College Football Breakout Wide Receivers (2025)
Leverage these pass‑catchers in futures, best‑ball drafts and early prop lines
We’re onto our third position for the breakout players. I’m trying to avoid obvious picks for these breakouts. These players all have some type of production in the NCAA, but I’m expecting them all to break out drastically more than they have in the past.
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De’Zhaun Stribling (Ole Miss)
Stribling’s bounced around throughout his collegiate career, but he’s found success with whatever team he’s been on. He totaled 95 receptions for 1,073 yards and 10 touchdowns as a freshman and sophomore for Washington State. He saw limited games in 2023 for Oklahoma State before posting 52 receptions for 882 yards and 6 touchdowns for them last season.
The senior transferred to Ole Miss, which lost the majority of its receiving production from last season. We’ve consistently seen head coach Lane Kiffin produce high-end receivers in College, and he’s already referred to Stribling as the Alpha X on this team.
I’ve already broken down Austin Simmons as one of my favorite breakout quarterbacks for this season, and it makes sense to add his top receiver here. Although Ole Miss is a team that will utilize several wide receivers, we know there can be an alpha. Tre Harris posted over 1,000 yards last season in only 8 games. That new alpha will be Stribling.
It’s important to note that it isn’t cut-and-dry that Stribling will be “the guy” for Ole Miss. Cayden Lee is returning, while Harrison Wallace, Deuce Alexander, Caleb Odom, and Traylon Ray all transferred in.
I’m willing to heavily back Stribling, though, as his Spring reports have been glowing as the best receiver in camp. I also know that this offense can support multiple high-end receivers, meaning there’s a bit of wiggle room for the senior to fully break out and still be arguably the second option in the offense.
Noah Thomas & Zachariah Branch (Georgia)
I was on Thomas and Branch for Texas A&M and USC, respectively, last season. Both showed flashes again, but I wouldn’t label either as a hit. They both transferred to Georgia in the offseason, and I’m back in for the double breakout again.
Thomas performed well when given the opportunities for the Aggies. He posted 39 receptions for 574 yards and 8 touchdowns across 13 games. He looked incredible against Auburn, recording 5 receptions for 124 yards and 2 touchdowns in that game.
The junior struggled with inconsistent quarterback play, though. Conner Weigman didn’t take the step forward that most expected, and Marcell Reed wasn’t drastically better. Texas A&M relied on the run heavily throughout the season, limiting what Thomas and company could accomplish on the field.
Branch took a step forward in his sophomore season. He ended the season with 47 receptions for 503 yards and 1 touchdown. He wasn’t nearly as electric as many were expecting, and his inability to find the end zone was disappointing. He flashed against Washington and Michigan, though, recording 6 receptions in each game for 102 and 98 yards.
It feels as though these players are going to have very specific roles for Georgia this season. Thomas saw plenty of opportunities during Georgia’s Spring Game, and it looks as if he could end up leading the team in targets. Branch is set to be used on jet sweeps and deep crossers to space the field.
I have some concerns that Georgia is deep at the wide receiver position. They have a few guys who could force their way onto the field, but I’m trusting the veteran talent that they brought in here. Thomas is the best option for a breakout, followed by Branch.
Chase Sowell (Iowa State)
Sowell was solid but unspectacular during his two seasons at East Carolina. He posted 81 receptions for 1,300 yards and 4 touchdowns across 21 games. He averaged an outstanding 19.9 yards per reception in 2024, though.
The sophomore receiver flashed at times last season, though. He posted 7 receptions for 138 yards and 1 touchdown in a loss to Army. He also recorded 4 receptions for 117 yards and 1 touchdown in a win over Temple.
Most importantly, Sowell transferred into an offense that lost 167 receptions, 2,377 yards, and 17 touchdowns between Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel to the NFL. Rocco Becht is coming off an outstanding season, and he’s returning to run the offense once again.
It’s been reported that the East Carolina transfer is clearly viewed as their WR1 coming into the season. Most have suggested that he’s directly viewed as Higgins’ replacement. There are reports that the offense is being redesigned a bit to use the best aspects of Sowell’s game.
Ultimately, multiple receivers are going to have the opportunity to take over in this offense. It’s unlikely they feature two specific options the same way they did with Higgins and Noel. They’ll likely feature more depth this season.
There is going to be an opportunity for someone to take over as the WR1, though. They should be peppered with targets, finding plenty of opportunities to find success. The best bet for that role is Sowell. He has the size and skills, and he’d be a massive breakout option if he finds success anywhere near Higgins or Noel.
