We’re continuing our 2025 college football preseason previews with the Big 12’s wide receiver units, and as has become the theme this summer—things are all over the place. Our rankings are compiled using a points system: the top spot on any ballot earns 16 points, second place gets 15, and so on down to one point for last place. Add them all up, and you’ve got our composite rankings. Sounds simple, but here’s the twist—once again, we didn’t have a single unanimous ranking, and most of the time, we weren’t even close. The diversity of opinion was so strong that we ended up with a tie at the very top between Baylor and Arizona State. And on the other end, Oklahoma State somehow landed in last place despite not appearing 16th on any individual ballot, which says a lot about just how spread out our evaluations were.
Among our crew—Caleb, Craig, Matt, and Zack—we did manage to find a few teams where we were relatively aligned. Texas Tech, for example, drew strong consensus as a top-tier unit, and there was general agreement that UCF belongs near the bottom. But for every point of agreement, there was just as much disagreement. Kansas State, Colorado, and Arizona were all teams where our ballots varied wildly, and Baylor and Arizona State each had both strong backers and doubters despite tying for first overall. That’s the beauty of preseason debates—different eyes see different strengths, question marks, and potential breakout stars. You can check out the full set of composite rankings below to see where every Big 12 team landed, along with the individual ballots that made it happen.
Heartland Sports Consensus Big 12 Receiver Rankings
| RANKING | POINTS |
|---|---|
| 1. Arizona State | 61 |
| 1. Texas Tech | 61 |
| 3. Baylor | 57 |
| 4. TCU | 45 |
| 5. Kansas State | 44 |
| 6. BYU | 42 |
| 7. Cincinnati | 39 |
| 8. Iowa State | 35 |
| 9. Colorado | 29 |
| 10. Houston | 25 |
| 11. Arizona | 24 |
| 12. Kansas | 21 |
| 13. West Virginia | 20 |
| 14. Utah | 17 |
| 15. UCF | 15 |
| 16. Oklahoma State | 8 |
Individual Rankings
Caleb
1. Arizona State | Jordyn Tyson can and should be the Big 12’s best receiver and in the nation. Aside from Tyson, the Sun Devils brought in Fresno State receiver Jalen Moss and have Malik McClain, a transfer from Penn State. ASU has 3 solid receivers they can count on.
2. Texas Tech | Caleb Douglas is one the top returning wideout and is looking to improve on his 877 receiving yards last season. He four 100-yard receiving games last year, and that number should be even larger in 2025. They also return Coy Eakin, who led the team with nine touchdown receptions.
3. Kansas State | Every Wildcat receiver is a dynamic playmaker. Jayce Brown should lead the way and should be one of the top slot receiver in the conference. They also have a solid number 2 guy in transfer Jaron Tibbs, who was the Boilermakers’ third-leading receiver a season ago.
4. Baylor
5. TCU
6. BYU
7. Cincinnati
8. Iowa State
9. Houston
10. Arizona
11. Colorado
12. Utah
13. Kansas
14. WVU
15. Oklahoma State | The Cowboys lost their top 3 targets from a year ago. They got a few guys from the portal and time will only tell if this receiver room can be something this season.
16.UCF | The Knights top four targets looks to be all transfers. With the team breaking in a new starting quarterback, UCF’s passing attack doesn’t seem like a unit poised to do anything special. We shall see if Frost can get this room up and going.
Craig
1. Texas Tech | The Red Raiders are loaded with talent and experience making them an easy choice for the top spot. Their leading receiver in Caleb Douglas is back looking to improve on his 877 yards a year ago. They also return Coy Eakin who led the team with 9 touchdown receptions in 2024.
2. Arizona State | Jordyn Tyson alone makes Arizona State one of the most dangerous wide receiver units in the conference. He brought in over 1,000 yards last season and added 10 touchdowns as well.
3. Baylor | The Bears are bringing back Ashtyn Hawkins and Josh Cameron who combined for over 1,300 yards in 2024. The Bears also brought in Kobe Prentice from Alabama who could give this offense a serious boost.
4. Kansas State
5. TCU
6. BYU
7. Colorado
8. Cincinnati
9. Iowa State
10. Arizona
11. Houston
12. West Virginia
13. Utah
14. Kansas
15. Oklahoma State | The Pokes won’t have many familiar faces from their receiving group a year ago. Their leading returning receiver will be Talyn Shettron who has only 354 in three seasons. They did bring in Jaylen Lloyd from Nebraska who could potentially be a good fit in this offense.
16. UCF | The Knights have an entirely new receiving group for 2025. All projected starters are transfers. This group could mesh at some point in the season, but they’re very unproven leading to the last spot in my rankings.
Matt
1. Baylor | The Bears enter the 2025 season with one of the Big 12’s most potent passing attacks, anchored by returning quarterback Sawyer Robertson, a Davey O’Brien and Maxwell Award watch list nominee. He’ll have a proven go-to target in Josh Cameron, who earned preseason All-Big 12 honors after posting 52 catches for 754 yards and 10 touchdowns last year, alongside reliable playmaker Ashtyn Hawkins. The Bears also added explosive speed with Alabama transfer Kobe Prentice and expect a bigger role for promising young receiver Jadon Porter, whose strong blocking adds versatility to the offense. With Phil Steele projecting Baylor’s offense as one of the conference’s best and Sports Illustrated tabbing them as a Big 12 title contender, the Bears’ receiving corps looks ready to fuel a championship-caliber season.
