Four of the top wide receivers taken in the 2026 NFL Draft came from the Big Ten. The best player in the entire 2027 draft will be a wide receiver from the Big Ten. And with three straight national titles, the road to the top of college football in 2026 likely winds through the Big Ten.
The 2025 season proved you needed a true No. 1 receiver to succeed in the current landscape of college football. With quarterbacks throwing for 300 yards each game, having a guy that can fight for contested catches,
flip the field on a dime and consistently get open in tight coverage means having a game-changer.
Here are the top five wide receivers in the Big Ten for this upcoming year.
5. Andrew Marsh, Michigan
Andrew Marsh wasn’t being talked about as a starter at this time last year, but it only took him a few weeks into his true freshman season to burst onto the scene and become Michigan’s top receiving option for quarterback Bryce Underwood.
Marsh led the Wolverines with 45 catches for 651 yards and four touchdowns. He showcased that potential with an impressive 12-catch, 189-yard performance in Michigan’s 24-22 win vs Northwestern. Pro Football Focus (PFF) graded Marsh as the 15th-best Big Ten wideout last season, and he did not drop any passes.
The 6-foot, 190-pounder has already built significant chemistry with Underwood. That relationship may only grow in their second season together with an entirely new coaching staff.
4. Charlie Becker, Indiana
Indiana’s improbable championship run was fueled by so many players who stepped up in big moments, and that includes from Charlie Becker. The 6-foot-4 wide receiver caught 34 passes for 679 yards and four touchdowns last season, despite hardly being used on offense until he broke out in Week 11 at Penn State.
Becker was also instrumental in the Hoosier’s win over Miami in the National Championship, finishing with four catches for 65 yards. He ended the season averaging 19.9 yards per catch (ranking fifth-best nationally among receivers with at least 30 grabs), all without recording a single drop.
3. Nick Marsh, Indiana
Indiana may have lost its Heisman-winning quarterback and top two receivers to the NFL, but Curt Cignetti is not known to sit around and wait. The Hoosiers went out and grabbed one of the top receivers in the portal from fellow Big Ten foe Michigan State, making Nick Marsh the new X-receiver in Bloomington.
Marsh brought in 59 passes for 662 yards and six touchdowns last season despite inconsistent quarterback play. He is very physical and represents more of a true outside threat than the other Indiana receivers. Joining forces with Becker as the outside guys, the Hoosiers could be a very tough team to cover all season long.
2. KJ Duff, Rutgers
While he is not as well-known as others on this list, Rutgers has a rising junior who may be the next superstar in the Big Ten.
KJ Duff had a breakthrough sophomore campaign for the Scarlet Knights, catching 60 passes for 1,084 yards and seven touchdowns. The 6-foot-6, 225-pounder had 22 contested catches this past season (T-1 in the country), and is able to take over games when needed (he snagged six passes for 241 yards against Purdue).
Duff could have transferred to any program in the country, but he chose to stay in New Jersey to develop into a future NFL star. He is still a little raw, but you can’t teach his size or big-play ability. He needs to get more consistent and refine his route running, but he has the potential to have a massive season.
1. Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State
There are talks that Jeremiah Smith could be the best wide receiver ever by the end of his playing career, and if there was ever a player you could confidently say would have a successful career after their freshman year, it would be Smith.
In two seasons, Smith has caught 163 passes for 2,558 yards and 27 touchdowns. He has eclipsed 100 yards on 11 occasions despite opposing teams throwing everything they can defensively at him. Smith has the speed, route-running ability and intellect to read what the defense is doing before each snap. He’s a generational talent at the position who will have teams tanking to draft him in 2027.
Others to watch: Nyziah Hunter (Nebraska), Dakorien Moore (Oregon), JJ Buchanan (Michigan), Dezmen Roebuck (Washington), Collin Dixon (Illinois)