Joseph Williams (Colorado)
Williams looked outstanding as a freshman for the Tulsa Golden Hurricanes. He ended as the WR2, posting 30 receptions for 588 yards and 5 touchdowns. The majority of his production came across his final 5 games of the season.
The freshman looked elite across a three-game stretch at the end of the season. He posted 17 receptions for 396 yards and 5 touchdowns against UAB, East Carolina, and South Florida in Weeks 9-11. His best game was a 5-158-3 line against ECU.
In today’s CFB landscape, Williams was always going to leave Tulsa for a bigger program. He transferred to Colorado, which is in dire need of help at receiver. Their top four options from 2024 - Travis Hunter, LaJohntay Wester, Will Sheppard, & Jimmy Horn Jr. - all left for one reason or another. It opens the door for others to step up in a solid offense.
Reports are that Williams is seeing the largest target share this Spring. He’s been labeled the best receiver in the Spring scrimmage. There are also reports that he’s consistently been the first look for new quarterback Kaidon Salter.
Colorado vacated 255 receptions, 3,251 yards, and 32 touchdowns at the position. The Buffaloes do have some returning players, who it seems as if Williams has already jumped them on the depth chart.
This should be a down year as Colorado has quite a bit of turnover, including losing players like Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders. That said, Salter has been an outstanding college quarterback, and it might not be as much of a rebuild as many are expecting.
This is going to be a team that can still score some points, and Williams should be one of the focal points of that.
Aaron Anderson (LSU)
If you aren’t overly familiar with LSU, you’ve probably heard about Kyren Lacy and Mason Taylor from 2024. They were both extremely productive players for the Tigers, but Aaron Anderson led the team in receptions and receiving yards.
The sophomore posted 61 receptions for 884 yards and 5 touchdowns across 13 games. He took a major step forward after seeing limited snaps as a freshman. He was also arguably the most consistent option for LSU last season.
Anderson looked outstanding in the bowl game, recording 8 receptions for 100 yards against Baylor. He also flashed tremendous upside, recording 3 receptions for 126 yards and 1 touchdown against Texas A&M earlier in the season. Those were his only two games with 100+ yards, though.
Garrett Nussmeier will return as one of the best passing quarterbacks in the NCAA. He should guarantee that LSU’s offense finds plenty of success throughout the season. The major issue here is that the Tigers brought in a pair of strong receivers - Nic Anderson, Barion Brown - who are going to have immediate roles.
I’m sticking with the homegrown play here, though. We’ve seen receivers transfer into LSU and struggle to catch on immediately. Anderson already has plenty of reps with Nussmeier, and he’s performed well throughout Spring practices.
I’m expecting Anderson to take another step forward as a junior, and he should see a bigger role in this offense. The transfers can take some pressure off of him, and his ceiling could be an 80/1,200/8 line for the Tigers this season.
Javonnie Gibson (Oklahoma)
Gibson is probably the riskier player on this list. He’s coming off an elite season for Arkansas-Pine Bluff. He posted 70 receptions for 1,215 yards and 9 touchdowns in 12 games.
The receiver posted an otherworldly elite two-game stretch last season. He posted 16 receptions for 363 yards and 4 touchdowns against Prairie View A&M and Alcorn State. He struggled with only 2 receptions for 32 yards in a 70-0 loss to Arkansas in 2024.
It’s difficult for wide receivers to produce when their team is entirely overmatched. I’m not holding that game against him because he still essentially posted the best receiving line on the team (Aramoni Rhone posted 2-34).
Gibson transferred to Oklahoma, which struggled to find any passing success last season. John Mateer transferred in with Jackson Arnold transferring to Auburn. This should be somewhat of a new-look offense that finds drastically more success.
Reports show that Gibson was a focal point of the offense prior to his injury. He broke his leg in April, but he’s expected to be healthy for the opener. This opens up a few questions. How healthy will he be? Does he immediately slot back in as the top option? Does a lack of offseason practice affect his play?
The transfer immediately took on a major role in the offense after transferring, and I don’t believe that’ll change once he comes back. If he’s healthy, he should be one of the top targets. I do believe this adds a ton of risk to him, but he also comes with tremendous upside if his play translates to the higher level of football.
Conclusion
These players aren’t listed in any type of order, but here is my order of confidence in terms of breakout potential for the season:
De’Zhaun Stribling (Ole Miss)
Chase Sowell (Iowa State)
Aaron Anderson (LSU)
Jose Williams (Colorado)
Noah Thomas (Georgia)
Zachariah Branch (Georgia)
Javonnie Gibson (Oklahoma)
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