College football runs through the air.
When it comes to coaches’ approach to the high-scoring game we all love, no strategy has become more beloved by fans and those in charge than letting a quarterback drop back and sling it.
Here are the power rankings for wide receivers and tight ends in the Big Ten so far this season.
Power Rankings: Who Are The Best Pass-Catching Players In The Big Ten?
Wide Receiver
Piscataway is far from paradise right about now, as the Rutgers Scarlet Knights sit in complete disarray under Greg Schiano. The classic meme of a Bugatti sitting in a trailer park mobile home is exactly the predicament Rutgers finds itself in with wideout KJ Duff, who stands literally as the only bright spot on the team right now.
The pass catcher leads the Big Ten in yards and longest reception, and he is tied for the top spot in touchdowns and total catches. The 6-foot-6 wideout has exceeded all expectations ahead of this season, especially in such a dire situation where he has a lot left to be desired from the quarterback passing him the ball, as the Scarlet Knights currently post six total scores by air to seven interceptions , with Duff totaling five of those touchdowns. All of these factors culminate in the fact that Duff is the top threat in the conference. If the Scarlet Knights have nothing else, at least they can lay a stake to that claim.
Jeremiah Smith might be the best receiver in the nation in terms of pure talent and past resume, but his form currently doesn’t slate him as the top in his position, simply just because of his second-half performance in the upset to Texas, where the Longhorns’ game plan was able to shut down and neutralize his talents. It’s a one-off 30 minutes, and he will likely take the spot as the top pass catcher in the Big Ten in a matter of weeks, but with Duff soaring and Smith showing his first signs of slippage, this placement is rational. Call it bulletin board material for the star Buckeyes receiver.
Rounding out the top-three in the position is Collin Dixon of Illinois, who appears on pace for a career year as he approaches the 50 percent mark of his total yards from last season after only two games in this campaign. Joining Duff as the only other wideout with five touchdowns, Dixon notched three in a career game against the defending ACC champions, Duke. The gap is narrow to break into the top-three, and there are a lot of emerging competitors who could knock him out of the rankings, but with a looming game against Southern Illinois, it looks likely that he puts up a statement that gives him a chance to leapfrog up the Big Ten scene.
Tight End
Penn State has earned the moniker of “TEU”, with decorated alumni emerging from the position group in recent years, and that looks to continue in Matt Campbell’s first year. Benjamin Brahmer followed his former coach from Iowa State when he made the move to Happy Valley, and despite a stacked batch of players also in the position, the move in the portal has paid dividends.
After only six scores last season, Brahmer already has three this season as he’s become a major option in the Nittany Lions’ offense. With Koby Howard and Chase Sowell out wide, he has been able to flourish, which looks to continue despite the return of Gabe Burkle from injury, who could potentially complicate things with Brahmer and other tight end Andrew Rappleyea. With the blue and white’s running game showing early woes, the workload and production for Brahmer will likely persist, placing him as the premier player in the position.
The second-ranked tight end in the 2026 class, Mark Bowman, however, is hot on Brahmer’s tail, as he’s matched his production early on in a USC offense that is just as stacked. The Trojans’ tight end leads the conference in receiving yards at the position, with a pair of scores to follow. Given how early Bowman is in his collegiate career and Brahmer’s experience advantage, he sits just second to one, as a White Out clash later this season looks to set the stage that can tilt the scale in the debate.
The third-best Big Ten tight end entering Week 3 is Michigan State’s Jayden Savoury, who has amassed 99 yards on eight catches so far this season, with nearly half of the total coming from a 46-yard catch in the Spartans’ win over Eastern Michigan. The redshirt freshman has put together a steady start to his first real game action, which doesn’t mean much given the strength of schedule. If Savoury can stack results, however, he could see this spot become his, as his usage gives him a major advantage over others in his position group.
Main Image: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
