Vote: Which Illinois high school football wide receiver should be considered the top returner in 2025-2026?

From major recruits and breakout performers to under-the-radar prospects with big talent, check out High School on SI's top returning Illinois High School receivers and cast your vote for the best!

East St. Louis junior wide receiver Laron Baker Jr., (1) is one of two Flyers receivers who cracked our candidates for top returner at the position for the 2025-2026 season. With nearly 20 major Division I offers in hand, Baker is one of the state's top recruited receivers for the 2027 cycle. / Ricky Slaughter

As countdown to kickoff continues, High School on SI will continue to roll out our positional top returners for the 2025-2026 season.

We've already brought you the quarterbacks. Now, it's time to give the receivers some love. To be clear, the state is pretty deep at receiver. The talent pool extends well beyond this group of candidates.

Despite that, we've identified a group of proven pass catchers who are among the state's best in talent and production. Tight ends will have their own positional candidates. To us, any of these guys could wind up leading the state in receiving this year. Now, it's up to you to tell us which player that will be.

Voting ends Saturday, July 12, at 11:59 p.m. Central Time. You may vote in the poll at the bottom of the page as many times as you would like, and we encourage you to share the poll on all socials to promote your favorite player.

Please note that this is not an overall ranking of the state's top players, and players are listed in random order. Our polls are meant to be a fun way to showcase some of the state's top players while also encouraging fan engagement as the excitement for the season draws near.

Don't forget to vote!

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2025-2026 Illinois high school football top returning wide receivers

Information compiled as of July 3, 2025

Ryan Franze, jr., Johnsburg                

One of the youngest all-state selections last year by the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association (IHSFCA), Franze (5-10, 185) earned 4A honors after racking up 860 yards and 13 touchdowns in 10 games for the Skyhawks. He moved the chains a lot – averaging 13.17 yards per catch on 66 receptions in 10 games.

Devyon Hill-Lomax, sr., Edwardsville       

Strong, physical and unafraid to block, Hill-Lomax (6-5, 190) will be taking his talents to Columbia, Missouri next season to play for Eli Drinkwitz and the Missouri Tigers. A three-star recruit, his full potential has yet to be realized after getting only 18 receptions in nine games last season. Still, he averaged 18.9 yards per catch on those opportunities and finished with four touchdowns.

Cade Cunningham, sr., Normal University           

He caught 69 passes for 1,235 yards and 16 touchdowns in 13 games, as the Pioneers went 10-3 and reached the 4A semifinals. He averaged 17.9 yards per catch and 95 yards per game.

Kendall Lucas, sr., Corliss STEM                   

A smooth runner with tremendous ability to track the football and great hands, Lucas (6-1, 185) earned 5A all-state honorable mention last season after racking up 40 catches for 985 yards and 13 touchdowns. Those same abilities translate to other areas of the field, where he also had five interceptions and returned four kicks for touchdowns.

Eli Jackson, sr., Carmel (Mundelein)         

In a breakout year, Jackson caught 59 passes for the Corsairs and finished with 813 yards and five touchdowns in 11 games. He averaged 73.9 yards per game and 13.8 yards per catch.

Lyzale Edmon, sr., Bradley Bourbonnais Community   

A 7A all-state selection, Edmon (6-0, 160) does a little bit of everything for the Boilermakers. And while he only had 29 receptions last season, he made the most of them.  He averaged 16.9 yards per catch, including a long of 55 yards, and scored eight touchdowns. He also returned four kicks for touchdowns, had three interceptions and finished with 15 total TDs.

Hartles Holman, jr., Cahokia           

He turned heads as a sophomore and played a key role in helping the Comanches make a run to the 4A state quarterfinals. Holman led the team in receiving with 932 yards and finished second with eight touchdowns – just one behind senior Omar Mims Jr.. Cahokia will have a new quarterback at the helm in 2025, and Holman’s talent should help ease that transition.

Trenton Walker, sr., Nazareth Academy (La Grange Park)         

One of the state’s top uncommitted receivers, Walker – a three-star recruit – is coming off a monster season that saw him catch 77 passes for 1,420 yards and score 19 touchdowns as Nazareth Academy cruised to the 5A state championship.