2. Texas Tech | The 2025 Red Raider wide receiver corps is loaded with experience and fresh talent, positioning Tech as one of the Big 12’s most dangerous passing attacks. Veteran playmakers like Caleb “Payday” Douglas, dynamic sophomore Micah Hudson, and steady contributors John Carlos Miller II and Terrence Carter Jr. return to anchor the group, while transfers Reggie Virgil (Miami of Ohio) and Quinnon Joiner (USC) bring added depth and versatility. With quarterback Baron Morton healthy again and backed by a strong offensive line, the combination of proven production and high-upside newcomers has fueled talk of Texas Tech not only fielding one of the conference’s most talented receiver rooms but also contending for a Big 12 title.
3. Arizona State | The Sun Devils enter the 2025 season with a receiving group headlined by Jordyn Tyson, a preseason All-Big 12 selection and 1,100-yard standout who ranks among the nation’s elite playmakers. Quarterback Sam Leavitt will also have promising new weapons in former Alabama speedster Jaren Hamilton and Clemson transfer Noble Johnson, both looking to make an immediate impact and ease defensive pressure on Tyson. With the supporting cast aiming for greater consistency, the Sun Devils’ passing attack has the potential to be both explosive and well-balanced, building on the momentum of a strong 2024 campaign.
4. Cincinnati
5. Kansas
6. UCF
7. BYU
8. Iowa State
9. TCU
10. West Virginia
11. Kansas State
12. Houston
13. Utah
14. Oklahoma State
15. Arizona | The 2025 Wildcat receiving corps blends proven production with intriguing new talent, giving Arizona a deep and versatile group. Chris Hunter returns after a 44-catch, 522-yard campaign, while Trenton Hyatt looks to build on a solid 2024 once fully recovered from injury. The unit gets a major boost from transfer additions, including Washington State’s Kris Hutson, New Mexico’s Luke Wysong, and Chattanooga’s Javin Whatley, all of whom posted impressive numbers last season. With additional competition from returning players like Tetairoa McMillan and Kansas State transfer Tre Spivey III, Arizona’s offense appears well-stocked with playmakers capable of stretching defenses and fueling a dynamic passing game.
16. Colorado | Buff’s 2025 wide receiver group enters the season with a fresh look after losing stars like Travis Hunter, Jimmy Horn Jr., and LaJohntay Wester to the NFL. Veterans Omarion Miller and Dre’lon Miller headline the returning talent, while transfers Sincere Brown, Joseph Williams, and Hykeem Williams are poised to make an immediate impact—particularly Williams, who could fill a role similar to former standout Will Sheppard. The Buffaloes also infused the unit with promising freshmen, including highly regarded Quanell Farrakhan Jr. and Adrian Wilson, both of whom could see significant snaps. With added intrigue from position-switcher Isaiah Hardge in the slot, Colorado’s revamped receiving corps offers a mix of experience, size, and untapped potential.
Zack
1. Arizona State | Jordyn Tyson is the best returning receiver from the Big 12 from a year ago, and he’s expected to be one of the top receivers in the entire country. Last season he hauled in 75 catches for 1101 yards and 10 touchdowns, and he’s likely to do at least that this year. Malik McClain also returns, and despite only recording 2 catches all season, both came in big games—one in the Big 12 Championship against Iowa State and one in the College Football Playoff against Texas—and both were 40+ yard touchdowns. Jalen Moss, a transfer from Fresno State, is also a guy to keep an eye on as he brings in a couple years of solid experience and production.
2. Texas Tech | The Red Raiders return Caleb Douglass—another of the top returning receivers in the conference from last year—and Coy Eakin. Both Douglass and Eakin produced heavily for Texas Tech last year. Reggie Virgil also comes in as a productive receiver from Miami (OH), so expect all 3 of these guys to be in the mix on a weekly basis.
3. Baylor | Josh Cameron and Ashtyn Hawkins were the top receivers for the Bears a season ago, combining for over 1300 yards and 15 touchdowns on 97 receptions. Kobe Prentiss is a senior transfer from Alabama where he wasn’t used a whole lot, but he could serve as a dangerous option when Cameron and Hawkins are covered up.
4. TCU
5. Colorado
6. Kansas State
7. BYU
8. Iowa State
9. Arizona
10. Cincinnati
11. Houston
12. WVU
13. Utah
14. Oklahoma State
15. Kansas | The Jayhawks plan to start three transfers with another one right behind them. While all of these guys produced on some level at their previous schools last season, it’s hard to know what to expect with such heavy turnover, especially when dealing with a more mobile quarterback like Jalon Daniels.
16. UCF | The Knights are just like the Jayhawks in terms of starting three guys that just transferred in from other schools. These guys come from less prominent schools, however, plus Tayven Jackson is also a transfer at quarterback. This offense has so many question marks surrounding it to start the season.
Follow us on Instagram