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Before No. 20 Illinois (6-1, 3-1 Big Ten) heads off to Eugene to take on the No. 1 Oregon Ducks (7-0, 4-0 Big Ten) on Saturday, Illinois coach Bret Bielema addressed the media. One of the subjects: The excellent season being put together by receiver Pat Bryant – and why Bryant’s success hasn’t come by chance.
“[He] gets in the building at 5:15, 5:30 every morning and catches 50 balls before practice," Bielema said of Bryant. "At the end, I said, 'Have you done this your whole career?' He says, 'No. I wish I had.'”
Bryant’s leap is appreciated mightily around Champaign – and his comments may speak to how much more room he has yet to grow. In any case, in the here and now, it's worth taking a look at where Bryant and his top conference counterparts rate among the now-18-team Big Ten, whose talent pool runs deeper than ever. Below, we rank the eight best Big Ten receiver’s through Week 8:
8. Giles Jackson, Washington
Stats: 47 receptions, 542 receiving yards, 2 TD
Jackson, a 5-foot-9, 187-pound speedster, thrives on short routes and squirting into shallow gaps in opponents' coverage. With the third-most catches in the Big Ten, he has served as Huskies quarterback Will Rogers' favorite target.
All the replays of that Giles Jackson hurdle #B1GFootball x @UW_Football pic.twitter.com/BTslvK0xuo
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) September 7, 2024
7. Pat Bryant, Illinois
Stats: 31 receptions , 484 yards, 7 TD
Bryant’s early-morning routine has been paying off, as his connection with quarterback Luke Altmyer has spearheaded the Illini offense. Big (6-foot-3, 200 pounds) and physical, Bryant has made the most of his size to find the end zone in almost every game this season – including two game-deciding touchdowns in overtime.
Fun fact: Pat Bryant has ✌️ TD grabs in three of the first four weeks. Watch all of the @IlliniFootball WR's 2024 TDs ⤵️#B1GFootball x @duvalpat3 pic.twitter.com/j90rnc8iln
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) September 21, 2024
6. Denzel Boston, Washington
Stats: 40 receptions, 540 yards, 9 TD
A perfect complement to the blazing speed of Jackson, Boston has been dominant in the red zone this year. With his immense size (6-foot-4, 209 pounds) and sticky-glue hands, he leads the Big Ten with nine touchdowns through seven games.
Denzel Boston gets his 8th TD of the season for @UW_Football They are on the board first at home #B1GFootball on NBC pic.twitter.com/FHQFlKEYSG
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) October 6, 2024
5. Elijah Sarratt, Indiana
Stats: 32 receptions, 578 yards, 3 TD
Playing for the – wait for it – undefeated Indiana Hoosiers, Sarratt has been quarterback Kurtis Rourke’s top target. A transfer from James Madison, Sarratt is a regular big-play threat (18.1 receiving yards per catch) despite being the focus of every opponent's secondary.
Elijah Sarratt gives @IndianaFootball the lead #B1GFootball on @BigTenNetwork pic.twitter.com/LMOBHvwRs6
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) September 28, 2024
4. Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State
Stats: 40 receptions, 526 yards, 6 TD
A slot receiver with tremendous speed (4.3 seconds in the 40-yard dash), Egbuka is the Big Ten’s top NFL prospect at the receiver position. With Egbuka and Jeremiah Smith in Columbus, the Buckeyes have a compelling argument for the best 1-2 receiver punch in the country.
Nobody accounted for Emeka Egbuka The WR puts No. 2 @OhioStateFB back on top at No. 3 Oregon. #B1GFootball on NBC pic.twitter.com/a2FOawmzEK
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) October 13, 2024
3. Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State
Stats: 32 receptions, 553 yards, 7 TD
Speaking of ... as an 18-year-old true freshman, Smith has taken the college football world by storm and made a meteoric impact for the Buckeyes. In a passing offense that surprisingly ranks only seventh in the Big Ten, Smith and Egbuka have to make room for one another's highlight-reel catches.
Jeremiah Smith gets at least one of them every game The freshman WR's latest TD gives No. 2 @OhioStateFB the lead.#B1GFootball on NBC pic.twitter.com/XWc43fO1xh
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) October 13, 2024
2. Tai Felton, Maryland
Stats: 64 receptions, 803 yards, 6 TD
If this list were strictly based on production, Felton would move a spot higher with zero argument. His stat line – which includes Big Ten bests in receptions and receiving yards, both by pretty wide margins – is jaw-dropping. Unfortunately, Maryland's 1-3 Big Ten record and late-game stat-padding prevent Felton from claiming our No. 1.
In coverage? No problem for Tai Felton He gives @TerpsFootball their fourth TD of the day.#B1GFootball on @BigTenNetwork pic.twitter.com/QNciMURBww
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) September 21, 2024
1. Tez Johnson, Oregon
Stats: 57 receptions, 536 yards, 7 TD
The No. 1 receiver on the No. 1 team in the country, Johnson belongs at the top of this list. A live wire in the open field, Johnson has the potential to break loose on every reception with his elite run-after-the-catch ability. Oh, and it sure doesn't hurt to have a Heisman candidate on the other end of those throws in quarterback Dillon Gabriel.
TEZ MANIA Tez Johnson gives No. 3 @oregonfootball the lead right back.#B1GFootball on NBC pic.twitter.com/BfB6WHNk81
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) October 13, 2024
More From Illinois on Sports Illustrated:
Illinois Football Bowl Projections Ahead of Showdown With No. 1 Oregon Have Citrus Flavor
Illinois Football Rises to No. 20 in AP Top 25 Poll – With No. 1 Oregon Up Next
5 Key Numbers to Watch for Illinois vs Oregon in Week 9
Illinois Football vs. Oregon: Week 9 Odds, Ends and Prediction
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