With the full 2025 Rivals250 being unveiled Tuesday, it's now time to dive into the position rankings. The offensive position rankings are being released today, and here we focus on the wide receivers and tight ends.
While the tight end class has some high upside recruits, it is also a position that tends to garner more attention with age and development. The 2025 receiver class has blown up early, however, and with 44 players making the Rivals250 we will focus on them.
LATEST 2025 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Pro-Style QBs | Dual-Threat QBs | RBs | All-Purpose RBs | WRs | TEs | OG | OT
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RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK
Sunday: Who should be No. 1?
Monday: Five-Star Countdown
Tuesday: New 2025 Rivals250 revealed | Gorney's thoughts | Ten players on the rise
Wednesday: New offensive position rankings | QB rankings breakdown | RB rankings breakdown | WR/TE rankings breakdown | OL rankings breakdown | Five teams that should be pleased
Thursday: New defensive position rankings
Friday: New state rankings
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No. 1 at the position: Ryan Williams
The Alabama pledge headlines a phenomenal group of 2025 receivers, and although he has yet to be named a five-star it is likely in the cards if he continues to develop at this rate. Williams dominated the recent Under Armour Atlanta camp, and with a great frame, speed, body control and ball-skills he is the complete package.
Williams is phenomenal, but there are a number of talented receivers on his tail and this isn't one of those years where there is a clear No. 1 at the position. Winston Watkins, Dakorien Moore, Caleb Cunningham and Talyn Taylor are a few names that could push for the top spot, and with this class being so young there is still time for an off-the-radar recruit to rise such as Malachi Coleman did in the 2024 class.
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Two teams to watch: Alabama and Texas
The Tide are off to a hot start by already securing a commitment from the current No. 1 overall receiver in Williams. Alabama is a known producer of NFL talent at the position and will likely be choosy with its remaining receiver slots for the 2025 class, but with offers out to eight additional Rivals250 receivers in 2025 – including Alabama native Derick Smith – this cycle could see another great crop of receivers landing in Tuscaloosa.
The Lone Star State is loaded with receiver talent in the 2025 class, and with Arch Manning as its quarterback of the future the Longhorns should have a legitimate shot at keeping some of that elite talent home. Texas has offered eight Rivals250 receivers, with four of them residing in Texas: Dakorien Moore, Andrew Marsh, Jacorey Watson and Taz Williams Jr. The Longhorns likely aren't finished handing out in-state offers at the position, either, as an additional eight Rivals250 receivers call Texas home and could likely land an offer. I see the Longhorns having a nice receiver haul in 2025 based on the in-state talent alone.
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Three players in the spotlight: Talyn Taylor, Shamarius Peterkin, Winston Watkins
Taylor: The Geneva (Ill.) product is a rising star and seemingly gets better with every passing week. Taylor had a huge sophomore season with 1,179 all-purpose yards to go along with eight touchdowns, and while his film jumps out he has already taken the next step in his development while absolutely dominating defensive backs at events and 7-on-7's this off-season. Taylor has an incredibly high ceiling, is as smooth as they come and plays with a chip on his shoulder. His recruitment is somewhat regional with Power Five offers from Iowa, Illinois, Michigan State, Wisconsin, Purdue, Minnesota and Syracuse, but look for him to blow up on a national scale as more coaches see him in person.
Peterkin: Peterkin is a long and rangy receiver prospect, and as much as he flashes dominance at this early stage in his career he is only scratching the surface of what he can eventually become as a player. He's blessed with a frame that creates mismatches with the speed to stretch the field as a home run threat, and that is a lethal combination. The Winston-Salem (N.C.) Mount Tabor product is also a tremendous hoops player, which only adds to his intrigue as a football recruit. Tennessee, Virginia Tech, North Carolina and Penn State are a few of the schools that have already offered and he is a recruit who could eventually have a national flavor to his recruitment by the end.
Watkins Jr.: The Colorado pledge is always one to keep an eye on, as he is already on his second commitment of his young career after previously decommiting from Texas A&M. While this commitment could likely stick because of what Deion Sanders is building in Boulder, Watkins Jr. is the type of talent that elite programs will be chasing all of the way until signing day. He is one of the most competitive young receivers we have been around, and he backs it up every time he steps on the field. Watkins Jr. may be smaller than some of the other elite receiver prospects in the nation, but he is so good that you have to see him in person to really understand the impact he is capable of making at the next level.
