Returning MAC Wide Receivers, Ranked
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Top 10 Returning MAC Wide Receivers
#1 Odieu Hiliare, Bowling Green
2022 stats: 13 games, 58 rec., 747 yards, 6 TD; 6 rush att., 5 rush yards
Bowling Green got a real gem out of the transfer portal last year. Odieu Hiliare, who started his college career at Alabama A&M, played like a true X on a team that’s been missing playmakers on the outside. After all of the Dino Babers-era recruits at wide receiver graduated out of the system, Scot Loeffler finally found the most talented athlete to suit-up for BG at this position. BG’s receiver room was no joke just last decade — Shaun Joplin, Ronnie Moore, Roger Lewis, Gehrig Dieter, Teo Redding, and even Scotty Miller. But the short-lived Mike Jinks coaching era didn’t bring on any great receivers outside of Quintin Morris, who ended up switching to tight end. Hiliare is far and away the best receiver this program has been able to field since those guys. And by my eyes, I’ve got Hiliare as the best-returning talent at wide receiver this conference has to offer.
On the stat sheet, there are a couple of other players with more yards and touchdowns to celebrate, but I wonder what other receivers stat lines would’ve looked like if they had to trade places with Hilaire. Bowling Green, even with my favorite receiver in the conference, isn’t a great passing threat on offense. He had seven catches and the game-winning OT score against Eastern Kentucky in Week 2, but BG didn’t really let Hiliare get loose until, naturally the Toledo game. In a light snow game: 8 catches, 246 yards, 2 touchdowns. If Scot Loeffler ever felt like having his offense major in the downfield pass, I think Hiliare would help BG do more damage on the scoreboard in 2023.
#2 Sam Wiglusz, Ohio
2022 stats: 14 games, 73 rec., 877 yards, 11 TD; 2 rush att., 23 rush yards
Sam Wiglusz’s breakout season wasn’t going to happen at Ohio State, but he probably never would’ve gotten to this point if it weren’t for Ohio State. Wiglusz was a former walk-on receiver for the Buckeyes, but never got serious playing time in his 13 games played. He did, however, get to practice with, arguably, the best wide receiver room in college football for a few years.
The immediate impact of Wiglusz was much better than many fans on the outside could’ve expected. Wiglusz was the MAC’s leading receiver by traditional counting stats (73 receptions, 877 yards, 11 TD), and was second in the MAC in yards per route run at 2.3. The whole Ohio offense played very well last season, but Wiglusz’s surprising production was very obviously a big reason why this team made it back to Detroit for the first time since Frank Solich’s final trip in 2016.
#3 Jerjuan Newton, Toledo
Career stats: 28 games, 82 rec., 1,198 yards, 12 TD; 1 rush att., -1 rush yard
Jerjuan Newton was the leading receiver for the MAC-title-winning team last year — 53 catches, 830 yards, 9 TD. Newton, who signed with Toledo out of Clearwater Central Catholic (St. Petersburg, Fla.) in 2019. At the time, Toledo had just graduated a steady trio of three very reliable receivers that all found their ways into the NFL: Diontae Johnson, Jon’Vea Johnson, and Cody Thompson. Newton’s first year on campus was probably too soon to hope for real production out of him, but the long-term plan was always for Newton to be as big of a receiving threat as any of those three before him.
In 2020, Newton, still behind upper-classmen on the depth chart, was targeted 21 times and caught 15 passes for 203 yards. With limited playing time, Newton saw 96% offensive snaps played as a wide-side receiver in 2020 and 87% in 2021. But last year, Newton wasn’t as tied-down to the outside receiver role as before (69.4% snaps played) finally turned into the team’s most-targeted receiver (85 targets), caught 53 passes (9 of 15 contested) for 830 yards.
I originally had Newton #2 on this list, but I later decided to move him back a peg. As talented and speedy of an athlete he is, Newton hasn’t totally taken control of a game like the first two receivers on this list have shown. Newton’s been nothing short of a great complimentary receiver for this offense, but even as the leading receiver for this Toledo team, I don’t think he dominates possessions the same way other receivers have. I have no doubts that Newton can be a First-Team All-MAC receiver at the end of the year, but I haven’t seen him out-shine the rest of the MAC just yet.
#4 Jacoby Jones, Ohio
Career stats: 14 games, 45 rec., 777 yards, 6 TD; 2 rush att., 11 rush yards
After a couple of years in the junior college ranks (All-American at Northwest Mississippi C.C.), Jacoby Jones was an immediate big-play impact for the Ohio offense. Jones, who recorded at least one 40+ yard reception in six games last season, returns as the MAC leader in yards per route run (2.91) and yards after catch per reception (7.9). While Wiglusz was a crazy reliable slot receiver, Jones came in at the same time to prove he’d be a strong X.
#5 Trayvon Rudolph, Northern Illinois
Career stats: 19 games, 65 rec., 1,124 yards, 7 TD; 8 rush att., 113 rush yards, 1 rush TD.
After missing all of 2022 to injury, Trayvon Rudolph is a guy who ought to be re-recognized entering 2023. Rudolph, a former walk-on, broke out with the team during the Covid-shortened season (14 rec., 232 yards), and had over 1,000 yards from scrimmage in 2021. As an offensive weapon, he was super helpful in NIU’s MAC title run, but he might be even more lethal as a kick returner (48 returns, 1,140 yards, 1 TD).
#6 Alex Adams, Akron
2022 stats: 11 games, 63 rec., 856 yards, 9 TD
Of the transfers who looked to make Year 1 impacts in Joe Moorhead’s first season as Akron’s head coach, Alex Adams (from LSU) stood out. Adams and his speed definitely made a difference on the offense as Adams returns with the 4th-most yards after catch made in 2022 (334, average of 5.3 YAC/Rec.).
#7 Miles Cross, Ohio
Career stats: 22 games, 58 rec., 684 yards, 3 TD; 3 rush att., 5 rush yards
Ohio’s list of guys who peeled off for huge gains last year keeps getting longer. Miles Cross had more targets (68) and catches (47) than Jones did, but he didn’t have the same YAC production (144 yards, 3.1 YAC/Rec.).
#8 Daniel George, Akron
2022 stats: 67 rec., 793 yards, 2 TD
Daniel George is another transfer Moorhead got through the portal (Penn Stare) for his first season with Akron. George’s first season with the Zips was much better than what he was able to do in the Big Ten, but there’s certainly some room for improvement.
#9 Tanner Knue, Eastern Michigan
Career stats: 23 games 104 rec., 1,387 yards, 14 TD
After years of having the same few receivers to lead Eastern Michigan's pack, Tanner Knue is the only recognizable player at this position this year. Sports Info Solutions says Knue is the second-leading receiver coming back to the MAC by EPA/Target.
#10 Devin Maddox, Toledo
Career stats: 44 games, 108 rec., 1,419 yards, 13 TD
Devin Maddox has had a pretty long career already, so seeing him come back for 2023 kind of feels like a surprise. Maddox had 39 catches last year on 70 targets for 548 yards and 3 TD. Toledo loves its speedy slot receivers and I wouldn’t be surprised if his experience really pays off this year and finally makes an All-MAC list as a wide receiver.