Big Ten Football Rankings: Top 5 wide receivers for 2016

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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There have been some elite wide receivers to come out of Big Ten Football in years past, but who are the top five targets for 2016?

Can you believe the 2016 college football season is here? Well, Big Ten Football is also underway as a couple of teams played their first games of the season on Thursday night. Indiana toppled Florida International to start the year while Minnesota just snuck by Oregon State.

Both teams got off to somewhat strong starts to their respective seasons, but are hoping to continue that next week. in non-conference play, all Big Ten teams are rooting for each other, with the exception of a few heated rivals, but there’s still at least a week until some teams get to play real competition, staying away from FCS foes.

Some of the conference’s top receivers from last year have gone on the to NFL such as reigning Receiver of the Year Aaron Burbridge and Michael Thomas of Ohio State. Geronimo Allison is another guy from Illinois who will no longer be making big plays for the Illini and Leonte Carroo of Rutgers was always a reliable option.

Each team will have to make up for those key departures, making the quarterbacks’ jobs even tougher. Finding new weapons to throw to is never easy, especially when the departing target was No. 1 on the depth chart.

Let’s take a look at the top five returning receivers for Big Ten Football in 2016. Do you agree or disagree with anyone on the list or do you believe we missed someone?

Oct 17, 2015; Evanston, IL, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes wide receiver Matt VandeBerg (89) runs the ball during the second half against the Northwestern Wildcats at Ryan Field. Mandatory Credit: Caylor Arnold-USA TODAY Sports

Matt VandeBerg

WR, Senior

I was contemplating putting Ohio State’s Noah Brown in this position strictly based on talent and expectations, but that wouldn’t really follow what the rest of my list looks like. This is for proven receivers who are entering the season as top wide outs in the Big Ten for 2016, and that’s exactly what Iowa’s Matt VandeBerg is.

Although he’s not the flashiest pass-catcher out there, he’s capable of putting up big numbers with his dependable hands and 6-foot-1, 185-pound frame. He became C.J. Beathard’s favorite target last season for the Hawkeyes in a 12-0 regular season and could see an even bigger increase in production this year.

The senior from South Dakota got his career off on a quiet note in 2013, catching just eight passes for 59 yards and looking like he’d be nothing more than a fourth or fifth receiver during his tenure. He followed that up with 14 catches for 256 yards and a touchdown, showing some big-play ability.

As a junior, he had his breakout year, catching 65 passes for 703 yards and four touchdowns. While he had just one 100-yard performance in 2015, he did catch more than five passes on seven different occasions — that’s dependability.

Expect a 1,000-yard season from the senior.

Nov 7, 2015; Lincoln, NE, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers wide receiver Jordan Westerkamp (1) against the Michigan State Spartans at Memorial Stadium. Nebraska defeated Michigan State 39-38. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports

Jordan Westerkamp

WR, Senior

A good sign of a great player has to be improvement. Nebraska’s Jordan Westerkamp fits that description as he returns to the Big Ten as one of the better receivers for 2016. He finished the 2015 campaign with a career-best 65 catches for 918 yards and seven touchdowns.

Unfortunately for the Cornhuskers, though, they suffered multiple heart-breaking defeats which could have been the difference between a six-win year and a 10-win campaign. Nebraska was good enough to keep most games close, losing all seven by 10 points or less and five of them by five points or less.

Westerkamp is hoping he can help Tommy Armstrong out enough so the senior quarterback doesn’t make the same bonehead mistakes as he did last year under pressure. The 6-foot-0, 200-pound wide out is strong enough to get open in traffic and even make something happen after the catch.

While he had a career year in 2015, his 2014 season was the real breakout. As a freshman, he caught just 20 passes for 283 yards and a touchdown, but emerged as a sophomore, catching 44 passes for 747 yards and five touchdowns. That’s when he truly became a reliable target.

Now that he has two 700-plus yard seasons under his belt, the next achievement would be 1,000 yards. That he can do.

