Pre-season Pac-12 WR/TE unit rankings: Colorado and UCLA have Pac-12’s best receiving groups

Backfields

1. Colorado (WR Shay Fields Sr. WR Devin Ross Sr. WR Bryce Bobo Sr. WR Jay MacIntyre Jr. TE George Frazier, WR Kabion Ento, TE Dylan Keeney)

Fields and Ross is the conference’s best combo at receiver as both put up huge numbers, are consistent and have big play potential. Bobo and MacIntyre are very nice number 3-4s, as good as the conference has.

2. UCLA (WR Darren Andrews Sr. WR Jordan Lasley Jr. WR Eldridge Massington Sr. WR Theo Howard So. WR Mossi Johnson Sr. TE Austin Roberts Jr. TE Caleb Wilson So.)

Andrews and Lasley provide another excellent receiver duo, but there is much more here for the Bruins. The massive Massington has flashed star potential and Howard has explosive potential. Roberts and Wilson might be the second and third-best tight ends in the conference.

3. Washington (WR Dante Pettis Sr. WR Chico McClatcher Jr. WR Aaron Fuller So. WR Andre Baccellia So. WR Brayden Lenius Jr. WR Ty Jones Fr. TE Drew Sample Jr. TE Will Dissly Sr.)

The Huskies lost John Ross, but Pettis was insanely productive and could be the best receiver in the conference. The small and lightning quick McClatcher should take over some of Ross’ role as the speed. Guy. Sample and Dissly are as good of blocking tight ends as the conference has.

4. USC (WR Deontay Burnett Jr. WR Steven Mitchell Sr. WR Jalen Greene Jr. WR Michael Pittman Jr. WR Tyler Vaughns Fr. So. TE Daniel Imatorbhebhe So. TE Tyler Petite Jr.)

The Trojans have a loaded pool of talent to replace JuJu Smith-Schuster and Darreus Rogers, but they don’t have a lot of returning production. Burnett is the lone proven threat and has the size, speed and polish to be a first-team All-Pac-12 players and Imatorbhebhe is the clear-cut top returning tight end in the conference.

5. Oregon (WR Darren Carrington II Sr. WR Charles Nelson Sr. WR Dillon Mitchell So. WR Alex Ofodile So. WR Malik Lovette So. TE Jacob Breeland So.)

The Ducks are still loaded at receiver. Carrington could have went to the NFL, but is back with the chance to turn back into the conference’s best jump ball receiver. Nelson might best the best in a bunch of standout Pac-12 receivers with limited size but unstoppable speed.

6. Washington State (WR Tavares Martin Jr. Jr. WR Robert Lewis Sr. WR Kyle Sweet Jr. WR Isaiah Johnson-Mack So. WR C.J. Dimry Sr.)

Gabe Marks and River Cracraft are gone and the Cougars have to shape out their new receiver group a little bit for Luke Falk. Martin Jr. put up good numbers as a sophomore and might have a higher ceiling than Mark or Cracraft. Lewis and Sweet are very productive receivers as secondary options and Johnson-Mack is loaded with potential with his size and speed.

7. Cal (WR Demetris Robertson So. WR Melquise Stovall So. WR Jordan Veasy Sr. WR Vic Wharton III Jr. TE Ray Hudson Sr.)

The Bear Raid is gone, but the kind of talented receivers an air attack needs is still here. Robertson quietly put together a huge year as a freshman and Stovall is a speed demon who can stretch the field. Hudson is one of the conference’s best pass catching tight ends.

8. Arizona State (WR N’Keal Harry So. WR Jalen Harvey Jr. WR Cameron Smith Sr. WR Kyle Williams So. TE Jay Jay Wilson Jr.)

The 6’4 220 Harry might be the conference’s most-talented receiver and is ready to be an 1,000-yard receiver. The depth here is solid with decent second options like Harvey and Smith and tight end Wilson.

9. Stanford (WR Trenton Irwin Jr. WR JJ Arcega-Whiteside Jr. WR Isaiah Brandt-Sims Sr. WR Donald Stewart So. TE Dalton Schultz Sr. TE Kaden Smith So.)

Stanford still doesn’t have an elite receiving group, but it’s solid. Irwin and Arcega-Whiteside are nice possession receivers and Schultz is one of the best tight ends in the conference, though not yet one of their elite tight ends like Zach Ertz or Coby Fleener.

10. Utah (WR Raelon Singleton WR Siaosi Wilson So. WR Demari Simpkins So. WR Troy McCormick Jr. Sr. TE Harrison Handley Sr.)

Like Stanford, Utah always seems to be limited here. They are solid, we some experience returning, but they also don’t have any All-Pac-12-level receivers coming back.

11. Oregon State (WR Seth Collins Jr. WR Jordan Villamin Sr. WR Timmy Hernandez Jr. WR Trevon Bradford So. WR Hunter Jarmon Sr. TE Noah Togiai Jr.)

The Beavers have an interesting top returner here in former starting quarterback Collins and 6’5 235 Villamin who had a down year after a big sophomore season. There is potential for this unit to move up the rankings if Villamin and Jarmon progress.

12. Arizona (WR Shun Brown Jr. WR Cam Denson Sr. WR Shawn Poindexter Sr. WR Cedric Peterson So. TE Trevor Wood Jr.)

The Wildcats lose almost all of their top receivers from 2016 and have to rebuild.