There are very few sweeping changes in the Mountain West WR Rankings for 2023 following spring practice. Given the addition of some high-profile players in the transfer portal, the Mountain West receivers are a potential game-changing group this fall.
2023 Mountain West WR Rankings
Unlike our previous rankings (QB and RB), the 2023 Mountain West WR rankings are shedding light on individuals more than units. While the quarterback rankings in each conference outlined the strength of a clear-cut starter, they were still based on the strength of the QB room in some situations, albeit by a small amount.
The 2023 Mountain West WR rankings portray a list of the best wide receivers we project to see on the field based on what they’ve shown in their collegiate careers to date. Some players are expected to break out, but this list aims to highlight the known commodities at this stage of the offseason.
Wide receiver play comprises far more than statistics, and the more a receiver has shown over his time on the field, the higher they’ll rank here.
1) Tory Horton, Colorado State
The only receiver returning to the Mountain West with a 1,000-yard season under his belt, Tory Horton is the top of the class out west. Horton is capable of winning 1-on-1 reps against any defender and more than versatile enough to line up anywhere on the offense.
The fact that Horton transferred over with the staff from Nevada to Colorado State opened up the playbook for him even more in 2022, as he was a valuable leader for the Rams a season ago. With another year under their belts in Fort Collins, the playbook may catch up to what Horton knows and understands, and his looks might even become better and in higher volume.
2) Ricky White, UNLV
Once upon a time, Ricky White was a highly sought-after recruit and a Michigan State Spartan. After shining for a brief moment in 2020 with the Spartans, White came back out west and flashed even brighter with the UNLV Rebels in 2022.
Kicking his season off with a bang and a highlight-reel-worthy outing against Idaho State, White showcased all the traits that make him a potentially special player. He can be deployed anywhere on the field and has game-changing speed.
Running by defenders before the catch or after the reception is nothing for White, and he plays a faster, longer game than most defensive backs in the conference. Securing the ball at the catch point consistently is the only thing left to add for this budding superstar.
3) Justin Lockhart, San Jose State
A big-time playmaker on the outside for San Jose State, Justin Lockhart’s transfer from Nevada paid dividends early for the Spartans in 2022. Lockhart feasts on smaller DBs and can get open all the same against any type of coverage defender.
What separates Lockhart from the majority of other big-play, bigger-framed receivers on the outside is the fact that he’s shockingly shifty after the catch. He secures receptions quickly and turns up field even faster to maximize his yards gained on every reception.
4) Justus Ross-Simmons, Colorado State
The future is very bright for Justus Ross-Simmons, the second-most targeted receiver of the bunch at Colorado State. Ross-Simmons flashed brilliance a season ago, averaging over 16 yards per reception and pairing nicely opposite Horton.
Rounding out his route tree will be key to his development. Ross-Simmons presents a massive frame, has surprisingly soft hands, and is truly a speed threat on the outside. The sky is the limit for Ross-Simmons over the next two seasons at Colorado State.
5) Raphael Williams Jr., San Diego State
Transferring in from Western Carolina, Raphael Williams Jr. comes to San Diego State with an impressive résumé. A certified star on the interior, Williams can get open in the blink of an eye and feasts on slower safeties or linebackers who are tasked with covering him.
MORE: Mountain West RB Rankings 2023
Williams has great hands and can shake off defenders with natural separation skills along his routes. When he gets the ball in his hands, Williams is a speedy threat who will always fight for extra yards.
6) Latrell Caples, Boise State
A big man with a terrific athletic profile, Latrell Caples came on strong down the stretch last season for Boise State. Caples stands 6’1″ and 190 pounds, and has surprising quickness and light footwork that allow him to free himself from defenders on the inside.
He thrives as a first-read option, as he’ll quickly get open and does a great job of bringing in receptions anywhere near his frame. Caples can run away from defenders on his routes but especially after the catch, where he’s a true talent in the open field.
7) Stefan Cobbs, Boise State
Stefan Cobbs is a veteran of the sport, and his hard work has paid off over the past two seasons at Boise State. He’s a reliable middle-of-the-field receiver and makes in-breaking routes look tremendously easy.
Cobbs is great at the catch point and plays with late hands and shifty routes. As Boise State’s offense began to gel last season, it was almost always because Cobbs was in top form.
8) Terrell Vaughn, Utah State
Terrell Vaughn is special with the ball in his hands. An electric return man, Vaughn just simply needs a crease, and he’s a threat to take the ball to the house every time he touches it.
An honorable mention All-MWC selection last year, Vaughn made big strides after setting records during his time at Ventura Junior College. He has sure hands and wins quickly off the line of scrimmage with his athleticism and agility.
9) Jaelen Gill, Fresno State
In what should be considered an immediate impact transfer, Jaelen Gill has moved on from Boston College for his final season and lands with the Bulldogs. Gill joins his third team in his college tenure after starting his career at Ohio State and after three successful years at BC.
Gill is a talented playmaker with the ball in his hands and was second fiddle only to Zay Flowers with the Eagles. He has great separation skills and can line up anywhere on the field. Reliable as a No. 1 threat because of his quicks, Gill has a chance to make a significant impact with Fresno State immediately this season.
10) Dalevon Campbell, Nevada
Dalevon Campbell finally broke out in 2022. After years of struggling to break free on the Illinois roster, Campbell transferred to Nevada and was able to showcase why he was indeed a Power Five signee once upon a time.
Campbell has a rare blend of speed and size, tipping the charts at 6’4″ but playing much faster and quicker than you’d expect. He can out-leap defenders to the football and showcased some solid body control both along the boundary and over the middle of the field.
With some consistent QB play, Campbell could break out even further in 2023.