Jan 1, 2016; Orlando, FL, USA; Michigan Wolverines wide receiver Jehu Chesson (86) celebrates after catching a touchdown during the second quarter against the Florida Gators in the 2016 Citrus Bowl at Orlando Citrus Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Jehu Chesson

WR, Senior

Jehu Chesson was one of the new names to join the party in 2015. Under the direction of first-year Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh, the junior receiver really broke out of his shell and became one of the better deep-threats in the conference. He shocked some people near the end of the year with his speed and athleticism.

As a freshman in 2013, he had somewhat of a surprising season, turning into a potential future star after catching 15 passes for 221 yards and a touchdown. Michigan receivers had been shaky for a while under Brady Hoke, but he was emerging as a reliable threat.

However, he took a step back as a sophomore, catching just 14 passes for 154 yards and no scores. Then, Harbaugh came to town and utilized his immense potential and talent.

Chesson began the 2015 season sort of like he began his Wolverine career: very quiet. He caught just 13 passes for 132 yards and no scores through the first six games. The second half of the year was much different as he caught 37 passes for 632 yards and nine touchdowns in the final seven games for the Wolverines.

The then-junior even had three 100-yard games in his final four on the year, including a five-catch, 118-yard performance against Florida’s elite secondary in the Citrus Bowl.

Watch out for an even bigger year for Chesson.

Oct 18, 2014; Bloomington, IN, USA; Indiana Hoosiers wide receiver Simmie Cobbs Jr. (10) runs with the ball against the Michigan State Spartans at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Simmie Cobbs

WR, Junior

Although he began the season suspended, Simmie Cobbs has the potential to be the top receiver in the conference for 2016. If he misses a lengthy amount of time, though, he won’t quite have the numbers of the other guys who made this list.

According to Zach Osterman of the Indy Star, the reason for Cobbs’ suspension, and five other Hoosiers’, is this:

Cobbs, Chris Dutra, Ralph Green, Noel Padmore, Wesley Green and Jake Attar are suspended for “not living up to their responsibilities to the program at different times since the 2015 season,” according to a statement. Wesley Green’s suspension is indefinite. No further details on the reasons behind each suspension were provided.

A very vague reasoning for not having six players on the field, including your No. 1 receiver. While Indiana had a host of wide outs who contributed big numbers in 2015, Cobbs returns as the leader.

Like most of the guys on this list, Cobbs had a quiet freshman season, catching just seven passes for 114 yards, but came to life as a sophomore in 2015. He had to fight for targets with guys like Ricky Jones and Mitchell Paige, but the former receiver is now gone.

Once he returns, he will look to build on his 1,000-yard, four-touchdown performance from 2015.

Oct 31, 2015; University Park, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions wide receiver Chris Godwin (12) runs with the ball after a catch as Illinois Fighting Illini defensive back V’Angelo Bentley (2) defends during the third quarter at Beaver Stadium. Penn State won 39-0. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

Chris Godwin

WR, Junior

When Christian Hackenberg is your quarterback, you have to make sure to run a perfectly clean route so he can get you the ball in open space. The junior gunslinger regressed over his three-year Penn State career to the point where accuracy became an extremely big question mark.

Chris Godwin still managed to excel in the Nittany Lions’ offense, even with DaeSean Hamilton returning as the top receiver in 2015. Hamilton had 82 catches for 899 yards and two touchdowns as a freshman in 2014 while Godwin had just 338 yards and two scores on 26 receptions.

That all changed in 2015 as teams were keying in on Hamilton more than Godwin, allowing the sophomore receiver to have a big season, catching 69 passes for 1,101 yards and five touchdowns, returning to the Big Ten as the leading receiver from a year ago.

Godwin has the size, at 6-foot-1, 205 pounds, and the speed to be a big-play receiver for the Nittany Lions’ new quarterback, Trace McSorley, in 2016. He is easily the top returning wide out from last year, but there are a couple guys nipping at his heels in the conference.