Summary
Different positions benefit from different stats inCollege Football 26. When it comes to Wide Receivers (WRs), it’s all about speed and solid catching stats. While most WRs have pretty solid catching stats due to that being a pretty key part of the position, having a particularly fast WR can help them pull away from the defensive players and make huge catches. To help save players some time, I’ve done the research to establish the fastest WRs inCollege Football 26.
The ranking for this list is based on the Speed stat first and foremost, with Acceleration then acting as a tiebreaker. Where two players have the same Speed and Acceleration stats, their Overall and Agility ratings are then taken into consideration.
10Kendrick Law - Kentucky
Speed: 97, Acceleration: 92, Overall: 83
The Senior Wide Receiver over at Kentucky is no slouch, standing at 6'0" and 203lb. With a blistering 97 Speed and 92 Acceleration, Kendrick Law is capable of burning through the lines and racing to the end zone for a touchdown no matter how unlikely it might seem. Paired with 89 Agility, an 88 Catching stat, and 85 Catch in Traffic and Law is capable of making difficult catches before bursting away from defenders with relative ease.
To top it all off, Kendrick Law also has the ‘Shifty-Silver’ physical ability, which increases his ability to maintain speed during cuts and turns. This will help him to quickly change direction when running with the ball, or when running his route at the start of a snap.
9Tank Hawkins - Florida
Speed: 97, Acceleration: 96, Overall: 74
Tank Hawkins is the Florida Gators' Sophomore Wide Receiver, and while the team has some serious depth above him in the receiving department, he’s still got the speed that can help him make the difference in a big moment. He’s slightly short at 5'10" and light at 169lb, but his 97 Speed and 96 Acceleration, paired with his 94 Agility, make him a seriously speedy option for deep passing plays.
When he gets the ball, Hawkins can also make use of the ‘Side Step - Silver’ physical ability, which improves the effectiveness of his juke move for getting past defenders. His low overall rating is due to his middling Receiver stats, with Catching and Deep Route Run at 74, Medium Route Run at 67, and Catch in Traffic of 72. There’s still some potential here, but players should be prepared for some big drops in pivotal moments.
8Jaylen Mbakwe - Alabama
Speed: 97, Acceleration: 96, Overall: 76
Jaylen Mbakwe is Alabama’s sixth-highest-rated WR, but that speaks more about the Crimson Tide’s depth at the position than Mbakwe’s limited potential. At 5'11" and 190lb, Mbakwe’s 97 Speed, 96 Acceleration, and 94 Agility make him just as quick as Hawkins, but with slightly better stats elsewhere to give him a higher Overall rating of 76.
As a Sophomore, he’s got a 77 in Catching, 73 in Short Routes, 75 in Medium Routes, and 76 in Deep Routes. He’s capable of making Catches in Traffic (74), and his Spectacular Catch (78) means he can land unlikely receptions when in multiple coverage. His main downfall is his Release stat (64), which means he’s slightly slower to begin his route once the ball is snapped. Fortunately, his speed helps make up for his slower start out of the blocks.
7Dazmin James - California
Speed: 97, Acceleration: 97, Overall: 75
Another Sophomore, this time at California Golden Bears, Dazmin James manages to deliver blistering pace with some solid physical abilities, and decent receiving stats. The headline stats here are his 97 Speed and Acceleration and 93 Agility, making him an explosive, nimble, and high-speed receiver. His ‘Shifty - Platinum’ and ‘Takeoff - Gold’ physical abilities mean he can maintain that speed when making turns and cuts, and will have an even faster release off the line when he’s not pressed.
Paired with a 79 in Release, 80 in Spectacular Catch, and 77 in Deep Route Running and Catching, James is capable of being a solid target for Hail Mary plays. Even on Short Route Runs (76), he can hold his own, and his Change of Direction (91) means once he’s got the ball, he’s got the skillset to weave his way through incoming defenders.
6Zachariah Branch - Georgia
Speed: 97, Acceleration: 98, Overall: 88
The Junior Wide Receiver for the Georgia Bulldogs is also their WR1 with seriously strong stats in both the speed and receiving departments that make him a serious passing weapon. A 97 in Speed is paired with 98 in Acceleration and Agility, and a 97 in Change of Direction. His 85 in Catching makes him a safe pair of hands if theQB can make a good lob pass, and the 90 in Deep Route Running and Spectacular Catches make him a prime candidate for big game moments.
Paired with these solid stats, Branch also has the platinum versions of the ‘360,’ ‘Double Dip,’ and ‘Side Step’ physical abilities. These offer him improved spin, cut moves when running double move routes, and juking abilities, respectively. He might not have the highest outright speed stats inCollege Football 26, but Branch has the catching stats to match his lightning-fast pace.