11) Ayir Asante, Wyoming
After years of sound play at Holy Cross, Ayir Asante is a name to watch for Wyoming in 2023. A versatile weapon, Asante has shown he can win anywhere across the formation and has the skills to make the leap to MWC play.
Asante is a threat with the ball in his hands but utilizes his athleticism and speed to get open prior to the catch point. He’ll shed defenders in the open field, and his freshman season was indicative of that when he was named an FCS Freshman All-American.
12) Jeremiah Hixon, New Mexico
One of the bigger names to enter the Mountain West is certainly Jeremiah Hixon. After five seasons of dynamic play at Alabama State, Hixon has taken his talents west with the Lobos.
An injury cut short Hixon’s 2019 season. But in every other year with Alabama State, he had multiple touchdowns and well over 100 yards.
Hixon will be a major feature in New Mexico’s offense due to his ability to win easily against box defenders tasked with covering him. He’s quick and elusive on his routes and uses his speed to pull away from coverage defenders at the last second.
13) Dylan Goffney, Colorado State
A big man at 6’2″ and 213 pounds, Dylan Goffney transfers in from SMU to Colorado State. The Rams got a good one with Goffney as he hauled in over 20 yards per catch last season and caught essentially everything thrown his way.
Goffney can line up outside very well but also presents a trouble with his size and speed combination from the inside. Given time to stack defensive backs, Goffney can split away from defenders in the open field or along his routes with no trouble.
14) Senika McKie, UNLV
Showcasing a sneaky deep route tree in 2022, Senika McKie flashed at times for UNLV. He was a contested-catch nightmare in those highlight-reel-worthy games against New Mexico and San Jose State.
McKie has good hands and always seems to fight for extra yards with a proven track record behind him. Stemming from his time at Erskine College, McKie has proven to have a game-changing ability in him. He’ll win 1-on-1 battles with any type of defender and, for a bigger-framed receiver, has surprising lateral agility.
15) Charles Ross, San Jose State
There’s no denying the talent that Charles Ross has in the receiving game. After a quiet breakout season in 2021, Ross was poised for incredible success and looked to be a heavy factor in the Spartans’ offense until injury shortened his season in 2022.
Still, Ross returned to action to close out the year and should be healthy enough to return to form in 2023. That form saw him average well over 14 yards per catch in limited action a season ago, as he was a true downfield threat from the inside.
16) Billy Bowens, Boise State
Forming a terrific trio with the aforementioned Caples and Cobbs, Billy Bowens is a terrific third-read option for Boise State. Bowens wins with his ability to maintain the separation he builds off defenders all throughout his routes.
Bowens is also a threat with his size and proved to have worked on his hands in 2022, improving his drop rate that saw his targets dwindle in 2021. Bowens’ speed and agility will never be in question, and if he can get stronger at the catch point, he’ll rise in these rankings.
17) Luke Wysong, New Mexico
An unheralded receiver with terrific catch-point prowess, Luke Wysong has made highlight-reel moments during his time with the Lobos. He has great strength along his routes, outmuscling bigger linebackers or safeties en route to separating for his quarterbacks.
MORE: 2023 Mountain West Weekly Football Schedule
Wysong’s also flashed some terrific body control and leaping ability on inaccurate passes during his two years all over the field. He certainly deserves more touches.
18) Jonah Panoke, Hawaii
Consistency is key for Jonah Panoke, as he finally had what looked to be a promising season in 2022. Though cut short and missing the majority of the year, Panoke still showcased some shifty moves in the open field and plenty of juice in his routes.
He wins from outside in, making for a great No. 1 receiver if he can stay on the field. The more he was targeted in 2022, the better he got.
19) Erik Brooks, Fresno State
Erik Brooks will be counted on heavily in 2023 as Fresno State has to replace a ton of vacated targets from last year. A good thing for Bulldogs’ fans is the fact that Brooks has flashed in each of the past two seasons when given the opportunity.
He’s a streaky player with the ability to make even the best coverage defenders miss and is surprisingly strong for his frame. If he works on consistency — something he’ll get plenty of in what is expected to be an expanded role in 2023 — he could rocket up these rankings.
20) Andrew Erickson, New Mexico
The QB play at New Mexico has left much to be desired, but there are certainly pieces in the receiving corps to be excited for. Andrew Erickson is absolutely one of those pieces, as he offers up arguably the largest catch radius of the group.
Erickson is a contested-catch machine when he’s been targeted — mainly because of inaccurate passes — showing it to be a strength of his. He bodies smaller defensive backs well and is versatile to where he can line up on the Lobos’ passing attack.
21) Jamaal Bell, Nevada
Doing the majority of his damage to start the year last year, Jamaal Bell showcased he has some serious talent, despite some untimely drops and a fumble or two. Bell has the makeup of a drastically improved interior receiver who can get open at the line of scrimmage.
Improving his hands at the catch point will go a long way, as the targets should only continue to rise for Bell in 2023.
22) Wyatt Wieland, Wyoming
The Wyoming pass-catching group is a massive unit with big-play potential. While the tight ends will likely eat up a heavy portion of the targets, Wyatt Wieland is another viable option over the middle of the field.
Wieland can force his way into open holes in zone coverage or use his route-running ability to separate from slower DBs all the same. The only thing left for him to do is secure the ball at a much more consistent rate.
Honorable Mention
- Devin Boddie Jr., Wyoming
- Ryan Davis, New Mexico
- Emoryie Edwards, Fresno State
- Steven Fiso, Hawaii
- Zyell Griffin, UNLV
- Eric McAlister, Boise State
- Malikhi Miller, San Jose State
- Tamatoa Mokiao-Atimalala, Hawaii
- Nick Nash, San Jose State
- Will Pelissier, Wyoming
- Mekhi Shaw, San Diego State
- Jalen Walthall, Hawaii
