WRU is a tag that every school wants, but only a small number of college football programs actually live up to the billing.
In fact, outside of the top five teams, the rankings are extremely tricky. Let’s take a look at the top colleges producing wide receiver talent for the NFL.
Ranking the Top NFL Wide Receiver Universities
25) Colorado Buffaloes
The Colorado Buffaloes have produced 23 NFL Draft picks at wide receiver, and they have combined for 100,476 receiving yards in the pros. The lead receiver is Cliff Branch, and the former Raider and Hall of Famer had 8,685 receiving yards across his 14-year career.
24) California Golden Bears
The California Golden Bears rank 16th among colleges with the most NFL receiving yards. Keenan Allen, Isaac Curtis, DeSean Jackson and Wesley Walker headline the position, with Cal alumni accounting for 623 NFL receiving touchdowns.
23) Arizona State Sun Devils
Arizona State Sun Devils receivers combine to rank 16th in receiving touchdowns in NFL history (611), landing them among the top 25 college programs for producing wide receiver talent. Charley Taylor is the standout name, recording 9,110 receiving yards and 79 touchdowns in his 13-year career from 1964 to 1977.
22) Michigan State
The Michigan State Spartans don’t stand out as a hotbed for producing wide receiver talent, but the program ranks 11th among college teams in combined NFL receiving touchdowns (740) and 15th in combined receiving yards (106,868). Andre Rison produced 10,205 yards and 84 touchdowns across his 12-year career before retiring after the 2000 season.
21) Maryland Terrapins
Stefon Diggs, Gary Collins and Jermaine Lewis rank among the best wide receivers the Maryland Terrapins have produced for the NFL. They rank further down the list in total receiving yards (68,035) and touchdowns (480), but the program has consistently developed talent that performs at the professional level.
20) Penn State Nittany Lions
Chris Godwin and Allen Robinson are the headline names among Penn State Nittany Lions wide receivers, who have totaled 116,827 receiving yards and 703 touchdowns in the NFL. James Franklin’s team has produced the 17th-most receivers drafted, with 27, and continues to churn out productive talent.
19) Stanford Cardinal
James Lofton, Gene Washington, Tony Hill and Doug Baldwin headline an underrated group of former Stanford Cardinal receivers who found success in the NFL. Hall of Famer Lofton tallied 14,004 receiving yards in his career and is a key reason why the Cardinal rank 11th among college programs with 118,640 receiving yards.
18) Michigan Wolverines
The Michigan Wolverines have had 40 wide receivers drafted in program history, accounting for nearly 10 percent of their 438 all-time draft picks. This group has combined for 133,455 receiving yards and 879 touchdowns. While the list may lack elite names, Anthony Carter made three Pro Bowls and recorded over 7,700 yards. The sheer number of productive players helps Michigan climb the rankings.
17) Georgia Bulldogs
The Georgia Bulldogs have seen 23 receivers drafted, with two strong additions in recent years. Ladd McConkey was the focal point of the Los Angeles Chargers’ passing game as a rookie, and George Pickens has been effective with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Add in Hines Ward, Jimmy Orr, Mecole Hardman and A.J. Green, and Georgia has produced a well-rounded crop of NFL receivers.
16) Ole Miss Rebels
In recent years, the Ole Miss Rebels have developed some of the NFL’s premier receivers. A.J. Brown and D.K. Metcalf stand out as two of the best in the league and are major reasons why the program ranks 28th in total NFL receiving yards. Adding Laquon Treadwell, Elijah Moore, Mike Wallace, Donte Moncrief and Dexter McCluster makes it easy to understand how Lane Kiffin’s program has produced 21 draft picks at the position.
15) Oklahoma Sooners
The Oklahoma Sooners have the 15th-most draft picks at wide receiver among college programs. The SEC power has sent one of today’s top receivers, CeeDee Lamb, to the NFL, along with Ryan Broyles, Sterling Shepard, Marquise Brown and Dede Westbrook.
14) Tennessee Volunteers
Former Tennessee Volunteers wideouts have totaled 126,138 NFL receiving yards, the ninth most of any college program. Names like Anthony Miller, Carl Pickens, Stanley Morgan, Cordarrelle Patterson and Robert Meachem have brought consistent talent to the league. The program ranks fourth for most receivers drafted, with 45 selections.
13) Pittsburgh Panthers
The Pittsburgh Panthers produced one of the most decorated wide receivers in NFL history, Larry Fitzgerald. The longtime Arizona Cardinals star posted 17,492 receiving yards and 121 touchdowns during his 17-year career and seems destined for the Hall of Fame. Pitt also produced Tyler Boyd and Jared Wayne, and the program ranks 24th in all-time NFL receiving touchdowns with 485.
