unit that may be the strongest a part of the crew.
Cenacle and Ashlock are each shifty WRs who could make performs over the center and have the dimensions to carry down the nook routes. The unit additionally has depth with returners Brandon White, Karsyn Pupunu and Tama Uiliata.
Joey Farthing involves the islands from Youngstown State and is one other huge bodied receiver who may have an effect.
8. BYU Cougars
Chase Roberts is an efficient place to begin for this unit. Final season he tallied 854 yards on 52 receptions and has gotten higher annually for the Cougars.
Tiger Bachmeier can create performs with the ball in his arms and Jojo Phillips could make performs exterior.
Parker Kingston is among the greatest returners and can provide depth at WR and clearly he’s harmful within the open subject. Tei Nacua is a redshirt freshman and if he produces something near what his brother did, then look out.
Carsen Ryan can be an enormous goal within the crimson zone.
9. Oregon State Beavers
Riley Williams will play an enormous function within the passing sport this season. The TE has transferred to OSU from Miami with a confirmed monitor report. His athleticism ought to assist the Beavers stretch issues within the center.
Whereas not one of the guys on the surface may be family names, they’re productive and skilled.
Trent Walker, Darrius Clemons and Taz Reddicks return a mixed 11 receptions per sport and 63.4% of the Beavers receiving yardage from final 12 months.
Reddicks ought to see the largest leap in manufacturing throughout his sophomore season. Very like the Beavers passing offense, this group is probably not flashy however can be productive when referred to as upon.
10. Arizona Wildcats
Arizona enters 2025 having to switch one of the best WR to come back by Tucson as Tetairoa McMillan is on to the NFL after his record-setting profession with the Wildcats.
His numbers won’t get replaced by a participant within the WR room this fall. Much like the state of affairs with Colorado, the Wildcats could lack the star energy, however the group may be deeper as a complete.
Sam Olson can be a weapon for Arizona at TE and his manufacturing within the center ought to open issues up exterior. Chris Hunter is the highest returning goal and can be joined exterior by Kris Hutson, Luke Wysong, Tre Spivey and Javin Whatley.
That quartet of transfers has a whole lot of expertise and may present Noah Fifita with loads of choices.
11. UCLA Bruins
The Bruins may have loads of choices to throw the ball to in 2025.
Kwazi Gilmer and Titus Mokiao-Atimalala can be 1A and 1B on the WR spot. Each are able to making performs and main the crew in receiving in any sport.
Hudson Habermehl is a weapon at TE and can provide Nico Iamaleava a dependable crimson zone goal.
Mikey Matthews can stretch the sector and together with Rico Flores could possibly be harmful within the slot.
12. Fresno State Bulldogs
Fresno State returns Josiah Freeman who was hampered by accidents in 2024 however is able to placing up all convention numbers.
The Bulldogs even have an excellent go catching TE in Richie Anderson. Freeman can be joined exterior by a mixture of returners in Jordan Malau’ulu and newcomers like Josiah Ayon, Jahlil McClain and Jayon Farrar.
McClain involves Fresno through Louisville and has the potential to make a huge impact.
One other participant to look at is freshman Harold Duvall. The four-star recruit may find yourself as some of the impactful freshmen within the Mountain West.
writes about numerous subjects for SuperWest sports activities, together with stats and data, faculty sports activities, and motorsports. He additionally based and runs the Sports activities and Leisure Analysis Heart (SERC).
