College Football: Which team has the best receivers in 2019?

1. CLEMSON

Clemson is No. 1 overall. Last impressions and first impressions go a long way, anywhere and, especially, in sports. In the last game of the season, the national championship game, Clemson receivers Ross and Higgins combined for nine receptions, 234 yards, two touchdowns and averaged 26 yards per reception-highlighted by Ross’s 75-yard jaunt, twisting one handed sideline grab and Higgins’ leaping 5-yard touchdown catch between two Alabama defenders.

In the spring game, Ross made another tough one-handed catch and Higgins stretched and leaped near the top of the goalpost crossbar on a 6-yard touchdown score. While the two upperclassmen were reminding college football fans that they were not “one catch wonders,” Ngata and Ladson made first impressions that reverberated days after the spring game and will until kickoff in August.

Last season, Ross had 46 receptions, 1000 yards, nine touchdowns and Higgins, 59 receptions, 936 yards, and a team leading 12 touchdowns.

This group lost clutch third down receiver Hunter Renfrow(49 receptions, 544 yards, 1 TD) and senior Trevion Thompson(21, receptions, 189 yards, one touchdown) to the Los Angeles Raiders and Chargers, respectively, but T.J. Chase(2 TDs) senior Diondre Overton(3 TDs), Cornell Powell and the electric Derion Kendrick(14 yards per catch) are all experienced and ready to accept expanded roles in 2019.

Clemson will also be without Amari Rogers. Rogers moved over to the slot this spring to replace Renfrow but suffered a knee injury. At 5-foot-10, 210 pounds, Rogers is built like a running back but is a skilled receiver capable of getting deep and extending a short pass play with his speed. Rogers is also capable of winning 50/50 balls because his standing vertical is over 40 inches. He finished 2018 with 55 receptions, 575 yards, and four touchdowns.

Rogers is expected to be ready to play, at some point, during the season but it’s hard to predict when, so Overton, Powell and Kendrick will all cross train at his position.

Bottom line: Clemson has quarterback Trevor Lawrence and size(Higgins, Ross, Overton, Ngata and Ladson are all over 6-foot-2), speed, and a coaching staff that has placed every receiver from 2011 to 2017 in the NFL.

WRU still resides in Clemson, SC.