Ranking the top WRs in Pac-12 at midway point of 2023 season
The 2023 college football regular season is nearly halfway complete, and in the Pac-12, it has been one of the most memorable seasons we’ve seen in a long, long time. From Heisman Trophy-contending quarterbacks to offenses that put up more points than anyone in the nation, it’s clear that the Pac-12 saved the best for last as they aim to go out on top in this final year of the conference’s existence. While it may not technically be the exact midpoint of the season for another week, we are going to take this bye-week opportunity for the Oregon Ducks to take stock of the top performers in the conference and see where everyone stands.
There’s a case to be made that the talent at the wide receiver position is on par with the quarterback talent in the Pac-12, which is certainly saying something when you consider the fact that the top three candidates to win the Heisman Trophy are all QBs from out west, per FanDuel Sports Book.
Nearly every school can boast that it has one great receiver in its arsenal. What separates the teams from being good to great is having more than one wideout who is NFL quality and will be playing on Sundays in the near future.
It’s no coincidence that the top teams such as USC, Washington, and Oregon just happen to possess a multitude of guys who not only can catch the ball, but know what to do once the ball is in their hands.
But teams such as Washington State, Arizona and Colorado also have talent at the position, which makes this conference so good in 2023.
At this midpoint in the season, we wanted to put a ranking next to the best pass-catchers in the conference. Here are the Top 10 receivers in the Pac-12 after Week 5.
Rome Odunze — Washington
Receiving Yards: 608
Catches: 32
Yards Per Game: 121.6
Touchdowns: 4
Analysis: You could easily argue that Odunze or Franklin are the top WR in the Pac-12 right now, and both have legitimate arguments for top WR in the nation as well. In the end, we give the edge to the Husky who leads the conference in total yards.
Troy Franklin - Oregon
Receiving Yards: 535
Catches: 32
Yards Per Game: 107.0
Touchdowns: 7
Analysis: Franklin could easily be the top WR in the nation, especially with a conference-leading 7 receiving TDs, which is tied for second-most in the nation. Ultimately, though, his total yards keep him at No. 2 on our list.
Xavier Weaver - Colorado
Receiving Yards: 490
Catches: 41
Yards Per Game: 98.0
Touchdowns: 2
Analysis: Weaver has been a revelation for Colorado, and he has thrived alongside Shedeur Sanders. I would like to see his TD numbers increase over the rest of the season, but he’s been a joy to watch thus far.
Ja'Lynn Polk - Washington
Receiving Yards: 468
Catches: 26
Yards Per Game: 93.6
Touchdowns: 4
Analysis: Two of the top four WRs isn’t too bad for the Huskies, but it’s even more impressive that Polk was projected to be the No. 3 WR in Washington this year, behind Jalen McMillan. However, due to an injury, it’s been Polk who has stepped up and been a big difference-maker for the Huskies.
Tahj Washington - USC
Receiving Yards: 395
Catches: 18
Yards Per Game: 79.0
Touchdowns: 5
Analysis: While USC’s offense is electric, they almost spread the wealth a little bit too much for any one player to rank near the top of a rankings list. Between Washington and Rice, you have a pair of incredibly talented players who get the benefit of playing alongside Caleb Williams.
Tetairoa McMillan - Arizona
Receiving Yards: 386
Catches: 27
Yards Per Game: 77.2
Touchdowns: 5
Analysis: Once again, McMillan has proven to be among the most talented players in the conference, and there’s a good chance that he can be a Biletnikoff Award winner down the road at this rate. He has a TD in all but one game this season, and is the definitive leader in Arizona’s passing offense, which comes as a surprise with Jacob Cowing playing alongside him.
Lincoln Victor - Washington State
Receiving Yards: 342
Catches: 24
Yards Per Game: 85.5
Touchdowns: 3
Analysis: Who expected Washington State to have two top-10 receivers in the Pac-12 at this point in the season? I can’t say that I saw it coming, but Victor has been really strong for the Cougars, giving Cameron Ward a solid option on the outside.
Brenden Rice - USC
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Receiving Yards: 338
Catches: 17
Yards Per Game: 67.6
Touchdowns: 7
Analysis: Rice may not have the yardage numbers of some of the top guys on this list, but his TD numbers are as good as anyone in the conference, where he’s proven to be a go-too-guy for Caleb Williams in the high-flying USC offense.
Josh Kelly - Washington State
Receiving Yards: 336
Catches: 21
Yards Per Game: 84.0
Touchdowns: 5
Analysis: Washington State has been such a pleasant surprise this year, and they’ve got a chance to really compete for a spot in the Pac-12 Championship game if they keep things rolling. Kelly has been at the center of that success, giving them a very strong receiving threat on the outside.
Silas Bolden - Oregon State
Receiving Yards: 335
Catches: 24
Yards Per Game: 67.0
Touchdowns: 2
Analysis: Give credit to Oregon State, they’ve looked solid this season, and the passing game under DJ Uiagalelei has been impressive, with Bolden stepping up as the No. 1 target in the offense.
