Big Ten tiers: Where do the Gophers' WR portal pickups stack up?

Four of the top five receivers from the Big Ten last season are off to the NFL, but Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith returns as one of the best players in the entire sport. There's plenty of talent around the conference, but let's look at where Minnesota's new look WR room stacks up within the Big Ten.

Tier 1: Generational prospect

1. Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State

Smith led the entire conference in receiving last season with 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns as a true freshman. He's not only the best wide receiver in the Big Ten or college football, but he has an argument to be the best player in the sport. Ohio State has had a laundry list of elite receivers over the past decade, but Smith could have an argument to be the best when it's all said and done.

Tier 2: Elite talents

2. Carnell Tate, Ohio State
3. Evan Stewart, Oregon
4. Ja'Kobi Lane, USC
5. Elijah Saratt, Indiana
6. Trebor Pena, Penn State

This is a group of receivers who are no-brainer No. 1 options for their teams. Yes, Ohio State has the two best pass catchers in the conference, and Tate might be the No. 1 option on just about every other team in the country. Saratt was sixth in the Big Ten in receiving last season, and he should compete with the other four players on this list to be near the top once again in 2025.

Related: Big Ten tiers: Is Darius Taylor the best RB in the conference?

Tier 3: Good No. 1 WRs

7. Donoven McCulley, Michigan
8. Dane Key, Nebraska
9. Devonte Ross, Penn State
10. Makai Lemon, USC
11. Griffin Wilde, Northwestern
12. Denzel Boston Jr., Washington
13. Javon Tracy, Minnesota
14. DT Sheffield, Rutgers
15. Hudson Clement, Illinois

Every team with a receiver in this tier is confident with them as their No. 1 option, but they would gladly take any player ranked higher. All 9 players in this group have the potential to go over 1,000 yards, but they could be around the 500 range. The order could be all over the place by the end of the season, but I don't expect any of them to be among the elite options in the conference.

Tier 4: Wildcards with No. 1 potential

16. Vinny Anthony II, Wisconsin
17. Sam Phillips, Iowa
18. Nick Marsh, Michigan State
19. Nyziah Hunter, Nebraska
20. Jalil Faroq, Maryland
21. Brandon Inniss, Ohio State

These are receivers with the potential to be No. 1 options, but they have circumstances that could hold them back. Anthony III and Phillips are intriguing talents, but will Wisconsin and Iowa pass enough for them to put up big numbers? Hunter and Inniss might be behind better talent, and Marsh and Faroq could still be a year away.

Tier 5: Question marks

22. Omari Kelly, Michigan State
23. Gary Bryant Jr., Oregon
24. Titus Mokiao-Atimalala, UCLA
25. Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana
26. Crishon McCray, Michigan State
27. Trech Kekahuna, Wisconsin
28. Michael Jackson III, Purdue
29. Omari Evans, Washington
30. Jacory Barney Jr., Nebraska

I could talk myself into all nine of these receivers as fast as I could talk myself out of them. This is seemingly a boom or bust tier. Players like Kelly, Kekahuna or Barney Jr. could break out into big roles, or they could seemingly fall out of the offense.

Tier 6: Gadget options

31. Semaj Morgan, Michigan
32. Malik Benson, Oregon

Morgan and Benson are two players whom I would want on my team, but their ceilings are limited. Morgan might not be anything more than a gadget slot receiver, and Benson might just be a go-ball deep threat.

Tier 7: Underrated No. 2s

33. Ian Strong, Rutgers
34. Logan Loya, Minnesota
35. Pierce Strachan, USC
36. Kwazi Gilmer, UCLA
37. Anthony Simpson, Michigan
38. Jacob Gill, Iowa

This tier is wide receivers who won't get a bunch of headlines, but they are No. 2 options you'd want on your roster. Nobody in this group will likely have a game with more than 100 yards this season, but for example, I expect Loya to be a chain mover for Minnesota, as well as the other five players listed.

Tier 8: Solid depth

39. Octavian Smith Jr., Maryland
40. KJ Duff, Rutgers
41. Mikey Matthews, UCLA
42. Fredrick Moore, Michigan
43. Justius Lowe, Oregon
44. Lemeke Brockington, Minnesota
45. Collin Dixon, Illinois
46. Jayden Ballard, Illinois

These wide receivers could fill in a bigger role if their team has an injury. They could have a big game during the season, but they likely won't be a top option when everyone is healthy.

Tier 9: Unknowns

47. Seth Anderson, Iowa
48. Nitro Tuggle, Purdue
49. Kaleb Webb, Maryland
50. Chase Farrell, Maryland

This last tier is four players who have intriguing potential, but they simply haven't produced enough at the college level to rank them any higher. They could break onto the scene, but they will need to prove themselves first.