The type of offense that a team runs has a major impact on the production of its players and in some ways the system can be even more important than the talent when it comes to the players that produce the most impressive numbers in the country. That is particularly true at the wide receiver position where system and quarterback are two key factors that have a major impact on their individual production. So who will have the best receiving numbers in 2016? Here is a look at our projections for the four most productive wide receivers in college football for next season.
Gabe Marks
Washington State Cougars
Washington State quarterback Luke Falk finished last season with an FBS-high 644 pass attempts. That was 71 more than the next highest total in the nation and it’s important to remember that Falk also missed one game because of a concussion. How incredible is that (from a stats perspective)?
Marks had 104 catches for 1,192 yards and 15 touchdowns but opted to return to the Cougars for another season rather than declare for the NFL Draft. Marks has incredible individual talent with outstanding speed and hands, and with another year of experience he will be even more difficult for Pac-12 defenses to contain. Washington State is no longer a doormat in the Pac-12 as head coach Mike Leach has helped rebuild the program. They should be flirting with a Top 25 spot in the rankings. We know that Leach loves to air it out more than anyone else in college football, so that’s to Mark’ benefit. The system, quarterback and overall talent is there so Marks is an easy pick to be the most productive wide receiver in the country.
Ritchie James
Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders
Brent Stockstill threw for 4,005 yards and 30 touchdowns last season as Middle Tennessee relied heavily on a vertical passing attack that produced incredible numbers last season. James finished the year with 108 receptions for 1,346 yards and eight touchdowns with at least six receptions in every single game. The departure of teammate Ed’Marques Batties will create an even greater opportunity for James at the wide receiver position and he should be right up there among the most productive wide receivers in the nation. The Blue Raiders are built around their offense, so they are going to be facing off in a bunch of shootouts. That means we’ll see Ritchie James with the opportunity to pile up the numbers for his stat sheet.
Keevan Lucas
Tulsa Golden Hurricane
The Golden Hurricane will have a tough time replacing Keyarris Garrett at the wide receiver position, but Lucas is a good bet to step up and produce at an elite level to help fill the hole. Lucas appeared in just four games a year ago before a knee injury ended his season prematurely, but if you extrapolate his production over a 13-game season, he was on pace to finish with 85 catches for 1,329 yards and 16 scores. Quarterback Dane Evans is back after topping the 4,000-yard passing mark a year ago and if we know anything about the Golden Hurricane offense it’s that they are going to score points in bunches. Barring another injury, Lucas should thrive in the Tulsa offense next season.
Corey Davis
Western Michigan Broncos
Boise State’s Thomas Sperbeck and Western Kentucky’s Taywan Taylor would both be excellent options here but we like Davis as the better bet to challenge for the best production in the nation at the wide receiver position next season. The three-year star at Western Michigan needs 1,227 yards to become the NCAA leader in career receiving yards at some point and the offense is built for him to do exactly that. Zach Terrell enters his third season as the starting quarterback and he should form an impressive quarterback-wide receiver tandem with Davis as one of the most productive duos in the entire nation. Although Davis isn’t a household name right now, look for him to become one as the season progresses. And he’ll be in the mix for a number of the wideout awards.
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