Recruiting is a year-round process, and nothing stops players from transferring mid-offseason. These destinations may not be ideal vacation spots, but they are ideal for players wanting to hit the field. These teams are high-volume passing offenses wide open for a highly talented WR to commit. If there are late commitments to these programs, they become stock-up candidates with potential C2C league-winning upside. The following teams are missing definitive WR1s while having an offense primed for a very productive season.
Mississippi State
(photo by Beth Wynn / © Mississippi State University)
The current WR room is stacked with dart throws. Their QB, Will Rogers, threw for 4,739 yards last season, third amongst all QBs. The system is friendly to C2C production at the WR position, with a top ten passing offense. The Bulldogs failed to add any high-profile receiving talent and is a prime location for a receiver to step up. Rogers generally spreads the ball around, but Makai Polk left for the draft, Mississippi State’s 2021 WR1. The current front runner for an increased role would be Jaden Walley unless another prospect joins the team.
Memphis
Seth Henigan is an underrated prospect who threw the most passing yards of any true freshmen QB last season. He threw for 3,300 yards, the 20th most on the season. Memphis lost their top producing WR and TE to the NFL draft, Calvin Austin and Sean Dykes. Those two departures accounted for 54.3% of receiving production. If Memphis could flip a prospect to commit to their program, I would be very interested. Their top options are fourth-year WR Javon Ivory, 29-413-3, or fourth-year WR Eddie Lewis, 22-349-2.
Texas Tech
The coaching staff responsible for turning around Western Kentucky’s system and having Bailey Zappe break the passing record set by Joe Burrow takes their talent to Texas Tech. They have earned their pay from Sacred Heart to WKU and now onto Texas Tech. The staff runs a lot of air raid-type of offensive plays. This means the stock is up for every Texas Tech receiving option. Grab Myles Price, and keep a close eye if any high-profile WRs choose to transfer to this system. Incoming freshmen Tyler King is a track stud and a speedster on the field. Price and King have similar skill sets, but as a devy enthusiast, I would rather have a player with a more robust size. Texas Tech becomes a hot destination for future WR commits if the system translates to this level.
Southern Methodist University
Last year, the Mustangs had the 11th-ranked scoring offense, with QB Tanner Mordecai posting a 3628-39-12 season. None of the incoming commits pop off the page, and SMU loses multiple receiving options to the draft. Reggie Roberson, Danny Gray, and Grant Calcaterra were all Senior Bowl invites and accounted for 51.8% of the receiving yards. SMU is typically very active in the portal and commonly takes shots on JUCO transfers. So far this offseason, this does not seem to be the case. SMU loses its head coach, which causes a lot of hesitation from recruits. I’m going to suggest a forgotten second-year WR, Dylan Goffney, who was a 3-star and the WR76 in last year’s recruiting class. His first start last year was against UCF. He saw ten receptions on 12 targets for 88 yards and avoided four tackles during that game. Rashee Rice is a good pick, too; both these guys are set up to be top CFF producers, with Goffney being a potential devy asset.
Ole Miss
Courtesy of LA Times
USC transfer Jaxson Dart was a late commit to the program and could be the key to another high-scoring offense. If any highly ranked recruit wants to flip late in the off-season, I would assume they commit to Ole Miss, an SEC program that’s proven to develop high-end WR talent for the NFL. Dontario Drummond was the WR1 last year and had the quietest 1,000-yard receiving season in the SEC. Jeffrey Simmons is the top-ranked incoming freshman at WR, but it’s hard to pinpoint who the WR1 or 2 or 3 is in this offense. Ole Miss loses 73.4% of their receiving production to the draft, and currently, fourth-year Jonathan Mingo (21-327-3) is the most productive WR returning. Late additions to Ole Miss should be a hot commodity.
University of Miami
Tyler Van Dyke is a top-rated QB with no one to pass to. The Wide receiver core loses Rambo to the NFL draft and Mikey to graduation. Key’Shawn Smith is the most productive returner with less than 400 receiving yards. The core is brimming with athletic talent that lacks fundamentals or even the main skill required to be a receiver, the ability to catch the ball. The coaching staff has been critical throughout the offseason of its pass catchers while occasionally praising a different wide receiver depending on the day. Miami is a top destination for a top-tier transfer in the upcoming portal deadline.
University of Florida
Similar to Miami’s situation but not nearly as dire, Anthony Richardson appears to be the next big dual-threat QB. I am not talking about Jalen Hurts or Malik Willis type of prospects who can start but always have their future in question. I’m referring to the dual-threat type of Cam Newton, Lamar Jackson, or Michael Vick. The prospect that can do it all at a high level past their first contract. Florida is set up to be run-heavy, but Richardson is still a capable thrower. Florida has plenty of raw athletic talent on the outside, but a refined product that can play inside would evaluate the WR core.