5Che Nwabuko - Pittsburgh
Speed: 98, Acceleration: 96, Overall: 71
Hailing from Austin, TX and playing for Pittsburgh, Che Nwabuko almost maxes out the Speed stat inCollege Football 26. Coming in at 5'10" and 180lb, he’s got a 98 in Speed, and 96 in Acceleration and Agility. He’s also capable of making sharp turns and cuts with the ball thanks to his 90 in Change of Direction, and can even hurdle players if he needs to with his 93 in Jumping.
As with other players in the list, Nwabuko also brings the ‘Shifty - Platinum’ and ‘Takeoff - Silver’ physical abilities to help him maintain his speed during cuts and turns, and his release off the line when not pressed.
Nwabuko’s overall rating is impacted by his middling stats elsewhere, with a 73 in Catching and Short Route Runs, 70 in Middle Route Runs, and 75 in Deep Routes. He’s also average at Catching in Traffic with a 74 and only has a 70 for Release, meaning he’s not as fast starting his route compared to other receivers. That being said, he’s only a Sophomore, so there’s still time for him to realize his potential.
4Jelani Watkins - LSU
Speed: 98, Acceleration: 98, Overall: 73
Jelani Watkins might only be a Freshman, but that’s not stopping him from taking a spot on this list. His 98 in Speed and Acceleration are matched with a 93 in Agility, and 90 in Change of Direction. This gives him the tools he needs to run his route, get into space, and leave defenders in the dust once he makes a catch.
As a Freshman, he’s still got some development to do, as evidenced by his 73 Overall rating. His receiving stats are middling, with a 74 in Catching and Medium Route Runs, 78 in Short, and 79 in Deep. He’s also not the best at Catching in Traffic (70), and has room for improvement in Release (72). That being said, he’s an exciting prospect to follow over the coming years.
3Nyck Harbor - South Carolina
Speed: 99, Acceleration: 97, Overall: 82
Nyck Harbor is one of just three WRs inCollege Football 26that have a 99 Speed rating. Harbor pairs this with a 97 in Acceleration, a 92 in Agility, and an 87 in Release. These stats make him capable of leaving defenders in the dust once he gets the ball and getting into space when running routes.
As a bonus, Harbor’s Catching (82) and Spectacular Catch (92) make him a safe pair of hands for Hail Mary plays, if not the best. His Medium and Deep Route stats of 75 and 79, respectively, also make him a viable option for a wide range of plays.
2Barion Brown - LSU
Speed: 99, Acceleration: 98, Overall: 86
The Senior WR for LSU is another excellent all-rounder. With 99 in Speed, 98 in Acceleration, and 93 Agility paired with a 91 in Stamina, he’s capable of running into open space game after game. He’s also got a bunch of physical abilities — ‘Double Dip - Silver,’ ‘Shifty- Platinum,’ ‘Side Step - Bronze,’ ‘Takeoff - Platinum’ — that help him explode out of the gates and make him incredibly mobile when running his routes and carrying the ball.
All of this is paired with strong receiving stats across the board. His 85 in Catching and Short Routes is paired with an 83 in Medium Routes, 87 in Deep Routes and Spectacular Catches, and 91 in Change of Direction and Ball Carrier Vision. He might not top the list, but like Zachariah Branch, he looks more like the complete product than some of the other fastest WRs inCollege Football 26.
1Jordan Anthony - Arkansas
Speed: 99, Acceleration: 99, Overall: 76
The fastest Wide Receiver inCollege Football 26is Jordan Anthony for the Arkansas Razorbacks. Maxing out both the Speed and Acceleration stats at 99 and pairing them with a 95 in Agility, 94 in Change of Direction, and a 90 in Stamina, Anthony is an all-out speed demon that can leave defenders in the dust before they even notice he’s started his route. This is even helped by his ‘Takeoff - Bronze’ and ‘Shifty - Platinum’ physical abilities.
Despite these insanely high speed stats, Anthony’s overall rating isn’t the best for a Wide Receiver. His receiving stats aren’t blowing anyone out of the water with a 79 in Catching, 75 in Short Route, 72 in Medium Route, and 77 in Deep Route Runs. He’s also slower out of the blocks with a Release of 72 and can struggle to make Catches in Traffic (75). While he’s seriously fun to play with (and use whenplaying against friends online) thanks to his speed, he lacks the receiving stats to make him feel like a true Wide Receiver cheat code.
Pairing these Wide Receivers with one of thefastest QBs inCollege Football 26’sDynasty mode can be a great way to make a formidable offense.
