Top Five Opposing Wide Receivers Wisconsin Will Face in 2026

USC’s Tanook Hines is a breakout candidate who ranks among the best wide receivers Wisconsin will play in 2026.

USC Trojans wide receiver Tanook Hines | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

As the season approaches, Badgers On SI is ranking the top players at each position among Wisconsin’s 12 regular-season opponents. With quarterbacks and running backs in the books, here are the top five wide receivers the Badgers will match up with in 2026.

5. Tony Diaz, Iowa

Iowa wide receiver Tony Diaz | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The back end of this list was tough to narrow down, but Diaz has drawn rave reviews since arriving in Iowa City this offseason. As a redshirt freshman at UT Rio Grande Valley, he emerged as the Vaqueros’ clear top receiving option, hauling in 67 receptions for 881 yards and 11 touchdowns across 12 games. Those marks earned Diaz Southland Freshman of the Year and First-Team All-Conference honors. 

Diaz is listed at 5-foot-11 and 176 pounds but doesn’t shy away from physicality as either a route runner or blocker. The third-year wideout is versatile, with the ability to line up in different spots and threaten all three levels while making contested grabs and creating after the catch. Tempering expectations for a player making the jump from the FCS level to the Big Ten is understandable, and he’ll have to compete with Reece Vander Zee, Evan James and standout tight end DJ Vonnahme for targets. Still, Diaz has the potential to be a difference-maker for a Hawkeyes squad that hasn’t had a wide receiver eclipse 500 yards in a season since 2019. Iowa will host Wisconsin at Kinnick Stadium in Week 9.

4. Brett Eskildsen, Penn State

Former Iowa State Cyclones wide receiver Brett Eskildsen | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Like Diaz, Eskildsen has turned heads with his new team after following head coach Matt Campbell from Iowa State to Penn State. Last year, he led the Cyclones in receiving yards, totaling 30 receptions for 526 yards and five touchdowns in 11 games while earning All-Big 12 honorable mention honors.

Listed at 6-foot-1 and 198 pounds, Eskildsen is a physically gifted former high school track star with elite speed, landing him a spot on Bruce Feldman’s annual “Freaks List” for 2026. He has the tools for a breakout junior season, but the presence of fellow Iowa State transfers Chase Sowell and tight end Benjamin Brahmer may limit how gaudy Eskildsen’s counting stats become. The Badgers will face Eskildsen and the new-look Nittany Lions on the road in Week 4.

3. Jordan Faison, Notre Dame

Notre Dame wide receiver Jordan Faison | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Faison entered college football as a walk-on and has since developed into Notre Dame’s top pass catcher. The former lacrosse player led the Fighting Irish with 49 receptions for 640 yards while adding four touchdowns in 12 games last season. Across three seasons, he’s amassed 98 receptions for 1,318 yards and nine touchdowns while also contributing as a punt returner.

The senior is a natural athlete with dependable hands and the explosiveness to wreak havoc after the catch. He’s not physically imposing at 5-foot-11 and 185 pounds and is still a bit raw as a route runner, but the chemistry Faison has developed with quarterback CJ Carr is undeniable. Notre Dame’s wide receiver room is oozing with talent throughout the depth chart, but Faison should command plenty of attention from Wisconsin’s defense in their Week 1 matchup at Lambeau Field.

2. Tanook Hines, USC

USC Trojans wide receiver Tanook Hines | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

USC has been a factory for producing wide receivers of late, and Hines is poised to be next up. As a true freshman operating behind Makai Lemon (2025 Fred Biletnikoff Award winner and 2026 first-round pick) and Ja’Kobi Lane (2026 third-round pick), he recorded 34 receptions for 561 yards and two touchdowns while appearing in all 13 games. With Lemon and Lane sitting out the Alamo Bowl, Hines flashed what he can do as a top option with a six-catch, 163-yard performance against TCU.

The Houston, Texas native boasts big-time speed that makes him both a legitimate deep threat and a YAC machine in Lincoln Riley’s aerial attack. Listed at 6-foot and 190 pounds, Hines isn’t afraid to go up and make contested catches across the field. The Trojans brought in Terrell Anderson from North Carolina State via the transfer portal and added highly touted freshmen Kayden Dixon-Wyatt and Ethan Feaster, among others, to the wide receiver room this offseason. However, Hines’ established rapport with quarterback Jayden Maiava has him on track to be the focal point of the passing game. Wisconsin will be tasked with slowing down Hines and USC’s high-powered offense in a Week 8 tilt at Camp Randall Stadium.

1. KJ Duff, Rutgers

Rutgers Scarlet Knights wide receiver KJ Duff | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While he might not consistently get the recognition he deserves because of the Scarlet Knights’ lack of success, Duff is one of the best returning wide receivers not only in the Big Ten but across the country. He enjoyed a true breakout campaign in 2025, tallying 60 receptions for 1,084 yards and seven touchdowns in 12 games. Duff ranked 10th nationally in receiving yards and earned Second-Team All-Big Ten honors. His top performance came on the road against Purdue, when he exploded for 241 yards and a touchdown on six catches.

Like the previously mentioned Eskildsen, Duff was recognized on Bruce Feldman’s “Freaks List,” and for good reason. At 6-foot-6 and 225 pounds, the junior is a contested-catch specialist who uses his massive frame to dominate at the point of attack. With Athan Kaliakmanis out of eligibility, AJ Surace and Boston College transfer Dylan Lonergan are battling for the starting quarterback job. Regardless of who seizes the role, Duff will certainly be targeted early and often, including when Rutgers travels to take on Wisconsin in Week 10.