Greg McElroy Names the Best Wide Receiver in College Football Right Now

On his Always College Football podcast, the ESPN analyst explains why why this junior superstar leads his 2026 wide receiver rankings.

ESPN analyst Greg McElroy didn't hesitate to list this wideout as college football's best. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

There was a ton of talent at the wide receiver position across college football last season. However, this offseason saw a major shift with a ton of talent ciphoned off to the professional ranks via the 2026 NFL Draft. That said, the superstar wideout at the very top of the position never wavered.

On the latest episode of his Always College Football podcast, ESPN analyst Greg McElroy revealed his top 10 wideouts heading into the 2026 season. The No. 1 spot was settled before he even hit record.

Ohio State junior Jeremiah Smith claimed it, and McElroy did not pretend the conversation was close.

Why Jeremiah Smith is No. 1 entering 2026

McElroy framed the decision with zero hedging.

"At number one, there is no debate," McElroy said. "Jeremiah Smith is the best receiver in college football. He's arguably the best player in college football regardless of position, and he comes back his junior year. Had he gone out last year, he would have been a no-doubt consensus top-10 pick."

The numbers do the rest. Through two seasons in Columbus, Smith leads every FBS receiver with 2,558 yards and 27 touchdowns, and he sits second in receptions with 163.

Wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) is having fun on the Ohio State sidelines during the Buckeyes' most recent spring game. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

He earned unanimous All-American status in 2025 and back-to-back Big Ten Wide Receiver of the Year honors. McElroy also pointed to a postseason resume that few in the modern era can match.

"In his six career postseason games, all against teams that are ranked in the top 10, he's caught 34 passes for 682 yards, averaging 20 yards per reception," he said.

That includes the now-famous fourth-quarter grab against Notre Dame in the title game, a snap McElroy described as the moment "the sport named a down-and-distance after him."

Heisman case, records and the Cignetti comparison

What separates Smith from the field is what he keeps adding to a stacked profile. He grabbed an Iron Buckeye Award this offseason, shrugged off relentless transfer chatter, and reported to spring workouts looking, by teammate accounts, even bigger and stronger than a year ago.

Smith confirmed the noise himself, telling reporters he was "always going to be at Ohio State."

Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti, who watched Smith torch his defense for 180 receiving yards across two meetings, offered the comparison McElroy could not ignore.

Former Alabama wide receiver Julio Jones (8) is a player comp for Jeremiah Smith, according to Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti, who served as the Crimson Tide's WR coach from 2007 to 2010. | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

"Cignetti compared him very favorably to Julio Jones, and Coach Cignetti would know. He coached Julio Jones at Alabama," McElroy said. "He said this guy's a little looser, maybe a little bit more flexible, but very, very similar, maybe even just a hair faster."

Smith now needs only 49 catches, 467 yards and nine touchdowns to become Ohio State's all-time leader in all three categories, marks McElroy expects to fall before Thanksgiving. The Heisman Trophy and Biletnikoff Award are firmly in play, not to mention the Maxwell, Walter Camp and maybe even the Paul Hornung if the Buckeyes find creative ways to get the ball in Smith's hands.

In my best returning college football wide receiver rankings, Smith is slotted at No. 1.

McElroy's top 10 college football wide receivers in 2026

1. Jeremiah Smith - Ohio State
2. Malachi Toney - Miami
3. Duce Robinson - Florida State
4. Isaiah Sategna - Oklahoma
5. Andrew Marsh - Michigan
6. KJ Duff - Rutgers
7. Ryan Wingo - Texas
8. Cam Coleman - Texas
9. Charlie Becker - Indiana
10. Jordan Faison - Notre Dame