12) Florida Gators
The Florida Gators sit seventh all time among college programs in both NFL receiving yards and touchdowns. Wes Chandler, Cris Collinsworth, Percy Harvin and Nat Moore headline a group of 45 wide receiver draft picks, tying them with Tennessee for third most.
11) Florida State Seminoles
The Florida State Seminoles have consistently turned out high-end NFL talent at wide receiver. Fred Biletnikoff, Anquan Boldin, Laveranues Coles and Deion Sanders headline a group that has outperformed its 15th-place rank in total NFL receiving yards.
10) Texas A&M Aggies
Mike Evans and Christian Kirk lead a Texas A&M receiver group that outshines its placement in the rankings. Though the Aggies rank 25th in all-time NFL receiving touchdowns, they’ve developed elite talent. Evans has posted 11 straight 1,000-yard seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and is on track for a Hall of Fame career.
9) Oklahoma State Cowboys
The Oklahoma State Cowboys may not have delivered the same numbers as their peers, but the talent they have produced has been elite. Dez Bryant racked up more than 7,500 receiving yards and 75 touchdowns in his nine-year career, while Tyreek Hill has surpassed 11,000 yards and scored 82 touchdowns with the Kansas City Chiefs and Miami Dolphins.
8) Clemson Tigers
There is a long list of productive Clemson Tigers wide receiver alumni in the NFL. DeAndre Hopkins, Tee Higgins, Martavis Bryant, Ray-Ray McCloud, Hunter Renfrow and Mike Williams, along with Sammy Watkins, have all found success or had notable stints in the league. But the Tigers only rank 18th in total receiving yards, showcasing that their NFL-level talent has emerged more recently under Dabo Swinney.
7) Notre Dame Fighting Irish
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish rank 13th with 30 wide receivers drafted, but they are fifth in receiving yards (150,380) and second in receiving touchdowns (1,055). Hall of Famer Tim Brown accounts for 14,934 of those yards and 100 touchdowns. Meanwhile, Equanimeous St. Brown, Michael Floyd and Golden Tate make up a productive, if not flashy, group that continues to put up numbers in the pros.
6) Syracuse Orange
The Syracuse Orange are a sneaky team when it comes to laying claim to WRU status. Hall of Famer and eight-time Pro Bowler Marvin Harrison leads the way with more than 1,000 career receptions and 14,500 receiving yards. Another Hall of Famer, Art Monk, contributed over 12,700 receiving yards. That kind of top-tier legacy is hard to match. Rob Moore and David Tyree also had notable careers, further strengthening Syracuse’s case.
5) USC Trojans
The USC Trojans rank third in total NFL receiving yards and fourth in total receiving touchdowns by alumni. The West Coast powerhouse also leads all schools in wide receivers drafted, with 54. Whether it’s Frank Gifford, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Lynn Swann, Keyshawn Johnson, Nelson Agholor or most recently Jordan Addison, USC has continuously developed elite wide receiver talent.
4) Miami Hurricanes
The list of top Miami Hurricanes wide receivers in the NFL is stacked. Michael Irvin and Andre Johnson are both Hall of Famers. Reggie Wayne, Santana Moss, Eddie Brown and Brian Blades all carved out stellar careers as well. Miami leads all schools in total NFL receiving yards with 183,682 and was long considered the original WRU, even if that production has dropped in the past decade.
3) Alabama Crimson Tide
The Alabama Crimson Tide rank just 15th in wide receivers drafted all-time, but their recent run of talent has vaulted them into the WRU conversation. Julio Jones, Amari Cooper, Calvin Ridley, Jerry Jeudy, Jaylen Waddle and DeVonta Smith have all come out of Tuscaloosa in the last decade. Add in Don Hutson and Ozzie Newsome, and it’s clear this tradition goes back generations.
2) LSU Tigers
Justin Jefferson, Odell Beckham Jr., Ja’Marr Chase and even Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. in 2024 headline the list of elite wide receiver talent out of LSU. With 42 wideouts drafted in program history, LSU ranks fourth in all-time NFL receiving yards (162,014) and fifth in receiving touchdowns (995). The Bayou has become a breeding ground for the league’s best receivers.
1) Ohio State Buckeyes
Whether it’s Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, Marvin Harrison Jr., Michael Thomas or Terry McLaurin, the Ohio State Buckeyes keep sending top-tier wide receiver talent to the league.
Before this most recent group came Santonio Holmes, Joey Galloway, Michael Jenkins, Terry Glenn and Cris Carter. The legacy is long, and the numbers prove it. Ohio State ranks second in NFL receiving yards (183,682) and first in receiving touchdowns (1,111), making a strong case for WRU supremacy.
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