Zach Smith, sr., Maroa-Forsyth     

Smith and the Trojans reached the 2A state finals last season and finished with a 12-2 campaign. The 5-foot-10, 175-pound receiver with 4.5 speed caught 78 passes for 1,145 yards and 13 touchdowns in 14 games.

Jackson Gronewold, sr., Farmington Central      

At 6-foot-3, 210 pounds, Gronewold is a big, physical target who helped Farmington Central reach the 2A state semifinals last season. He racked up 1,518 all-purpose yards and 15 touchdowns, earning all-state honors along the way. He picked up an offer from North Dakota on June 23.

MarQuan Brewster, sr., Fremd (Palatine)               

Brewster (6-1, 170) broke out in a big way as a junior, averaging 101.5 yards per game and 17.71 yards per catch. He snagged 63 passes across 11 games for 1,116 yards and 17 touchdowns, so the football will find his hands early and often again in 2025. He has offers from North Dakota, Western Illinois and Bryant.

Kohnor Depew, sr., Vandalia            

Depew averaged 18.98 yards per reception last season on his way to earning 2A all-state honors for the Vandals. He racked up 854 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns while also returning a kickoff and two punts for touchdowns.

Nasir Rankin, sr., Morgan Park       

Rated No. 8 overall in the state by Rivals and committed to Illinois, Rankin is a four-star recruit who earned Class 5A all-state honors from the IHSFCA as a junior after helping the Mustangs reach the state quarterfinals. In 12 games he caught 40 passes for 991 yards and 12 touchdowns – averaging a staggering 24.78 yards per catch with a long of 93 yards.

Jacob Harvey, sr., Mt. Zion                 

He and the Braves had a great run last season – reaching the 4A finals. But they undoubtedly return with unfinished business on their minds, and that could spell bad news for the rest of their schedule. Harvey (6-2, 185) had 58 receptions for 1,112 yards and 13 touchdowns in 14 games. He averaged 19.17 yards per catch and picked up 4A all-state honors.

Matthew Osterman, sr., DePaul College Prep (Chicago)            

He broke out as a junior and served as the No. 2 receiver on a Rams team that won the 4A state championship. Playing alongside then-senior Braden Peevy (who had nearly 1,200 yards) Osterman averaged 16.7 yards per catch – including a long of 56 yards – and finished with 684 yards and 10 touchdowns in 13 games.

Laron Baker Jr., jr., East St. Louis                  

A highly recruited three-star prospect with nearly 20 offers in hand, Baker (5-10, 175) seems primed for a big year after breaking out with 401 yards on 29 catches as a sophomore. He holds offers from Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, LSU, Kansas State, Ole Miss, Michigan State, Purdue, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Boston College, Maryland, Kentucky, Miami (Ohio), Eastern Michigan, Kent State, Toledo, Western Illinois and Sacramento State.

Max Hembrey, sr., Grant Community (Fox Lake)               

A big-play threat, Hembrey (6-0, 180) consistently moved the chains last season for the 6A Bulldogs, as he averaged 23 yards per catch across 10 games. Despite not getting a ton of volume (42 catches) he still compiled 966 receiving yards and scored 11 touchdowns.

Davon Grant, sr., DeKalb                    

A three-star recruit who committed to Illinois back in January, Grant earned Class 7A all-state honors after catching 67 passes for 1,016 yards a year ago, and that was coming off a sophomore campaign that saw him catch 42 passes for 936 yards. History says another big year is coming for the 6-foot-4, 200-pound wideout.

Kale Thurman, sr., Springfield                        

Springfield is hoping to take a step forward in 6A this season, and Thurman (6-0, 165) would be a big part of that plan coming to fruition. A productive two-way star who also holds three school records in track and field, Thurman tallied 855 yards receiving across nine games – scoring seven touchdowns and averaging 13.36 yards per catch as a junior.

