Continuing our “Top Returning” series, we now look at the wide receivers and tight ends in the ACC. The conference is stacked with wide receiver talent with varying skill sets. Many teams in the ACC have more than one player who can be considered for this list.
For example, PFF ranked Clemson’s receiving corps the third-best in the FBS. The Tigers, along with Louisville, also have multiple pass catchers named First-Team All-ACC by Athlon. We were able to narrow the list to a group of players we believe have the best chance to separate themselves from a stacked group, though.
The Top Returning ACC Pass Catchers
Honorable Mentions
First, we want to give a spotlight to a couple of players who did not quite make the list, but fans should keep their eyes on them through this season. Starting with Clemson’s rising true sophomore wide receiver, Bryant Wesco Jr. The second year player was a former five star recruit who immediately met his expectations in his first year. The True Freshman All-American finished 2024 with 708 receiving yards and five touchdowns. This made Wesco a part of the first freshman duo from the same team with at least 650+ receiving yards and five touchdowns since 2000 with teammate TJ Moore.
Another player who was close to making this list is Louisville receiver Caullin Lacey. The six-year college football veteran has huge expectations after having to redshirt last season due to injury. Still, in just five games played, Lacey had 18 receptions for 196 yards and a touchdown. The former First-Team All-Sun Belt conference player should be back and healthy for the Cardinals this season. That will make their already loaded offense even better.
4. TE RJ Maryland: SMU
To start off the official list, we look to our first tight end of these top returning pass catchers, RJ Maryland. SMU’s rising senior is another player coming off a season plagued by injury. Maryland played in just seven games last season before tearing his ACL. Even though he played in only half of the Mustangs’ games, Maryland was still named an All-ACC Honorable Mention.
Before the season-ending injury, Maryland had 24 receptions for 359 yards and four touchdowns on the year. If he can get back to form coming off of the injury, the senior tight end will be a problem for ACC defenses once again. SMU will be contenders in the conference for the second year in a row, with a healthy Maryland.
3. WR Malik Rutherford: Georgia Tech
The next top returning pass catcher in the ACC is Georgia Tech’s Malik Rutherford. Another 2024 All-ACC Honorable Mention, Rutherford is having a career that will go down as one of the best in recent Yellow Jacket memory. His 62 receptions last season were the most in a single season by a Georgia Tech receiver since Calvin Johnson in 2006.
Rutherford also added 702 yards receiving and three touchdowns to go along with those catches. When the expectations of his role have increased, he has met the challenge for the Yellow Jackets. This season it will happen again if Georgia Tech wants to take the next step as a program.
2. TE Justin Joly: NC State
Another tight end makes the top pass catchers list for the ACC, with NC State’s Justin Joly coming in second. The excitement around Joly’s arrival to Raleigh last year by Wolfpack fans could not be overstated. Even in an offense that severely underperformed in 2024, Joly still found a way to shine in the passing game. He finished the season with 43 receptions for 661 yards and four touchdowns.
Going into 2025, Joly is expected to be the number one guy in the pass game for NC State. He was named both preseason First-Team All-ACC by Athlon and preseason Second-Team All-American by the Walter Camp Football Foundation. So, expectations are very high for Joly in 2025.
1. WR Antonio Williams: Clemson
Speaking of players with high expectations, Antonio Williams tops our returning ACC pass catchers list. Williams is coming off of a First-Team All-ACC performance through the 2024 season. He is the best wide receiver in a group considered to be the top three best at the position in the nation entering 2025. Williams is also the first Tiger with double-digit touchdown receptions in a season since Cincinnati Bengals’ wide receiver Tee Higgins in 2019.
The rising senior finished last season with 75 receptions for 904 yards and 11 touchdowns. This makes him the only player on the list with 900+ receiving yards and double-digit touchdowns last season. Williams is expected to replicate what he did last season, plus more in order to bring Clemson back to a national championship.
Main Image: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images
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