Cash Lynch, sr., Pana                            

A 2A all-state selection, Lynch helped the Panthers to a 10-2 record last season and a trip to the state quarterfinals. Highly productive when the ball is in his hands, Lynch caught 10 touchdown passes in 12 games and averaged 14.3 yards per catch. He finished the year with 48 receptions for 685 yards.

Zach Washington, sr., St. Francis (Wheaton)                      

One of the most dominant junior receivers in the state, Washington racked up 5A first team all-state honors after racking up 1,450 yards and 16 touchdowns. Washington had more than 20 offers in hand before ultimately committing to Michigan State on June 16. At 6-foot-2, 180 pounds and possessing 4.37 speed, he’s a matchup nightmare primed for another big season.

Austin Coles, jr., Barrington             

The Broncos got a pleasant surprise when Coles stepped into 8A football and more than held his own as a sophomore. Going forward, expect more than the 43 targets he got last season even though it will be difficult to top the 20.74 yards per catch he maintained on those grabs. In just nine games Coles tallied 892 yards and scored six touchdowns while averaging 99.1 yards per contest.

Tre Hoggard, sr., Tolono Unity         

Averaging a tick under 17 yards per catch as a junior, Hoggard pulled in 86 receptions (including a long of 70 yards) for 1,461 yards and 19 touchdowns in 13 games, helping the Rockets go 9-4 while reaching the 3A semifinals.

Brett Berggren, sr., Batavia               

Berggren (6-2, 185) was second on the Bulldogs’ 7A state finalist squad in receiving last year and returns with fellow quarterback Bodi Anderson expected to be at the helm once again. And while the Bulldogs leaned on the run last year, they lost 1,700-yard tailback Nathan Whitwell and top receiver Isaiah Brown to graduation. Those factors should spell more targets and a big year for Berggren, who averaged 18.11 yards per catch last season and finished with 851 yards and 10 touchdowns on 74 catches.

Luke Doyle, sr., Benet Academy (Lisle)    

Doyle’s role with the Redwings could get a lot heavier this season after an impressive junior campaign that saw him catch 48 passes for 892 yards and eight touchdowns. A two-way player whose job consists of shutting down the deep threat on defense, he’s proven to be a reliable deep threat on offense with his 4.34 speed. The 5-foot-11, 175-pound slot had a long reception of 80 yards last season and averaged 18.58 yards per catch.

Blaise Lavista, sr., Lincoln-Way East

A 6A all-state selection, Lavista is a three-star recruit who is ranked No. 20 overall in the state by Rivals and No. 35 by 247Sports. He joins Trenton Walker as two of the state’s top remaining uncommitted senior receivers after racking up 1,447 yards on 60 catches with 24 touchdowns in only 11 games as a junior at Libertyville. Lavista averaged 131.5 yards per game and 24.12 yards per catch while showcasing one of the most dominant seasons of any receiver in the state. He holds offers from Washington, Marshall, Toledo, Western Michigan, Coastal Carolina, Central Michigan, Kent State and Akron.

Kortez “Tez” Rupert, sr., East St. Louis     

A three-star recruit by Rivals who committed to Indiana on June 9, Rupert (6-0, 160) has game-breaking speed and is an impact deep threat. He only had 24 catches as a junior, but he made the most of them – utilizing his 4.43 speed to average nearly 23 yards per catch. He finished the year with 660 yards and eight touchdowns.

Quentin Burrell, jr., Mt. Carmel (Chicago)             

Sophomores who produce the way Burrell produced are rare. A four-star recruit, Burrell caught 75 passes for 1,257 yards and 18 touchdowns as Mt. Carmel rolled to the 7A state championship. He holds nearly 30 offers, including Alabama, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Michigan, Michigan State, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Ole Miss, Stanford, Penn State, Purdue, Northwestern, Kansas, Auburn, Arizona State, Washington, Vanderbilt and West Virginia, among others.

Keaton Reinke, sr., St. Charles North       

A 7A all-state selection, Reinke – a three-star and Northwestern commit – helped guide the North Stars with 1,218 yards and 16 touchdowns in 11 games. He averaged 15.22 yards per catch on 80 catches and 110.7 yards per game.

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